ediemay

I have gone onto this site and gotten an excellent fare on the TGV. Is this a travel agency or the actual train co site. The prices are so much lower than on the TGV site that I am nervous about buying the tickets here. Does anyone know anything about this site? Thanks!

Sarastro

The following sites are all operated by the SNCF or French Rail:

www.voyages-sncf.com (in French only)
www.ter-sncf.com (in French only)
www.idtgv.com
www.tgv-europe.com

I have not found prices to vary among these sites.

Rail europe operates a website as well. Rail europe is co-owned by the SNCF and Swiss Rail. The prices on this site exclude discounted fares and do not list complete schedules. There is no reason for anyone to use Raileurope.

To what ¨TGV site¨ are you referring in your question?

StCirq

What do you mean "lower than on the TGV site?" If you're looking at RailEurope by any chance, yes, the prices are always much higher there than on the SNCF (Société Nationale de Chemins de Fer - French national railway) sites.

There's nothing to be nervous about buying directly from the SNCF official sites, given to you by the poster above. It's the only sensible thing to do. I've done it hundreds of times, as have a boatload of other Fodorites.

kerouac

www.voyages-sncf.com is indeed the official SNCF site that everybody in France uses. Interestingly enough, most of the non-train functions of the site are operated by Expedia.

ediemay

Thank you all for your assurance. It is true that when I searched TGV France the rail Europe site is what came up and where I found much higher fares. We just purchased March special tickets at the senior rate on Voyages and we are pleased with them.

Michel_Paris

I used them to book online my trip to Lyon. I bought the TGV tickets from/return to CDG as well as a hotel room for several nights, right beside the train station. Good prices.

Michel_Paris

And, being registered, I receive regular emails that have some interesting trip packages (like weekend get-aways).