youngtom2910

if i purchase train tickets on the internet, can I merely show these to the conductor on the train or do I need to register them in some way at the station

apersuader65

I've used Trainline to buy tickets and the "ticket' is a QR code on my phone. In fact, I bought several and transferred the tickets to the other passengers phones so they had their own QR code for their phone.

StuDudley

Just show up - no need to register anything in advance. An agent or a machine will read your QR code as they let you into the track/voie for your specific train.

Stu Dudley

Christina

You could always use e-tickets by printing them and showing it to the conductor. Whether they are on your phone or not.

kerouac

I always print my tickets because I never have 100% confidence that my phone will work properly at the critical moment. But more and more people just use their phones on the scanning machines.

SusanP

I'm like kerouac, I don't like depending on the technology (I figure it's bound to be out just when I need it!), so I always print everything out.

mjs

I also print tickets for back up including airline tickets.

lavandula

Out of curiosity, do they actually do this anywhere in Europe? I haven't been everywhere (yet) but I thought this was what they do on Amtrak but not much in Europe. I can only think of Eurostar at St Pancras and Brussels (and even then the trains that used to be the Thalys are not restricted) - when I have travelled by rail (northern and central Europe, Scandinavia, Italy), passage to the platform has always been unimpeded and the conductor reads your ticket when on the carriage already. Sorry for polluting the water with my rail Australianisms!

Lavandula

kerouac

In Paris you now have to go through electronic gates to board most TGVs. In most cases, an agent will come through the train later to double check tickets, especially if there has been an intermediate stop. Ouigo tickets are checked just once, before boarding.

lavandula

Ah, that would account for this. I have not been on a train in France since 1999 (??? I can hardly remember) although I have been a few times a lot more recently because we have had cars. Thanks for the response.

Lavandula

rouelan

I don't have a printer at home. Would it be for a train ticket, a boarding pass for a flight, a ticket for a museum or a show, I never print them. Sometimes, small prints say that the ticket should be printed but I never had any kind of problem.
Most of the time, I would make sure I have a copy of the ticket on my phone (download or screenshot) in case there would be no connection available.

And for SNCF, I heard conductors saying they are able to retrieve the PNR and ticket if you are not able to show it (if you forgot your phone or if the WiFi doesn't work on the train)

kerouac

With your PNR, you can get the SNCF ticket machines to print a physical ticket for you.