Just Purchased TGV Tickets - Avignon ----> Paris
Mar 13th, 2012, 05:58 PM
#1
Original Poster
Just Purchased TGV Tickets - Avignon ----> Paris
I had been practicing this just to reduce chances of an issue.
I wanted to buy two TGV tickets from Avignon to Paris for June 14, 2012.
Then I realized I don't have to wait until the 14th to purchase Prem tickets. From the US the evening of the 13th should do.
It did.
www.voyages-SNCF.com
Selected English at the bottom of the page.
Selected starting and ending points.
Selected the date and an hour or so earlier than we wanted.
Selected Antarctica as home location.
I then selected the exact departure time and fare (60 Euros for two of us - could have been 50E an hour before or an hour later but wanted this time).
Then I entered the name of the passangers and dates of birth as well as my email address.
Then we got to the parted I dreaded. The credit card part.
I selected VISA, entered the card number and the security code from the back of the card.
Voila!!!! The transaction went thru.
I printed out the confirmation with the file reference, download the E-Ticket Confirmation in a .pdf file and printed it out on my color printer (there were a few colors on it so I thought it would be nice to print in color).
I fully expected issues but none.
I hope this helps others trying to do the same.
I wanted to buy two TGV tickets from Avignon to Paris for June 14, 2012.
Then I realized I don't have to wait until the 14th to purchase Prem tickets. From the US the evening of the 13th should do.
It did.
www.voyages-SNCF.com
Selected English at the bottom of the page.
Selected starting and ending points.
Selected the date and an hour or so earlier than we wanted.
Selected Antarctica as home location.
I then selected the exact departure time and fare (60 Euros for two of us - could have been 50E an hour before or an hour later but wanted this time).
Then I entered the name of the passangers and dates of birth as well as my email address.
Then we got to the parted I dreaded. The credit card part.
I selected VISA, entered the card number and the security code from the back of the card.
Voila!!!! The transaction went thru.
I printed out the confirmation with the file reference, download the E-Ticket Confirmation in a .pdf file and printed it out on my color printer (there were a few colors on it so I thought it would be nice to print in color).
I fully expected issues but none.
I hope this helps others trying to do the same.
Mar 14th, 2012, 02:22 AM
#9
Original Poster
I selected Antarctica so (as justinparis suggested) as not to be redirected to RailEurope.
Antarctica not written anywhere on the purchase confirmation nor the E-Ticket confirmation.
I wrote that I could have selected one hour earlier or later at 10E less. That should have been written as two hours earlier or later. We preferred to arrive at 9PM instead of 11PM.
Also, it may or may not have made a difference that I called Citibank (my credit card issuer), spoke with security and informed them that I would be making a credit card purchase from France within the next 48 hours.
The last time I informed them that I would be using my card in Europe it stopped working after 4 days and I had to call them long distance to reactivate the card.
Antarctica not written anywhere on the purchase confirmation nor the E-Ticket confirmation.
I wrote that I could have selected one hour earlier or later at 10E less. That should have been written as two hours earlier or later. We preferred to arrive at 9PM instead of 11PM.
Also, it may or may not have made a difference that I called Citibank (my credit card issuer), spoke with security and informed them that I would be making a credit card purchase from France within the next 48 hours.
The last time I informed them that I would be using my card in Europe it stopped working after 4 days and I had to call them long distance to reactivate the card.
Mar 14th, 2012, 06:45 AM
#10
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it is not illegal to put Antarartica,, you are not saying you are a citizen of there, just that is where you are,, and they do not care, really, it is not on any of your tickets, and if you read your contract of carriage there is not a single word about what country you put down.
I have done this for years,, usually on Eurostar, and have not once had an issue, as have thousands of others. As I said its not illegal , it is simply so you do not get redirected to another website.
I have done this for years,, usually on Eurostar, and have not once had an issue, as have thousands of others. As I said its not illegal , it is simply so you do not get redirected to another website.
Mar 14th, 2012, 06:52 AM
#11
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No, it's not "illegal." SNCF doesn't care what your country of origin is - it's just selling you a ticket. You could be from anywhere. It's just a smart move to avoid being shunted over to Rail Europe, which will gouge you with extra fees you shouldn't have to pay. Smart move if you don't speak/read French and must navigate the site in English.
Mar 14th, 2012, 08:19 AM
#12
Original Poster
About speaking English or French.
During my pre-purchase meanderings I tried both the English and French sites to see if there were any differences.
On the English site Paris Lyons didn't come up as a selection but did end up being the final destination. However, on the French site Paris Lyons was a selection choice. In the end it doesn't matter as that's where I ended up.
My main reason for trying both was to see if there were any differences regarding the seat selections. I was hoping one would let me select direction of seats (facing or backing travel direction). Neither did.
Apparently some trains permit it and others don't.
During my pre-purchase meanderings I tried both the English and French sites to see if there were any differences.
On the English site Paris Lyons didn't come up as a selection but did end up being the final destination. However, on the French site Paris Lyons was a selection choice. In the end it doesn't matter as that's where I ended up.
My main reason for trying both was to see if there were any differences regarding the seat selections. I was hoping one would let me select direction of seats (facing or backing travel direction). Neither did.
Apparently some trains permit it and others don't.
Mar 14th, 2012, 01:23 PM
#13
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Just got my tickets for May from Paris to Reims on the French site.....kind of tricky but I did it and it only asked me what direction I wanted the seats only on the return trip to Paris so must be only certain trains I guess.
Mar 14th, 2012, 01:40 PM
#14
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Actually, the tgv-europe.com website (which is where the OP was sent when they clicked on "ENGLISH") does not just ask where you are, it DOES ask what is your country of residence. So in theory, they could ask you to prove that. ANd I think the fine print on the SNCF website at one time did claim you were not allowed to buy their tickets if you lived in North American and some other places. I always have ignored that, not sure if it still says that or not. Most poeple never read the terms.
Mar 14th, 2012, 08:08 PM
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So Antarctica, GB, Australia would all give the same result...merely to get the English version and not be re-directed to RE? I'm not arguing the point since it clearly worked, I just never would have thought to choose Antarctica!
