We are traveling by train from Amboise to CDG this summer at the very end of our trip.

The SCNF site (which is sometimes not very user friendly) is not pricing out this trip because it states, "This trip is not available online because it involves more than 3 changes" or something to that effect.

I simply wish to know the best way to get from Point A to Point B. Is it a given that we go through Tours and then take the TGV to CDG? We are not rushing to catch a flight as we have an airport hotel for the night before we leave.

If we go from Amboise to Tours, then onto a TGV to CDG that seems to imply just one change right?

Also, when and how is the best way that I should make the TGV reservation for this one way trip that is in mid July (just BEFORE Bastille Day!) Since the SNCF does not deliver tickets to the US, should I have them sent to my Amboise hotel (Manior les Minimes)?

We are two traveling together so I am also looking into the differences between PREM fares and Discovering Together fares.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

I am able to price it.

Amboise - St Pierre des Corps - Aeroport CDG 2

Perhaps you are having problems with the destination . It is best to enter the destination and then click the link to chose it from the list.

As far as getting your tickets, you need to chose france as your country, pay for the tickets online, and then pick them up at a train station or ratp boutique sometime before your departure. You will need the reservation number and the same credit card that you used to pay for them online. If you dont have both of those items you will not be able to get your tickets. I suppose you could have them sent to the hotel but you would have to trust the keep up with the tickets. You should book the tickets 3 months before the date of travel.

Thanks for the prompt reply.

Would you be so kind as to tell me the steps you followed because I am still getting a technical error. By the way, what is the price that you are getting? Are you using http://www.voyages-sncf.com/ as the search page?

You can only complete the transaction within 60 days of travel dates. March is too early to try booking for 'summer'. You can get a schedule and a price by pretending to buy for April and just don't complete the purchase.

If you indicated you planned to go to Tours from Amboise and then to CDG, that would make for three changes.

You really need to go from Amboise to St-Pierre-des-Corps (the TGV station for Tours), and from there to CDG. I think you might have to change trains between St-Pierre and CDG but I'm not sure.

I just went to www.sncf.com and put in Amboise for departure and AEROPORT CDG 2 TGV for arrival on March 23 (just to see what would come up). There's a train from Amboise at 11:25 a.m. connecting through St-Pierre-des-Corps but with a 2-hour layover. Arriving at CDG at 3:20 p.m. There are a couple of earlier trains too. Price is 44 euros.

Tim, what dates are you trying.. .It is two months before your travel date like travelnut said, not 3 sorry. For example if you are traveling August 10, the first day you can book is June 10th. Its 45 euros for one way full price. If you are trying dates to far in advance you will get an error.

Thanks for the research.

I also what you found, but only using the French version; when I went back and did the same reservation in the English version I got the technical error again.

When I do purchase these tickets (60 days prior) is the best way to pick them up using the automated machine as opposed to having them mailed to my hotel? I have traveled quite a bit, but I have not done the automatic pickup machine before.

I did find a train (putting in March 23rd as a travel date) that leaves at 13:05 and does not have the long layover in Tours.

Thanks again!

hello everyone , from my experience , the pick up machines for paidfor tickets are really easy to use.
I remember having to take one TGV train from Amboise to St Pierre Des Corps , and then change again from St Pierre des Corps to Aéroport CDG2.
It seems that you'll have about 9 trains per day , from 8:15am until 8:00pm , so you'll have plenty of possibilities.Now , about the Prems or Discover fares , noone in France seem to understand how they manage this thing...but Prems are supposed to be cheapest , so you'll have less opportunities then on Discover for 2 tickets....and that's the general rule , I'm not a specialist! With a Prems ticket I m not sure you are able to change your reservation though.
But I guess your first selection will be on how long it's going to take you to go from one place to another , I think it can be as short as 1h54minutes up to 3h28...it's not bad , but since you won't have anything to do at the hotel at the airport , it'll save you a half day for snails , vin d'Anjou or vin de Loire and one extra castle

Thanks to all!
It looks like I can buy the tickets 2 months in advance and pick them up at the automatic ticket dispenser and I have many option including staying late in Amboise instead of spending too much time at an airport hotel. Are there any tricks to using the automatic system for ticket pick up?
Thanks again!

One thing about the automatic ticket dispensers in French train stations: I'm not sure they will accept American credit cards. You might need to go to the ticket agent's booth to get your tickets from a live person.

I would suggest you start looking for PREM fares 60 days out from your trip and book those online, pay for them online, and print them out and take them with you (they are non-refundable/non-exchangeable). Then focus on the shortere Amboise-Tours lefg of the trip for which there are no PEMS because it's not a TGV line and pick those tickets up at the station window in Amboise (I have never found the automatic ticket machines to be terribly intuitive).

So if I may summarize what I need to do:

1. 60 days before the date I need to travel, buy the PREM fares online for the Tours to CDG portion of the trip.

*Is St. Pierre des Corps the same as the Tours TGV station?

2. Print out the tickets rather than waiting to pick up from the automatic machine (because the machines possibly do not accept American credit cards.

3. Purchase the Amboise to Tours tickets when we are in Amboise.

Does that sound right for a seemingly simple trip?

No. St Pierre des Corps is a different station from Tours.

St PdC is on the outskirts of Tours maybe only a mile or two apart but separate nonetheless.

Lots of people rent cars from St PdC and start their Loire vacation from there.

There are shuttle trains that run between the two stations during the day no ticket required. They're called "navettes" as I recall.

Try to book a ticket to St PdC rather than Tours. It'll be easier.

You may need to show an ID to the conductor with your Prems ticket. I used my passport in December.

Your plan sounds pretty good. Have fun in the Loire!

no regarding the printout versus window thing. You can print them IF they are a PREM fare. Otherwise, you must pick them up at the station. You don't have to use the automatic machines, I never have, just go to a clerk at a window.

I'll echo ckenb's statement that the automatic machines will not accept american credit cards. You will need to go to a ticket counter if you arent able to get a PREM fare. You can pick up your tickets at ANY train station. So for example if you are going to be in Paris first you could pick them up there at any station or boutique SNCF.

I do not think Prems fares are offered on this route (st pierre-CDG). At any rate they are not offered right now because I just checked several dates and there were no Prems.

Just to clairify one point. You may purchase two months in advance as opposed to 60 days.

Yes, Saint-Pierre-des-Corps is the TGV station for Tours. Some TGVs -- ones that terminate in Tours -- might go into the downtown station, but most of them stop at St-Pierre. There's not need to go into the Tours station if your destination is Amboise.

I know that this is truly simple and that I have turned it into a complicated issue, but it now looks like this:

Train from Amboise to St-Pierre-des-Corps.
(purchase ticket in Amboise station)

TGV from St-Pierre-des-Corps to CDG.
(purchase ticket online 2 months before travel date)
If possible, print the tickets out, if not, then pick them up at any SNCF station prior to travel date at a manned window not an automatic dispenser.

Did I get all of that correct?

Yes, tim, you've got that right. But note that you do have other options besides buying the Amboise-St-Pierre des Corps at the Amboise station. You CAN buy it online in advance, but because it's not a PREM ticket you will have to pick it up at the station (ANY station, for that matter) rather than print it out.

So if you want the peace of mind of a reserved seat before you leave, you do have that option.

I haven't seen any PREM tickets available for the trip from St-Pierre-des-Corps to CDG. I've looked for them several times over the past two or three months.