Do you book your train tickets in France before you leave the US?
Oct 28th, 2006, 11:40 AM
#1
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Do you book your train tickets in France before you leave the US?
I need two days of train travel in France for early and mid December: 1) a one-way ticket from Paris to Epernay
2) a one-way ticket from Strasbourg to Paris.
Several trains run on the weekdays we'll be traveling. Do you think we should book our tickets in advance? The fees seem high; we don't need a package (usually minimum of 3 days of travel). I've looked on Rail Europe and a few others.
Help! Thanks, Fodorites, you're awesome as always.
2) a one-way ticket from Strasbourg to Paris.
Several trains run on the weekdays we'll be traveling. Do you think we should book our tickets in advance? The fees seem high; we don't need a package (usually minimum of 3 days of travel). I've looked on Rail Europe and a few others.
Help! Thanks, Fodorites, you're awesome as always.
Oct 28th, 2006, 12:09 PM
#2
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If you go to www.sncf.com you may find a reduced PREM fare, which is a real bargain as train fares go.But check it out soon; you can do it 60 days ahead. The PREM fares sell out early.
Oct 28th, 2006, 12:16 PM
#3
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Hi grandmere 
You were fast on that posting but I think my link gets you directly to bookings and you don't have to search in that messy sncf website
http://tinyurl.com/ybf8uv
take care
coco
You were fast on that posting but I think my link gets you directly to bookings and you don't have to search in that messy sncf website
http://tinyurl.com/ybf8uv
take care
coco
Oct 28th, 2006, 12:50 PM
#4
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Normally I don't book in advance. But there will be five of us visiting Bruges in early December and I got tickets for Paris - Lille - Paris 2nd class TGV for 200 euros round trip for all of us.
Then two weeks after booking the above, I got an email from sncf for special fares. I could have gotten Paris-Brussels-Paris on Thalys 2nd class for the same price. Oh, well.
Then two weeks after booking the above, I got an email from sncf for special fares. I could have gotten Paris-Brussels-Paris on Thalys 2nd class for the same price. Oh, well.
Oct 28th, 2006, 01:10 PM
#5
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I booked sncf for tickets for our Amsterdam-Paris-Amsterdam trip. Bought whilst in Paris tickets for a day trip to Chenonceau. The difference? It cost more to buy a ticket two days before, we got the good discount tickets for our longer trip. Secondly, I think are more likely to sit facing the back of the car the later you book. Not a problem if you don't have carsickness issues... unfortunately I do, and like to see where we are going rather than where we have gone.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Oct 28th, 2006, 02:19 PM
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For longer stretches like Strasbourg-Paris it may pay to do it online, but not with Raileurope, they rarely charge less and often charge more than you can get directly at the French Railways' site.
Do it with www.voyages-sncf.fr and look for specials called Prem fares. The trick is not to input anything other than France as the place of purchase and ticket pickup.
Making these reservations locks you in, of course, if there is seat reservation involved (mandatory on TGV and such trains).
When in France, go to any station and present the identical credit card you used online to the agent, and a print-out of the web pages where you made the transaction, and the confirmation email they sent you. You will get your tickets in a jiffy.
Do it with www.voyages-sncf.fr and look for specials called Prem fares. The trick is not to input anything other than France as the place of purchase and ticket pickup.
Making these reservations locks you in, of course, if there is seat reservation involved (mandatory on TGV and such trains).
When in France, go to any station and present the identical credit card you used online to the agent, and a print-out of the web pages where you made the transaction, and the confirmation email they sent you. You will get your tickets in a jiffy.
Oct 28th, 2006, 06:37 PM
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Last year we booked our train fare from Paris to Dijon in the USA and purchased the discounted PREM tickets, quite a bargin. I printed the tickets out at home. There was a website requirement that the ticket must be printed on A4 paper size which is a European standard slightly different than our 8 1/2 X 11" paper. This is NOT required-standard paper is OK. The ticket collector is only interested in seeing your passport name matches the name on the printed ticket and not the size of paper. They never even checked my wife's ticket.
Dennis
Dennis
Oct 29th, 2006, 04:02 AM
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Hi Danna
>I think are more likely to sit facing the back of the car the later you book.
It makes no difference. Unlike airplanes, trains can switch front to back, depending on the station from which they depart.
Hi Coco
>...you don't have to search in that messy sncf website.
You are spoiled if you think that www.voyages-sncf is messy. Try www.trenitalia.com for a while.
>I think are more likely to sit facing the back of the car the later you book.
It makes no difference. Unlike airplanes, trains can switch front to back, depending on the station from which they depart.
Hi Coco
>...you don't have to search in that messy sncf website.
You are spoiled if you think that www.voyages-sncf is messy. Try www.trenitalia.com for a while.
Oct 29th, 2006, 07:10 AM
#11
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Help... found great prices on scnf.fr - however, the website only allows me to give a French postal address for "free postal delivery." I found both tickets I need, with the latter being a PREM rate with an upgrade to first class, for a total of 129 EUROS for all 2 days of travel.
Otherwise, if I put in the USA, it automatically directs me to the Rail Europe website... wow, are those prices high!!! Almost double what scnf.fr charges.
How did you print the tickets online, Wally?
Otherwise, if I put in the USA, it automatically directs me to the Rail Europe website... wow, are those prices high!!! Almost double what scnf.fr charges.
How did you print the tickets online, Wally?
Oct 29th, 2006, 07:30 AM
#13
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If you search the Fodor's archives for MorganB's posts, she has written detailed instructions for using the SNCF site. You don't get the tickets mailed; you either print them out at home or pick them up in France.
Oct 29th, 2006, 07:36 AM
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Hi scub
>I found both tickets I need, with the latter being a PREM rate with an upgrade to first class,...<
Good for you.
To buy your PREMS tickets, leave the country as France.
Do Not buy any other tickets but PREMS.
Do NOT buy the insurance.
Continue through all of the menus.
You will get the option to print your ticket. Do so.
This is all you need.
You can now buy your other tickets.
Leave the country as France.
Go through the menus.
A. You can have your tickets mailed to you c/o your hotel
B. Choose to get your tickets at a train station or SNCF boutique.
You will get a confirmation number. Bring that and the same CC that you used to buy the ticket to retrieve your ticket.
This ticket must be validated before you board the train.
Enjoy your visit.
>I found both tickets I need, with the latter being a PREM rate with an upgrade to first class,...<
Good for you.
To buy your PREMS tickets, leave the country as France.
Do Not buy any other tickets but PREMS.
Do NOT buy the insurance.
Continue through all of the menus.
You will get the option to print your ticket. Do so.
This is all you need.
You can now buy your other tickets.
Leave the country as France.
Go through the menus.
A. You can have your tickets mailed to you c/o your hotel
B. Choose to get your tickets at a train station or SNCF boutique.
You will get a confirmation number. Bring that and the same CC that you used to buy the ticket to retrieve your ticket.
This ticket must be validated before you board the train.
Enjoy your visit.
Oct 29th, 2006, 07:37 AM
#15
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Carlux I don't know why this link is not working anymore 
They may change it everyday...
It is actually the link you can get on http://www.voyages-sncf.fr/leisure/fr/launch/home/
and then click on "train" on the top of the page. It is direct to bookings.
Ira I don't think www.voyages-sncf is messy. It is www.sncf.com that grandmere mentioned that is messy (especially when you don't understand French)
Scubba I think you can print Prem's tickets only, not the regular ones.
Here is the link to MorganB's post :
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34803732
They may change it everyday...It is actually the link you can get on http://www.voyages-sncf.fr/leisure/fr/launch/home/
and then click on "train" on the top of the page. It is direct to bookings.
Ira I don't think www.voyages-sncf is messy. It is www.sncf.com that grandmere mentioned that is messy (especially when you don't understand French)
Scubba I think you can print Prem's tickets only, not the regular ones.
Here is the link to MorganB's post :
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34803732
Oct 29th, 2006, 07:46 AM
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I had friends purchase 5 first-class rail tickets in advance, online, but they left the address field blank. When they arrived at the train station, the SNCF refused to honor them, and they had to buy new tickets.
So it may help to have them sent to your hotel in France so they're there when you get there. (Call the hotel first for advice.)
So it may help to have them sent to your hotel in France so they're there when you get there. (Call the hotel first for advice.)
Oct 29th, 2006, 07:51 AM
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davelb , did your friends produce :
a. the confirmation e-mail (with the order # reference)
b. the same credit card used when ordering the tickets ?
You need both to pick your tickets in a train station or a sncf boutique
a. the confirmation e-mail (with the order # reference)
b. the same credit card used when ordering the tickets ?
You need both to pick your tickets in a train station or a sncf boutique
Oct 29th, 2006, 05:43 PM
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Re forward facing seats, etc.: when our TGV left Annecy I was facing the front, but when it departed Aix-les-Bains for the trip northward to Paris, I was riding backwards. As it turned out, it was no problem since there were only 4 of us in the 8-person compartment, and I was able to change my seat.
Oct 30th, 2006, 07:29 AM
#19
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Merci beaucoup! I booked my Strasbourg-Paris tickets, got the PREM rate and printed out the tickets from my home computer, including confirmation #'s, email, etc. by following Ira's advice. The key was not buying insurance and only getting the PREM tickets.
Thanks again; it seems like I saved some $$$ and will be enjoying roomier 1st class too!
Thanks again; it seems like I saved some $$$ and will be enjoying roomier 1st class too!
