MaineGG

If I buy a ticket from Paris to Chartres, can I get off at intermediate stops like Rambouillet and Maintenon, then reboard? Or, must I buy separate tickets for each leg of the trip?

FrenchMystiqueTours

No, you can't just get off the train. You must buy separate tickets for each leg of the journey.

FrenchMystiqueTours

But if you know you're going to get off at say Maintenon then when you're

FrenchMystiqueTours

Darn, got cut off. So if you know you're getting off at Maintenon then just buy all the tickets you'll need when you're at Gare Montparnasse.

MaineGG

Thanks, that's pretty much what I thought but wasn't sure. I want to visit both Rambouillet and Maintenon one day and thought we might just continue on to Chartres after Maintenon since it would be so close. I'll just buy separate tickets at Gare Montparnasse.

apersuader65

I purchased r/t tickets from St. Lazare to Rouen in April and I was told specifically that I didn't need to purchase a separate ticket at Vernon if I wanted to get off and reboard at the same stop on the same day, so long as I completed the trip within the time I booked. We ended up Not getting off, as it was raining, but the agent at St. Lazare said that I could. Is this a different line, or was I misinformed by the agent?

Sarastro

Possibly you misunderstood what the agent was saying. Train tickets are not day passes; they are point to point only, just as FrenchMystiqueTours has explained above.

FrenchMystiqueTours

You can buy tickets at Maintenon if you want to continue on to Chartres. There is usually someone at the ticket booth there. Keep in mind it's a 1.5km walk from the train station to the château in Maintenon.

MaineGG

Thanks FMT. I just looked on the Transilien site and was happy to see that Rambouillet is in Zone 5 which means, I think, that we can go there using our Navigo passes. If that's right, how is it done when using them on a train? Does the conductor scan the pass? Will there be a scanner on the platform or on the train?

It seems that this day out will include a lot of walking both to and from the stations as well as in the parks of the châteaux. Hope we're in good enough shape.

Christina

FOr suburban trains, I think you have to put your ticket into a turnstile to get to the train just like you would taking the metro/RER, at least at some stations. It isn't like a regular train that you just get on and there is a conductor. If you don't have a turnstile, you'd have to put it in a machine to compost, just like any train ticket.

You can never get on a train without having your ticket composted in France. The only exception are prepaid tickets for a specific time and train that are worthless after that train has gone.

FrenchMystiqueTours

To use your Navigo pass in most of the main line train stations you have to look for the machines that are spread out along the platform and swipe your pass in front of the machine. At most stations there are no barriers to pass through and you just walk from the platform right onto the train. It's only at Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est where you might encounter a turnstile or barriers where you'd use your navigo pass like the métro or RER. At Gare du Nord it's only for those platforms numbered 20 or higher. At Gare de l'Est you'll have barriers to pass through for all transilien lines. The navigo validating machines look like this:

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passe_...Transilien.jpg

For Maintenon and Chartres you'll get the large size tickets and those you'll stick into the yellow SNCF composting machines that are also spread out along the platform.

MaineGG

Wonderful information - especially the photo. Merci encore!

PalenQ

You can never get on a train without having your ticket composted in France.>

I thought discounted train-specific tickets did not need to be composted (self-cancelled) because they can't be used only on that specific train - you are saying they have to be date-stamped - can't see why since they are only good on that train and cannot I think be refunded.

For lots of great info on French trains in general check www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

FrenchMystiqueTours

Unless you have etickets or print

FrenchMystiqueTours

Darn. Got cut off. As I was saying. Unless you have etickets or print at home tickets you ALWAYS have to compost your ticket before boarding a train, no matter what kind of ticket you are holding.

FrenchMystiqueTours

Not that it matters but I should correct myself and say at Gare du Nord you use your Navigo pass to pass through the turnstiles at platforms 22 and higher. Platforms 20 and 21 have no barriers.

apersuader65

I will admit my french language skills are not completely fluent, but the cashier was completely fluent in English. She specifically told me that as long as I got off at Vernon, got back on and continued on to Rouen within the time listed for my return trip, there would be no problems.

Whether she meant that it was legal, or that there was no way to enforce it, was irrelevant. As I purchased a R/T ticket, I was going up and coming back on the same day. While I did have specific times on my tickets, they were irrelevant to my usage. As we didn't get off in Vernon and instead went straight to Rouen, our time there was significantly shortened. Our tickets were for a 5:00ish train. We composted them for a 3:30 or so train, and the conductor who checked our tickets electronically didn't have a problem with me being on the train just south of Vernon before the time on the ticket said I was to depart.

It may not be legal, but I'm not sure how, with a ticket that isn't a reserved seat ticket could be enforced, so long as you were within the time periods you actually have on your ticket. Is there something I'm missing? Or was the conductor wrong in not enforcing when I was not on the specific train my ticket said I was to be on?

FrenchMystiqueTours

I'm missing something here. You said you composted your tickets at 3:30 but your scheduled departure on the ticket was at 5PM, is that correct? Did you board a train before 5PM, which I assume was the time on your ticket?

PalenQ

Yes just ask at the station when buying your ticket - most staff in Paris stations IME speak some English - there is often a British flag over a ticket window where English is certainly spoken.

apersuader65

Sorry FMT, I composted them at 3:30 for an earlier train than the ticketed 5:00 train. When the conductor/ ticket agent on the train checked my ticket, it was not even 4:30, and it was south of Vernon when he got to us, a full 30 minutes or so before we were to depart Rouen.

The reason this sticks out in my mind is because we were in the furthest south car on the train and seconds before the doors closed upon departure at Rouen, three ticket takers and two or three Gendarmes also boarded. They all then split up with half on the second floor and half on the first floor and moved to the back of the train in a quick pace. 45 or so minutes into the ride, we saw a man quickly appear in the breezeway of the car we were on right next to the exits. A few moments later, the ticket takers and the gendarmes arrived and busted the guy for not having a ticket. They pulled out their trusty credit card machine and he bought the ticket and paid the fine right in front of us.

After this is when the came to our portion of the car and checked our tickets. Scan and go. The lady sitting behind us (British speaking, very loud talking with a 10ish year old boy who also spoke loudly the entire trip) failed to compost her tickets and complained loudly as to "HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW I HAD TO VALIDATE THESE THING BEFORE WE GOT ON". Another British passenger somewhere behind her shut her up with a well placed "you come to another country, you should know the customs HERE" which ended her speaking the rest of the trip.