ann

I'm trying to buy a train ticket from Paris to Bruges for this March. When I go to the sncf.com site under conditions of selling tickets you have to enter the country you want them sent to. Every country except the US seems to be listed. Is is not possible to buy tickets from here? I've done it in the past through a travel agent and I'm sure I know people who have done it on line but I certainly can't seem to figure out how. Can anyone help me.

lisa

Yes, you can buy them, but no, you can't have the tickets sent to you. At least that was my experience last May. I bought them online from the U.S. and picked them up at the station once I was there. However, I bought mine on the Thalys website (I was going the other direction, from Brussels to Paris). I picked them up at the train station in Brussels just before I caught my train.

ann

Thanks. So if I can't have them sent here do I really need to get them in advance. Would it be safe to buy them when I get to Paris. I'll be there about 5 days before the day I want to go to Bruges. There seems to be a train almost every hour (on the sncf site, on the rail europe site there are only 3 or 4, all in the afternoon - don't understand this either, why one site has so many more trains than another if they are both Thalys trains). Do the trains really fill up or is last minute (or almost last minute) safe?

Ben Haines

You just buy the ticket on your second day in Paris at the Europe desk in any big station.<BR><BR>Do buy the booklet in English about Memling?s reliquary of St Ursula in Bruges. As a liberal Christian I find the tale more instructive than true, but good fun anyway. I especially like the moment when the Pope comes along for the ride.<BR><BR>Welcome to Europe<BR>Ben Haines, London

Al

Here's how we did it. Went to the SNCF office on the south bank of the Seine at Pont d'Alma. The office looks like a house trailer. Gave the man behind the wicket a piece of paper (my French is only so-so) with '2nd class, 2 billet (tickets), Paris a Bruges pour Bruxelles, a 9 hr.' He smiled, said, (in accented English) "Two second-class tickets to Bruges by way of Brussels, for seniors, leaving at 9:00 -- Gare du Nord, sir." He took my VISA card and handed me the tickets in a flash with a smile. No sweat.

ann

Thanks so much. Don't know why I thought you had to get train tickets so far in advance - I guess because they say you need "reservations". I'll just wait till I get to Paris. Ann

Myriam

Ann,<BR>You don't need to have tickets so much in advance. If you have the chance to, well then do it because a number of tickets are sold at lower fare (so-called 'mini tariff' which is about half the price). Trains Paris Nord/Brussels do run very frequently (every hour ; every half hour in peaktime on weekdays), so you will find a seat anyway!<BR>For timetables, take a look at the website: http://www.thalys.com/uk/ind_uk.htm

Christina

The reason you see different schedules is because SNCF is the actual RR website and Raileurope is not, it's a travel agency. Their web site states that their lists are not complete, they choose a selection of routes they think would be most popular with tourists. Their site is good for preliminary planning on times, etc, but not definitive. I don't think they want to upkeep the entire SNCF rail schedule on their web site.

Paul

Is there a direct train from Paris to Bruges or do you have to stop in Brussells? Do you have to change trains & how long does it take to go from Paris to Bruges?

Liz

Choice is: Thalys through Brussels, or you can take the TGV to Lille, then another train to Brugge. Slightly longer, but cheaper.