leslieq

After reading umpteen posts about how to buy train tickets in France (we needed Paris to Brive May 9) and striking out several times I went on the man in seat 61 site and was directed to Rail Europe for USA citizens. Bingo. It was incredibly easy.

Each ticket was about $60 USD. Found the close to 10 am train I wanted. Easy to select print at home tickets, which I've already done and saved in my Dropbox folder as well.

Our credit cards don't work on the SCNF site, and Capitaine Train (not sure if I've spelled them both correctly) only showed a late night train, which wouldn't do us any good for picking up the car rental. The price seemed comparable to the 69 euro price I thought I saw on the SCNF site.

Not sure if this was an expensive option, but it worked easily and am relieved we have our tickets. Nothing else seemed to work for me.

Just wanted to post this in case anyone else was interested (or the experts can chime in on a better way to do it for someone else).

Cathinjoetown

I checked the lowest prices on voyages-sncf for your date. Morning 2nd class departures range from 15€ to 53€, and several price points in between. So, you did pay on the high side.

Am not sure why you couldn't use your credit cards on sncf. Iit seems some US-based people have no problem and others do.

No question Rail Europe is very easy and convenient. I had heard they were going to bring their prices more in line with sncf. Certainly $60 is less thsn 53€, the top price I saw on sncf for your date, but sounds like you weren't given the cheaper options.

kerouac

You actually bought the tickets too early. Most of the tickets go on sale just 3 months ahead of time and all of the cheap fares will be available then. In any case, Paris to Brive is a very minor line and I wouldn't have bothered to buy tickets until about two months before departure at the earliest. (People going farther such atake trains that don't even stop in

kerouac

That last sentence was: People going farther such as to Toulouse take trains that don't even stop in Brive.

StCirq

Yep, two mistakes: you bought the tickets too early, before the discounted ones go on sale, and you used Rail Europe.

leslieq

Hmmm.... I thought I was supposed to get three months in advance.

Other than buying a month later, what was I supposed to use instead of Rail Europe? SNCF wouldn't take my credit card, and the Capitaine site didn't offer a train that would get us to Brive in time to pick up our rental car. Other options?

Just curious, as this will not be the last time we'll need to buy train tickets online.

Anyway, am glad I have the tickets and will do better next time!

Man_in_seat_61

www.capitainetrain.com shows the same prices and trains as en.voyages-sncf.com, same lack of fees, same choice of seat options, but unlike voyages-sncf shouldn't have any credit card acceptance problems nor does it try and divert you to one of SNCF's Rail Europe subsidiaries.

I've just checked, Capitainetrain does correctly shows trains Paris-Brive all day on 9 May. Perhaps you ran the enquiry with a default time setting in the evening?

kerouac

If you are lucky, you bought refundable tickets.

leslieq

Man in seat 61...just tried again, and indeed I got a train that leaves at 11:52 instead of that late evening one that was showing last time. I probably did set some default inadvertently. The ticket price is 31 euro, about $43USD. I spent about $60, so this would have worked out a lot better (assuming my credit card would be accepted).

OK, learned a lot and will be better prepared next time!

Kerouac, do think they are refundable. Thanks, everyone.