Need Help Purchasing TGV Tickets
 

I want to purchase TGV tickets for 2 adults and 2 seniors, going from CDG to Aix en Provence on June 4 and returning from Aix to Paris Gare de Lyon on June 11. I believe that the RailEurope price is $282 per person for 2nd class tickets, while the price on the Voyage-SNCF web site is $225.

Is there any advantage to using the RailEurope site in spite of the higher price? The French site asks for the birth date of each passenger. Will an American passport be sufficient as proof of age for these tickets or is some kind of French senior ID card expected?

Thanks for your help.

Whoa, that price has gone up. I bought my June 2011 tickets online last December and paid less than €25 per ticket for one way to Avignon. I think I might have beaten the PREM fare.

At any rate, I just followed the directions from other Fodorites using the Voyage-SNCF website and was able to print the iDTGV tickets at home. Definitely do not go through RailEurope.

Do a forum search here and you should have all the details you need.

The age is irrelevant unless you participate in the Carte Senior program in which case you will need to purchase a card costing 56€ per person per year. Tickets are usually sold non transferable so someone may ask for an ID.

French Rail does not necessarily sell round trip tickets. Such a purchase will really be two one ways. For the CDG to Aix-en-Provence segment, I see tickets as low as 67€ if you purchase them now. Prices only rise as your travel date approaches.

As you have proved yourself, using Raileurope will not save you money.

Thank you for your help. Because we will have luggage and a bike, we are limiting ourselves to direct trains and these apparently are a lot more expensive.

I don't think the price is necessarily higher because it is direct, but because you are looking at only a few weeks out. As Sarastro said, the closer you get to your travel date, the higher the prices will rise (just like airfare). I suppose your best choice now is to to bite the bullet ASAP before things get worse and use the Voyagers-SNCF site. What other options do you have?

Also, I would certainly think your passport would be sufficient proof of ID/DOB.

If you go to the voyagessncf site you can have a voyages loisirs price at departing 9:28 for 67 euros or a TGV prem's after 13:00 for 65 euros. At this late date that is probably the best you are going to get. There also is a first class for 75 if that interests you.

Sorry not to address the birthdate issue...passport works fine for birthdate/id. Don't forget you will need to have the EXACT charge card you used to purchase the tickets on your person; they actually re-swipe it in their machine (maybe cancels ticket as being "used"?) They are much more interested in the card than in birthdates; some don't even check passport.

Is this one bike or 4? Can't help you on the bike issue except to say I've never traveled on a TGV and had someone load on their bike...I'm thinking you will need a reservation in the baggage section. Perhaps someone else has experience with bikes...anyone?

Make sure you did not select the Carte de Reduction box. You're not buying that card -- you're only giving your date of birth as part of verification and also so they can offer you the standard age-related price reduction option on tickets. The Senior Card is something normally purchased by senior French residents or seniors visiting for a longer time period and planning on using lots of trains. Takes a few trips to pay for itself.

not all tgv take bikes, you need to look on the web site for the bike symbol, you also would be wise to book the bike space(make a reservation), the TGV has spaces for the bike (they seldom have baggage cars or cow catchers or any of that sort of stuff) which are very precise about how they should be used normally at the front or back of the carriage (i have photos..).

We tend to take non-TGV if taking bikes as there is just more space.

Prices vary greatly by date, and also by time of day. You will note that a train that travels during lunch time is often cheaper than other trains as the French don't like to stop eating to take the train.

The OP's trip was in June.

Hi,
Thank you all for the suggestions. We made the train trips without incident, although the prices were rather high for the times we wanted to travel. The bike was not a problem, since it was in a standard suitcase, but it was a challenge finding space for all our luggage on the train to Aix-en-Provence. Our seats were on the lower level, the train was full, and there was very little storage space when we got on at the airport. On the return to Paris we found more space in the upper-level car. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have.