No TGV to LIbourne on Sat. May 21 - Zut alors!
 

I had this all figured out until the SNCF changed their schedules. Now I need some advice as to how to fix it.

Here's the problem - I have eight people staying a week in Sarlat. At the end of that week (Sat. May 21) one person (E) needs to return to Paris to fly home the next day. On the same day I have two other people (C & R) coming in from Paris to join our group (now 9) to spend our second week with us in the Basque area of France near Biarritz.

The original plan was to drive to Libourne to drop off E and collect C & R. There were TGV's in both directions taking a bit over 3 hours. I was planning to have lunch there, let C & R pick up their car and then follow us to the Biarritz area. From there it would be another 2.5 hours or so.

However, it seems that there are now no TGV’s Paris to Libourne on May 21, only slow trains that take 5.5 to 6 hours+ with 1-2 changes. The one I wanted to have E take back to Paris is still there but it doesn’t make sense to drop her off there if I can’t also pick up C & R.

It would work if I do the switcheroo at Bordeaux Saint-Jean but I hate the thought of driving into Bordeaux and then out again with three cars in a caravan. And didn’t I read a post that said picking up a car at Saint-Jean could be difficult?

The only other option I see is doing this at Périgueux but since the slow train from Paris takes about 4.5 hours, C & R would not get there until noon at the earliest, would still have to get their car and we’d need to get something to eat. So I doubt we could leave there until about 1:30-2:00 and that would put us very late getting to our house near Biarritz.

I’ve looked at viamichelin to find the route into the Saint-Jean station and it doesn’t look too complicated but the Google Earth images are downright frightening! Lots of street work going on. I don’t know how current those images are and the work might be finished by May, but maybe not. Does anyone know the current situation there?

I’d appreciate any suggestions you might have.

I once picked up a car at the St. Jean station. It was parked about a block and a half in the street in front of the station. Dropping off a car is another matter. One has to get to the other side of the tracks because that is where the drop off points are for the rentals.

I just checked the SNCF site without specifying how I want to get to Libourne. There are <b>no</b> trains going there three days in a row, which leads me to believe that they have not yet posted the new schedule. Your friends could get to Bordeaux and take a local train out to Libourne. That might solve the problem.

I'm hoping that you're checking too early. Aren't the tickets available three months ahead? If you try on February 21 for May 21, the situation might be different.

I agree, you cant book tgv's earlier than 3 months out so maybe they havent loaded the schedule yet.

We have dropped a car at st jean, and it wasnt too bad. Getting in and out is easy as the main hwy is only a couple turns out of the station.

Thanks, Michael. I first thought that it was just a glitch in the system and that the trains I had seen earlier would reappear. But so far that hasn't happened. I even tried to do a mock reservation for May 14 which is now reservable and the TGV's weren't there. It is weird though.

You would think that if there was a local train from Saint-Jean to Libourne, it would show that as a possibility for Paris to Libourne. Maybe if I tried to do that as a separate reservation it would work. That would certainly be the best solution.

If we do need to go into Bordeaux, I was thinking that I might actually head for that parking lot the other side of the railway. We'll need to park 2 cars while we wait and could be there a couple of hours if we have lunch there. Do you remember if it was easy or not to walk to the station from there? Is there a pedestrian passage that goes under or over the railway?

Thanks again. B

Jamikins and pavot, I was composing my answer to Michael while you were posting. No, it's not that I'm trying too early. If you only ask for schedules (hit "horaires" instead of "reservez") it should show trains well ahead of the reservable ones. And, as you see above, the problem is still there when I tried May 14.

Hmm that is odd.

We have driven into Bordeaux twice and its really not that hard - both times were from Sarlat. The main hwy takes you right in and out.

Ooops. See your point, Betty1. I wish I had a solution, but I'll follow your saga with interest.

I suppose the station at Brive is the wrong direction for your party?

Those rental cars at the Bordeaux station can be located in several different places. The last time we picked up and dropped off there (Europecar) we finally actually picked up the car in a large lot located behind the station. Getting back TO that lot ended up being a challenge because of the various one-way streets aqnd having a GPS along helped a great deal.

Overall, driving into the city wasn't any issue but that may be because I live in a busy metro area where people drive far more destructively tan anything I have ever seen in Europe...so good luck and am sure it will work out for you.

You do realize that all TGVs from Paris to Bordeaux, as far as I know, stop in Libourne, and no conductor is going to penalize you from getting off the train a stop early. Have you checked all the TGVs running from Paris to Bordeaux that day?

Or, as mentioned, it just may be too early.

No, St Cirq, I did not know that. There is an IDTGV Paris to Bordeaux (8:10 to 11:21) that would work nicely if I could be sure they could get off in Libourne or could get back to Libourne easily and quickly from Bordeaux. I'm surprised, though, that they don't show Libourne as a stop for that train. How can I be sure? Maybe I need to call.

There is a train almost every 20 minutes going from Bordeaux to Libourne, and it takes about 20 minutes to get to Libourne.

http://www.voyages-sncf.com/billet-t...ivants&hid=ASE

If you go to the German train site, it does not show ANY no-train-change TGVs going to Bordeaux for 5/21. I would guess that the SNCF people have not fully loaded their summer week-end schedule into the system yet. Is May 21 a French holiday??

Stu Dudley

Hey, Stu!

There is definitely something weird about this. I should be able to buy such a ticket in the next few days, Sunday evening to be exact, for May 21. And, as I say, there aren't any TGV's available for Libourne even for May 14. I'm thinking that I'll go ahead and buy, if I can, the IDTGV to Bordeaux and either have them get off in Libourne or get a train back there from Saint-Jean.

AFAIK, May 21 is not a holiday in France. May 8 is and Pentecôte is late this year, into June, I think.

They don't have the same schedules all the time, and it isn't just due to holidays. They have different runs in May a lot. They do have a TGV from Paris to Libourne on Saturdays beginning June 4th, but none in May.

May 21st isn't a French holiday, that isn't the reason. They will have to transfer trains somewhere, that's all. That is just a terrible day for trains from Paris to Libourne, there aren't any quick or direct options, it appears. The quickest is close to 7 hrs with only one transfer, but if there are two transfers, it's a little shorter.

SNCF has this really nice function where it will custom make schedules for you on routes by the dates you put it, it shows all your options easily, try it http://www.voyages-sncf.com/services...iches-horaires

There don't seem to even be any direct TGV to Bordeaux that day. There also appear to be TGVs to Bordeaux that don't stop in Libourne.

Have them take the 8:10 IDTGV to Bordeaux and then double back to Libourne. They should get there between 12:30 and 1:00 p.m.

contact sncf using the contact form http://aide.voyages-sncf.com/contact...t_body_message - write your problem in English and French (use a translation engine, google translate will do)

It's probably a problem with someone putting the train times online. It's happened before, and a couple of days after contacting them it was sorted

(It's always a good idea when dealing with problems like this to contact the company directly first. Look for alternatives if the service provider can't fix the problem)

OK. I've emailed the SNCF using wizardofaus' link. Thanks for that, woa. Will let you know if and when I get an answer.

I have 2 pages I copied from the site in November and December, showing the "horaires" for May 21. The first shows 4 TGV's Paris to Libourne leaving at 6:59, 7:45 (2) and 10:50 taking between 3 and 4 hours for the trip. The second shows no less than 9 (not all would suit my schedule). I was prepared for some minor changes, but to see all of these disappear? I find that hard to believe.

Let's hope it is as wizardofaus suggests.

Hi B,

The www.bahn.de site shows that you can go Paris --> Perigueux faster than to Bordeaux or Libourne. Same train. You have to change at Limoges.

((I))

Ira,

Les than 3 hours?

http://www.voyages-sncf.com/billet-t...ltats?hid=19Q3

Thanks, Ira and Michael.

The problem with using Périgueux is not so much the length of the train ride, though 3 hrs is much better than 4.5, it is that Périgueux is much further from Biarritz, at least time-wise. I have to allow C & R time to get there, get their car, put E on the train back to Paris, maybe have some lunch and then strike out for Biarritz. That would put us much later arriving at our house which is about 30 minutes east of Biarritz.

I got a non-answer response from SNCF this morning telling me that I could not buy tickets for May 21 until Feb. 21. I knew that! I wrote back and haven't had a response to that email yet.

It's now showing direct TGVs to Bordeaux st Jean on the 14 May, for instance:

Depart : 11h30 De la gare de: Paris Montparnasse 1 Et 2

Arrivée : 14h32 De la gare de : Bordeaux St Jean

I had similar problems with Paris - Tours in January: the only route it showed was Paris to St Pierre des corps, change for Poitiers then backtrack to St Pierre des Corps. It would't sell me a ticket for the route (because I was going through the same station twice), and it wouldn't give me a simple route Paris - St Pierre des Corps. It sorted after a couple of days.

wizardofaus may have pointed to a confusion. I used Austerlitz as the train station and every time I had it confirmed that several IDTGV were going from Paris to Bordeaux on May 21 (but not Libourne).

Just enter "Paris" without any station details. Ig there is a choice of station it will show you trains from both (or all 3). Only thing to be careful of is when it shows routes from Gare du Nord to Bordeaux - these use an RER train, changing to the TGV at Massy.

I always use "Paris (toutes gares intramuros)" as my departure since I don't really care which station in Paris they use, just want the best schedule.

It still looks like my best choice is the IDTGV 8:10 - 11:21 Paris - Bordeaux and then, as a separate booking, a TGV 12:01 - 12:24 Bordeaux to Libourne. I just don't understand why it doesn't seem to offer that as a single booking when you put in Paris to Libourne.

It appears that all the fast trains to Bordeaux on that date are IDTGV's, which apparently do not stop at Libourne.

I could book the IDTGV now for May 21 but I'm going to wait until Sunday evening to see if a direct train to Libourne shows up again. If not I'll book the two trains.

New wrinkle - if I can't get C & R to Libourne before 12:00, it appears that they can't pick up a car before 2:00 as the car rental agencies will be closed. Aaaaargh!

So now it looks like they'll have to leave Paris on the IDTGV that leaves at 7:15, gets to Bordeaux at 10:23, then a train back to Libourne arriving at 11:02.

I'm going to wait a bit to see if my original TGV Paris-Libourne shows up.

Have lunch by the train station and then pick up the car at 2.

I'll do that if I have to, Michael, but I'd much rather get the car before we have a quick lunch. If the agency doesn't reopen until 2:00 it will be 2:30-3:00 before we can get away at best. That would put us 5:30 - 6:00 getting to the house. Any hold-up at the car rental counter or any trouble getting back on the road to Biarritz, we'll be even later.

This just keeps getting stranger.

My two going to Libourne have about decided, I think, to just take the train all the way to Biarritz and wait for us there.(It appears to be the same iDTGV leaving Paris at 7:15 and arriving in Biarritz at 12:30.) I was ready to buy as soon as they green light it. However...

I decided to check on some other schedules. I went ahead and bought a ticket last Sunday evening for E.(the one leaving our group on May 21) Libourne to Paris 12:27 - 15:50 - fine. Bought the ticket, got the email confirmation but haven't printed it yet. When I checked the "horaires" a couple of hours ago, that train no longer appears. I could understand it not showing up if it were sold out (unlikely) and I was hitting "réservez," but shouldn't it still be there when I hit "Horaires"?

Also, I was considering getting us all back to Paris on May 28 by train, had recently seen a TGV Biarritz - Paris 10:55 - 16:00. That train has also disappeared from the schedule. (I'd about decided to fly back to Paris anyway.)

I've emailed the SNCF (no real answers), emailed the man in seat 61 and called Byron at BETS (both thought they may be working on this route) but why then are the iDTGV's running? Or are they? I think it's time I call the SNCF.

I tried (+33) 892 35 35 39 but that seems to be just for Eurostar. I finally got a human who after I asked "Vous parlez anglais?" either hung up or we got cut off! Does anyone have another number? I'd prefer to explain all this in English but can deal with French if need be.

I don't know what you are doing, maybe putting the wrong date in or it is random, but I can see that trip on 5/21 from Libourne to Paris just fine, I just looked (in "horaires"). I didn't see anything on 5/28 from Biarritz to Paris at that time, though.

They have special phone numbers within France to call SNCF, so I don't know how that would work elsewhere, I think it costs per minute or something (3635). I think the full number is 09-80-98-36-35, you can try that but I don't know if that prefix works outside France, and you'd have to call during French working hours. I think from outside France, the number is similar to the one you have, but diff last digits, try this
08 92 35 35 35

Christina, you see a TGV Libourne to Paris leaving at 12:27 and arriving at Gare Montparnasse at 15:50? I do not and no, I'm not putting in the wrong date. Could it be a problem with my computer, cookies or something? I see other slower trains from Libourne to Paris on that date, but not that one which is what my ticket confirmation has.

I realize it's too late now to call but hoping to do so tomorrow morning. I have that last number you gave which is for French. I'll use that if necessary. (I still get nervous speaking French on the phone!)

I just called using the French number and was given the option for English (press 2).

A nice young lady explained that they are indeed working on that line and the train I bought a ticket for will be running on that date but may be delayed "5 minutes." She also said that the updated schedules will be posted on the website Mar. 1.

I may go ahead and buy the iDTGV Paris - Biarritz since it doesn't seem it has been affected and because the price has already gone up a bit. But I'll wait to decide about Biarritz - Paris (train or plane) until they post the new schedules.

Thanks to all who've tried to help.

well, I did indeed see that exact train when I was looking that day, 12:27-15:50. Maybe things will be better for you after March 1st, that sounds hopeful. Today I don't see it.

Just in case anyone is still interested...

It is now March 5 and none of the trains I was interested in has reappeared on the SNCF schedules for my dates. Last night I gave up and bought tickets on Air France, round-trip Paris-Biarritz for my two coming in from Paris and one-way Biarritz-Paris for the rest of us. Unfortunately, not all on the same flight as the 11:10 flight could only take 4 at a reasonable price. The rest of us are leaving at 3:00 pm.

Still don't know about the ticket I have for E. Libourne-Paris. If that train doesn't reappear in the next few days, I suppose I'll try calling again. I do wish the SNCF would get their act together for this route in May or at least put something on the website to explain what is going on.

I've lost track of what dates you need to get from where to where, but checking May 21 I see a whole bunch of trains from Paris to Libourne - not all of them TGVs, but some of them.

Thanks for your interest, StCirq.

The problem with Paris-Libourne on May 21 is that I needed to get them there before noon so that they could pick up a car and follow the rest of us to the Biarritz area. The train I had seen in Nov-Dec (7:45 - 10:51) would have worked but now I see nothing that would get them there in time. But that's moot now since I've bought the plane tix.

Just to make sure there is nothing weird going on with my computer, would you mind checking Libourne-Paris on May 21 for me? I have a ticket for the person leaving our group that day to return to Paris and then home the next day. The ticket is for a TGV 12:27 - 15:50 but I see no such train on that date. I see one leaving Libourne at 14h36 but it doesn't arrive in Paris until 18h55.

Thanks!

Here are the trains listed for May 21:

7:27 am - Libourne, arrives Paris Montparnasse 11:40
7:55 am - Libourne, arrives Paris Austerlitz 13:40
9:41 am - Libourne, arrives Paris Montparnasse 14:40
11:12 am - Libourne, arrives Pris Austerlitz 17:06
12:52 pm - Libourne, arrives Paris Austerlitz 18:51

There are earlier and later trains as well.

OK. Thanks for checking, StCirq. Those are the ones I see as well. But none at 12:27, arriving at Gare Montparnasse at 15:50, as her ticket says. I'll wait a bit longer and then call again if necessary. I assume that if the train she has a ticket for isn't running, they will transfer her reservation to another train.

No, I didn't see one for 12:27, either. She should have no problem getting ticketed on another train if they've changed the timetables.

>>The ticket is for a TGV 12:27 - 15:50<,

Strange !!! The Germain/bahn site displays that train - but the SNCF site (I used both Mozilla & IE) does not.

If you look at the Bordeaux to Paris schedules on the bahn web site, that train departs Bordeaux at 12:01. But there is no 12:01 train on the sncf site. There is, however, a 11:25 departure from Bordeaux that gets in to Paris at 14:40 - but this train does not stop in Libourne.

I would assume (unless you hear otherwise) that the 12:27 train was cancelled after you purchased the tickets. Better call someone (I know - you have). If you can't talk to a live person, make other plans, then wait till you get to France & go to a sncf boutique or a train statin to resolve it & hopefully get a refund.

Isn't travel planning fun !!!

Stu Dudley