The voyages-sncf website shows the lowest first class fare for the train I want (Paris-Dijon at 2:54pm on 5/31) as 93E/pp (Paris-Dijon tgv peak hour).
I can choose 2 seats next to each other but can't find where there's a seat map to choose specific seats (the form has space to fill in seat preferences).
I went on the RailEurope site to see if I could find a seat map for this train and they show a first class fare for the same exact train as on voyages-sncf at $71 (about 58E +$18 mailing).
RailEurope in their FAQs says there's a difference between a ticket and a reservation (WHAT?). On the order page of RailEurope it looks like I'm buying a ticket but how can I tell????
Is it possible that RE is so much less than sncf for this train ticket?

Immediately after reading your message, I went to the SNCF site and asked for the fare for 2 tickets for that train on that date. It is proposing at this precise moment Prem's fares at 40€ for the two tickets, or 94€ for first class, which is ridiculous for such a short trip.

Hi R,

Buy the PREMS fares at www.voyages-sncf.com.

Don't get the insurance.

Print your tickets at home.

The computer will assign you 2 seats, 1 window, 1 aisle.

>(the form has space to fill in seat preferences).

That's only if you want to sit near someone who already has a tcket.

Enjoy your visit.

We wanted first class because of luggage (we're carrying a tux and gown on hangers to be hung up during travel) plus suitcases. Will second class seats have enough room for these hanging garments?
Any info on when I'm buying a ticket vs a reservation?

YOu can't pick specific seats, only a type of seat.

A reservation is different from paying for ticket, what is the confusion? YOu can buy a ticket for a train and not have any reserved seat at all. These are for any of the regular trains in France, and especially the small regional trains which won't even give a seat reservation if you want one. On other regular trains, you can reserve, but don't have to.

They require you to have a seat reservation on a TGV, though, so you have to do both. TGV fares shown include the price for a seat reservation. If you bought a reservation separately (for example, if you had a railpass which covered the seat), you pay about 3-5 euro in France at a train station, I don't remember.

Online, you can make solely a reservation, which means you haven't paid for it yet, just reserved a ticket. There are very strict limits on how long you have to actually pick up that ticket in person and pay for it if you don't prepay online.

That is for the regular SNCF system, not Raileurope which is an agency. Of course they are referring to the actual seat reservation as the reservation, and the train ticket as the ticket.

Raileurope includes reservations with the fare if reservations are obligatory on that train as they are on Dijon TGVs. Likely RE lower price...not generally but it does happen as they keep adjusting their ticket pricing. Though it seems the $74 may well be each way on RE...maybe not. In any case for any RailEurope product i advice calling BETS (800-441-2387) to get the right scoop and avoid the $18 RE mailing fee and definitive answers to your question. (BETS is a RE agent as are most US rail agents.) RE site is notorious for listing one price than e-mailing back it's higher, according to posts on Fodors at least. And i believe BETS can also pinpoint seats on TGV trains.

Thank you all for your patience with this computer retard. I booked it, Dano. Merci

Hi R,

> Any info on when I'm buying a ticket vs a reservation?<

When you buy from SNCF, as above, you get a reserved seat on the train. TGV is reservation only.

I don't think that you will be able to easily hang your garments in either 1 cl or 2cl.

At what fare, may we inquire?

Truth to tell, I decided on the security of a paper ticket that doesn't require any extra time at the train station and gives me someone to talk to if I have questions or difficulties (This course of action no doubt influenced by the fact that today I got an email from Click Mexican Airlines telling me they have rescheduled my April flight within Mexico in a way that misses another flight connection; I've spent 2 hours seeking a phone number or email address so I can contact them to redress the situation). Thru Rail Europe, their first class senior fare was $70 for each of us. I rationalized that the cost difference on the train ticket is minor in relation to the cost of the trip.