Hi!
I know that there is a 3 month window so do I need to wait until March 3rd to buy tickets for May 30- June 3? I'm not sure if the 3 month window is for the departure or return date.

Thank you,
mv

Did you check raileurope?

I took a quick look for your dates...I saw 45 euro tickets now. I would not think much cheaper.

Joan

These were 1st class tickets..use the sncf website: http://www.voyages-sncf.com/billet-train

You can book iDTGV tickets NOW. If their departure times aren't what you want, you'll need to wait until 1 March to book your 30 May ticket and until 3 March to book your 3 June ticket on regular TGVs.

Yes, I have been checking (on SNCF) but the website tells me that part of the journey isn't available yet(or something like that). I'm going to keep checking in the next few days to see if I can get better departure times from Nice. The one available was too late.

Thanks again!

There really is not a round trip ticket - just single one-ways.

Non iDTG tickets are 3 months in advance. Don't know exactly when you can book your May 30 tickets since there is no Feb 30. Try "now" & see if it works. If it does not, wait till 6:15PM EDT today (If you are in the USA). 6:15 today is 12:15am March 1 in France.

Stu Dudley

The 45 euros tickets were available on the sncf site when I looked earlier. Only one trip per day, each way...5 1/2 hrs, I think it was, which sounds right.

Joan

Do alot of people buy train tix in advance? I went from Paris to Nice and just walked up to the window at the Gard du Nord and away I went. Nice ride too!

I've never head of super cheap PREM fares available on a date-of-travel walk-up basis. Especially in late May & early June. I think there can be hundreds of dollars involved for a round trip by several people.

However, if $$$ is not as important as flexibility - then it would be OK - unless the train you want is sold out.

Stu Dudley

Again, I'll agree with Stu Dudley! The PREM fares are always far less expensive than the walk-up fares. mv_rd--Be sure you know what type of ticket you are purchasing. If you want to take the TGV (fast train) you should be clicking on "TGV" in the SNCF site. I'm not even sure if the regular trains still run between Paris and Nice, but if they do, I doubt you'll want to spend the whole day getting there.

I forgot I had a France/Italy Eural 6-day pass - duh. You're right about the prices!

mv_rd,

I, too, am waiting for this evening to buy a ticket for May 30 and wondered the same as you: when can I buy it? I've been checking since last night and the only tickets showing now for May 30 are IDTGV's which can be bought earlier. I expect what will happen is this - this evening at 6:00 pm EST (midnight in France) their calendar will flip over to March 1 and at that point, you will be able to buy tickets for May 29 - June 1. I hope their system doesn't crash from people trying to buy tickets for several days at once! I'm not sure about that, though. Maybe they will stagger them over the next few days.

If I were you I would not wait until you can buy a round trip ticket. (Although the SNCF website says something about better prices for a round trip, I don't think that is really true.) Buy your outbound ticket tonight, if available, and your return on March 2 after 6:00 pm.

Your route sometimes has Prem's for as little at 22€, but I don't see any of those for May 28 for Paris-Nice. The least expensive I see are around 45€ other than the IDTGV that you can already see. I do however, see a 22€ return on May 28, so you might get lucky and get that for your return on June 3.

Prices do change quickly. On Feb 22 I bought 12 tickets to Brive for 17€ each for May 23. Two days later they were 29€. That isn't a huge difference for that route but differences can be much greater.

Good luck!

>>this evening at 6:00 pm EST (midnight in France) their calendar will flip over to March 1 <<

I've done that a couple of times - but usually had to wait til 6:15 PM EST.

May 30 is a Saturday - super cheap PREMS might be very scarce.

Stu Dudley

Just got my ticket for Montpellier to Paris on May 30 for 22€. Yay! I clicked the "Reserver" button at 6:01 pm and it went through.

Hope you have the same good luck, mv_rd.

Wow, at that price it won't hurt if you have to cancel for any reason.

betty1-good for you that you got a great price!

Thank you everyone for the replies. I was out of town on Saturday and unable to get tickets. I checked yesterday and they were over 200 euros for the time I needed. We decided to go to London instead and will leave Nice for next year.