PREMS availability
 

We will be travelling from Dijon to Bern on 2nd October.Because it is still too early to book I have tried different date examples on SNCF site but there never seem to be PREMs for this trip. Do they only apply to trips within France and when is the best time to find them available on the site.

Reservation is possible 3 months in advance and the best time to buy is as soon as the reservation is open.

They do sell prem's and other discount tickets outside France as I buy often Geneva. It may be that simply they don't offer discount tickets on this particular route Dijon - Bern.

I just tried on 26 Sep (3 months ahead). There is no Prem's for Dijon - Bern. TGV9281 is offered at normal price, €49. But when I entered Paris for departure point instead of Dijon, it gave €25 for the same train. So why not buy that ticket and get on the train at Dijon? A possible problem, this is Piccolo ticket (not Prem's) that is not printable.

thanks kappa, hadn't thought about the Paris route. I will keep checking in the next few weeks.Can I pick up Piccolo's from a SNCF boutique office?

> Can I pick up Piccolo's from a SNCF boutique office?

Yes, they would give 3 choices, pick up at SNCF boutiques, mail to your resident (can be a problem if you live e.g. US), I forget the 3rd one but there was no print-yourself option.

3rd option could be pick-up at one of the SNCF stations.

Thanks kappa, I actually have Swiss Flexipasses but dont know what to do about getting fares to French border from Dijon on that TGV. Have you any advice? Is Pontarlier the station I should book to, then get a free ride from there to Bern. Rail Europe shows a good price for that leg for 90 days time today. Thanks for your help so far.

What is the good price on RailEurope? Better than €25 for Paris (via Dijon) - Bern ? Does the Swiss Flexipass covers the Swiss part of the TGV? Even if it does, wouldn't it be easier and more economical to buy €25 ticket for the whole way?

I'm in Australia and on our rail europe site today i can get from Dijon to Pontarlier for $120 for 2 adults and 2 youths which is cheaper than 25euro each and more convenient, but I really need to know if I am looking for the right place in Pontarlier to book to so is that over the border in Switzerland or not. My belief is that all rail travel in Switzerland is covered by the Flexipasses. Sorry to ask all different questions.

> My belief is that all rail travel in Switzerland is covered by the Flexipasses ..

Yes, that's the point you have to make clear, first of all. Generally speaking yes, but TGV, the French high speed train, can it be an exception? I don't know. If it has been dicussed here before you might be able to find an answer by using the search function.

Actually I have 2 different informations from 2 different operators from Swiss railways' Info. I don't know which one to trust.

1. Dijon - Berne
Yoiu don' get a free ride after the boarder but do get some reduction.

2. You get NO reduction and must buy Dijon - Bern full price.

Perhaps someone else can answer. Othewise I recommend you go to Swissrailway site:
http://www.sbb.ch/en/index.htm

click on "contact" and ask your question.