Rail Pass...extra cost for reservation on TVG
Aug 1st, 2006, 07:42 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rail Pass...extra cost for reservation on TVG
Hi , i am looking at the options of purchasing a rail pass which will allow me 10 day in 4 countries. However they state that on the TVG i would have to book ahead and reserve a seat. How much is this normally costing on top of the rail pass.
Aug 1st, 2006, 09:59 PM
#5
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 795
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you reserve a seat on a TGV, you are committed to a specific seat on a specific train at a specific time on a specific day. If you change the time of travel, you will have to pay for another reservation. If you can be that 'specific' about when you are going to travel, then you can do all the reservations at the first railway station you come to in France. However, I always reserve a seat on a TGV just before I travel: I haven't missed out yet, and September should not present any problem in booking 'as you go.'
Aug 2nd, 2006, 02:11 AM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi C,
Have you entered your itinerary at www.railsaver.com and clicked "only if it saves money"?
If you have to make reservations, you are losing the 'convenience' of the railpass.
I thought it was TGV, not TVG. Am I wrong?
Have you entered your itinerary at www.railsaver.com and clicked "only if it saves money"?
If you have to make reservations, you are losing the 'convenience' of the railpass.
I thought it was TGV, not TVG. Am I wrong?
Aug 14th, 2006, 11:04 AM
#11
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TGV reservations cost 3 euros in France but with a railpass can be at times hard to get on popular routes as there is now a limited number of seats they give to passholders if they can sell them for regular fare. I know this definitely to be true - not on all routes but mainly on the Paris-Avignon-Nice routing. To my knowledge you cannot reserve online with a pass for a TGV but i'm not positive - i think also in stations you must go to ticket windows to reserve - machines won't work. Nearly all TGVs require reservations - the only exceptions i know of were Paris-Lille the last services of the day but i don't know if that policy is still in effect. Can reserve i believe 3 months in advance. A first class pass would give you a much better chance of reserving and is not all that much more than a 1st class pass. For pass info i always refer folks to call BETS (800-442-3487) who i've dealt with for years and can also make TGV reservations. But for most of these you should not have trouble making in any French station. Your Eurail Select pass covers train fare but not seat reservations that the TGV trains mandate.
Aug 14th, 2006, 12:22 PM
#13
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
With a pass you will need to pay for a reservation on any train that requires one, not just on TGVs. If you take a night train, a reservation in a couchette will cost at least E20.
It is difficult--and costly--to make reservations from home if you are using a pass. If you will be spending a few days in a city before moving on, just stop at a major train station and make a reservation when you know the date and time you want to travel.
The cheapest way to make reservations from home when using a pass is to use the phone. For example, to make a reservation for a TGV route in France, call the SNCF English-speaking number. Dial the Australia international access code + 33 (country code for France) + (0)8 92 35 35 39 (omitting the inital zero which is only used for calls originating in France). If you get an automated response, press 2 and you should be connected to someone who speaks English.
It is difficult--and costly--to make reservations from home if you are using a pass. If you will be spending a few days in a city before moving on, just stop at a major train station and make a reservation when you know the date and time you want to travel.
The cheapest way to make reservations from home when using a pass is to use the phone. For example, to make a reservation for a TGV route in France, call the SNCF English-speaking number. Dial the Australia international access code + 33 (country code for France) + (0)8 92 35 35 39 (omitting the inital zero which is only used for calls originating in France). If you get an automated response, press 2 and you should be connected to someone who speaks English.
Aug 14th, 2006, 12:39 PM
#14
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Great info Tim - but how do you actually get the reservation - in a machine in the station, ticket window, by mail, etc.? Thanks for your info. And i agree usually best just to wait until Europe except for some key TGV type reservations where you will not be there very long before the train.
Aug 14th, 2006, 02:06 PM
#15
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
PalQ - Are you familiar with seat61.com? It's a great site for train travel in Europe. Here are some quotes from the site.
"You can make reservations and pay any supplements or special fares at the station ticket office either in advance or on the day of departure, normally up to half an hour or less before the train leaves. Just show your railpass at the ticket window and ask for the reservation."
"You can also make reservations when you buy your pass. Just ask the agency that sells you your railpass to make the reservations for you. It's a good idea to make one or two initial reservations when you buy the railpass to get you started - you wouldn't want to turn up in Paris, ask for a couchette to Rome that night and be told that all the trains to Italy were full up for the next three days, would you..? Beware of agencies that are keen to sell you a pass (lots of commission for little work) but less keen to make any reservations to go with it (more work, very little commission)."
"You can make reservations and pay any supplements or special fares at the station ticket office either in advance or on the day of departure, normally up to half an hour or less before the train leaves. Just show your railpass at the ticket window and ask for the reservation."
"You can also make reservations when you buy your pass. Just ask the agency that sells you your railpass to make the reservations for you. It's a good idea to make one or two initial reservations when you buy the railpass to get you started - you wouldn't want to turn up in Paris, ask for a couchette to Rome that night and be told that all the trains to Italy were full up for the next three days, would you..? Beware of agencies that are keen to sell you a pass (lots of commission for little work) but less keen to make any reservations to go with it (more work, very little commission)."
