I am ready to pull my hair out!

I have entered and re-entered the dates and times for desired train trip between Paris Gare de Lyon and Lyon- Perrache a million times.

From Paris I want to depart for Lyon Oct 2, 2005 by TGV at 15:00h and return to Paris Oct 22, 2005 at 11:00h. The SNCF site will allow me to choose exactly these destinations and times. I enter France as my country for ticket pick-up because I live in Canada but want to pay by credit card online to ensure that I have a reservation.

This is as far as I can get, the site doesn't let me go ahead and order the chosen destinations.

I have purchased TGVs and Prems on line before without problem.What am I doing wrong? Can anyone help me?

Hi jazzy,

You cannot book online earlier than 60 days in advance.

Wait until August 2 for outbound and August 22 for inbound.

Two one-way tickets are the same price as a RT.

Have a nice visit.

Oh Ira,I could hug you. You always have the answer !!

I think that I might have seen something about 60 days at some point but my eyes were probably glazed by then?

Would you like me to include you in my will? I think you deserve something for always sharing from your extensive knowledge base.

Don't feel badly about that SNCF site. It is the least user friendly of the ones I have attempted.

Would you believe it is better than it used to be? It is, I think.

The Swiss site is useful, except it does not allow you to print tickets on your own computer. I had a gripe with it, sent an email, and got a phone call in response at home.

I have not tried ordering tickets on the new Austrian site. It looks spiffy, even if the English captions are hard to find.

Following on Ira's absolutely true remark: if you want to buy a discount fare, that usually implies buying return tickets, you'll have to wait until the 60 day limit applies to the return ticket, ie Oct 22, ie Aug 22. In other words, if you try to buy a Prems for your journey on Aug 2, it won't be possible because the return ticket doesn't fall into the 60 day limit yet.

Hi Art,

You can buy two one-way PREMs tickets Paris/Lyon for 40E out and 49E return.

RT PREMS fare is 89E.

J should buy one ticket on 02/08/2005 and the other on 22/08/2005.

Thanks again Ira and Art for your help. I am always so gung-ho about getting things booked. I'm glad you knew that I was looking too soon. I will proceed in Aug.

Jazzy ~o)

I've bought PREMS one-way and seen plenty of PREMs listed that way. I don't think SNCF cares at all if you are buying one-way or RT when it lists the PREMs. I've never seen a reduced price for a RT fare over the two one-way tickets.