I will be heading to Paris for my first time this Aug (from San Fran in the US). I've been enjoying reading all of the helpful posts from everyone and hoping that someone can help me find the cheapest and best way to get from Paris to Lyon and back to Paris. Tickets were the cheapest on the sncf site, however, u can't buy them on the site from the US. I checked on the rail europe site and it's 3 times the price! Do you think it's best for me to just get to Paris and then buy my ticket at the sncf station or would it be better to buy it ahead of time. Any tips would be most appreciated1

Thanks,
Brian

Reserve ahead of time because August is serious vacation time here. Just do it on the sncf web site and pay for the tickets while selecting to pick them up at the train station. Be sure to take the confirmation with you or you wont be able to get the tickets. Dont bother with the automated ticket machines at the train stations as, in my experience, they dont work with foreign credit cards. Allow time to pick up the train tickets because there can be lines at the ticket counters. Alternately there are SNCF boutiques around the city including in the St Michele and Chatelet stations where you can pick up the tickets.

Hi brian,

You CAN buy your tickets from the SNCF site.

Choose France of the country in which you will get your ticket.

Choose the e-ticket option.

You will get a confirmation number.

Take that number and the same credit card you used to make the booking to the train station.

Pick up your ticket.

Have a nice trip.

Wow...what a quick response. Thank you both for the info. I wasn't aware. I'll book it right now. Appreciate the replies alot.

Bri

Try PREM on the SNCF site. This is the cheapest + you can print your tickets yourself so no need to pass to the station to pick them up. I thought PREM oneway can be as cheap as EUR25.00 but so far I see only EUR35.00 for Paris-Lyon in August but that's still not bad.

Thanks Everyone! I bought my ticket for $35EU each way...what a barg compared to that damn rail europe site. I wonder why they can get away with charging 3 times as much. I definitely won't be using that source as a resource.

B

brian: if you bought a regular ticket and not a PREM's ticket, be sure to bring with you the same credit card you used online to buy the ticket. Also remember, if it's not a PREM's ticket, to "composte" (punch) your ticket in the orange composteur machine before boarding the train, or you could be fined.

<b>brianchen</b>,

You may be surprised to find out that RailEurope is a wholly owned subsidary of <b>SNCF</b> and the Swiss Federal Railways <b>CFF</b>.

Have a great trip!

I'm pretty sure it is a PREM ticket (what does that mean exactly?). It said just to print the ticket on my printer and to show the conductor as I board the train, so I don't have to stand in line.

Bri

It's a PREM's ticket if you went to the PREM's special ticket fares at the top left-hand side of the home page of the SNCF website and if you actually printed out the ticket on your printer (and not just a confirmation number). If it's a PREM's ticket, you downloaded an Adobe Acrobat file with your name and the ticket information on it.

a prem ticket it is. i was able to print the actual ticket and it actually says prem on it..non-refundable and non-exchangeable. I'm looking fwd to the trip...3 wks and counting.

thanks,
b

Less than two weeks for me, Brian Just be sure to have that printout with you and you're good to go. Bonne route!

NICE..how long will u be there for? I'm goin to be staying at the Peace &amp; Love youth hostel. Ever hear of it?

Bri

Brian, no I'm afraid I haven't heard of it, but I'm sure you'll have a great time. It's hard not to in France in summer.

Hi brianchan

&gt;I bought my ticket for $35EU each way...what a barg compared to that damn rail europe site. I wonder why they can get away with charging 3 times as much.&lt;

Raileurope is a ticketing agency, they don't offer specials and they add a fee for their services. That is why it costs more to buy through them.