I managed to wade through the process of ordering our TGV tickets on the French version of SNCF, and printed them out. When we arrive at CDG can I get "actual tickets" to validate at Gare Lyon, or will the printed versions be okay? Seems to me I was able to just show the printed tix to the conductor when he came around (showing passport in the process).

If you printed a ticket then you have an actual ticket. I am going to guess that you have a PREM fare ticket which in spite of their being neither transferable nor exchangeable must still be validated prior to entering the quai. At least that is what a conductor told me 6 months ago with I asked this specific question.

If you purchased an iDTGV ticket, I have been told (not yet confirmed with SNCF) that the printed form is the only available form as SNCF ticket windows (or boutiques) will not re-issue these.

Last fall, we traveled several times on TGV with our pre-printed PREMs tickets. We did not have to validate it. The conductors used their scanner to scan the barcode on our tickets.

I disagree with Sarastro about the validation issue, and that's based on a bazillion train trips in France with PREM tickets. They do NOT have to be validated (you can't even stick them in the composteur without looking like an idiot). If you have printed out a ticket, that is ALL you need to board the train, but you will almost certainly be asked to show a picture ID (passport) by the conductor.

No validation is required.

Of course they don't have to be validated, they wouldn't allow you to pre-print any ticket that needs validations as they are two different things -- validation proved you have used it so you can't get a refund. Pre-printed PREMs are nonrefundable anyway, so you don't need validation. Tickets that need validation say so right on them and PREMs do not say that.

A preprinted ticket IS a ticket, there would be no purpose to exchange them for a different one at the station.

Looking at my printouts and I do not see a barcode? I have already paid for these with CC.
The reservation does have a "Reference du dossier code", and my name. It also lists car and see numbers.

Does that mean I have to check in at an SNCF office first?

This is what it says on my printout...
Google translation.

You have placed an order on our site travel sncf.com the 17/03/2009 at 17h04 and we thank you. We recall below the details:

You have purchased cancellation insurance for all or part of your train tickets.

We remind you that your luggage must carry labels with your name and address.


To ensure the TGV departures under the best circumstances, it is now asked all passengers to access the TGV train at least 2 minutes before the departure time indicated on their tickets.

You are prompted to remove this item from a shop or in an SNCF railway station.
IMPORTANT: You must present the same credit card and the associated code (before the expiry date of your payment card).
Foreign credit cards and magnetic stripe cards including American Express may not be used for a withdrawal in self-service kiosks.

Barnum, it sounds to me like you did not purchase a prem ticket or if you did you didn't select the option to print it out. What you appear to have as an order confirmation. You can take that confirmation to one of the train stations or any one of the numerous SNCF boutiques around Paris to pick up you tickets.

<i>Reference du dossier code</i>

This has nothing to do with a bar code or your credit card. This is the reservation locater code. With the locater code and possession of the credit card used in the original on line transaction, tickets may be reissued at any SNCF ticket window or boutique.

<b>Christina</b> I fully understand the logic in the seemingly needless requirement to validate a non transferable or exchangeable ticket. I am only relating what I was told by a conductor when I specifically asked if I needed to post a PREM ticket. The answer was quite clearly "all tickets must be validated (composter)".

You haven't printed out a ticket, you've printed out a ticket order confirmation. You need to take it to an SNCF station or boutique and have them issue you the actual ticket, which you then WILL need to composte.

Thank you all. I will do that at CDG. Hopefully the office will be easy to find.

It's in Terminal (aérogare) 2, between Halls C and D.

St Cirq, thanks.