SNCF Carte Avantage Senior Question
 

We will be travelling from Paris to Nice and returning from Nice directly to CDG in October by train. We will choose second class senior rate, but notice offers for this Carte promising "30% off trips all year round." It does not specify, or we couldnt find, whether this means an additional 30% off the Senior 2d class price. If it does, it appears to save us about 50E when counting cost of two cards. Also mentioned are miscellaneous discounts on food. What is your experience with this Carte Avantage Senior ?? Thank you!

You may already know this, but from now until August 29, you can buy this card for only €25 (normally €49).
https://www.sncf-connect.com/app/en-...vantage-senior

I think it's a really great card, especially because it caps the 2nd class prices on many tickets, even if bought at the last minute.

Yes, they're on sale now for 25E. But do you recall if the discount applies on top of the 2d class senior fares? Thx for your help.

Are you sure you don't need the card in order to get the senior fare? otherwise what would be the point of the card?

No, they are separate from what we have been able to read (alot!) We got the card today, as we have not yet purchased our train fares, but the card guarantees a maximum fare of 79E for our 6-7 hr trips. As time grows closer, obviously fares go up, so we thought it wise to lock it in. Thank you for your thoughts of course.

That may be good for the maximum fare on your trips. For 25 euro, it's hard to lose.

The point of the card is that it is a loyalty card with various terms/benefits, unlike the regular 60 plus age discount without the card. And of course it costs a fee. Why SNCF does this I can only guess, and it must be they are trying to get more business, that's why any enterprise does those type of special cards and special fares for seniors.

The discount IS off the regular senior discount if by any chance there is one. There usually is not from the trips I've researched, it is pretty rare and only if there are no PREMs or something. And I thought it used to be 15 pct but the ones I've seen are less than 10 pct now. The SNCF fares are now so unpredictable and complex that you can't count on anything except buying far in advance is usually the best deal. Since it seems to me the senior fare without card is usually the same as nonsenior fare, the discount is off that fare, of course. The regular senior discounts are only off time periods and other things I can't put a pattern to.

For example, for Paris to Strasbourg on 10/25/22 around 6 pm, the regular age fare is 58 euro (2e class), the senior fare is 54 euro which is minus 7 pct and the Carte Advantage Senior fare is 37 euro, which is 30 pct off the senior fare. Another example train to Reims on 10/5 around noon, regular fare 2e is 32.8 euro, regular senior fare is 31.8 euro (-3%), and the senior CA fare is 22.3 euro which is 30 pct off the senior fare.

Thanks Christina, love that you are always a straight-shooter. We will only be using it from Paris-Nice (r/t) and will book our preferred times this wk for second wk October. Were considering flying Nice-Zurich, but with only a 45 min change time, NO THANKS. We love being lulled on a train, and will spend nt at CDG at the fun Citizen M.

Husband had no luck today on the SNCF website trying to get our train trips scheduled! Told him his Carte activation code was invalid. Perhaps a weekday will be better. Opinions are not high on the internet of their website, that's for sure.

hmmm, that's odd. I've never had a problem with the SNCF website in the last five years at least, I used to with it accepting my American credit card even though my bank was notified. But that usually works now, I just bought several tickets this year on it.

I"ve never used a reduction card, so can't speak to that activation issue although am actually thinking of buying one now that it is such a bargain, it is hard to lose on it at these rates even if it may not be that useful for the kind of trips I take.

If the website never accepts it, I doubt if you'll have luck trying to contact them about it, but who knows.

yikes, today is the last day, I think I'll just go buy it now and see if I can activate it, but if you don't need to activate it until you need it, I may now. I'll let you know.

ok I just bought one, printed it out immediately plus it also was sent my email to my account on file, of course. And I could already use it, I don't really know what you are referring to as an "activation code". I didn't have anything called that. I had a SNCF account and have for many years, I bought this carte when in my account, it was printable and emailed to me and then I went back into my account and tried to buy a ticket, and right away it showed up that I had that card and adjusted the fare. There wasn't any activation code per se. I think I did have to register it in my account or something, but when I went back into my profile and it asked what cards I have for reductions, I clicked on the carte avantage senior and then I had to fill in a box as to the begin and end dates of validity (which I agree is odd since they know it), and I did have to put in the number in a box (I think it was maybe prefilled in, don't recall). Anyway, I filled that dropdown box in with that info and it accepted it and that was that.

But there was never anything called an activation code.

You do have a SNCF account don't you? Because that may be the problem.

Bingo! Husband finally got thru on SNCF website and booked our tickets with specified seats & desired times. Counting the 50E for the two Cartes, we still are saving more than another 50E so glad we bought the Cartes. . He activated his Carte already, I must do mine, but he was able to get my tix w number on their email to me. . And husband got SNCF account (and phone app) just today as will I. THANKS a million for your diligence. This Forum is the best. Been using it for all our travels for probably 12-15 years.

great. I don't use it as a phone app. It sounds like the problem may be that you bought the card before you had a SNCF account or something.