isobel

I booked a TGV ticket online - Paris/Lyon/Paris, for April. I'd expected to print the confirmation, turn it in at any station in Paris, then pay for and get the actual ticket. However, an e-mail response from SNCF tells me I have until March 11 to do this. Does anyone have the phone number or web site for French National Railways, SNCF or any related site in the U.S. where I can take care of this before 3/11?

Thanks very much.

Rex

Don't think there are any such things. No Amtrak offices in France either.

Ed

RailEurope, of which you may have heard, represents the European rails in the US. It is, in fact, owned by SNCF and the SBB (Swiss Rail).

They will take care of your needs (for a price).

As you might guess www.raileurope.com will get you to them. They probably still have their 800 phone ... 4eurail I believe.

Ed

Rex

But Ed, before you advocate RailEurope, it is worth saying that with postage and handling, this will result in a mark-up of something close to 50%.

A great place for info, for RailPasses (for the few people who will benefit from their purchase) and occasionally a source for air travel at reasonable prices, but rarely a good deal for point-to-point tickets.

Mara

I paid for my Paris-Brussels ticket online at the sncf website as per advice from an earlier Thalys thread on this board. Then I can collect my ticket just about up to train departure time. I also paid about $50 rt which is over $100 less than Rail Europe quoted me.

Christina

Raileurope is the legal representative of SNCF in the US, it says so on the SNCF website. I wouldn't say you'd have to buy it from them, but since they are SNCF's representative in the US and it's a free call, you could at least ask them and see what they say. I think you can do this (pay from US), I believe I've heard from others who have, but it's not easy. You can either email SNCF and ask them what to do ([email protected] is the address I got off their web site), or you can call them directly in Paris. They have multiple international phone lines for various languages, the English-language info. phone line in Paris is 8-36-35-35-39 (8 is the city code, I know it is diff. than the usual Paris city code of 1 but I think it's a special number as RATP has that code also for info lines). This is also the phone line advertised as Eurostar info, probably because it's English-speaking. I got these and other SNCF info phone numbers (for French, Spanish, Italian, etc speakers) from a German website actually.

isobel

Thank you all for your helpful advice. and sncf phone number. I'll call tomorrow.
Tried my automobile club international travel dept. They advised me to cancel my SNCF reservation and re-book with them. Would have charged me $87 each way for a ticket
costing about $53 round trip with SNCF. If only SNCF would let me pay for it from the U.S!

isobel

Christina,

Thank you for helping solve my SNCF bookiing problem. I phoned the number you posted (see your message above) and my U.S.credit card was accepted without any difficulties.

lisa

I just returned home from a trip in france. I paid 163.35 for my round trip ticket from CDG-Avignon and then back from Aix-Lyon Gare. I actually had to upgrade to 1st class on the trip to Avignon becaise the ticket was for the wrong day - and had to pay an additional 70.84. I just noticed upon my return that SNCF has now billed my card an additional 456.21 dollars. I am trying to find the number to call... the above??? This is strange, isn't it???

TGV

Phone number for SNCF, in English:
08 36 35 35 39
From the USA, that would be 011-33-8 36 35 35 39

I have posted this answer so many times,
I wonder why Fodors doesn't make a page with FAQ. This one would be among the Top 10, I am sure.

lisa

Sorry that I was not clearer above... I am trying to get through to this number - as you repeated above... I am not able to get through and I will keep trying.

Just curious... has anyone been billed incorrectly before by SNCF. I have now been billed approximately $600.00 for my round trip ticket which I paid before departing the USA $163.00 (reserved and booked thru my Paris hotel).

Thanks.