SNCF tickts in Basel station?
Aug 14th, 2008, 12:46 PM
#1
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SNCF tickts in Basel station?
I would like to order/pre-pay for train tickets for travel from AMS CS to Paris using the voyages-sncf.com website. However, if I wish to order using an English web-page, I must select France as the “country for receiving/collecting tickets”. If I select Netherlands, I am redirected to a Dutch language page. Someone has stated, on another forum, that tickets can be pick-up at any SNCF office or ticket counter, but not from machines in the stations. Hence, my question, assuming that this poster is correct; would I be able to go to the Basel SNCF, which I understand is near the Basel SBB, and pick-up my pre-purchased tickets while I am in Basel - on a Sunday afternoon (28/09/08)? Unfortunately, I will only be in Basel for approximately 1-1/2 hours.
Aug 14th, 2008, 12:57 PM
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The Basle SNCF station is actually an appendage of the main Basel station (Swiss station) - it is only separated i believe because you still much go thru Customs to move from one station to the other - Switzerland not currently being in Schengen travel area - or is in but still not implementing for a spell.
Aug 14th, 2008, 02:10 PM
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Try using the 'voyages-sncf' site again, but after the initial search, go up into the URL and change LANG=FR to LANG=UK, and then press the url 'enter' or 'send' button to get the English page. (Not all of the text has been translated yet).
The thing I don't know is - can you only pick up the ticket from a French station (SNCF) or can you pick it up in Amsterdam? The site 'reads' like you can only pick it up at an SNCF station. So you'd have to get it at Basel. American (non-smart chip) credit cards don't work in the machines, so you have to pick it up from an agent.
The <b>real</b> question is - is the SNCF ticket counter open on Sunday??
Otherwise, can you select to mail the tickets and send them to your Amsterdam hotel?
The thing I don't know is - can you only pick up the ticket from a French station (SNCF) or can you pick it up in Amsterdam? The site 'reads' like you can only pick it up at an SNCF station. So you'd have to get it at Basel. American (non-smart chip) credit cards don't work in the machines, so you have to pick it up from an agent.
The <b>real</b> question is - is the SNCF ticket counter open on Sunday??
Otherwise, can you select to mail the tickets and send them to your Amsterdam hotel?
Aug 14th, 2008, 03:48 PM
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We were just in Basel and bought SNCF tix to Strabourg easily on a Saturday at the main station. The tickets are easy to buy. The ticket windows are with the other Swiss ones. You can by tickets for Alsace trains but longer journeys require going to the window. You'll see at one end a big sign that says "France" that isn't for tickets, it's literally the door to France in the train station; the tracks are separate from the Swiss trains. By the way no need to worry about customs. We thought we had to show our passport but were treated as we are in any Schengen country just boarded the train and off we went.
Aug 15th, 2008, 04:41 AM
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Have you tried booking the tickets through www.nshispeed.nl/en? Since that is the Dutch railway site it makes sense that you can pick up those tickets in AMS.
Aug 15th, 2008, 04:58 AM
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Whlie the SBB station and the SBB counters are open 7 days a week, the SNCF counters in the French wing station are now closed - AFAIK permanently.
There are several SNCF ticket machines at the entrance to the platforms, maybe you can collect the tickets from the machine? Or maybe the SBB counters take over the SNCF responsibilities as well...
There are several SNCF ticket machines at the entrance to the platforms, maybe you can collect the tickets from the machine? Or maybe the SBB counters take over the SNCF responsibilities as well...
Aug 15th, 2008, 05:59 AM
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ref : what Altamiro wrote above
I spoke with a friend who lives in Basel the other day. According to her, now the train tickets for SNCF/French networks are also to be bought at SBB/Swiss counters. In that case, you can send your specific question by e-mail on Swiss railway web site. They have been fairly quick (1-2 days)and effective so far in answering my questions.
I spoke with a friend who lives in Basel the other day. According to her, now the train tickets for SNCF/French networks are also to be bought at SBB/Swiss counters. In that case, you can send your specific question by e-mail on Swiss railway web site. They have been fairly quick (1-2 days)and effective so far in answering my questions.
Aug 15th, 2008, 06:17 AM
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So does this mean that the French station in the main Swiss station is now not a French station anymore - with Switzerland's entry into the Schengen Accords there is now only the SBB or Swiss station? And if the SNCF machines are the only way to retrieve SNCF tickets and American credit cards don't work - is there any guarantee the Swiss ticket windows will retrieve your SNCF online reservation?
Aug 15th, 2008, 06:44 AM
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> is there any guarantee the Swiss ticket windows will retrieve your SNCF online reservation?
That's why I suggested to send the question to Swiss railways.
> a French station anymore ...
Yes, it is still, in a sense. There still is some kind of border thing. In order to get to the French platform, my friend told me, there is this automatic door that opens in but once your are in the French sector, you cannot return, you can but you would have to do a longer round aboutway like at airports. You rarely see French border/custom staff there though.
That's why I suggested to send the question to Swiss railways.
> a French station anymore ...
Yes, it is still, in a sense. There still is some kind of border thing. In order to get to the French platform, my friend told me, there is this automatic door that opens in but once your are in the French sector, you cannot return, you can but you would have to do a longer round aboutway like at airports. You rarely see French border/custom staff there though.
Aug 15th, 2008, 10:00 AM
#12
I went Googling about this, and it appears that the changes took place starting in June 2007 when the TGV-Est was inaugurated. The direct Zürich-Basel-Strasbourg-Paris TGV's appear to have eliminated most needs for addressing the SNCF directly.
And since Switzerland is due to implement its signature of the Schengen agreement starting in November, that should also eliminate the international aspect of the Basel train station.
And since Switzerland is due to implement its signature of the Schengen agreement starting in November, that should also eliminate the international aspect of the Basel train station.
