If you are reserving a seat, that would definitely cause the ticket to reflect a specific date and time.
Do you ever buy a ticket -without- also reserving a seat? Those should be the ones we're batting around here...

I've never asked to reserve a sedat. I just go up to the window, typically, and say I want a ticket on the next train (or the 10:15 train or whatever) to Périgueux. We never ever discuss a reserved seat or anything like that. And EVERYONE on the trains I take has a reserved seat. I know that because I've had someone sitting in my seat and once sat in someone else's seat by mistake.

It seems to me that maybe people getting on at stops between Paris and Périgueux can just choose an open seat, but I have no way to verify that.

Hi StCirq,

I looked up Paris/Périgueux at www.sncf.com.

The trains via Bordeaux and Libourne are TGV. Thus, reserved seats.

The train via Limoges is a Corail; reservation not required.

Does this explain it?

well, I'm not as forgetful as I thought, as I have the Reims tickets right in front of me. Not only don't they have a specific train time, they don't even have a specific date -- they can be used on any train between Paris and Reims in a two-month period from purchase date. The tickets clearly say that. These are tickets without seat reservations and the normal kinds of tickets I have always bought in France other than TGVs. They are just regular, full-fare adult tickets, second class.

At the top of the ticket (which is for Paris Est to Reims) it says "utilisable du 30/06 au 29/08/2003". I bought these on June 30th. There is no departure time on them anywhere. Also at the top it says "a composter avant l'acces au train". This is an adult 2nd class "plein tarif" of 19.70 euro. I believe Plain Tarif is the term SNCF uses for those that are exchangeable and reimbursable. The return ticket has exactly the same info on it, just reverses the depart and arrivee gare names. Both are good for 60 days from purchase on any train between Paris Est/Reims and Reims/Paris Est.

And to clarify one point which I think could be confusing to kimberly--I have never seen a RT ticket that consisted of one ticket in France. I wasn't aware there was such a thing, if so. Any time I have purchased a RT or "aller-retour", it's simply just buying the two tickets at the same time for convenience. There is no discount for doing so.

In short, for RT Paris-Bayeux, one does not have to commit to any times or dates, I imagine, either going or returning. Just buy the tickets when most convenient. I don't see any fare differences at any time periods between Bayeux and Paris, which could make a difference in these rules, I suppose. On shorter runs, there usually aren't any.

One of the main reasons for the entire composting thing is because of this.

Ok...here's the deal :

Assuming that you're not riding a train with a mandatory reservation, like for instance the TGV *and* you're not using a ticket at a reduced price (for instance tickets bought well in advance)that are only valid for a specific train :

Your ticket, if not punched at the machines, is valid for something like two months. You can use it for the same route on any train (see my "however" below, though) within this 2 months period (except of course for trains with a mandatory reservation. For instance, if you bought a regular train ticket, you can't use it to ride the TGV on the same route instead. I assume it's obvious. And anyway few people are going to buy a ticket for a regular train on a TGV route)

If you punched your ticket at the machine, it's still valid on any train on the same route until the end of the following day or somesuch (I'm not sure for how long exactly it's valid since I never waited that much time to use a ticket when I had missed my train).

If you didn't use your ticket and did not punch it, and once again it's not one of these reduced fare ticket like PREMs valid only for a specific train, you can exchange it, or, last time I checked have it reimbursed (if it's a TGV ticket, or if you bought a reservation, the cost of the reservation won't be reimbursed, though).

*HOWEVER* there are some (not many) regular trains with a supplement, generally long distance trains with few stops leaving on peak hours. Since St Cirq mentionned Limoges, for instance, there's every day such a train called "Capitole" between Paris and Toulouse stopping at Limoges. If you bought a ticket for a train without supplement and use it to ride a train with supplement, you'll be fined (doing the reverse is of course a non-issue). So, if you miss your train and ride the next one, you might want to make sure it's not a train with a supplement. Just ask at the station (for instance ask a conductor on the platform before boarding).

Your ticket might indeed have a day, hour, train number, etc... printed on it, as St Cirq mentionned, if you bought it for a specific train. But you still can use it to ride another train. You're only losing the cost of your reservation.

Concerning RT, they normally give you two tickets, say one Paris ---> Limoges ticket and one Limoges ---> Paris ticket. So, you can for instance use one ticket one way and have the other one reimbursed or exchanged.

Once again, this is *NOT* true for reduced fare tickets like the PREMs, valid only for a specific train. These are only reimbursed partially or not at all.

Christina,

Actually, you might get a discount when you buy a RT, if you reserved for specific days, and your stay include a full week end day. For instance, if you reserved for a Paris---->Limoges train on saturday and the Limoges--->Paris part is reserved for monday. Or at least, it used to be the case. .

It's intended to offer a reduced fares for vacationners as opposed to business travellers. Since I never bought such a ticket, I'm not quite sure of the details. I don't even how these reduced fares are called. I don't know how it works re. exchange/reimbursment/reuse of these tickets, either.

great information thanks ... so much to learn