cashfamily1

Paris to Avignon and back...looks like the Saverpass is best bet. How to obtain reservations--does it cost to do so? Is there much difference between 1st and 2nd class?

humanone

All USA train tickets and reservations are at Rail Europe. You buy the ticket or saverpass and then the reservations and they mail them to you FedEx at an extra $15 charge. I bought tickets for the TGV and then the required reservation at $11 per person per trip. They also offer an insurance policy at $20 that replaces any lost tickets. Unless you are going long long distances, 2nd class is just fine.

MorganB

Cheapest is to buy tickets directly from Http://www.voyages-sncf.com . Look for the british flag near the bottom right for english. Paris - Avignon can be had for as low as 38 euros return. 50 euro return is more widely available. 1st class has larger seats with nicer fabric and carpet on the floors.

cashfamily1

MorganB, I went to www.voyages-sncf.com as suggested but having tickets sent to USA does not appear to be an option. Any suggestions? Thanks-cashfamily1.

ira

Hi cash,

You do not need to have your tickets sent to you.

Leave France as the pickup country.

You will get a confirmation number after paying for your ticket.

If it is a non-refundable ticket, print out the confirmation. That is your ticket.

For other tickets, bring your confirmation number and the same credit card to the train station or a travel agent in France and pick up your ticket.

MorganB

There are two options. If you are able to get a Prem or iDTGV fare, you can simply print them out online so you dont need to have them mailed at all. These are by far the cheapest fares and the easiest to deal with.

If you are only able to get Decouvert a Deux or Decouverte Sejour, you would need to select France as your country, then select to pay for the tickets now and pick them up at the train station. You will need to take the credit card that you use to pay for the ticket as well as the reservation number to get your tickets.

What are your travel dates and I can talk a look as well if you like.

cashfamily1

Thank you for your kind attention ira and MorganB. Travel is for my wife and I, dep Paris (Gare Lyon) Sat June 4,~1300 to Avignon via TGV, but would like to return from AvignonTGV directly to CDG on June 8 for our flight back to USA @ 1640. Couldn't seem to find CDG destination on the recommended website, but i know TGV goes there. What is the smartest/economical method (i.e., I don't want to lose the tickets)...reserve/pay now and pick up at window over there? Many thanks--cashfamily1

hikerboy

At the SNCF site, click "print ticket."
Then click "Prem."
Select your departure and arrival (Paris-Avignon). Select "single" rather than return. I see today that the 1 pm train on June 4 will cost €100 for 2, but if you can wait till 1620, the cost will be €70 if it is important to you to economize.
For your return trip, follow the same steps, again selecting the "single" (i.e. one-way)option but enter "Roissy" as your destination.
Today, there is a fare of €70 on offer for a train that leaves Avignon June 8 at 0932 and arrives at the airport at 1255. Select these tickets and then follow instructions to pay for them and print them out. You will also get an e-mail confirmation.

Good luck!

Kevin

MorganB

Ahh returning to CDG rules out round trip fares. Plus specific times makes it harder to get cheap fares. However, from Paris to Avignon I did find a Prem fare on the 1:20 pm iDTGV train for 99.80 euros for 2. There is also a Prem fare in first for 120 euros for 2. You can print both of those out.

From Avignon to CDG theres a 932 am that arrives at the airport at 1. You can get that in 2nd for 70 euros for 2. Again a prem faire that can be printed out.

To book to CDG, click advanced search, Type "airport cdg" click "or chose here" and select Airport CDG 2 TGV from the list.

humanone

Having followed all the suggestions posted above, I still couldn't find airport CDG on any website. So, although you might (I still don't believe it) find a less expensive fare somewhere, I don't think its worth the hassle. You never know if your plane will be delayed, if the ticket person at CDG will be patient enough to understand your bad French, or if something else will go away. I like to have my tickets and reservations in hand when I leave home. The extra $15 is worth it. And since I couldn't find the TGV out of and returning to CDG on any website, when I called Rail Europe on the phone, they agreed that it was not there but that they had the information could sell me a ticket with reservation. So at this minute I am looking at my quickly-received paper tickets and reservations, seat number, times etc. and even a free 10 minute telephone card to use in France. I still recommend Rail Europe by phone not web.

Underhill

Did you try searching for Roissy on the CDG web site?

Underhill

Did you try searching for Roissy on the SNCF web site? That's where the CDG station is lcoated.

Underhill

I just searched for an Avignon/Roissy itinerary and got several TGV options, with the final destination shown as Aéroport Charles de Gaulle. So it's there!

MorganB

Humanone, do you think we are making it up? I have booked and purchased tickets out of CDG myself. Had you carefully followed the information giving in this thread you would have easily found the tickets on the sncf website. The "15 dollars" difference may be worth it but often the difference is much much greater. For those that want to do it themselves and save money, the best way is hands down the voyages-sncf.com site. Those that dont have to worry about saving their pennys and dont have or care to take the time to book on the internet are best served by Rail Europe.

francophile03

Rail Europe charges a whole lot more than if you buy directly from SNCF. Same thing if you've got a Swiss journey I recommend buying directly from Swiss Rail (www.sbb.ch).