The SNCF website says that only residents from certain countries are supposed to use it to buy tickets, I think. Does anyone ever check this when you get on the train? Also, if you are buying for TGV (Paris/Avignon), what else do you have to do before getting on the train?

Cat:

Ignore whatever that says on the SNCF website. I'm American and I buy TGV tickets all the time with no problem, and no, no one on the train has ever done anything other than ask to see my ticket and punch it or ask me if I'm interested in some of their discount programs.

If you purchase a PREMs ticket, you print it out from your computer and take it with you - no need to stop at the guichet or punch your ticket in the composteur or anything.

If you purchase a regular TGV ticket online, you print out the reservation confirmation and bring that with you, along with the same credit card you used online to make the purchase, and then you get in line at the train station or any SNCF boutique anywhere and show them your confirmation, and they give you the ticket. In that case, you do have to punch the ticket in the composteur, although many times the people at the guichets will do it for you to save you the trouble.

It's no different for Paris/Avignon than for anywhere else the TGV goes.

StCirq:
I just checked the SNCF website and they don't offer PREM fares from Paris to Rouen. Do the available PREM destinations change? Or should I just go ahead and get regular tickets (the fare seemed good to me--40-something for the 3 of us. Of course, if took me a while to figure out that fare was for 3 tickets.) I really appreciate your assurance that it's OK for Americans to use the website.

There will be 6 adults and two children under 10 in our party going from Paris to Avignon in early July. Are the chances good that I could get 8 PREM tickets and then, try 2 weeks later for return tickets? This is such a great savings...thanks to all who have given info. We stay at the Jeanne D'Arc Hotel..can I give that address? I would then print the tickets out, so pick up is necessary, correct?

Oops! I meant to say no pick up is necessary...right?

St Cirq, Merrymice and others--

I have just tried repeatedly to buy PREM tickets on the SNCF website. North America is, as you guys discussed earlier, precluded as a mailing address for tickets. But mailing is the only option the website seems to allow for the cheap PREM tickets. That button won't unclick, and I can find no way to print out tickets or even ask to pick them up (after I arrive in France) at a guichet or automatique. How do we get around that --preferably to print our own tickets.
DavidA

DavidA:

See my response to you on the other thread.
It's definitely not totally intuitive, but it's right there - the option to print your tickets is at Step 2.
I'm using the French site, by the way. The English one is even more confusing and it lacks all the information the French one does.