TGV tickets in advance?

Old Jul 17th, 2010, 09:45 AM
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TGV tickets in advance?

Four of us will be taking the TGV from Paris to Dijon on a weekday in mid-September. We can buy tickets in advance from RailEurope but they'll cost us about $50 more combined than the price on the SNCF web site. Should we wait and just get them at the station? We will want first-class.
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 10:01 AM
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book them yourself on the www.voyages-sncf.com web site - put in U K as your home country and many have been able to book - otherwise yes just wait as this line is not one of the TGV lines in high demand where trains could be full - if really wanting to book in advance and cannot do on the sncf.com site then i was eschew RailEurope and use their agent www.budgeteuropetravel.com - who i have bought passes from for years and can attest to great personal service like seat selection, etc. same prices better service. But if i were you i would try www.voyages-sncf.com or www.idTGV.com (not sure they serve Dijon line however) or just wait and buy upon arrival and save $50 - you may have to wait in long lines to book because the automatic ticketing machines in French stations simply do not it seems take American credit cards as our cards lack a certain security strip French and European cards have.
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 10:14 AM
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If you can get a prem fare then you can get a PDF of your ticket by email to print out ahead of time. Prem fares are the cheapest fares I believe-- it may be worth checking if there are first class prem or other sale fates even if you ordinarily would buy 2d class
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 10:24 AM
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PalenQ I was becoming fond of you, but you just must stop this wait in long line business. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends on the station and the time of day.
TGV Dijon trains usually depart from Gare de Lyon, so get there an hour early and buy the tickets. First class, second class, TGV trains are faily grotty, makes very little difference in comfort, and its only 1.5 hour trip. Would save you further 50 dollars.
You can try to book in advance via the website, but don't say you are American.....and try your credit card.
Safe travel,
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 11:11 AM
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Perhaps I could buy them at the station a day or more in advance. What time of day do you think the lines would be shortest?
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 11:21 AM
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1st class for such a short trip?
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 11:33 AM
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I bought PREM tickets from Paris to Strasbourg for about a third what the "bought on the same day" ticket would cost.
Printed them at home and just walked to the train.
Second class was fine.
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 12:07 PM
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We've done first class on the Eurostar in Italy and on a slower, older train from Barcelona to Perpignan. The extra space, more comfortable seats (and on the Eurostar a table to place snacks and drinks on) were nice.
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 12:22 PM
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Italy and Spain are totally different countries with very different trains.

On old trains, 1st class can be nice, but there are few of them left in France.
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 12:24 PM
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Buy them in advance online; you'll likely save a LOT compared to buying them on the spot, no matter whether you buy them the day you travel or a day or two before. There are tables in 2nd class, too.
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 01:53 PM
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We followed advice from other Fodorites, and today -- exactly 90 days in advance of our travel date we purchased Paris-Tours PREM tickets on-line via the SNCF site. Just leave the country as FRANCE and be sure to select "e-billets" as the ticket option. Then print (and save) the PDF file that contains your conformation and e-billets.

With just a little French (or Google Translate), it's not too bad to navigate. (Choosing U.K. may work, as well, and let you view the Web site in English. I was fine with the French.)

Saved a LOT versus standard fare.

My sister did the same for Paris-Valence and not only saved a lot off the standard fare, but got first class for only 2 euro more.

One tip ... When you choose seats:
Haut -- Upper deck
Basse -- Lower deck
vis a vis -- face-to-face (seats across)
cote a cote - side by side
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 02:20 PM
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Perhaps I could buy them at the station a day or more in advance. What time of day do you think the lines would be shortest?>

You can buy them at any station in France - go to the one closest to your hotel or any SNCF Boutique, if there are any in Paris - like in most French towns. But again potential savings for online discounts can be huge - not sure on the Paris to Dijon line as much as on others however.
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 02:48 PM
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Bookmarking
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 07:47 PM
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I bought tickets to Dijon for a day trip in late September as soon as the Prem fares appeared on TGV-Europe (fares same as SNCF), a savings of over 50% versus walk up fares. If you really will want first-class, Prem fares are at least 20% lower than 2nd class walk up fares. Just be sure to phone the fraud department of your credit card before making your online purchase, as most block foreign internet transactions automatically.

You may want to consider planning your visit for one of the market days.
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 10:07 PM
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When you buy tickets online, you will some find that 1st class fares are actually cheaper than the remaining 2nd class tickets (since 2nd class Prem's generally sell out before the 1st class Prem's). And sometimes there is only 5 or 10€ difference, which is good enough to convince me to buy them.

When I booked my train to Avignon a couple of months ago (for travel on July 15), 2nd class was 40€ and 1st class was 45€ so I confess that I went with 1st class.
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Old Jul 17th, 2010, 10:48 PM
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If one of your party is a child, be sure to enter their age into the search at sncf. They have special pricing for families. You can't print them out, though, like the Prems. You have to pick them up at the station.
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Old Jul 18th, 2010, 07:20 AM
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wobbers on Jul 17, 10 at 2:24pm
PalenQ I was becoming fond of you, but you just must stop this wait in long line business. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends on the station and the time of day.>\

Oh get off your high horse man - read what i said:

you may have to wait in long lines to book because the automatic ticketing machines in French stations simply do not it seems take American credit cards as our cards lack a certain security strip French and European cards have.>

key word "May" - just like you said sometimes yes sometimes no - so what are you quibbling with - we said the exact same thing.

And i will put my epxerience of seeing long lines at the Gare de Lyon against your experience any day - i regularly go thru the Gare de Lyon - where trains for Dijon depart - and regularly see long lines at ticket windows -endemically so IME - when was the last time you were there?

I stand by my wording - and you know what last Dec at CDG TGV station i had to wait 45 mins in line to get a TGV reservation and then i had to wait abouther 45 mins in line to buy RER tickets into Paris - long lines are becoming endemic in French stations IME - even at my 'home' station of Les Aubrais there are typically long queues

Again if you do not know from experience of what you are saying better not say anything at all then give out misleading info.
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Old Jul 18th, 2010, 09:11 AM
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This is one of the few times I'm happy to qualify for senior status - the rates are very good. Think we'll choose 2nd class, total of 68 euros for four.

Thanks for the help.
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Old Jul 18th, 2010, 09:33 AM
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I agree that it's better, with non-chipped credit card, to purchase tickets in advance. We've typically encountered very long lines at the stations. Sometimes a long line moves quickly. Sometimes a short line moves very slowly.
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Old Jul 18th, 2010, 10:04 AM
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PalenQ - you keep saying the same thing on all threads - regardless which country, which station......just simply boring
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