Ok, I am trying to buy ticket on Thalys from Cologne to Paris. I get a total of 75 euros for 3 of us (my son is 12, so I think he is regarded as an adult?). This fare is far lower than what I expected. Is this a unique fare which I should grab immediately or is it usually available? Is there some catch I am missing?
Thanks!!

Hi J,

Take it before it is gone.

25E pp is the lowest price available at www.voyages-sncf.com

If you buy there, you can print your tickets at home.

You can also buy cancellation insurance (1.8E pp)

There are no catches.

The standard 2nd class fare is €91 for adults and €45.50 for youths (12-25). What you've found is an advance purchase discount fare called Mini. Only a certain number of tickets are set aside for that fare. They sell out fast!

Thank you! I bought the tickets!

You are welcome, J

Ira-I have a question about those printable tickets on the sncf site. Do you know if they accept all major US for payment (non-French based credit cards). Our friends are always asking us that and we don't know because we have a French card we use for buying those kind of tickets. But it sounds like from your post that it will accept them? I am hoping so because they are handy.

If I may, I'll speak for ira. Both the SNCF site and the Thalys site accept major US credit cards. The most important thing is to call your card provider and tell them you are going to make a European transaction. If you don't, a computer may block your card for what it suspects might be fraudulent use.

Thanks TimS-this is nice to know. If Jandee doesn't mind me kidnapping the thread just one more time, has anyone ever tried their US cards in either the toll booths on the highways or the gas stations? Those are other places that I never know what to tell friends...

I found the following note on a Tripadvisor thread dated July 2008: "Yes, credit cards are accepted at all toll booths. However, with your American cards, I am not sure it is a good idea to use the automated credit card only lanes at the toll booth (they are marked CB, standing for Carte Bancaire). French credit cards have chips, and that can present problems for cards without chips. Go to the manned booths, and there they will take non-chip cards OK."

FYI, I know that the same thing is true at French train stations. The ticket machines do not accept US cards, but you can use them at a staffed window.

I can't remember if I used a card or paid cash when I bought gas in France three years ago. I THINK I used my card and handed it to an attendant. However, things may be different now.

Yes-that sounds right to me-I would be hesitant to use my US card without a "puce" (microchip) in either the automatic toll booths or automatic 24/7 type gas places. Thanks