I've gone on many sites including SNCF, searched on this Forum, can't find the answers to my questions:

In early August, we will be taking the train from Avignon to Antibes. I can't seem to be able to buy tickets online for this, let alone reserve seats. Do they not take reservations for these trains (as opposed to the TGV), or could they possibly be sold out so far in advance? Also, am I correct in my thinking, that the TGV trains stop at the Avignon TGV station and I have to take the train to the Cote d'Azur from Avignon Centre?

Thanks so much for any information you may have.

Annie

You can only buy tickets 90 days in advance, or less. So on May 1 you can purchase tickets for August 1. Actually, if you're in the US, on April 30 at 3:01pm Pacific time you can purchase tickets for Aug 1.

Stu Dudley

Oops - should have said 3 months in advance - not 90 days.

Stu Dudley

There is direct TGV service from Avignon TGV to Nice Ville. There is also regional train service from Avignon Centre to Nice Ville. As Stu says, you cannot book online more than three months in advance. Also, since new timetables for most of Europe will be issued in mid June, enter a dummy date in May at www.sncf.com to see timetables and fares. Do the same at www.bahn.de to see complete timetables, including intermediate stops.

Of course, 90 days! Why didn't I think of that? Duh! So I guess if we're going to Antibes (actually staying in Juan-les-Pins), we should take the regional train from Avignon Centre to Antibes; otherwise, the TGV to Nice and then backtrack on the regional train to Juan-les-Pins (probably more trouble than it's worth, with all the luggage). Thanks, all!

Annie

Oops! The TGVs stop in Antibes. No backtracking necessary. Since that's where you want to go, I don't know where my brain was when I listed Nice Ville.

Yes, the TGV stops in Antibes...that is why it takes so long from Avignon. But, you must leave out of the new Avignon TGV station...not the Avignon Centre station...this is local only. It used to be both, but I think the new TGV station opened in 2001.

Thanks for all your answers. We went to the SNCF site, and reserved two seats on a late afternoon train from Avignon TGV to Antibes. The price was okay, and since no PREM fares were offered (I assume one end of your trip has to be Paris to get them?), we had to buy full fare tickets. Since it's full fare, they're totally refundable and exchangeable, and we didn't even have to put in a credit card number - they will hold our seats until May 9. We figure there's a possibility the price will go down between now and then; if not, we'll just put it on the credit card at that point. And when we get to Paris in late July, we can just go to an SNCF boutique or train station and get those tickets for use a week or so later. Does that sound like a plan?

>We figure there's a possibility the price will go down between now and then;

Why should the price go down? A full price ticket costs as much today as it will cost in a few months, and if the PREMs are sold out there won´t be new ones.

altamiro,

The window opened just yesterday for us to buy PREM tickets (3 months prior to our travel date). We NEVER saw them offered on the SNCF site, so I'm assuming they weren't offered in the first place. Anyone know if PREMs are available only if one end of your trip is in Paris?

While PREM'S definitely are offered for some routes that don't include Paris, I don't think Avignon-Antibes is one of them. SNCF offers "derniere minute" (last minute) tickets for some routes when there are unsold seats, but you can't count on any being available.

Allonsy:

you mentioned the TGV train station in Avignon vs the Central as the jumping off point for travel from Avignon to Antibes. I'm going to be staying in Avignon in two weeks (arriving on regular rail from Metz) and planned to jump on the TGV to Antibes.

Anything more I need to know to be sure I line up for the right train? Is the TGV station easy to find? I'm likely to stay at the Avignon Grand Hotel. Thanks.

Rdtripper,

You have two ways to get from Avignon to Antibes by train. (1) TGV service from Avignon TGV and (2) regional train service from Avignon Centre. For complete timetables, go to www.bahn.de and click on "Internat. Guests" to see the site in English. There is bus service between the stations.