Train Tickets: SNCF Boutiques in Paris
Jun 24th, 2014, 08:13 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Train Tickets: SNCF Boutiques in Paris
Some of my train tickets need to be retrieved at the station.using the SNCF self-service machine. However, I understand that SNCF has boutiques throughout Paris, including one at 18 rue de Pont Neuf. Do you know if the tickets can be retrieved at this boutique?
Jun 24th, 2014, 08:47 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,969
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have used boutiques many times to retrieve SNCF tickets. It can be convenient, but not necessarily fast if there are people ahead of you using the office as a travel agent to book their next vacations. My recommendation is to have several options and not be fixed on any one way to retrieve the tickets. I am not sure how you are arriving in France, but if you are flying into CDG, especially terminal 2E, you can just go one level below and use the ticket machine or use the window and get it done. If you have used www.capitainetrain.com, etc. and have the reference code, you can use the yellow ticket machine. Choose the reference code for retrieval method, enter your code and your name and out pop your tickets.
Jun 24th, 2014, 08:47 AM
#4
Any SNCF boutique will do. I always go to the one on level -4 (RER level) of the Forum des Halles because it is designed for people in a hurry. The last time I looked in the window of the one on rue du Pont Neuf (and that was last week), it was full of people waiting on chairs because those boutiques tend to be full of old people who want to talk about their vacation and their sick dogs rather than actually buy a ticket. While the SNCF does a splendid social service by listening to this stuff, it can be annoying when you have other things to do. What makes the boutique at the Forum faster is that the customers stand up at the counter to get service and don't settle in comfortably to tell their life story. I went there today to get my strike tickets refunded, and I and I was in and out within 5 minutes, refund receipt in hand.
Jun 24th, 2014, 08:50 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,858
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There are real people there, it's an office. You can do anything there involving SNCF tickets, that's what they are for. I went to one near gare St Lazare last year to retrieve some ticket that I had bought that couldn't be self-printed, and while I was there, bought one for a day trip I wanted to take. There is no point in buying those ahead anyway, if you can't reserve seats or get discounts, and I like to wait until there to see what the weather is like, how it fits into my schedule, etc. I got there around opening (9 am as I recall) figuring it wouldn't be busy but that backfired a little as they only had one person working there then. They have some more there later on in the day. I still didn't wait that long, though, maybe 3 people.
Jun 24th, 2014, 01:10 PM
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I know that the code and name are required to retrieve the tickets from the SNCF self-service machine, but I have also read that I need the same credit card that I used to purchase the tickets. Can anyone confirm? There seems to be conflicting information on this issue. Thanks to everyone for your help.
Jun 24th, 2014, 01:25 PM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,969
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just used an SNCF yellow machine at CDG last month to retrieve TGV tickets I bought at www.capitainetrain.com. The credit card and the 6-character reference code are mutually exclusive ways to get tickets.
After a screen or two, you choose something like "Retrieve your tickets" as opposed to "buy tickets" or "change tickets."
Then on next screen, you are asked, I think 4 ways, to retrieve your ticket. One way is your credit card you used to buy. You ignore that. I think the last choice, the bottom one was "retrieve your ticket using the reference code."
1. you enter your 6- character reference code
2. then you enter your name, I think the last name.
3. out come your tickets
Credit card was totally unnecessary with the reference code method.
After a screen or two, you choose something like "Retrieve your tickets" as opposed to "buy tickets" or "change tickets."
Then on next screen, you are asked, I think 4 ways, to retrieve your ticket. One way is your credit card you used to buy. You ignore that. I think the last choice, the bottom one was "retrieve your ticket using the reference code."
1. you enter your 6- character reference code
2. then you enter your name, I think the last name.
3. out come your tickets
Credit card was totally unnecessary with the reference code method.
Jun 24th, 2014, 01:48 PM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,969
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't know where you bought your tickets. If you bought them at capitainetrain, you get a message like this:
<i>How do I receive my ticket?
---------------------------
Must be retrieved using a SNCF self-service terminal at a station or at a ticket office. To withdraw using a terminal: choose ‘File and Electronic ticket collection’, followed by ‘Collection with a reference number’.
Important: Tickets cannot be retrieved using a credit card but with the ticket reference number instead. Carefully follow the instructions above.</i>
<i>How do I receive my ticket?
---------------------------
Must be retrieved using a SNCF self-service terminal at a station or at a ticket office. To withdraw using a terminal: choose ‘File and Electronic ticket collection’, followed by ‘Collection with a reference number’.
Important: Tickets cannot be retrieved using a credit card but with the ticket reference number instead. Carefully follow the instructions above.</i>
