Transposed names on TGV tickets
 

In my haste to score PREM tickets from Avignon to Paris from the French website, I must have transposed husband's and my names, whereas our first names appear instead of our last name and our last name is listed as first. In all other respect the tickets (printed at home) appear proper. I wrote to the after-sale service of TGV and received a response that tickets are not exchangeable but no comment as to whether we may be fined. Do any of you foresee any problems with a conductor on this issue? Obviously, pretty obvious mistake.

Many thanks for your comments.

No, I don't see a problem, especially as it's common European usage to put the last name first.

I don't see a problem.

Train tickets are not like airline tickets, the conductor won't want to check your name against a passport or anything like that.

Yes, the conductor DOES check your name against your passport! At least they are supposed to. If the train is crowded and you get off at an early stop, he may not get to you, but it's definitely standard procedure.

Can I just say that the Fodor's crowd is amazing? It has not been five minutes since my post. Thank you so much! I was mildly stressing here, particularly since my July 2nd tickets are twice as much today as what I paid for them. So, again, thank you!!

I don't think I've ever had my ticket checked against a passport, I don't even usually carry a passport in France (I live here). (FYI by law you are supposed to have official ID on you, so don't go following my example!)

But in any case, I also think it won't cause any problems. Bon voyage!

It doesn't have to be a passport - just a picture ID. I have mine checked every time I take the TGV from Paris to Bordeaux or Paris to Avignon. Not so much on regional trains.

Not a problem once you have paid the fine of 5 times the ticket price.

(Just kidding -- not a problem at all.)

I have done that. The conductor didn't check against the passport. However, by looking at mine and my wife's ticket, the conductor could have quickly deduced that the first and the last names were swapped. He just looked at the tickets, punched them, and moved on.

StCirq - I meant I have never been asked for any ID, not just a passport. At least not in recent years, they may have done back when I was under 25, so if you qualify for discount tickets perhaps that's why they take the time to do it with you. Or perhaps for some reason you just always run into very solicitous conductors and I don't!

I am ALWAYS asked for ID to check my ticket on French trains for PREMs or any ticket bought for a specific person. They are suppsoed to do that, after all, your name and birthdate or on the ticket for a reason. Of course they don't check ID when it's a generic ticket for any date or any person, or something like that.

If the OP has a train ticket with a person's name on it, then obviously it is likely it will be checked against an ID. If not, it won't. It has nothing to do with age. The OP bought a PREM and that is for a specific person. There is a reason for that, so one person can't buy tons of discount tickets and resell them.

gwan, I certainly don't qualify for an under-25 ticket, nor am I normally carrying any sort of discount ticket other than a PREM. I have taken literally hundreds of trains in France and I would say that 95% of the time my tickets have been checked against ID (except, of course, on trains where it's just a generic ticket). I guess conductors like me:)

See, I was thinking conductors must like me! :)

The conductor always asked to see my passport when I use PREMS fare tickets.

I have been asked <b>almost</b> every time to show ID. I'll call it 90% of the time.

I've been asked at least 90% of the time as well.

I booked PREM tickets for 6 adults in 2009. Much to my horror I mispelt the First name for one of my friends. I was really stressed on the day of travel, but all went well, the conducter didn't flinch (we also showed our passport) and we sat back and enjoyed our train trip.

So I am hoping all goes well with you

Thank you all, again, for your comments. Hope I will have nothing to report on this subject in July. :)

Btw, I just looked at some TGV tickets I was using as a bookmark, and it is indeed written as LAST NAME, First Name. So if it's that way, it's just how they do it. If not, as everyone has said, you're very unlikely to run into trouble even if they do check carefully.

Hello to all. The same thing has happened to me when I issued my e-tickets yesterday from Basel to Paris. In the site, it is mentioned as Name & Forename. Anyway I got confused and swapped them. Put my first name to "name" and my last name to "forename". I am really stressed about this right now. I hope I will not have a problem, but still.. Please feel free to share your opinions here...