website for France train tickets
 

I'm going by train from Paris (Roissy) to Bordeaux on May 18. Could someone please tell me which is the official website - the one I should use, rather than a commercial one that will charge me extra. Thanks in advance!

SNCF.COM

Google 'sncf US site' and you'll find a great guide made by seat61 (can't copy the link) on how to use it.

They recommend to go to loco2.com or trainline.eu of you ahve a problem with your credit card.

NEVER use Eurorail - a rip-off.

I use www.voyages-sncf.com

In the past, I have had mixed results using both sncf sites; works sometimes others not - usually credit card related.


I have found www.trainline.eu works ever time. Set up an account to better keep track of your tickets.

The sooner you book, the lower the fares.

Check out www.seat61.com for learning about French train travel.

Also, call your credit card company to tell them you are buying the tickets.

<i>WoinParis on Mar 13, 17 at 8:23am
SNCF.COM</i>

This SNCF site has a dropdown language choice including English, EN. The site does not redirect when accessed from Michigan. The page is about as user friendly as any I've seen. Prices for tickets are the same or lower than on trainline.eu. For an illustrated introduction to European trains see http://www.enjoy-europe.com/trains-in-europe.htm.

I have used other sites in the past, but for our upcoming trip I used trainline as DebitNM mentioned and found it really easy to use.

http://www.sncf.com/en/trains/ouigo

For consistently cheap TGV tickets to many (but not all -not sure of Bordeaux) check this SNCF - French Railways site for Oui Go trains - cut-rate TGVs -don't think carried by thetrainline, etc.

Does www.trainline charge a handling fee or are their fares exactly like the SNCF official site www.voyages-sncf.com? But yes many in past have found official SNCF site a bit toughh to work with credit cards, etc.

And check first class as well as 2nd -sometimes cheapest 1st class ticket may not be that much more than cheapest available 2nd class ticket and as always there is difference - more roomy cars- fewer seats per same-sized carriage and those nifty rows of just one seat each - an aisle and window seat all together - two can face each other for couples with a nice table in between.

For lots on French trains and thing like classes - check www.seat61.com - the site for info on discounted tickets; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

discounted tickets have restrictions on refunds and changes so be sure of your times and don't miss the train but usually much cheaper than full fare - booking a discount ticket when landing is thus tricky - either build in a lot of extra time between train and plane or chance it that plane will not be late - long lines at Immigration, etc.

Why choose EN ?
When I'm on SNCF I use french, when on Dbahn I use German.
Works well.

trainline does not charge any extra; same fares as SNCF

Thanks, everyone! So easy - I went to sncf.com and took it from there. No problem with my credit card, either.

Perhaps if one is intimidated by an all-French website, one might consider opening an adjacent tab in the browser for Google Translate (or equivalent) as insurance against clicking yes to something like paying for the entire welfare cost of all France. Just in case one is frightening by clicking "oui" on a French website.