jelane

Printed out MorganB's instruction but I am still having a hard time with the site....I go onto Rail Europe and it seems so easy, it there a significant price difference. I am about ready to call a broker, never had this much of a problem before....

Travelnut

The site was revamped a few weeks ago, so it does seem less straightforward.

Rail Europe will usually charge extra for tickets, or avoid selling you the discounted ones, in my experience. And you have to get paper tickets so they charge shipping for that.

Others have recommended an agency called "BETS" if you just want to talk to someone to get your tickets.
I think they don't upcharge the ticket but might charge a small booking fee. If you type 'BETS' in the forum search, you should find some threads that mention them.
http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/

jelane

Thanks Travelnut, I booked our tickets three years ago, picked them up at machine, did not seem to be a big deal, and now it is just hair pulling to get around this site....They should listen to all these post and get the hint, this many people could not be TRAIN challenged. Thank you again for response.

ira

Hi J,

What is your difficulty at www.voyages-sncf.com?

I booked a PREMS fare this morning in under 6 min.

jelane

Hi Ira, yesterday I was on the site, ready to book. I have sort of an issue because I need 2 adults, 1 senior and a youth to Avignon, but 1 Adult and youth returning to CDG instead of Gare on the 20th, then 3 adult and Senior returning from Avignon on 28th to Gare. I suppose I am going to make them no returns. But the biggest issue was the site kept asking for my password and user name, it was security from their site. I had never had this, I cleared the cookies and all that. I am wondering if it is because I am not in the states at this time, I am in the middle east....just was so wierd. I am thinking of calling Rail Europe and pay the higher price. I also called Snfc and was on hold so I hung up....I have to do something today because I want to get this done. I will try again in a moment, thanks for your reply.

jelane

Ira, I translated this but do not know what it means, the site seems to not be giving me the error secutity message but is saying,

Attention, certains trajets dans cette liste ne sont pas ouverts à la réservation.

Attention : sur certains trains, il reste des places disponibles mais avec des critères de confort différents.

PalenQ

Raileurope and SNCF are one and the same - SNCF is majority stakeholder in RE

But the similarity ends there

RE does not sell discounted tickets usually like on voyages-sncf.com and marks up full fare somewhat - not always that much but sometimes a lot

They also charge a $18 mailing fee on top - i always advise calling Byron at BETS 800-441-2387 if you pondering a REurope purchase - they don't charge the $18 mailing fee and give great expert personal service IME - but keep trying www.voyages-sncf.com and folks like Ira and TimS around and in past have worked many folks thru this very very fickle site.

msinformation

It took me over an hour to book 2 simple adult fares at SNCF last night. I could not get any english version of the page once I said I was from France (is that normal and something I just missed in all the directions?). It took me quite a long time to translate everything and try to make sure I was buying the right ticket, and then just as I came near the end I realized I didn't have the right type of ticket, so I had to go back and start over. SO frustrating. But, I ended up saving about $60 from what I would have paid on Rail Europe. Of course any complicating factors probably up the difficulty significantly. Good luck getting your tickets!

jelane

Thanks, well at this point I think I may have to pay a bit and make this happen. We are away from our family and this trip for my daughter and granddaughter are really important to us. It is their first time to travel overseas, and I want it to be right. I am in a country that it is hard to figure out many things and maybe that is why my patience are just a bit thin...thanks for all your help, perhaps I will try again in the morning, often it just falls into place.

TimS

It used to be quite easy to book in English on the SNCF site. However, since the site was revised, if you leave France as the default country for picking up your tickets the site reverts to French. And if you pick the US you are bumped to Rail Europe.

A regular on the Rick Steves Helpline has found a way to get to the booking page in English and still have France as the default country. Here are the steps:

1. Go to http://tinyurl.com/2shmfn. You'll get a page on the SNCF site with the heading "Document non trouvé."
2. Click on the British flag icon. Wait a moment for the page to re-set. (It will look like nothing has changed.)
3. Click on the "consulter le plan du site" link.
4. Under the Train heading click on "Réservation billet train."
5. Finally you'll get the old booking page in English (with a French heading).
6. Leave France as the default country for retrieving your tickets, do NOT choose cancellation insurance, and proceed to complete your booking.

ira

Hi J,

>Attention, certains trajets dans cette liste ne sont pas ouverts à la réservation.

Some trains do not permit reservations

Attention : sur certains trains, il reste des places disponibles mais avec des critères de confort différents.

On some trains, there are spaces available, but with different amenities.

> I need 2 adults, 1 senior and a youth to Avignon, but 1 Adult and youth returning to CDG instead of Gare on the 20th, then 3 adult and Senior returning from Avignon on 28th to Gare. I suppose I am going to make them no returns.

There is no savings buying RT tickets.

Buy your outbound and inbound tickets separately.

You can create a user id and password for "mon espace" at http://tinyurl.com/252wv7

Good luck.
..................................
Hi M,

>just as I came near the end I realized I didn't have the right type of ticket, so I had to go back and start over.

Typical French tactic to make life difficult for Americans.

PalenQ

Voila - i said TimS and Ira would come to the rescue as they have so many times, saving folks so much money and time.

jelane

What a deal, TimS............this page is blocked in the country where I am, so I am not surprised, I can't download my music on Ipod either....I am calling Rail Europe when they open for business...Gosh I miss the good ole USA....still appreciate all your help..I will make it happen, have not missed a train yet...

PalenQ

Curiously what exact train are you trying to book? And when? You obviously want everything wrapped up but some tickets are easily arranged upon arrival

PalenQ

???

jelane

Train from Gare Paris to Avignon TGV and return to CDG and Gare Paris.

PalenQ

If you have to pay RE prices then i think the France Railpass would be cheaper perhaps than RE's pt-pt for these trajectures

Plus with the pass if you do miss you train at CDG due to plane problems then you could use it on any other train from there or Paris if need be and not be out the non-refundable PREM fare and then have to buy another full fare ticket.

Or for the CDG-Avignon there is a one-day France Day Tripper Pass at around $110 i think - again good on any train (subject to getting a reservation on a passholder basis however)

crystina

Any advice for which service to use for multiple trips in Europe? London to Paris to Brussels to Locarn... and our trip isn't until July so I'm not sure when to book train tickets. Aren't Rail Europe and SCNF just different ways to book tickets on the same lines?

PalenQ

If you are doing that much travel forget about ordinary tickets but look at the dozens and dozens of difference passes. (Look on www.raileurope.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com - the latter two also have lots of useful info besides pass prices on their sites, why i refer them along with raileurope

give a more specific description of where you are going to get a better answer here

ira

Hi C,

>Aren't Rail Europe and SCNF just different ways to book tickets on the same lines?

No.

SNCF is the French national raolroad.

RE is a sales agency.

>London to Paris

www.eurostar.com

to Brussels

www.voyages-sncf.com

to Locarno..

www.b-rail.be/main/index.html

Have fun checking schedules and prices, then compare to the price of a railpass.