We will be leaving Paris on May 31 heading to Rouen by train (one-way). From reading Rick Steves' France guidebook it isn't clear if advance ticket purchase is recommended for that journey at that time of year on a Friday.
If so do you know if train itineraries shown at Google are reliable? For example I see an 08:53 train from Gare St. Lazare in Paris to Rouen. However SNCF's web site doesn't show that.
Thanks
Sri
Hi,
You don't need an advance ticket but you should get one because the price for partly-refundable advance tickets is usually much lower. Book at en.oui.sncf, or www.loco2.com if you prefer, and don't rely on Google for schedules. I see that (1) there is engineering work that day so the trains take 2 hours instead of 1.15 and (2) there are 10€ tickets available at 8:09, great deal!
The SNCF site should always be the one that you depend on for long-distance train schedules in France. SNCF runs the train system. The odds of them being wrong while Google, a third party, is correct are very, very slim.
Thanks @balso @JHK. Very helpful responses and fast! Love the community here. I have benefited so much.
I hope to be able to pay back in the future.
Sri
