Hello, I'm trying to get train tickets from Paris to Vernon-Giverny using three discount passes. (there are four of us but one person does not have a pass). The SNCF site will only give me afternoon times when trains are available, even though I keep putting in 10am or earlier. On the Omio site, I can't get the passes to work at all and the trip is twice as expensive as it's supposed to be. I think the tickets are $11.00 each. (I don't have to use the passes - would be fine if each ticket was $11 each, but they are oddly expensive on the Omio site $144 for 4 of us round trip.) Have tried Trainline, and that gives the $11 price but i have to do everyone separately. That would be ok except that when it calls for the discount pass number, my laptop fills in some random number, and i can't erase it. So i can't put in the discount pass number. I am beyond frustrated. And yes, I have both the SNCF and Omio app. I have tried to ask the SNCF help section how to get an earlier time to leave, but the bot says it does not understand me. Any ideas would be much appreciated - Thanks!!
Posted by
Green Bay
21140 posts
I believe the SNCF website automatically translates your time zone into French time zone. For instance here on CDT, we are 7 hours behind Paris time, so if I put in 10 am, the computer in Paris thinks I put in 5 pm Paris time. Solution, just scroll in earlier times until you get the time you want.
I just went on the SNCF website and put in 2 am on June 5, and my solution came up for a train departing Gare St Lazare at 10:11 am.
BTW, the normal price is 17.20 EUR, but in June I see a promotion fare of 9 EUR for all other trains (8:14, 12:12, 2:12 pm. 4:12 pm etc). That is a nonrefundable, train specific ticket, and a limited number for each train.
Posted by
Wengen
2492 posts
With "senior" and "youth" passes, do you mean an Eurail Pass?
In that case just get the reservations (they are only 1,70 if I recall correctly) form a ticket machine in France. Getting the reservations via the Eurail reservation systems is more expensive.
These are commuter trains. No need to worry about these in advance.
Posted by
Chicago
8550 posts
This is speculation but that route has been closed for work on the tracks often recently and it is at least possible that no trains are running earlier in the day. Look at Trainline.eu which is more user friendly and see if there are trains running during the times you want.
Posted by
Paris
10187 posts
What are your discount passes ? Unless you have a discount pass specific to Nomad / Normandy trains, there isn't any discount from SNCF Carte Avantage or similar for TER trains, which the trains between Paris and Vernon are.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thank you all for your advice! The passes are a senior discount and youth discount for SNCF. I realize now that they don’t work on shorter trips. But the lady I’m renting a place from in Vernon said the train is not a commuter train and that we need a reservation. We’re trying to go to Giverny and you need advanced tickets for the garden - so trying to figure out when we will be there. I’ll try entering the 2:00am time and see what comes up. (I was able to get tickets to Antibes with the correct time - but had to download the app.) The odd thing is that if you enter the discount pass numbers - the fare doubles. So maybe getting tickets at the train station in Paris is the best idea? We’re trying to go there on Tuesday the 14th of May.
Posted by
Green Bay
21140 posts
The 9 EUR promo fare is sold out for May 14, except for the 6:09 am departure, so it looks like it will be 17.20 EUR per person.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Hi Sam - Thanks again for your help! I finally got the tickets to work for just me on the app, using the pass - they’re ¢9 for seniors - 24 round trip with tax. But now I can’t figure out how to add the additional travelers! lol Or does everyone have to download the app and buy the tix themselves? I know It should work - I bought three tix to Antibes…
Posted by
Lake District, England
7835 posts
The trains to Vernon-Giverny are regional NOMAD trains to Rouen or Le Havre (which are rebranded TER trains)- this is the SNCF description of them-
The TER Normandie trains are now called NOMAD Trains. For road routes, the service is now called NOMAD Cars. Formerly TER Normandie, NOMAD trains make daily trips between towns in the departments of Calvados, Eure, Manche, Orne and Seine-Maritime. Discover the cities and landscapes of Normandy thanks to SNCF Connect. You use them whether it's for regular commuting or to explore sights, towns and villages.
This is the regional TER map- https://sncf-ter-normandie.latitude-cartagene.com/assets/carte_region.pdf
Also-
For 12-25 year olds travelling in Normandy, from or to Paris, all train journeys on the NOMAD network are 50% off with the Youth fare!
But this discount only seems to apply to full fares, not the cheaper Promo (advance) fares
Similarly-
Yes, the Liberty Card and the Advantage Card, whether it is Young, Adult or Senior, are valid on your journeys with TER in the Normandy region.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Update: I did not find the box to add travelers on the App - but DID find it on my laptop. And after adding in everyone’s discount pass numbers and choosing a return trip - the site crashed. But I tried it again and this time just got one way tickets and it worked! €49 for 4 of us. (The site crashed again while it was verifying my credit card - but the transaction had gone through by then). And yes, will now buy the return tickets.
Thanks again to everyone for your support!