Incredibly dumb question about trains tickets in France

Hi Val,

You can choose to pick them up from ticket vending machines (bornes) in most large train stations in France. You'll need the ticket reference number and the credit card you used for the booking.

Here's the explanation with pictures of how to use the yellow machines. See starting on page 3 (says Eurostar, but it's SNCF tickets)

http://uk.voyages-sncf.com/media/pdf/uk/D--Runtimes-Public-portals-0-Instructions_PDF-TOD.PDF

Bon voyage!

René

SNCF = Société nationale des chemins de Fer
This the main French railway company. Their website is the best place to buy tickets for France, but not for other countries!

There are 3 ways you can get your tickets if you buy them in advance on a website.

1) Print at home. You are e-mailed (or download) a PDF file which you print out, and take with you on the train. The ticket inspector on the train scans the barcode on the ticket. You usually need some other form of ID, such as the Credit Card with which you bought the tickets. Check the website to be sure. This is usually the easiest way to buy tickets.

2) Print at the station. You get a reference number. When you get to an SNCF station, type in your reference number (and possibly insert the credit card) and the tickets are printed out. In this case you do not get your tickets until you arrive in France.

3) Tickets sent by post. I doubt you can get this option if you live in South America. The website will refuse to send tickets by post if there is not enough time for them to reach you.

Depending which country you are in (and which website you buy the tickets) you will be offered one or more of these options. BE SURE YOU KNOW HOW YOU ARE GETTING YOUR TICKETS BEFORE YOU PUT IN YOUR CREDIT CARD DETAILS. After you have put in your credit card details it is too late, you have bought the tickets and cannot change what type of tickets you have.

You can also choose to pick up tickets at a staffed train station office. The agent will print out all your tickets at once, so you don't need to repeat this process at every stop. Take the credit card you used to purchase the tickets, even if it's expired - it's a security identification measure.

Thanks!!!

All your answers were extremely helpfull. I feel so much better now, since I know how to the system works. You guys are awesome!

Val: Note that e-mail tickets printed at home will contain time, date and seat reservation if on the fast inter-city trains. You can walk right aboard the train and find your seat; at some time the train attendant will scan your bar code. He might ask you for passport id but not always.

However, tickets printed at the station on a cardboard-like substance have to be validated in a stamping machine at the entrance to the train platform. It puts the date etc on the ticket so you can't use it on another train.
A useful site for train travel originating in Paris is www.parisbytrain.com. The encyclopedia for trains everywhere is www.seat61.com And many people recommend Rick Steves' train service.

The site to buy French train tickets now being recommended on France Trip Advisor forums is www.capitainetrain.com I've done some dummy bookings and found it very simple to use.

I just want to add, as having just returned last night. If you don't have a chip and PIN card, you won't be able to pick up tickets in the machines in France.

I bought tickets from Paris to Lille through Capitainetrain.com and printed them at home. Worked just fine.