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Paris to Bordeaux - train schedule not available - advice needed

Hello- I would love some advice. I am a somewhat seasoned travel veteran to Paris, as this is my 3rd trip in 5 years.

We are trying to book a round trip SCNF train between Paris (Gare Montparnasse) and Bordeaux (Saint-Jean) on March 28th. According to the FAQ's, this trip should be available for booking 4 months ahead of time. Yet, as of this morning nothing is bookable past March 25th. I have reached out to SCNF for guidance, with no luck.

Thoughts on either why booking might not be available, or when your educated guess likely has booking available??

I'm stumped!!

Dave

Posted by
771 posts

Do you have an account with Trainline.com? I ran your dates and destination, and it is for sale there. (We've been using trainline for the past couple years now, and find it convenient and reliable.)

Posted by
5 posts

History Traveler- Thanks for the reply.

I did a quick look at the site you recommended. They don't have the majority of trains listed that SCNF has on the schedule (but not bookable). My best guess is they are selling "futures" based on likely schedule.

I actually tried purchasing through another reseller, only to have my tickets canceled for no apparent reason. :)

Dave

Posted by
763 posts

Tickets become available once timetables have been announced. You will see many people confidently asserting that tickets are available 3 months (or 4 months) in advance. This is often the case, but there are no guarantees.

At the moment SNCF haven't announced the timetables for after 14 (I think) March. I know this because I was looking for tickets a week ago. You'll just have to wait.

Posted by
5 posts

Simon -

Thanks, I agree that many of these resellers haven’t actually procured tickets yet.

It looks like the schedule is out through March 25th. Is there any indication of when future dates will be released? It is super frustrating that there is not any published release date!!!

Dave

Posted by
763 posts

No idea when bookings will be available. You'll just have to check every couple of days.

It may we'll have something to do with the pension reforms. SNCF workers are amongst those (i.e. the minority) of workers who will be disadvantaged in the levelling up process.

Posted by
532 posts

Hi DL,

I tried going through the SNCF Connect site.

I did get a result for three trains

@10:08 2h16m
@11:08 2h 16m
@12:08 2h 16m
And there was this note

We don’t know public transport schedules so far in advance
We will know more soon!

I did some clicking and was able to get a ticket for the 28th of March, leaving 9:07, and it was 16€ but it was the only option that I had.

Posted by
2189 posts

I’m looking at this route as well for a date in late May. I’ll have to wait til much closer but I plugged in a March date to get a feel for what might work for us. The March schedule showed a 10:08 on a Saturday that looks like it would work for us. It’s the TGVOuigo where you don’t have to switch trains. The journey is longer but we’re not as mobil as we used to be, so I’d prefer we didn’t have to transfer. The straight Ouigo trains are much less, but probably won’t work for us anymore on any journey that takes over 90 min. After that we kind of freeze in place.

Posted by
201 posts

I just signed up for email notices from Ouigo so I will know when their trains to Bordeaux from Paris are available to book. We need 8/21. The Ouigo website shows availability from Montparnasse up to July 7!!

Please critique my current plan.
Our flight arrives at CDG at 06:55. We used ff AA miles and are in the back of the plane so that will delay us exiting. Hopefully TSA at CLE will allow my carryon with 2 section hiking sticks to go through, otherwise it will have to be checked which will take us longer to go through PP control and customs, but I hope that we can be aboard the RER B by 9. We will take the RER to Denfert-Rochereau and find a taxi to get us to Gare Montparnasse. Looking at the Ouigo website, that current schedule shows a train to Bordeaux departing @ 11. Doable?

Also, do self-serve RER kiosks at CDG and elsewhere still require a chip with pin number credit card to purchase tickets? Tap cards?

Posted by
10207 posts

No need to exit the rail transportation to take a taxi at De fort. Two of the three Metros that stop at De fort Rochereau go on to Montparnasse. They are only about two stations from each other.