Purchase TGV -ouigo tickets?

jim, where are you seeing that these trains are selling out?

are you looking on Easter weekend?

Nigel, No. It is actually for the Thursday 25 April and Sunday 28 April. It does not say they are selling out, but on the return trip to Gare de Lyon, it indicates only 10 left on an evening trip on a Sunday. I figure people need to get back to the city at the end of a weekend. Thank you. -Jim

Maybe only 10 tickets left at that price?

That is what it said last night for an evening trip Avignon to Gare de Lyon on ventes.ouigo.com.

I think for that part of the journey you are pretty safe buying the tickets. On the outbound (CDG to Avignon) I’d be concerned about a flight delay, hold up at immigration that could cause you to miss your train. As for civil unrest, welcome to France. At least half my visits have encountered strikes, sudden work stoppages, demonstrations of some sort. I have no crystal ball as to the outcome of the latest manning of the barricades.

I would snag those CDG to Avignon Ouigo tickets at 16 euros today. That is low risk

Alan, Thank you. We were allowing more than 2 1/2 hours to get from Terminal 2A through customs to the TGV terminal. But I guess anything can happen in the way of delays. Would you just wait and get the tickets at the station?

Jazz Travels. Got it. Thank you.

The station is under terminal 2 so theoretically you can walk it in 10-15 minutes. The issues you could face are: flight delays, hold up at immigration, having to retrieve a bag you’ve checked. The only one you can manage is the bag so pack light, carry on, don’t check a bag (you’re going on a RS tour so might as well start off right!). If the advance train tickets are a lot cheaper, I’d buy them, take a shot. If you miss the train, throw them away buy the next train, don’t look back.

Alan,

Thanks for the input. Sounds like a plan!

Advance tickets on the fast trains are always cheapest when they first go on sale and get progressively more expensive, as much as three times more if bought the day of travel. Tickets include seat reservation. Some routes offer flexible tickets so you can take a later train. But they are more expensive and probably will require lining up so an agent can adjust the reservation. Those line-ups can be long.

https://en.oui.sncf/en/

How far in advance do tickets go on sale? I looked for a trip we are taking on June 2 and tickets were not yet available.

Approximately 90-120 days is the usual lead time for full availability of SNCF train tickets online.

The reduced price tickets for OP's journey have not yet been posted.

Try here for TGV:

https://en.oui.sncf/en/

Happy travels.

Annubis57,

I am confused. I have a valid OUIGO reservation from CDG 2 to Avignon TGV that says Train No 7835. The duration of the trip is about 3 hours. Are you saying I have a bus ticket? Please clarify.

Thank you.

Jim

OUIGO is SNCF's cut price train service. It is not a bus. It however offers an inferior service compared with normal TGV's
It sometimes users slower routes instead of the high speed lines, it charges for luggage etc. See here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouigo#Concept

Chris F,
Thank you for clarifiying.

Jim

A thousand pardons, Jim...I was confusing Ouigo with Ouibus.

Thanks for the correction, Chris F.

Chris F,
Not a problem. It's all good.