Seeing various posts about long lines at Gare St. Lazare and recommendations to purchase tickets ahead of time, I am wondering whether the pre-purchased tickets are date- and time- specific? I was hoping to buy the tickets and then be flexible and use them on a good weather day but am not certain if that is possible.
Thank you in advance!
Posted by
Green Bay
21159 posts
I believe TER tickets are day-specific, but open timewise. They become active when you validate them in the stamping machine on the platform.Just buy them out of the vending machines when you want to travel. No need to stand in line at a ticket window.
Posted by
Chicago
8556 posts
There are machines all over Paris to buy SNCF ticket -- actually speaking to a person can take an hour wait at least. The machines now accept US chip/sig cards (that was not always the case). I even managed to change a train ticket recently on one of these machines, when I stupidly booked a train in the wrong direction -- luckily it was a late purchase and thus not unexchangeable although I ended up having to pay a little more with the change.
Posted by
Paris
7304 posts
You can book at a machine as said above, or you can book the day before (e.g. on oui.SNCF app) and still catch a better deal! SNCF (railway co.) recently revised fare structures and there is now excellent availability of discounted tickets on the route from Paris to Vernon, Rouen...
Posted by
TX
42 posts
Download the Oui.SNCF app and you can purchase tickets even while at the train station (provided you have cell service). You can also view the schedule for the return trip. Barcode of ticket scanned from your phone. Has worked very well for me past few times.