Train websites

There are several websites for making train reservations, but we're
wondering if there are recommendations for which site to use?

The one from the company that operates the train you want to travel on. For France, use https://www.oui.sncf

Use the link Badger provided first. Sometimes we have difficulty with that link and use thetrainline.com. It's a ticket reseller and sometimes you may pay a few Euro more, but their sight is easy to use.

By Europass do you mean Eurailpass? Have you bought it already and are now trying to buy and pay for the reservation fees?

Which routes are you buying reservations for?

What Badger said.

Could you please clarify what you are asking?

If you want to purchase tickets, use:

www.oui.sncf

If you are attempting to use a pass, reservations themselves are not going to be available on all segments and may cost more than simply purchasing tickets as soon as them become available.

As I do not sell passes myself, I can assure you that there is probably no circumstance under which I would ever recommend your purchasing a Eurorail pass.

After Man's recommendation I tried using Trainline while I was in Paris and just couldn't get it to accept any method of payment. They got back to me eventually and weren't really concerned about my problem. I walked into a train station and did the deed the old fashioned way, with a humanoid.

Thank you all for your suggestions. To clarify, I did mean to mention Eurorail pass, which we have used many times. We like to have reservations made in advance (before we arrive in France from U.S.) There seems to be more than one broker so we just wondered if one was better than any others. We will use oui.sncf.

Once again thank you all.

You can, however, purchase the tickets without purchasing a (usually overpriced) pass.

Do let us know where you're planning on traveling and which tickets you will be looking for, and we can help you figure out which will be best value.

We travel from CDG to Reims then back to Paris before returning to Reims. We feel these trips should be easily scheduled. Our longest trip and one with a transfer in Paris is from Reims to Niort with return. Final trip is return to CDG from Reims.

Thanks, again.

How many trips? Without having done the maths I have the feeling that a pass might be a waste of money for you.

To and from CDG - once ea. way. Same for Paris. Then Reims to Niort and return. Looks like 6 trips altogether.

A pass would be a huge waste of money for you.

If you have already bought the passes, I would bite the bullet and cancel them (15% fee). Passes are a nightmare in France, figuring out how to buy reservations is very hard, and they are expensive.

Check out www.seat61.com for all you'll need about train tickets across Europe.