TVG Tickets Paris to Tours round trip

TGV ticket prices tend to go UP rather than DOWN the closer you get to departure. I wouldn't wait long on the $18 inbound, it might go up rather soon as the cheap Prem seats sell out.

Holiday weekend -- Pentecost, Whit Monday. Probably lots of people taking a 3-day weekend and coming back to Paris Monday evening. Could you reschedule for a less-popular date ?

Looking on SNCF I see evening returns from Tours at €66 in second class, which would be about $80.

Prices never go down. There are cheap tickets, and more expensive tickets (with less restrictions). The number of cheap tickets is limited, when they sell out, only the more expensive tickets are left. They try to arrange it so there are always a few high-price tickets left to sell to people who buy on the day, for people travelling at short notice. For popular trains the cheap tickets sell out sooner, which is what has happened in your case.

So, always buy as soon as possible. You could investigate earlier or later trains to return.

I've seen the same thing when looking for a day trip ticket to Avignon. Cheap tickets to, but expensive tickets back. The "same day return" ticket so common in Britain doesn't seem common in France. This is one place where a rail pass might be handy. Use one day on the pass for all the train travel you can cram in for that day.

(re possible rail pass purchase) But that would presume you could get the necessary seat reservations on the train -- which may already be sold out for passholders for all we know (especially when other tickets are already going fast)

And I would add that a railpass that gets you onto a slower, non-reserved train on a holiday is not necessarily "a bargain". Who wants standing on a long ride, and luggage (if any) that won't fit into a full rack? The rail companies have learned from the airlines. There is no such thing as a free lunch.

This is one place where a rail pass might be handy.

Vehemently disagree with any rail pass idea. These passes typically cost more than purchasing seats directly and passes never include the required seat reservation which for TGV travel in France, are nearly nonexistent not to mention seat reservations increase the overall price of travel.

If you want to save money, take the TER from Gare Austerlitz. The TER will take longer than the TGV but it costs less.

FYI, France's SNCF has confirmed that domestic TGVs no longer restrict the number of reservations for pass holders, but will switch to a higher ($27) sear reservation fee as trains fill up. (The international fast trains do limit pass holders.) Either one can still sell out, especially in 2nd class and on holiday weekends.

Cheaper, direct TER trains from Tours to Paris Austerlitz take 2h 20m, departing at 16:19 or 17:20. A couple of IC trains depart later from Orleans to Paris Austerlitz.