I'm working on a trip within France in September involving several different train routes on different days. I'd like to use TGV as much as possible, but will no doubt need to use regional trains as well.
I'd like recommendations as to the best websites to use. I've checked out a number of them; some of them are quite easy to use, but some seem more clunky.
Any recommendations will be most appreciated.
https://en.oui.sncf/en/tgv
I don't know if you consider this one "clunky", but considering that they operate the trains, they are rather authoritative.
My favorite is Loco2.com which is an English site so it is entirely in English, will give you prices in dollars and doesn't mark up the ticket prices. It has worked for me in putting together routes when the official sites failed - especially Renfe in Spain - and will list all the pricing options under the pink triangle. There are others but this is my - and many other people's - go to site.
Train tickets are generally available 60-90 days ahead so if you are planning for out and don't see them don't panic. Check an earlier date with the same day for ideas of what it will cost and the schedule. They usually don't change that much so a Thursday a month earlier than your actual trip will probably be pretty close.
All TGV trains will have seat reservations and be for a specific time and from station to station. Check the prices for flexibility options depending on how sure you are of your schedules and weigh the options. Tickets for local French trains - labelled TER usually - will be for a station to station direction for a certain day and will work for all TER trains traveling between those stations on that day. The one you book will be on the ticket in small print but you are not bound to that train if you get there early or late.
When you book smaller, shorter trains they will often not be listed on the schedule on the station monitors but instead the big cities will be shown - eg Marseilles will be the actual destination shown. Check the train number on your ticket to check the schedule. As the train gets closer to arrival time the smaller in-between cities will be listed as stops. Also be at the platform and ready at your train time - the trains blow into and out of smaller stations in minutes so be ready to get either on or off when it's time. It makes perfect sense but you need to adjust after riding the TGV to the local train sensibility.
Also many stations now feature electronic sign boards on the platform showing you where the train will stop on the platform and sometimes even which seats or classes stop where so you can be waiting at the right place when the cars show up. It's super helpful but was new to me on my most recent visit.
The man in seat 61 is a great informational site about trains in Europe with specific focus on particular countries: https://www.seat61.com/France.htm
Have a great trip!
=Tod
We use Trainline to book our tickets. Has a great app too.
I used Oui.sncf as well, very simple.
We used the oui.SNCF/en site as well. This may seem weird, but before you buy you might want to put a travel alert on your credit card for the same day of your purchase (if you need to--some companies aren't using them anymore) because the transaction will be originating from France, and it may get rejected as a foreign transaction. I've used both PayPal and a separate credit card to pay for tix and had problems initially with the transactions being held up or rejected for that reason. The site doesn't tell you that's what's going on--it just says the card is rejected, and then in maybe 20 minutes your credit card will alert you to a fraudulent purchase attempt.
For what it's worth, I also downloaded the OUI.SNCF app on my phone for the trip. If you set up an account with them and buy your tix under that account, you can access all your travel docs on your phone (like the airlines do). For TGV they want to scan your ticket twice, once before they let you on the platform, and once during the journey. So it's easy just to show them your phone. It also gives you the option to buy tickets on your phone instead of waiting in line behind the five guys from Spain who don't speak French and are trying to buy a summer's worth of bookings from the one ticket seller who's open, while you watch train after train that you could be jumping on come and go. (Or am i the only one that's happened to?)
For schedules only, not to buy tickets, the Deutsche Bahn train schedule link at Looking Up Train Schedules and Routes Online can also be useful. For instance, it reflects some Paris RER connections that you don't usually get on OUI.sncf.
I agree with EBB, I set up a travel alert on my Barclaycard a long time ago so they would know where we will be going. I haven't had any issues but I did when we first got the Barclaycard two years ago for a trip to Europe. I had trouble booking concert tickets in Salzburg but it worked out fine and then again when we were trying to check into our hotel in Vienna. I had to call and talk to someone that time which was a real hassle when you are already there and you want to get going!
I also have the Oui app on my phone so I have the tickets printed from when I bought them on my computer website as well as the app version. And if you have an iPhone, of course you can put things in Apple Wallet for easier access.
Another vote for Loco2.com
Seat61.com explains everything you need to know about trains in France / Europe. They recommend Loco2 and Trainline, except warn that Trainline charges a fee.
I've got the Oui app on my phone and have been playing with it in advance of my travel date being for sale. So far I can't get it to show the same trains as on the SNCF website, even if I put in the time I want to leave as being the time I know there is a train available. I want to use the app so I've got the e-ticket on my phone....
Completely agree with EBB. I used Oui.sncf and had the charge refused by my credit card so I set up the travel alert and - voila - it worked just fine! The app is nice and simple :)
Also, I looked at Trainline.eu and they did NOT show the train I ended up booking so it is NOT 100% comprehensive. Since the Out TGV is a "discount", maybe that was the reason? I don't know...
probably a dumb question but if I prepurchase train tickets and we are delayed can they be used for later departures?
I always go to seat61.com first to get a better understanding of what my options are.
sruniform -
if I prepurchase train tickets and we are delayed can they be used for later departures?
Your question isn't specific enough to answer.
If you mean your plane is late or any other non-railway related reason - if your train ticket is tied to a specific train and non-changeable and non-refundable - then the ticket is so much waste paper. The answer is no.
If you mean that one French train in a chain is late, making you late for the next train in the chain, the answer is maybe. It will depend on why the first train is late, and how late it is, and how much time you had budgeted to change trains.
If your ticket is fully changeable and fully refundable, as long as you do that within the conditions of the ticket, yes.
Can you please clarify your exact position? Perhaps on your own thread so that Laura doesn't get your email notifications.
