We will be traveling from Avignon to Nice by train. Is it necessary to buy the train ticket before we fly to Europe or can we get it in Avignon when we get there. We can buy it a week ahead because we will stay in the Avignon area for a week. Will the cost vary?
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32325 posts
Judith, There's no need to buy your ticket prior to arrival in Europe. That will likely cost more than buying locally, and will "lock you into" a particular train and departure time. Purchasing the tickets when you arrive in Avignon is the method I'd use. You may be able to qualify for discounts by purchasing a few days before you'll be travelling, but I'm not thoroughly familiar with the discounts on French trains. You might find it helpful to research the train departure times, etc. using the bahn.de website, so that you have some idea on which train will be most convenient for you in terms of travel times, number of changes, etc. Cheers!
Posted by
Monein, Pyrenees, France
425 posts
Use the ticket machines at the station - they are touch-screen and can be "switched" to English.
Roger
Posted by
Dallas
1022 posts
Substantial savings can be realized by buying in advance. Here's a link to a good article on purchasing train tickets in France French Trains Use the tgv-europe website mentioned in the article. It's my understanding that US credit cards will not work in automatic ticket machines in France which require a chip and pin card.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10527 posts
Yes, the costs vary. They go up. Second, unless you have a chip-and-pin credit card, you'll need to either buy your ticket at the ticket window or pick it up at the window if you have bought it on-line in advance.