I was going to book most of my tickets on the French rail system sncf.com. this summer
You can get some good deals booking 3 months ahead.
The cheaper tickets have restrictions like no exchanges.
but how long does it take to get your actual ticket from the train station?
If I have a 6:45 train to catch to Avignon how soon should I be there.
I guess I would just have to have my email confirmation?
thanks
If you get a Prem's fare, print the ticket yourself and take it with you. No standing in line at a ticket window. If you've booked tickets that need to be picked up at a station or SNCF boutique, pick them all up at once at any station or boutique the day before your first train ride. In addition to your e-mail confirmation, you will need to present the credit card used when booking. If you want to pick up tickets on the day of travel, be at the station at least 30 minutes ahead of your departure time. Lines can be long.
Thanks everybody.
I will be on the train most of my 3 weeks in France and I think I will pre book the majority of my days on line.
So maybe my first day in France I will go to the train station to pick up all my tickets.
Just another question about the French train site scfn.com
Would you book all your tickets on the open session (might be 8 to 10 tickets)
That way you pay for them all at once? And end up with one email confirmation.
Will the French system let you do book 8 to 10 tickets at once?
Are only Prem's tickets SNCF.com the only ones you are able to print at home?
Do the rest of the lesser expensive tickets you have to pick up at the train along with your credit card/email confirmatuion?
thanks
Yes to both your questions.
Stew,
As an example, when I arrived at Colmar this summer in the middle of the afternoon ( coming in from Basel Switzerland on P2P tickets purchased that very morning at the Swiss rail counter), as soon as my train arrived at the station I went directly to the ticket counter to pick up the pre-booked TGV tickets for my next train out in 2 days. The ticket counter had two agents open, one of which even had a small sign for "pick up of pre-booked tickets". As the others have said, hand them the printed emailed reservation number/confirmation and that same credit card you used for the online transaction, and 2 minutes later you have your tickets. The agents are very used to it and it's all perfectly routine.
By taking care of it when I had plenty of time and lines were short, I avoided that peak time rush or any added stress on the morning of my departure.
