Am I interpreting the info correctly? The total cost for 3, over 60, one-way, 2nd class, Paris to Bordeaux, in May, is $195 (when booked on Raileurope), and $78 (57 Euro) (when booked on voyages-sncf)? Also, Raileurope will not let me book for May 23 (too far in advance), yet Voyages-snfc will. Is it legal for me to purchase through the cheaper site, even though I live in the US? Can I still print my own tickets from here after booking? That's quite a price difference!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
689 posts
Rail Europe charges WAY more for giving you the privilege of buying from an American site in English. I always use SNCF. Sometimes they let you print the tickets out right away, other times, you take the credit card you used to purchase them to any ticket window in any train station, or any SNCF office (these are in cities and easily found). I have never had any trouble with SNCF and in fact, when I've had a question, I've emailed them and they've replied promptly in English. Go for it! Oh and yes, it's legal.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17245 posts
RailEurope is just an agent and they mark things up considerably. It is certainly "legal" to buy directly from sncf if you can keep the website from switching you to RailEurope. Just make sure you understand the delivery option for your ticket-is it printable, or do you get a code and pick up your ticket there? Also be sure to inform your credit card company in advance that you will be making a foreign purchase from France so they don't reject the charge.
Posted by
OP
Thomaston, ME, USA
24 posts
I have a translation option for the internet, so I never have any trouble with the French sites. OK, so it's "cheating", but I'm still independently trying to learn French! ;-> Thanks.
Posted by
Bend, OR, United States
1167 posts
When using the SNCF website to purchase tickets specify you country of residence as the UK and you will be able to purchase at the lower prices. If you specify US you will automatically be transfered to the Raileurope site.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
French Rail (SNCF) is the majority owner of RailEurope, so they do everything they can to force you to go through RailEurope for tickets in France. German Rail, on the other hand, has no vested interest and is very easy to work with directly for tickets in Germany.
Posted by
Dallas
1022 posts
Lee is correct. SNCF is an owner of RailEurope and is complicit in this scam, which is the only word I know for charging Americans more than citizens of other countries for the same journey. Not only are the tickets prices almost always higher at RE, but a steep mandatory "delivery fee" for paper tickets is tacked on. Here's the SNCF site I use which is in English http://www.tgv-europe.com/en/?DISTRIBUTED_COUNTRY=GB Use Great Britain as your home country; actually just about any country other than the US works, though I've read that Australians have been diverted to RE as well. When I looked at the website recently, it appeared to now allow any ticket to be printed directly, but I've not yet booked anything to try it out, so can't confirm that.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
I don't know if it is still true, but at one time SNCF would mail tickets to the most remote parts of the world (South Sea islands, for example), but they would not mail tickets to No. America.