We are going to be in Paris around June 1 for several days and will be taking day trips on a railpass mostly on TGV trains and since they limit seats on some TGV for rail pass holders and since you need a reserved seat, can we wait until the day we want to go say to Beaune or should we get the reservation a day ot two before or even weeks before we leave home. Should we reseve both ways in advance since we will be day tripping as it locks us in somewhat but also insures we can get back the same day. Are we over stressing? Thanks
Posted by
Anchorage
157 posts
Hmmmm, using railpass for day trips could be a little expensive.
For example, RT for two from Paris to Beaune is 47 Euro (about 2 hours, 20 minutes). The cost to use your railpass will be one day from the pass, plus 3 euro each for reservations - each way. This is a total of 12 euros and most passes would have an underlying value of around 50-60 euros per person per day. So this day trip using a railpass might cost you as much as 72 euros on the pass (versus 47 euros just to buy tickets).
Seat reservations are available 90 days out, and can go quickly. You would not need seat reservations for regional trains, but would for the TGV portion, as you have noted.
I would save railpass days for longer journeys, if possible, but if you need to get out and back to a particular place using TGV, you should get reservations.
(continued)
Posted by
Anchorage
157 posts
Most would probably choose day destinations a bit closer (you've used up a lot of your day just in transit when you are travelling for five hours), which are pretty cheap for day tickets.
Destinations closer to Paris (e.g. Versailles, Chantilly, Ile du Martin-Pecheur, Creteil, etc) would be 20-60 minutes transit time on SNCF or RER and might be closer to 10-15 euro for two.
Having no idea what railpass you have it's hard to say if using a rail day is a good value for a short day trip, but usually not.
Posted by
OP
canton, ohio, usa
44 posts
Thanks we will use a France Select pass and we had enough long rides to make the basic pass worthwhile so we bought two extra days each at 39 us per preson per day just for the ease of being able to jump on non TGV once we get to say Reims but want to go say to a small town. Should we book these day trip TGV now or will we be ok a day or two in advance . The problem with now is it locks us in to a specific train but that may be better than no seat a day or two out. If we resrve now then say we decide we want a differant time or day can you exchange it and if so do they charge you and is it easier to get a seat than if you were a pass holder just trying to get a last minute seat. thanks
Posted by
Anchorage
157 posts
Boarding without a reservation is allowed but punishable by a $25 fine. If you go to the conductor and tell him you lost your reservation (rather than he coming to you and discovering that you have no reservation), then the fine is reduced to $15. Paying this fine may be preferable to losing a day waiting for a train with an open seat. Of course, finding an empty seat on board the sold-out train may be impossible, but there's always the bar car.
Best to reserve as soon as you're ready to commit, TGV can sell out weeks ahead.
You can get reservations in Europe at train stations or at travel agencies there. You can get reservations at Rail Europe at 800/438-7245, or online: