Train travel

Hi Mary Helen,

You shouldn't have any problem buying tickets once you are in Europe, a day or two ahead at any train station. But you can save money by buying French and Spanish train tickets ahead, especially for trips where your schedule is set, such as Paris and Barcelona. See www.tgv.com for the Zurich-Paris and Paris-Barcelona trains and www.renfe.com for Spanish trains. Most of these cheaper, advance-purchase tickets are non-refundable, non-exchangeable, so be ready to commit at time of purchase. You might also consider flying from Paris to Barcelona, which is faster and probably cheaper. See www.skyscanner.com for options.

on a TGV you will need seat reservations in addition to a ticket.

Aren't there travel agents inside train stations that can help you buy tix for little or no cost? Or have they gone the way of the dodo and Walkman?

When you buy a ticket on a TGV, it automatically includes a seat reservation. Only people with railpasses need to buy separate reservations. On June 20, walk up full fare tickets Zurich to Paris are 142 euro, If you buy now (you say its fixed in stone) the 7:24 train can be had for 113 euro, and the 9:34 train for 89 euro. The 11:34 and 13:34 trains for 79 euro, and you can get a 1st class seat for 54 euro on the 17:27 train. These are Lyria semi-flex tickets, exchangeable up to departure time for a 20 euro fee. Buy at www.captainetrain.com, or at www.tgv.com. You will get print-at-home tickets. These prices will disappear as you get closer to the departure date. Same type of deal for TGV to Barcelona.

You can buy tickets when you get there but it is always better to make reservations in advance because a train might be full and some require reservations. We always buy railpasses and reserve trains well in advance but have friends and family who didn't.

Phred, I concur with Sam. If you buy a TGV ticket as the OP says (s)he is doing in his/her post, there is no separate reservation, it is included with the ticket.
The only time reservations are made separately is if you already have a pass that is valid on any train.

"travel agents inside train stations that can help you buy tix for little or no cost?" - not travel agents, but the good old fashioned manned ticket counters staffed by railway employees. Click here for a picture of them at my local station, Basel SBB.

If you want to check internet advance purchase prices or buy tickets, go to www.capitainetrain.com

Chris is correct. Cannot ever remember seeing travel agent inside the rail station. They are all train employees.

oh OK, it used to be common practice for travel agencies to cluster inside and near train stations.

And yes, I used the humanoids in the Bern station to get my pass-discounted tix to and from the Schiltthorn and they were quite friendly and helpful. On the other hand, the city tram info office at that same station gave me some bum advice about tram routes that, since I believe in trust but verify, I discovered by studying the map on the tram I was on and jumping off and onto the next one.

Well, I tried the website Rich gave me www.tgv.com and it is actually SNCF. After 2 tries and a few hours, I am still with no tickets. There was a problem with my payment being accepted, so I called my bank, tried a 2nd card, called bank and although the bank resolved the issue, SNCG/tgv cancelled my order. They should have informed me for the TWO extra coded/protection I needed to have my payment accepted (which the bank/actually Mastercard) did and set it up for me. I am now still with no train tickets, hours wasted and frustrated.

HOWEVER, that website had tickets for $100 to $150 LESS that Rail Europe-- no kidding.

"...it used to be common practice for travel agencies to cluster inside or near train stations." True, at least that was the case in Germany. There was at least one travel agency inside the train station, I know I used one in Hannover Hbf, Frankfurt Hbf also had the DER agency inside the station.

Sorry to hear you have been having problems buying tickets. Not all European rail websites are created equal and some are harder to use than others. SNCF is the acronym for the French National Rail system. TGV are the French high-speed trains. Going to tgv.com brings you to SNCF.
Most of the cheaper, advance-purchase "Prem's" tickets purchased through SNCF can purchased via PayPal. Just choose the eticket delivery option and print your ticket at home. For the "Ticket Collection country" field, pick France or any other country (picking USA redirects you to Rail Europe).
Other fare types require that you have set up the "Verified by Visa" or "MasterCard SecureCode" program for your US credit card. Once you've done this, which it sounds like you have, then buying tickets shouldn't be a problem.

Well yes. I found that out after trying 3 x calling 2 banks and having my order cancelled after "3 attempts." The problem was NO ONE told me that and NO ONE would tell me THAT was the problem. Like I said-- 3 hrs. very frustrating. Finally did it this am, again had to call Mastercard and they said it was because the charge was coming in from a foreign country. ???? Isn't that site used all the time-- such that it si recognizable??

Anyway got my train tickets and on my way. A big Thank you to all who responded everyone is very helpful and patient.

MHC

Try www.capitainetrain.com. Their ticket prices as exactly the same as SNCF, but their credit card vetting procedure is not as draconian as SNCF. They are authorized agents of SNCF . Actually, the trains are TGV-Lyria which is a joint venture of SNCF, the French national railway and SBB, the Swiss national railway.

Thanks-- that's where I ended up getting tickets. My reservations with SNFC popped up and were on hold for several days. It was all Mastercard, which had put a HOLD/Stop on the card for some unexplainable reason, being that it was a "foreign" site charge. Live and learn, this is my first time (2nd-- first was 6 s in Llithuania, but that was WORK, some-20+ years ago) trapzing through Europe, next time I'll be well-prepared and more knowledgeable.

Mary Helen