Tips for French train sites
I realize I have been spoiled by the Italian Trenitalia site. We are planning a trip to Provence in the Spring, and I can't figure out a good site for getting train times (and costs?). Any tips would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks, Becky
Becky
seattle 11/18/12
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http://tgv-europe.com. Tell the site that you live in the UK so you don't get redirected to Rail Europe.
If you just want to check schedules, the easiest site to use is usually http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en. This will not have prices for trains outside Germany.
To get prices and book tickets for French trains, use http://www.tgv-europe.com/en/. Choose Great Britain as your country, and do not allow yourself to be redirected to Rail Europe. Contrary to its name, this site does not just have TGV trains.
When booking, make sure you choose either the "print your ticket" option or the "pick up at a ticket window" option. Unless you have a chip-and-PIN credit card, do not choose "pick up at ticket machine." If you have to pick up at a ticket window, you can use a train station, or (more conveniently) an SNCF boutique, which are found all over French cities. You take a number like at a bakery, sit in (sort of) air conditioning, then sit at a desk and handle your transaction.
Thank you!
You're welcome. If you want to use the German Rail site for schedules, an easier way to get there is to simply type rail.de
I've gotten good deals purchasing tickets early in www.idTGV.com. I'm on their e-mail list so get notices about deals. Sometimes 19E for long trips. Print it out at home and use that ticket for traveling.
Check out www.seat61.com for all of your tips and tricks purchasing train tickets. When you get to the SNCF or TGV site, do not use the US as your home country or you will get directed to RailEurope with higher prices and fewer choices. I print out the English version on the TGV or SNCF site, then go to the French version using France as my home country. Sometimes the best (cheapest) fares go on sale there the day before they hit the English language site. If you book at 90 days prior to travel, you can get some fantastic fare reductions, enough that we have gone 1st class Paris to Monte Carlo for less than 2nd class purchased say 30 days prior to travel. These premium tickets sell out quickly during spring and summer.
Also useful for French inter-city trains and for navigating Paris train stations (sometimes with photos) is www.parisbytrain.com