French trains

[Krill]

Hi can anyone advise a good site for booking trains in France, I have had a look at a few sites but they seem very confusing, will I get a good deal through the net or is it best to visit a station?

[Will]

You will pay the same wherever you book. I do it through www.voyages-sncf.com - it has an English language option if you want.

I've also found that site very good for flights, hotels etc for business trips overseas - for example it has just found me a flight and hotel for a last-minute trip to an exhibition in Germany for which most of the accommodation was booked up ages ago.

[Tourangelle]

You don't get "deals" as such with French trains, it is all the SNCF, none of these smaller companies offering various prices on slight variations of the same route that you get in the UK.  The only difference I'm aware of in terms of the difference between internet booking and going to the station is that there are some last minute deals available on the internet, but only on very specific routes at specific times. 

[Simonk]

I've taken the train down through France to the Languedoc on numerous occasions and can recomend Rail Europe.

They are part of the French rail network and have been around for ages. They've also got a travel centre in Central London so if you'd prefer to book face to face you can.

If you'd like more info about trains in France, have a look at www.languedoc-holiday-guide.com and let me know how you get on.

 

Good luck.

 

Simon.

[GRT17]

[quote]You don't get "deals" as such with French trains, it is all the SNCF, none of these smaller companies offering various prices on slight variations of the same route that you get in the UK. The only d...[/quote]

You can sometimes get good internet deals on French trains, SNCF frequently e-mail me with details of their PREMS fares which you have to buy at short notice. If you are flexible with dates and able to do this they can offer excellent reductions on the TGV and Corail (sp.) particularly on Tuesdays.

I have used the SNCF, Eurostar and Rail Europe booking services and all are good.

Gill

[Tourangelle]

if you did read to the end of my message, I do say you can get last minute deals on the internet.  My point was just that  it is not the same as in Britain.  Example, to got London from Birmingham, there are at least two different companies I know of (Virgin and Silverlink), and the choice you make between the two would be based on the offers available, the time you are prepared to spend on the train and so on.  There is nothing like this in France.

[JohnM]

As mentioned above, Rail Europe are very good. They charged me a booking fee which I wouldn't have had on the internet, but the train I wanted was fully booked according to the internet, however, they found special offers, booked separate tickets and then combined them (or something equally confusing) and got us in first class for about £10 more than second. Considering first class included a meal and wine on the Eurostar, we were quids in. Well worth the booking fee.

Only slight gripe was the time it took them to answer the phone in the first place, but when they'd answered it they went the extra mile.

 

[GRT17]

Krill

John F Marshall's advice sounds good. I too have found them helpful.

If you do get on to the sncf website try clicking on "Promos" as well as looking at the "Prem's".

good luck

Gill