It doesn’t get a lot better than zooming by way of the French countryside at 200mph. The truth is, on the subject of practice journey, France is among the best-connected nations in Europe and you’ll simply attain a lot of Europe’s nice cities from Paris.
However, like all issues French, their rail community is usually a little complicated so I’m right here to assist. On this France Prepare Information, I’ll let you know every part it is advisable to find out about touring round France by practice—from navigating the system to purchasing practice tickets for the most cost effective value.
How To Purchase Prepare Tickets in France
Shopping for French practice tickets is usually simple however you might expertise a couple of quirks when reserving—hold studying and we’ll stroll you thru the method.
Let’s first take a look at the place and when to purchase tickets to get the perfect costs…
Fast Be aware On Digital Prepare Tickets And Dependable Cell Information
Most practice tickets in France (and Europe) are digital so having dependable high-speed information in your cellphone is essential—fortunately, getting high-speed information in France is easy and reasonably priced. Listed below are a couple of articles I’ve written that will help you get arrange:
The place To Purchase Prepare Tickets For French Trains
So there are a handful of internet sites/strategies for getting French practice tickets.
Let’s check out the assorted choices:
Omio
Omio is a search engine that permits you to examine and guide trains anyplace in Europe. It enables you to simply guide tickets along with your bank card at primarily the identical costs as France’s Railways web site.
Moreover, Omio searches routes for a number of rail companies throughout Europe so it’s nice for worldwide journeys (since it may well simply mix rail journeys of a number of nations). They’ve a pleasant Smartphone App that organizes all of your digital practice tickets.
TrainLine
TrainLine is one other third-party reserving website that connects on to the French Nationwide Rail Community and different European networks. Trainline additionally accepts worldwide bank card funds and retains all of your eTickets organized on their Tranline App.
SNCF (Nationwide French Railways)
The web site for the official French Railways is en.oui.sncf. The principle downside with this website is that it usually tries to redirect you to RailEurope.com—which is SNCF’s official North American associate. Sadly, Rail Europe not often finds the most cost effective fares so it’s important to actively attempt to hold the location from redirecting you. And making an attempt to guide by way of the official SNCF web site will be equally as tough as a result of it may be plagued with translation points and typically they reject international bank cards.
Perosanlly, I’d stick to Omio.
Ouigo
Just a few years in the past the French Nationwide Railways created a brand new low-budget practice line known as Ouigo. It mainly connects Paris with a handful of fashionable French locations.
Some Ouigo trains go away from stations outdoors Paris so it takes slightly beneath an hour by regional practice to get there from central Paris. Nonetheless, some trains do go away from central Paris. There are a couple of different restrictions (like restricted baggage) however the fares will be loopy low-cost. Reserving web sites like Omio will embrace Ouigo of their outcomes so that you don’t have to go looking Ouigo’s web site to search out/purchase its tickets.
Eurostar
The Eurostar is the practice that connects Paris and London. You possibly can normally guide this journey on different web sites however we’ve discovered it finest to guide instantly from the Eurostar website for the perfect costs.
At The Prepare Station
After all, you should buy any French practice ticket from any practice station — both from a ticket window or an automatic machine (you’ll want a Chip & PIN bank card to purchase from the machines). You should buy tickets prematurely from practice stations as nicely.
HOW TO COLLECT YOUR FRENCH TRAIN TICKETS
Tickets bought on-line will be collected in a couple of other ways. Most instances you’re given a number of strategies of gathering your tickets:
- Digital Tickets: Virtually all French practice tickets are actually digital—for instance, tickets purchased by way of Omio shall be despatched to your Omio app. You may also have tickets despatched to your e-mail. You merely present your tickets to the practice’s conductor once they test your tickets.
- Decide Up At Station: Use your bank card or a reserving affirmation quantity to gather your tickets on the practice station. You’re usually required to make use of the identical bank card used to buy the tickets to gather them up on the station—so hold this in thoughts when reserving.
- Mailed Tickets: Some companies will mail you bodily tickets however that is usually a sluggish course of. We propose avoiding this and sticking to the opposite choices.
Do You Want To Purchase French Prepare Tickets In Advance?
France has various completely different practice companies so it may be slightly complicated to know what tickets ought to be bought early and which will be purchased every time.
I’ve damaged all of it down under:
Excessive-Velocity TGV Trains [Buy Early As Possible]
E-book high-speed trains in France as early as attainable. Tickets for France’s TGV high-speed trains can be found to buy round 90 days prematurely. Reserving these early will get you the most cost effective tickets as a result of costs usually proceed to rise because the departure date approaches. For instance, a day-of ticket can price nicely over €100 however the identical ticket purchased weeks early may solely price €30.
Worldwide Trains [Buy Early As Possible]
There are a couple of separate practice companies that join France to different nations. These are high-speed trains so the identical guidelines about reserving early apply to those tickets as nicely:
- TGV Lyria: Excessive-speed trains that join France and Switzerland.
- THALYS: Excessive-speed trains that join Paris with Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
- Inter-Metropolis Specific (ICE): Excessive-speed trains that join France and Germany.
- Eurostar: Excessive-speed trains that join Paris and London.
Intercité Trains (IC) [Buy A Little Early]
Intercité trains are quick trains however not as fast because the TGV trains. They normally additionally join shorter distances and the trains aren’t fairly as good because the TGV. These tickets can be bought prematurely for a reduction.
Regional/Native Trains [Buy Whenever]
France has various sluggish trains that join suburban and regional areas. TER (regional trains that join smaller cities with regional hubs), Transilien (connects suburban Paris), and RER (additionally connects suburban Paris). These tickets are priced by distance traveled so that you don’t want to purchase them prematurely—merely buy them on the station proper earlier than departure.
Don’t neglect to validate your ticket earlier than you get on the practice otherwise you’ll be fined.
How To Use Your French Prepare Tickets
On high-speed trains, your ticket is barely good for the particular time acknowledged in your ticket. You’ll even be given an assigned seat.
You don’t must validate your ticket as a result of your seat is reserved (however they may test your ID on the practice).
NOTE: Your ticket will present the automotive and seat quantity so be sure to’re in the correct automotive (the trains are clearly marked).
On regional/native trains, you might need a bodily ticket. Be certain that to validate (i.e. stamp) your ticket within the validation bins on the platform earlier than you get on the practice. They’re typically exhausting to search out so watch what the locals are doing. When you neglect to validate, hunt down the practice’s conductor rapidly and have him/her stamp it—in case you wait till they arrive round you is perhaps given a wonderful.
Regional trains received’t have seat reservations so you possibly can sit anyplace.
When you’re on the practice the conductor will ultimately stroll by way of the aisles to test tickets.
HOW TO MAKE RAIL PASS RESERVATIONS
Excessive-speed trains require you to make a reservation when utilizing a Eurail cross — the reservation prices €10-€30/seat for home journey and worldwide trains can cost anyplace from €35-€89/seat (relying on vacation spot). As you possibly can see, these worldwide practice reservations will be wildly costly—in truth, the reservation price is commonly dearer than shopping for a separate ticket.
You could make the reservation earlier than you get on the practice. There are a couple of methods to make reservations:
- Make Reservations On-line: Omio enables you to guide your reservation on-line by way of their platform. Merely search for a button that claims “I Have A Railpass” and observe the prompts.
- Make Reservations At The Prepare Station: You possibly can merely go to the practice station and guide your reservation from the customer support desk or self-service kiosks. You possibly can guide it weeks prematurely or you are able to do it the day you depart. We propose utilizing the kiosks as a result of the ticket window can take ceaselessly.
Extra Suggestions For Using Trains In France
Listed below are a couple of normal tips on practice journey in France.
Get To The Prepare Station A Little Early
Prepare stations are normally pretty simple to navigate however they could be a little complicated. There isn’t any safety that it’s important to undergo (aside from Eurostar and THALYS trains) so there isn’t a motive to reach an hour earlier than your departure however it doesn’t harm to reach about 20-Half-hour early in case you’re not acquainted with the station.
Stations can be bigger than you may count on so you could possibly must do a little bit of strolling to search out your platform.
Examine The Departures Board
Probably the most complicated a part of practice journey is discovering your practice’s departure platform.
First, discover your practice quantity in your ticket.
Subsequent, examine the departure board till you see your practice quantity. The board will present you which ones platform your practice is leaving from—don’t fear if there isn’t a platform listed but as a result of they usually solely show the platform for trains departing inside the subsequent 10-20 minutes.
Nonetheless, do listen as typically the platform can change on the final minute.
Know Prepare Station Names
Most massive cities have a number of practice stations (Paris has seven) so this usually creates confusion. Double-check that you’ve the correct station—particularly when reserving your ticket.
Self-Service Machines Are In English
Don’t fear in case you don’t converse French as a result of the ticket machines (and practice station indicators) are all in English. Most customer support staff additionally converse some English.
Low-cost Tickets Are Non-Refundable
One draw back to low-cost tickets is that they’re non-refundable and may’t be modified.
Pack A Picnic
You’re allowed to deliver your individual meals and alcohol on trains. It’s nice for these lengthy practice rides.
No Baggage Restrictions
There aren’t any weight limits on baggage and you’ll deliver as a lot as you need (nicely, as a lot as you possibly can carry). Merely deliver it on and retailer it above your head, behind your seat, or within the baggage racks in every automotive.
Making Connections
Your rail journey may require you to vary trains alongside the route. Don’t fear if there are only some minutes between trains as a result of switching trains is normally pretty fast and straightforward—it’s not like flying the place you want an hour-long layover.
First Class vs Second Class Tickets
First Class tickets usually price 1.5x the Second Class charge. Second Class is completely snug however First Class seats are a bit larger and it’s quieter. Apart from that, there isn’t rather more of a distinction.
Rail Strikes
France is well-known for practice strikes. They all the time give ample warning earlier than happening strike they usually nonetheless run some trains, however it’s one thing to concentrate to.
Learn Extra Of My Articles On Finances Journey in France
James Feess is the creator of The Savvy Backpacker and the writer of the guide “The Savvy Backpacker’s Information To Europe On A Finances”. He is been running a blog about funds journey in Europe since 2010.
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