Sorry to rain acronymns. Read Kevin's Most Excellent guide to the dreaded SNCF site, followed all directions (except started out with the wine ) Did the TGV PREM discount tickets from CDG to Aix sans hitch (except weirdly 1st class is cheaper). Round 2 hasn't gone so well--trying to book the Artesia train Paris-Bercy to Florence. I get all the way to "Choisir ma place" (we need one double) and do so, then the new price pops up, but then if I tell it to choose that, I get an error message "a technical error has occurred, please try back later." I can get it to work for a couchette, which I take it sleeps 6, but not for the double. I gave it a day, tried again, same thing (well, different wine).
No indication that it's sold out--is that what the error message means? It happens for both th nonrefundable rate and the refundable one, but only with the double. I can get the double through Rail Europe but golly it's twice as much.
Wish I could help on that one - I will say that the SNCF web site is notoriously tempermental. Perhaps try again today (maybe switch to pastis, sometimes that helps) - or you may just want to call the SNCF people directly. They are suprisingly helpful on the phone and I believe they have an English speaking number.
The error message probably means that this is the election weekend and all the SNCF alpha&omega geeks are back in their hometown voting and can't think of consumers. I have noticed that more often than not, during a long weekend or big holiday dates, all the French websites have glitches and are slow.
Back to the beloved SNCF... When I get error messages from SNCF, or even messages that a given train is full, I try again the next day and normally get my tickets. - Usually I reserve way in advance, and tend to doubt that trains are already full. When I check subsequent or earlier trains, and get the message that they are all full, I start to think it's SNCF acting up again.
In conclusion, take certain things into consideration: - the 35-hour work week in France. - French websites slowing down on late night, weekends, holidays, etc.
Now burn incense to the god of your religion, try to find a time frame where SNCF and French servers are actually working and go on line then.
Back to the beloved SNCF... When I get error messages from SNCF, or even messages that a given train is full, I try again the next day and normally get my tickets. - Usually I reserve way in advance, and tend to doubt that trains are already full
Trish, this just happened to me last month as I was trying to order 5 tickets from Marseilles to Gare de Lyon. I was 3 months ahead of time, and everything was going swimmingly until it was seat selection time. Suddenly, there were no more PREMs available. After a few more futile attempts, I decided to close down my browser, wait a few minutes and come back when I thought my computer might believe I was someone else . Voila! It worked, I got my tickets at the lowest price. Keep trying!!
Joan
Posts: 491 | Location: Chicago | Registered: 25 April 2006
Thanks all. I'm trying again, working on the theory that Day 3 should be the charm, this time with beer but may need something stiffer. It's still doing it. Emptied caches, killed cookies, tried another browser, still coming up "Error." Argh. The one difference is now there is a little message saying I can ask for an all-women couchette. Works for me, but not Gary. Second thought, he'd love it, but I doubt they would.
But not giving up YET. SNCF, you do not know the force of my will, nor how deep the bench is in the liquor cabinet. If it doesn't work in 24 hours I'll try the phone.
Despite consternation, there's something amusing about a very slow website for some very fast trains. Guess it beats the inverse.
No luck yet. Giving up for the moment. Thought I had found a way around through Thalys, which someone on a Fodor's site had given as an option. It pulls up the tickets no sweat at comparable price, but when you get to the end they won't let you print: mail delivery or pick-up (within a week!) only.
Grrr.
The train I'm trying is Artesia, Paris to Florence, 3 July 07, first class double. I tried making Gary younger but it doesn't care how old we are, same error.
The phone nmber I have for SNCF doesn't work. Does anyone know it?
This is the number I have for SNCF, English: 33+892353539. It does work but begins in French, switching to English with the instruction to press 2.
Good luck, trishmael. I have this task ahead of me for my October 2nd departure from CDG to Aix en Provence. When you solve the riddle, please shed a little light for the rest of us.
Did you read MorganB's step by step on Fodor's? That's what I have printed and filed away for later. Now I need to add an initial step - first, pour a large Scotch .......
"I am a Southerner. I like the feel of these words. I could no more be otherwise than I could shed my outer skin or change the color of my eyes." Willie Morris
Posts: 1535 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
You could also e-mail SNCF. I did this recently, through the English language site, and got a response back in English within 24 hours. That might be easier than the phone, if you can describe your problem simply.
I do want to thank you for your excellent SNCF booking guidelines (you are giving seat 61 a run for his money)--I booked ticket on the Corail Lunea from Nice to Paris following your excellent instructions and went without a glitch and yes, we usually don't do First Class but First Class prems had such a minimum premium over what was left of 2nd class prems so we went for it. Now if only the dollar wasn't getting weaker by the day, compared to the Euro..sigh..
Posts: 117 | Location: Fremont, CA, USA | Registered: 15 September 2006
Pedmar, thanks hugely for trying, but I'm still getting nowhere: maybe I am missing something you did? My date is 03 July 2007. I can get first class couchette but not double: for that I get the error message, still.
I tried a few different dates just to see what happens, same pattern: when I select first class double, I get the error message. I can get the seats on Thalys but they must be mailed. Anybody ever done this? For now that's Plan D
Thanks Kathy & Bags--No reply yet from SNCF email (Plan B). I'll try the phone number when I'm sitting down to this at a logical time for offices to be open in France (Plan C).
Even if I can't make the Artesia work, I saved a nice tidy pile of €s on the Paris-Provence & return TGV, thanks to Kevin's guide and the posts. Printed, official, done, and I'm about to do another one for friends. So it's all good.
I just ran several checks for a first class double cabin for different dates and I'm getting the same error message regardless of whether I try to book on the French or English language pages. No problem with the couchette. Incidentally in first class they are four couchette compartments.
The SNCF site is usually at its worst with international trains. (I'm not sure when it is at its best — perhaps after a good stiff Scotch as "Bags packed" suggests?) Speaking of Bags I think the phone is probably the way to go at this point. I've used the number for the SNCF English language desk a couple of times always with a very efficient and polite response. I try to call between 10:00 and 12:00 or 14:00 and 16:00 Paris time though it may not matter as long as it is during normal business hours.
I take it you have considered flying EasyJet from Orly (ORY) to Pisa (PSA) and rejected that idea? Fares generally run somewhere between ~35€ and ~75€ including taxes. Just a thought...
Posts: 80 | Location: Ohio, USA | Registered: 10 March 2005
You're really sweet for going through all of that--thanks, I really appreciate it--but you've got a couchette there. The problem is with the double. Helas!
DEPART Billet échangeable et remboursable 50% avant départ. Non échangeable et non remboursable après départ. Voiture 91 - Place 42 Inférieur
ok double too. there are not available on every train hour so you need to adjust the schedule if need be but it doable. when you ok the trajectory an anglet tells you to choose the sitting aka double and whether you are a men or a women. sorry cant be more helpful from friendly France.
Thank you so much ken for one of the most useful travel tips I've found. I finally followed your instructions for our up-coming trip to France and, comparing the PREM tickets to the RailEurope pass savings, we find we've saved about $200.00. We'll toast you at the dinner where we intend to spend that savings! We also found it very annoying that RailEurope charges a stiff price for reservations, which are not a problem on the SNCF site. We've printed our tickets and feel smug and accomplished!
I've really appreciated all the advice and Kevin's detailed instructions on booking using the SNCF site. I have booked a return trip for 5 from Paris to Avignon for 253.60 euros. That is an amazing deal. I did find the site tempermental though. I had helped a friend book her tickets and print them off on Friday night. I went to book my outward journey on Saturday morning, all went well, but when it gave me the options of how I wanted to retrieve my tickets, printing them was not an option. We opted for picking them up at the station. I hope this is not a problem.
I then went to book my inward journey this morning, and it allowed me to print off my tickets. Anyway, I am confident, that armed with dossier numbers and confirmation emails I will have no problems.
Following the directions and advice on this site has not only enriched my travel experiences, but saved me money.
Update: I'm still trying to reach them on the phone (overseas hold is a drag, so far I've waited on queue up to 15 minutes before I gave up) but here's the email response I got today:
Dear Sir or Madam,
We acknowledge receipt of your message and thank you for it.
Indeed there are some bugs on the website when trying to book for some destinations in Italy .
This bug is known from our technical support team which is working on the problem to solve it as soon as possible.
In the meanwhile we recommend you to make your booking through another sales channel: - By phone via Ligne Directe at the +33 (0) 892 35 35 35 / 39 (EUR0.34 /min) -Available from Europe only- - Or directly in a SNCF outlet
If you wish to have the list of SNCF outlets and ATMs, please click on the below link (accessible only in the French Traveller’s Guide):
In the “Tous nos points de vente SNCF” column, at the bottom of the page, please make your selection between France and the rest of the world, and then the desired country or region.
Please note that bookings are also possible from :
Trishmail , call this number;say you are calling from US trying to do a reservation online and cant do it:ask for help in English. wont guarantee it but it might do it for you
I too am experiencing problems with the tempermental SNCF site.
I successfully booked Paris-La Rochelle and was able to print out the ticket. Then I booked La Rochelle-Poitiers, but on the last step, they deleted the option of printing the ticket, and I will have to pick it up in advance.
But when I tried to book Paris-Perpignan, the website suddenly decided that it did not like my credit card number. I have tried again 5 times this week with no luck.
I phoned VISA and they said that there are "No holds" on my account, and that it was probably the SNCF website having problems.
bear in mind on Sunday France has presidential elections and Monday it will be a hectic day if most take the bridge (pont) to stay home and avoid the chaos after election,;then Tuesday is a holiday. also the 17th.
I just ran into same problem as several other posters--printing at home was not an option, only picking up at automatic machine or having tickets mailed.
I'd successfully printed other tickets back in mid-late February for May trips. This ticket I booked yesterday is another leg of our May visit. I opted for pick up at automatic machine, hoping/assuming I can pick up with a live person at a train station or SNCF boutique, since I know our American credit card used in the booking won't work in the automatic machine.
In retrospect, I should have checked the French version of the booking site when I discovered that printing wasn't an option, as I later discovered that printing still shows among the options on the French version. However, I was anxious to book quickly as the tickets were for Saturday, May 26, and there were still PREM fares for a holiday weekend on a well-travelled route (Paris-Dijon)
Posts: 176 | Location: Bangor, Maine | Registered: 02 March 2006
My credit card has been rejected about 10 times for one train only: Perpignan to Paris.
Suddenly, my card went through just fine!
A word for the wise: PREM fares change. When I first mapped out my preferred trains back in April, I made a note of all the PREM fares then advertised.
But when I started to actually book them in mid-May, the PREM fares had gone up. For example, Paris to La Rochelle was 25E for June 5 travel; but when I booked, the PREM had gone up to 37E.
I also was surprised to learn that Paris-Perpignan on Sunday, June 10 was 55E for First Class -- but the return train from Perpignan-Paris (direct) on the following Sunday was 88E for First Class. I don't understand why there would be a 30E difference in what is essentially the same trip.
But I am grateful to have these tickets printed now. Thanks again for everyone's help and advice.
Originally posted by MarionP: A word for the wise: PREM fares change. When I first mapped out my preferred trains back in April, I made a note of all the PREM fares then advertised. But when I started to actually book them in mid-May, the PREM fares had gone up. For example, Paris to La Rochelle was 25E for June 5 travel; but when I booked, the PREM had gone up to 37E.
I also was surprised to learn that Paris-Perpignan on Sunday, June 10 was 55E for First Class -- but the return train from Perpignan-Paris (direct) on the following Sunday was 88E for First Class. I don't understand why there would be a 30E difference in what is essentially the same trip.
Correct on all points. The reason why there is a 30euro diff for the same trip is because SNCF has been trying to be more like an airline, but in all the wrong areas, at least for the consumer. The SNCF pricing structure is to charge more, or a lot more, for trains in high-demand periods and high-demand hours (and also it, SNCF, alone, defines high demand). It said it was doing consumerse a favor and was forcing those who do not need to take peaktime trains to take it at a different time. However, only SNCF holds the supreme secret to what it considers peaktime. Therefore the trains will be less crowded all round, and people who have time reflexbility pay less. Win win.
And even PREM is subject to this demand-based "auction". All the more reason to congratulate you on getting PREM
Tearing out much hair here. The Artesia train booking has turned out to be my Waterloo. I can't get through on the phone, no matter what time. It seems as fritzy as the website. One of the following happens:
1) I get through the menu and get a message thanking me for holding and my call is being transferred with blip blip blips interspersed, in an endless loop, which will go up to 10 minutes and never kick over. Ends in silence. 2) Blip blip transfer leads to hold music SNCF jingle which goes on for 15-20 minutes until I give up. 3) I get through to an operator(!) but after a minute or so of speaking, there is silence and nobody there. No warning of being put on hold or anything--seems the call just somehow stops. 4) I get through to an operator(!) but she keeps saying she can't hear me, so hangs up. this one only happened once.
I tried placing the call via a long distance operator, no difference; I had my phone line checked to make sure the interference isn't this end.
Site still won't work, of course.
I think now what I will do is wait until we are in France and just go *in person* (which I know WORKS!) to an SNCF office and buy the tickets. I would plan to buy them as soon as we got into Paris. We arrive CDG on 23 June. That same day we take TGV to Aix-en-Provence, then we are there for a week. On 30 June we go back to Paris on TGV. We want to take the Artesia to Florence the night of 03 July.
Questions: Can I buy SNCF tickets at the TGV station in CDG? What's the risk the train and a double first class compartment will be sold out? Is booking 10 days in advance enough time?
Part of me says, just pay the hefty RailEurope fare for the peace of mind, but it's almost twice as much, and I'm trying to get as much bang out of our stupid weak American bucks as I can. The EasyJet and/or Ryanair options are there I guess, but that means rearranging accommodation reservations, going through all the airport junk again, paying for another night of lodging, adding on more travel time to Florence from Pisa or Rome, and forcing my white-knuckle-flier husband onto yet another plane--the last is the chief thing.
hectic here too is holiday time today we are off work tomorrow is the bridge day off then the weekend sunday coming back is coded RED for heavy traffic on the roads.So does every other means of transportation.
having said that which do not know if it is the reason for you not getting thru. you can buy the ticket at a station fairly easy 10 days is plenty of time and first class is readily available; i do on some business trips ok.
Success! The TGV website I was using still coughs up the "technical error" but I tried another route, the special Artesia page and it worked, first try, smoothly.
Go figure.
I only wandered in there since I was working on my blog and wanted a link to the Artesia train, and I couldn't find my bookmark so I googled "Artesia." Hmm, there was a big purple button that said, "Book now." Worth a try, I thought. And it was.
Posting in the hope someone finds this route to booking this train useful, too.
Topic Closed
) Did the TGV PREM discount tickets from CDG to Aix sans hitch (except weirdly 1st class is cheaper). Round 2 hasn't gone so well--trying to book the Artesia train Paris-Bercy to Florence. I get all the way to "Choisir ma place" (we need one double) and do so, then the new price pops up, but then if I tell it to choose that, I get an error message "a technical error has occurred, please try back later." I can get it to work for a couchette, which I take it sleeps 6, but not for the double. I gave it a day, tried again, same thing (well, different wine).
. Voila! It worked, I got my tickets at the lowest price. Keep trying!!
I can't get through on the phone, no matter what time. It seems as fritzy as the website. One of the following happens:
