SNCF train France.

Léan

Sorry mods if this is the wrong place, wasn't sure where to put this.

I'm trying to book train tickets via the SNCF Europe website, but they won't post them to Ireland, there's not even an option, they're telling me I have to collect them in the station.

Now this would be fine but... I don't own a credit card and am borrowing my parent's card to book the tickets. The website is telling me I have to present the credit card used to book the tickets in order to collect them.

There seems to be no other way? I'm totally at a whits end here. Is there anyway to get around it? There's not even an option to print the tickets at home. :mad:

P. Breathnach

I tried it, and it seems to allow me the option to print my own tickets (but I wasn't going to pay for a ticket just to verify). The option was offered as step 1 in the booking process.

It was a TGV I tested on, and I used the French-language version of the site. When I tried to switch to English, it bumped me to TGV-EUROPE.COM. You don't want to go there: it's famously less good.

Ponster

via the SNCF website there really isn't any other option. The problem is that in France you don't need a credit card to purchase the tickets, just a bank card which almost everyone has.

If you don't get the option to print (often the case on non TGV trains) you can book them via www.raileurope.com which is designed for tourists but will take a % commission for booking for you.

Léan

Raileurope seems to only let you pay via an English registered credit card? Says it will also only send to English addresses.

Ponster

Léan wrote: »

Raileurope seems to only let you pay via an English registered credit card? Says it will also only send to English addresses.

I thought that rauileurope.com was a worldwide service? (not the .co.uk address...)

Léan

It's automatically redirecting me to raileurope.co.uk

P. Breathnach

Léan wrote: »

It's automatically redirecting me to raileurope.co.uk

I used http://www.voyages-sncf.com/ and was not redirected. If you can read French, I suggest that you try it. Or get the help of somebody who knows some French.

Ponster

Léan what are the details of your trip (dates, towns, etc...)

Léan

P. Breathnach wrote: »

I used http://www.voyages-sncf.com/ and was not redirected. If you can read French, I suggest that you try it. Or get the help of somebody who knows some French.

I've done it all through French and by the time the option comes up to pay for it they'l only post to France

I'm trying to book:
Rennes 18th - Nantes
Nantes 22nd - Rennes

I rang them earlier and they said just to book it in the station. Just worried it'l work out very expensive.

Toto Wolfcastle

Tickets are actually very cheap in the station. I went Nantes - Rennes - Nantes last year and the tickets were cheap enough. If you are under 25 I think you get them cheaper. I don't know about Rennes station but Nantes station has English speaking counters if that's any help.

Ponster

I can PM you my home address. You have the tickets sent to me and I send them to Ireland. How about that?

Léan

Ponster wrote: »

I can PM you my home address. You have the tickets sent to me and I send them to Ireland. How about that?

Thanks so much for the offer but think i'm just going to wing it at this stage and get the tickets at the station (hope they're not too expensive).

Ponster

Midweek tickets like that will probably be the same price as what you see today on the web. I won't worry too much about price or availability.

CantGetNoSleep

Just in the station, queues can be fairly long, so allow enough time

Also, ticket desks don't open outside office hours in some places, if this is the case you have to buy a ticket from a machine, which you need a credit card for

P. Breathnach

Léan wrote: »

I'm trying to book:
Rennes 18th - Nantes
Nantes 22nd - Rennes

Personally, I'd prefer to remain in Rennes!