On the voyages-sncf.com website, when I click on the British flag, it keeps redirecting me to the TGVEurope.com site, not the english-language version of voyages-sncf. I know in the past it worked, what am I doing wrong? I can get through the french language site ok, but I am not sure of some of the terms related to seat assignment and I would hate to purchase from the french language site and risk making an error. Thanks!
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Yes, it does that.
And if you opt to have the tickets mailed to you in the US, it will redirect you to the more expensive Rail Europe site.
If you opt to pick up the tickets in France, then it will bring you back to the SNCF site, in French.
Here is a a posting on another message board which explains some of the terminolgy you might need:
slowtalk.com/groupee/…3521016644
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I read about a cool trick recently for the SNCF web site. Go to the French language version, and click on %26quot;train%26quot; and it will take you to the page where you input where you want to go etc. Then go to the address bar, and look for %26quot;LANG=FR%26quot; and change the %26quot;FR%26quot; to %26quot;UK.%26quot; The page will then display in English, but it will still be the French SNCF site, so it will charge the same prices as you would pay if booking in French (with the potential to get %26quot;prem%26quot; discount fares, etc.). Just be sure you specify that delivery of the tickets will be in France (whether by printing prem fare tickets yourself, or paying for higher price tickets and picking up at the station). Do not try to have the tickets mailed to you, because as soon as you say that delivery is in the US it will switch you to the Rail Europe site, which is considerably more expensive and does not give you access to %26quot;prem%26quot; fares.
Good luck, and post back here if you have more questions.
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Thank you both - language problem solved!
Another question - what is the difference between %26quot;square%26quot; and %26quot;kiosk%26quot; in the seating preference section?
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I have no idea about %26quot;square%26quot; and %26quot;kiosk%26quot; for seating arrangements. If I were guessing, I would think that square might be a table for four with two seats on each side (%26quot;kiosk%26quot; baffles me)? Really, that%26#39;s just a guess - hopefully someone else will be able to tell you (but you might check the Seat61 site to see if you can get an explanation - look at the same seat numbers the SNCF site is trying to assign, and see if they are together. As long as they are at least in the same car, you might want to just go ahead. Typically, if seats together are available the system will assign them so if what%26#39;s assigned is not together that may just be the best you can do on that particular date/time.
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Man, now I%26#39;m totally confused! I just got an answer to my post today from Berkeley and Le Photographe who were kind enough to answer me about where I should purchase my train tickets. But tonight, I find this other post is saying that the Europe Rail site is more expensive.My question: What is the difference between Europe Rail and SNCF? Sorry to be so totally ignorant about the whole thing, but I really just don%26#39;t know! Is the SNCF (I don%26#39;t even know what that stands for) the best place to look for fares and schedules for train travel in France??
Thanks again.
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Rail Europe is essentially a captive travel agent for SNCF (which is the French governmental agency that operates and owns the railways). Rail Europe adds a fee, in essence, to the actual cost. If you book through the SNCF site, you will get the tickets without the markup - and you will have access to %26quot;prem%26quot; (discounted) fares, which you will not get through Rail Europe. That%26#39;s why you always specify %26quot;delivery in France%26quot; (otherwise, it will send you to the Rail Europe outlet for the country where you indicate delivery - and you will pay more).
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THANK YOU!! It is so good to understand.
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