I%26#39;m trying to buy a train ticket from Paris to Switzerland (Sion).
I looked in on the sncf web site and found the one I want. I registered in that web page and tried to buy the tickets. It wouldn%26#39;t let me and popped up with the following message:
%26quot;Reservation impossible sur ce train. Reservation etrangere fermee.%26quot;
Can I do something differently to buy the tickets through them? Or should I buy the tickets through another online agency?
Thanks!!
-Larissa
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You can always go to the Rail Europe website. No problems. Once ordered, you will have the tickets within 2-3 days.
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Raileurope might sell you the tickets... marked up 30% or so. Don%26#39;t worry, just go to France and buy the tickets at the next train station or SNCF boutique.
Why does everybody want the train tickets I don%26#39;t know how long in advance? If it is not a special offer, it won%26#39;t change the price anyway. If you buy a ticket 2-3 days in advance, it%26#39;s absolutely enough!
If you absolutely need the ticket, go to www.sbb.ch (the Swiss railways) and have them send you your ticket by post...
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Yes- but if you HAVE to be in a city by a certain time, it%26#39;s woth the extra 10%. Plus you won%26#39;t waste time buying them when you get there.
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that message may not be referring to *tickets* but instead may be referring to *seat reservations*...
meaning, you might be able to prepay for tickets, then buy the seat reservations when you get to Paris.
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I%26#39;m not sure what your problem is with the SNCF web site....but I suspect that it may be something as common as trying to purchese tickets through the site for travel more than sixty(60) days in advance of the current date (including the return if a round-trip). The SNCF system %26#39;..locks out..%26#39; ticket purchases beyond this sixty(60) day time limit. What are the dates and times of your proposed travel itinerary? But otherwise, you should be able to purchase the proposed itinerary--PARIS-Gare de Lyon/GENEVA/SION without difficulty.
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I don%26#39;t see what stops you from being in a certain city at certain time when you buy a tcket as all european travellers do. Plus you waste so much time trying to figure out what the problem of the SNCF site is...
Anyway, I%26#39;m going through Switzerland and Germany every couple of weeks, using the busiest train lines at busiest days, and never - never! - had any problems with buying a ticket or reserving a seat 1-2 days before going.
Back to the topic - I can imagine that the SNCF site has a problem with booking a seat for a destination outised of it%26#39;s network. Buying a ticket and reserving a seat later (if at all) might be the easiest solution, as already suggested.
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Travelnutty, am I understanding this right that I have to buy tickets then buy a seat reservation? Do I have to buy both?
And I guess I just feel better having the tickets before going because it does make me nervous to be traveling between different countries not having a plan. It may be silly but when I%26#39;ve travelled to other countries, I like having plans for the big things (I don%26#39;t feel the need to pre purchase train tickets within the same country).
But it does sound like it may just be easier to buy it there.
Would they have a SNCF buying station in the Paris airport? Then we can buy them as soon as we land....
My only concern is not being able to get into the train that we really need to. Altamiro, you say that it wouldn%26#39;t be a problem to get in and I can count on that 100%?
KDKSail, we%26#39;re going to be there in 3 weeks (I need the tickets for Sept 7th).
Thanks!!
Larissa
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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;we%26#39;re going to be there in 3 weeks (I need the tickets for Sept 7th)%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
Then I simply don%26#39;t understand why you had difficulty with the SNCF site. There%26#39;s no denying that the site is somewhat less than %26#39;..user-friendly..%26#39; but it usually works with a bit of patience and perserverance. But I can tell you the #1 reason why people do experience problem....the site is NOT intuitive and does not tolerate deviations from it%26#39;s step-by-step procedures...nor does it suffer even minor input errors gladly. So go back and try again--very carefully....step-by-step.
The reason why it%26#39;s worth tyhe time and trouble to bother with it is that the SNCF often offers on-lin-only,advance purchase, discout fares that are NOT otherwise available. In most cases, after you%26#39;ve completed the on-line purchase, you simply Print Out your paper tickets on your home/office computer.
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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;am I understanding this right that I have to buy tickets then buy a seat reservation? Do I have to buy both?%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
NO...when you order a ticket through SNCF, the Seat Reservation is part and parcel of your ticket purchase and your assigned seat number is printed right on your ticket. There are NO separate seat reservations or fees necessary.
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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;I don%26#39;t see what stops you from being in a certain city at certain time when you buy a tcket as all european travellers do. Plus you waste so much time trying to figure out what the problem of the SNCF site is%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
There is NOTHING to stop anyone from simply walking up to a SNCF ticket window and ordering a ticket. The difference is that when you order on-line, there are usually advance purchase discounts that are available which are not with less than 7 days advance purchase and only available for on-line purchases. Ordinarily the SNCF on-line advance purchase system works quite well and doesn%26#39;t take nearly as long as it might to go to a local train station and make the purchase at the ticket counter. As a frequent European train traveler, I%26#39;m alittle surprised that you don%26#39;t use the on-line purchase system yourself for the savings and at-home convenience.
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