Booking train tickets in France

[Brainaddict]

Does anyone know what it means when there are no second class tickets (and sometimes first class too) available for a train on the SNCF website? Does it mean there's only a walk-up fare available that can't be bought online, or does it mean the train is literally full?
Also if anyone has any tips for finding cheaper tickets on a multi-stage journey that would be helpful.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Depends on the route, (nearly) all longer ones need seat reservations and don't allow walk ups, so there's every chance what you are looking at is fully booked, a lot of trains right now all over Europe are fully booked (as are flights, Eurostar and so on).

 

[Brainaddict]

Oh wow, didn't realise they didn't allow walk-ups on fully booked trains. I guess it avoids the standing-only journeys we get on trains here but that means booking well ahead. I think I'm already a bit late for early august.

 

[Brainaddict]

Thanks very much for the info BS, this made me book super-fast onto one of the few remaining trains. Close shave, could have messed with the holiday to not get a train for that journey.

Also, while I'm here, I thought French trains used to be cheap. Gone are those days it seems!

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Also, while I'm here, I thought French trains used to be cheap. Gone are those days it seems!

A lot of Euro train operators looked at the British model and decided gouging is the way to go.

 

[Brainaddict]

Great that we still lead the world in some things

 

[T & P]

Though to be fair, at least they're not as willing as charge you the earth for a ticket, and make you stand up for most of your jouney for the pleasure of it as the British train operators.

 

[Brainaddict]

Though to be fair, at least they're not as willing as charge you the earth for a ticket, and make you stand up for most of your jouney for the pleasure of it as the British train operators.

Yeah, I do see that. It does seem to reduce the viability of train as an alternative to cars if you can't buy a ticket at short notice though. I suppose the solution ultimately is more trains until you have enough to give you slack in the system, but that would require state expenditure at an unfashionable level I guess.