Question re. TGV

Hi,

We are planning to go to Paris on March 31st and visit Avignon. We will be visiting Avigon from March 31st to April 4th and stay in Paris for 4 nights.

I am trying to figure out how I can purchase the TGV tickets from here...or do I even have to purchase tickets now? Can I buy them when we get there? Would it be more expensive?

Which site should I go for the cheap tickets?

What%26#39;s the cancellation policy for these tickets?

Thank you.

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I followed MorganB%26#39;s instructions for purchasing a TGV ticket and printed them out without a problem.

You%26#39;ll find them here:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187147-c3019/Paris:F…

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The main reason for buying tickets in advance is that there are often substantial discounts available for early bookings. In your case those inexpensive fares (PREMs) may no longer be available but there may be other discounts that you can get online from the SNCF (French rail) site www.voyages-sncf.com that you will not get if you book through a N. American agent. The other advantage to online booking is that doing so avoids possibly long lines at ticket windows in Paris stations.

This page by MorganB will explain the various fare options and discounts and give you a clear guide to using the SNCF booking engine.

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Use the regular SNCF--French National Railways or dedicated TGV web site to pre-purchase your tickets on-line (you can either collect your %26#39;..paper..%26#39; tickets at the station anytime prior to train departure or depending on category of fare, print them out on your own home computer.

Your best fares will probably be available for advance purchase, on-line...rather than %26#39;rolling the dice%26#39; and chancing purchase in Paris.

SNCF--

www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/_SvHomePage…

TGV-- (do not Select USA..or you will be re-directed to RailEurope)

http://www.tgv.com/UK/index.php

The %26#39;..catch..%26#39; to your proposed itinerary may be if your %26#39;..plan..%26#39; is to arrive at CDG and then depart directly for AVIGNON from the AEROPORT CDG 2 TGV train station (bypassing Paris) and then returning to PARIS--Gare de Lyon. On-line round-trip fares are based on point-to-point between the same two stations. A CDG-AVIGNON / AVIGNON-PARIS-Gare de Lyon itinerary will either have to be booked as separate one-way fares or by telephone (33.8.92.35.35.39 for English language) as a single round-trip.

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I booked using the link posted above and got a great deal.

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187147-c3019/Paris:F…

You can book an idTGV which are cheaper TGV tickets at off peak hours.

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KDKSAIL%26#39;s post made me aware that I had overlooked the possibility that you would be travelling direct to Avignon from CDG. There are about a half dozen direct TGVs daily on this route. To find them on the SNCF site use ROISSY as your departure station. Roissy is SNCF shorthand for the CGD TGV station.

I just ran a quick check for two adults traveeling CDG-Avignon on March 31 reurning Avignon-Paris (Gare de Lyon) on April 4. For rhe outward trip the lowest fares I found were FLASH fares (two people travelling together, non-refundable) ranging from 39€ to 54€ pax depending on the train. On the return trip there are stll some PREMS (non-refundable) fares available, as low as 20€ pax on the 10:09 departure arriving Paris 12:50. Otherwise there are PREMs fares at 25€ and FLASH fares ranging from 41€ to 53€ pax again depending on which train you select.

Any of these fares will be cheaper than fully refundable round-trip fares. There are discounts available even on fully refundable tickets for two people travelling together round-trip but as KDK points out you would need to telephone the SNCF English-speaking reservations agents during Paris busines hours to take advantage of the %26quot;round-trippiness%26quot; of a CDG-Avignon-Paris itinerary.

Good luck!

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