skyaster
Traveller
4 comments
Posted 9 years ago
Hi there;
Me and My Fiancée have an Interrail Global Pass 2nd Class. It is valid between 16-30 August. We want to reserve a train which leaves from Barcelona at 9.25am to Paris 15.53pm on 24/08/2015. When i try to reserve tickets from interrail section of voyages-sncf.com, it gives me an absolutely high prices like 353 euros. How can i fix this? In UK SNCF website i can purchase only reservation with 40£. But i can not complete this operation due to i’m not a UK citizen. I have written their help desk but so for nobody get back to me. I also called renfe and found out that reservations can only be made at the station and they are not working at week-ends. The problem is, we will arrive to Barcelona on 21/08/2015 at night which is Friday and going to leave with 24/08/2015's morning trains so in that we case we won't be able to make reservation at the station. What else can i do?
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi!
I hope you purchased your tickets via our partner link at [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux] to support our work. Thank you. :)
Online reservations are sadly only available on the UK version of Voyages SNCF. At Barcelona Sants, the ticket office for immediate departures is open on weekends too, maybe you could try to get your reservation there. Another alternative would be to travel to France along the old, slower railway along the coast and take a domestic TGV from Perpignan. This has also the advantage of being cheaper. Online reservation is possible via [ux]https://rail.shop/sncf/reservation[/ux]
Flo 8)
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
I would also recommend the route Flo proposed, via the free (for Interrail) regional old line to France and there change to the TGV. It iwll save you a lot of money.
An other nice option, also saving your money and including a really scenic route is the Petit Train Jaune: [u]https://rail.cc/blog/little-yellow-train-video/[/u]
And then by inexpensive night train on to Paris.
If you like, I give you schedules and everything you need. Please just fill the PLUS form - thank you to be fair ant to support all the free information and the help here at the railcc project. :)
[u]https://rail.cc/en/plus[/u]
Pete :)
skyaster
Traveller
4 comments
Thank you for the quick response guys you both are life savers. The route that suggested by Flo seems logical to me. From Barcelona to Perpignan i can not make a reservation from the SNCF website because it only displays the actual ticket price. Do you guys have any idea about how crowded the trains on that route would be? Shall i purchase whole ticket via SNCF for this route or just take my chances on the day of departure?
Flo, unfortunately i did not know about this resourceful website until this day. So this time i couldnt purchase my tickets here but next year we are planning to make an Interrail again to travel Middle Europe. So next time, you have my support ;)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Yeah of course you cant make reservations for Barcelona - Perpignan. If you could you could also make a reservation Barcelona - Paris... ;)
You have to travel from Barcelona to Perpignan via Portbou - Cerbere; you wont find these connections on the SNCF website.
skyaster
Traveller
4 comments
Where can i find those connections and learn how much time does it take get to Perpignon with this regional old line?
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
For example on the railcc schedule planer [ux]https://plan.rail.cc[/ux] . Or just ask at the website you have your ticket from. They are responsible for your support.
Example Barcelona dep 06:16, arr Perpignan 10:05, change to TGV to Paris.
:)
skyaster
Traveller
4 comments
I've purchased our ticket via our National Rail Road Company. They can't even help themselves how could they support me :D
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Lesson learned: never buy at a place where you won't get support from. Especially for Interrail: if you don't know how and where to buy reservations, where to find free trains, you pay a lot of money extra. :/
Also no need to buy an Interrail ticket weeks in advance. They never sell out. Shipping within 5 business days for FREE and free PLUS account (with detailed help) on railcc, using our partner link [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux]
Barcelona Sants dep 06:16 - free regional train
Cebère arr 08:57
Cebère dep 09:28 - free TER train
Perpignan arr 10:05
Perpignan dep 10:51 - TGV reservation at [ux]https://rail.shop/sncf/reservation[/ux]
Paris Gare de Lyon arr 15:53
To travel completely for free, stay in the train in Perpignan and continue to Avignion Centre, arr 13:21
Avignon Centre dep 14:21 - free TER train
Lyon Part Dieu arr 16:40
Lyon Part Dieu dep 17:16 - free TER train
Paris-Bercy arr 22:22
Other option the scenic route via Latour de Carol, all schedules and video here: [u]https://rail.cc/blog/little-yellow-train-video/[/u]
And by overnight train from Perpignan to Paris: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train/cerbere-paris-icn-3730/77[/u]
Pete :)
skyaster
Traveller
4 comments
Thank you for your help Pete. :)