Paris - Irun - Madrid

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi!

This is the connection :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/train/paris-to-madrid[/u] where you find timings and information about reservation costs. Note that the timings of the Lunea night train might vary a little bit.

The seat reservation for the Lunéa is 6€ at the station or 2€ for the Abo Forfait 2eme - you can use both. I'd recommend to get the reservation for the train to Madrid already in Germany or in Paris. It might happen that the train is already full if you try it to book it in Irun.
Normally it is no problem to book RENFE trains from other countries, however sometimes RENFE does not allow this. If this is the case, you could try this option :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/spain-renfe-online-reservation-how-to/f4995[/u]


Flo 8)

Pietia_pl
Traveller
8 comments

[quote]
The seat reservation for the Lunéa is 6€ at the station or 2€ for the Abo Forfait 2eme - you can use both.
Flo 8) [/quote]

Ok but the 2€ reservation I can get only in ticket selling machine at paris railway station or in a ticket office too ?
Whats the difference beetwen them ? ( Because its always better to pay 2 instead of 6€ 8) )

[quote]
I'd recommend to get the reservation for the train to Madrid already in Germany or in Paris.
(...)
Normally it is no problem to book RENFE trains from other countries, however sometimes RENFE does not allow this. If this is the case, you could try this option :arr: spain-renfe-online-reservation-how-to-t4995.html
[/quote]

Ok so that means I have two opportunities:
1) buy the RENFE reservation in ticket office in Germany or in Paris ( Do I have to pay any extra fee for this ? )
2) phone RENFE and receive my reservation in Irun

But I also read that when I phone I have to pick up my reservation at least 24hours before departure. It's impossible for me as I won't be in Spain before I'll get there by Lunea.

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

Hi.
There is no difference in between the tickets for 2 or 6 EUR ... only the place where you can get them is different.

You can book as well this Spanish train Irun - Madrid online at the railcc shop:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation[/u]

Peter :)

Pietia_pl
Traveller
8 comments

[quote]Hi.
There is no difference in between the tickets for 2 or 6 EUR ... only the place where you can get them is different.

You can book as well this Spanish train Irun - Madrid online at the railcc shop:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation[/u]

Peter :) [/quote]

I know but I'm leaving on wednesday so I won't be able to receive it via postal service. :(

Thanks much anyway!

nltrainer
Traveller
1405 comments

[quote]Hi.
There is no difference in between the tickets for 2 or 6 EUR ... only the place where you can get them is different.
Peter :) [/quote]
There IS-in the official rules book. You should always note this!
1. the 6€ is for use with an INterRail-and also has a QUOTA of seats they will sell for that price.
2.the 1,50 or 2€ is for a FORFAIT holder= a FRENCH season ticket valid for that route and on that day. If a conductor sticks to the rules, has his/her badhairday or whatever, they can fine you for not having the right ticket with this. It happens rarely-if at all-and most often there is little control anyway on Fr trains, but there are known cases that led to very nasty situations with the railway police getting involved etc.
If you go to a ticketwindow, they will ask you to show the ticket and sell you the right ticket-and thus not the forfait. I think that in fact these forfait reservations can now only be made on the big yellow automats in any Fr station, and only with a bankcard the SNCF will accept.
Also there is no TGV-LUnea-it is either TGV (very very rare overnight) OR Lúnea= a real nighttrain with sleeperette seats, couchettes and all that. When leaving Paris most often you get checked before you board-the platform will be fenced off. this is also to hopefully keep thieves etc away.

Pietia_pl
Traveller
8 comments

[quote] When leaving Paris most often you get checked before you board-the platform will be fenced off. this is also to hopefully keep thieves etc away.[/quote]

So they check everything before and if they won't accept forfait reservation they will tell me when entering the train yes ?

I'll think about buying normal reservation at ticket office.

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

Just as note: the official rules of Lunea says that it is possible to travel with a Forfait supplement. See here:
[u]http://lunea.voyages-sncf.com/lunea/La_foire_aux_questions_lunea#carte[/u]

Karoline
Traveller
25 comments

I was wondering about some of this too, but I guess I got my answers! I guess my main question is, to be sure, do I need to book the Paris-Irun train in advance? Or do you think I'll be okay if I buy the ticket right beforehand?

Karoline
Traveller
25 comments

Bump. You see, I'll come straight from Zurich on the TGV and so I have an hour or two in Paris before getting on the night train to Irun. So wondering if I have to get a ticket earlier or if I'll be fine reserving it there and then...

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Well...you can not guarantee it but I think it should be fine to get your reservation in Paris on the day of departure. I just checked and there are still tickets available (both couchette and reclining seats) for the Paris - Irun Lunéa today, on a friday.
So I think it should be OK. However, why not buying the reservation in Zürich already?


Flo 8)

Karoline
Traveller
25 comments

So you're able to buy a reservation for a train ride from France to Spain in Switzerland? They have the authority to do that? I just didn't think you could actually do that! :)

Chronos
Traveller
8 comments

[quote]So you're able to buy a reservation for a train ride from France to Spain in Switzerland? They have the authority to do that? I just didn't think you could actually do that! :) [/quote]
I bought my reservation for the Lunea and the Alvia to Madrid in Belgium. It was no problem. For the return, I bought the reservations in Chamartin the day before, and again no problems. I just bought the reservation to Irun, the reservation for the Lunea back to Paris I already bought in Belgium. In Paris I got stuck, but bought a Forfait ticket to Lille, no problems there.

But getting a ticket/reservation in Irun for the Alvia is impossible, in april the ticket booth didn't open until 9:30 or something.

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

[quote]So you're able to buy a reservation for a train ride from France to Spain in Switzerland? [/quote]

Yup, that's generally possible. It depends from country to country and also from the competence of the person behind the counter but most European trains can be booked from most other countries.

Exceptions are for instance Portugal, where you can only book international trains from abroad (except from Spain) or the UK where only some night trains can be reserved from abroad.
In Eastern Europe it may get a little bit more complicated but you will get at least reservations to the neighbouring countries.


Flo 8)

PS: In Irún, ticket booth for immediate departure is open 0700 - 2300; for advance departures 0900 - 2100

Karoline
Traveller
25 comments

Thank you guys! I guess I'll try and book the tickets in Zurich then! :)

Karoline
Traveller
25 comments

So I tried booking these tickets in Zurich today and stepped into a couple of problems.

1. The TGV train was sold out/didn't have more tickets for interrailers. But the guy found three or four different regional trains that will get me to Paris in time as well.
2. So I wanted to book the Paris-Irun night train. He said he couldn't find any tickets for that either.. So if I wanted to get on it I would have to pay full price.. which is a lot.

So I don't know what to do.. I really don't wanna spend 90 euros for that train. I could just scratch the whole San Sebastian trip and go to Madrid through Southern France/Barcelona like I was originally planning.. What do you guys think?

Oh.. I just saw that you need the 1st class ticket to get those special prices for the Paris-Irun train?

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

When do you want to travel each leg?

You could try to get TGV reservation for a route within France, eg Colmar - Paris or Strasbourg - Paris and go there with free regional trains.

For the Lunéa, I would need to know when you want to go to check if there could be any other option. :)


Flo 8)

Karoline
Traveller
25 comments

Well that's the thing, maybe I have been waiting too long. I want to travel both legs on Friday... Paris is really just a transfer point to get to San Sebastian. But I am looking at other possibilities now, like for example maybe spending a night or two in Arles or something instead.

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

OK...I just checked the Lunéa Paris - Irun and there are still Abo Forfait 2eme reservations available online (you dont need 1st class ticket for those). If you have a credit card with you, you can book then online and the SNCF website and then get it at a ticket machine in France.

You could also try to get a reservation for the Geneve - Irun night train (a Lunéa as well).

Karoline
Traveller
25 comments

I don't exactly get where to order online and where to choose that type of reservation for this exact train..
Thanks so much for helping by the way :)

Karoline
Traveller
25 comments

I found it now - but the forfait is not exactly the right ticket for me to order with an interrail pass, is it...?

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

:arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/tgv-reservation-peak-period/f2344[/u]

On the SNCF website, select the connection and then Abo Forfait 2eme and you will get the reservations. You could also have a look at Basel SNCF (french station in Basel) there should be ticket machines that can also sell these reservations.

For the Geneve - Irun option it could be a problem that it is international and this method wont work - then you will have to get it at a counter.

Karoline
Traveller
25 comments

Okay I just booked a reservation from Paris to Irun! I hope I don't get in any trouble for it at the train... What should I say, that there's no reservations for interrailers and so I was told to use that one? Haha I am kinda nervous about it but hopefully it'll go well! :)

Oh by the way - should I also use this type of reservation for the TGV train from Zurich to Paris or Basel to Mulhouse-Ville? It would be difficult since it is international, maybe?

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hej great that you have your reservation now! :)

You do not have to worry, as it is a Lunéa this kind of reservation is 100% official :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train/france/fr[/u] (read the part of the Q&A from the Lunéa website). ;)
Also, with day trains this method has worked many times as confirmed by InterRailers.

You cannot use this kind of reservation for international TGV connections but you can do it from the first stop after Basel (Basel itself is not possible I think but you could try) which would be Mulhouse.
If it is possible from Basel, you can use the TGV straight from Zürich as TGV does not require a reservation within Switzerland.

If you do not get a reservation from Basel or Mulhouse either, go to Strasbourg via Basel - Mulhouse by free TER 200 and then change to a TGV there.

Karoline
Traveller
25 comments

Oh that is a wonderful relief! And that 2 euro reservation fee is really all I pay for that night train? Wow!

So I was thinking of going through Geneve... So the itinerary would be like this:

08:00 Luzern (IR 2512)
10:50 Geneve

11:28 Geneve (Regional-Express/RE)
13:20 Lyon Part Dieu

14:22 Lyon Part Dieu (Regional-Express/RE)
16:24 Dijon Ville

17:46 Dijon Ville (Regional-Express/RE)
20:44 Paris Bercy

Does that look okay? I am guessing RE is included in the interrail?

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Yup, looks okay; and yes, RE (which is infact TER, Transport/Train Express Regional) is included in InterRail :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/train-type/france/fr[/u]

Karoline
Traveller
25 comments

Okay I am thinking of doing Paris-Irun Saturday night instead - do I need to cancel the reservation?

EDIT: Nevermind, as there is like no available hostels in Geneva or Lausanne, I'll still go to Paris and Irun tomorrow.