SNCF
We Tested the Legitimate Train Booking Platforms for France—Here’s What Works Best for Cheap Tickets
I’ve been booking train tickets online for French trains for two decades, both with the SNCF’s official websites and the various good competing private booking platforms. There is now a healthy variety of alternatives for booking French train tickets that can get you e-tickets with the same dynamic pricing as you’d get purchasing directly from …
How to Travel Europe by Train
Our full guide to the charms of taking trains, including how best to buy tickets and what to pack; photo copyright Charley Aimée. We’ve been travelling all around Europe by train for two decades now, and we’ve got more than a few dos and don’ts to have a cheap, comfortable, and lovely time rolling across the …
Schemes for Cheap Train Tickets in France
The minimalist cheapskate writer of this article on a Ouigo train I’ve been whizzing around France on TGV and other trains as cheaply as possible for over two decades. And here, my dear penny-pinching minimalists, is an insider’s guide to the best current strategies, booking platforms, discount cards, sales, and future insights for bopping around …
What Is Ouigo? And Is This Budget Train Worthwhile for Crossing Spain, Catalonia, and France?
Ouigo, put simply, is a railway answer to the budget airline. Here I am riding a Ouigo train in Spain with the distinctive (gaudy?) color scheme of the seats behind me; I’ve taken these budget trains in France for years as well The tickets are cheap, and there are no frills, but you get to …
Late Trains in France: What to Know
This is a look at your chances of having issues due to delays on rail lines with the national operator SNCF in France and what to do if they occur. We have separately covered how to book French train tickets and what to know about French train strikes. Determining if a Scheduled Train Will Be …
Solved! The Problems with SNCF Connect and Ouigo Websites — and How We Buy French Train Tickets in Spite of Them
The server for the error-ridden SNCF Connect website is presumably as functional and modern as this train hardware. Credit: David Hellmann. If you are blocked by error messages on the SNCF Connect or on Ouigo.com, you’re not alone. The websites and apps have lots of redirects and undergo constant updates that can render them in some …
Luggage Restrictions On Trains in France — What to Know Before You Go
If you’re used to travelling by plane and thus conditioned to worry about the size, weight, and contents of your baggage, you’re in for a treat. Luggage restrictions for French trains are generally much more relaxed. The main rule is to not be taking so much that you can’t carry and stow it on your …
Solutions for Buying Train Tickets for France in Spite of Credit Card Rejections from Ouigo and SNCF Connect
Trouble with a foreign credit card and the French train system? You’re not alone, but there really are solutions that don’t involve aggravation, nor travel agents and their extra fees. Photo credits Tomas Depenbusch and ccPixs. The French train operator’s websites SNCF Connect and Ouigo are notorious for rejecting bank and credit cards from outside of …
The Total Guide to Train Strikes in France: Ride Out the Aggravations
The French railway company SNCF is particularly and infamously susceptible to strikes. Here’s a look at the probability of strikes affecting your travel, how to plan your trip, and what to do if there’s a strike on your travel dates. In general, we love travelling by train in France and don’t think you should worry …
The Cheaper Tricks for Booking Europe Train Tickets from Australia
If you’re Australian and looking to book train tickets for a jaunt through Europe, there’s a good chance you’ll wind up redirected to more expensive booking sites like Rail Europe (formerly Rail Plus). Or you’ll attempt to buy tickets from SNCF Connect but hit website errors, from Trenitalia but not understand the Italians’ quasi-English, from …