Avignon Travel Forum

I am planning to travel from Paris to Avignon by train on August 2nd. Do you suggest that I wait until I am in Paris to buy a ticket, or purchase my tickets beforehand online? What would one typically pay for a one-way ticket for someone under 25? If you suggest I purchase it online, which website should I use? (I'm in Canada) Lastly, do I need to buy a TGV student card to get the youth discout, or can I use my ISIC card as proof of my student status?
Thank you for your help.
Giulia

Hi,

The 2nd August being a Sunday, and considering that that weekend is the biggest one for travelling in France I would strongly suggest you book beforehand. The French railway site is www.sncf.com. You can only use English up to a certain point.
Can't answer your other questions I'm afraid, but others will, I'm sure.

Train travel from Paris to Avignon is on the TGV which requires advance purchase tickets and a reservation. Personally, I should purchase tickets immediately because, as previously described, this is one of the busiest travel days in France.

Tickets for the iDTGV are now available at about 73 euros. These tickets can only be purchased on line. Otherwise tickets for that date are around 90 to 100 euros. I find no more PREM (discount) tickets available for 2 August.

To book tickets:

www.voyages-sncf.com (in French only)
www.tgv-europe.com

If you are in N America, select GB as your country and pickup tickets in France, for which you will need to present the same credit card used in the on line transaction. iDTGV tickets can only be obtained by printing them yourself. Using the tgv-europe website and selecting either the US or Canada will redirect you to a different site where ticket prices are much more expensive.

that TGV requires advance purchase to get a seat, literally you can buy it same day, but on a vacation, better be safe than sorry ,and buy ahead. Also ,this is the time we take off for vacation big time, so more power to the reservation ahead.
The ISIC card if it shows the birthdate and a photo is ok for the studend discount.
you can get good info at
www.TGV.com once ready with your preferred schedule, the site automatically switch you over to www.voyages-sncf.com for the purchase.
The cheapest tickets are the PREM'S, but they are non refundable and non cancellable once you print them.
Hope it helps

I would chose France to pick up the tickets. On the GB sometimes you have only a very high standard fare which is unfavourable for you. You can pick up your tickets at a distributer at a French station.

For people until 25 years of age there is generally a 25% discount. But in TGV discounted places might be limited.

You can buy a "Carte 12-25". It costs about 50 EUR and is valable one year. It generally gives you 50% discount. Once again, places for this discounted tarif are limited, but with the carte 25% discount is guaranteed.

You should be able to purchase a ticket with a Carte 12-25 discount in advance and buy the carte once you arrived to France. A passport should be sufficient for purchase.

The age limit for the above mentioned discounts is 25 years inclusive. Student status is of no importance.