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Post by tod2 on Mar 7, 2014 14:56:12 GMT
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Post by bjd on Mar 7, 2014 17:29:49 GMT
Once you add in the cost of getting to Marne-la-Vallée and from the station you arrive at to the centre, is it really worth committing yourself so far in advance? You can probably get IdTGV or Prems tickets for not much more than that if you buy them early enough.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2014 17:54:57 GMT
Another thing to take into consideration is that these trains are made of older TGV cars that have been reconditioned, and the seats are smaller so that they can fit more in. If I lived in the eastern suburbs, I would probably give it a try anyway, but the product is directed more at young people (or poor families) who are used to putting up with less comfortable means of travel. One reason that the SNCF invented this service is because long distance domestic coach service is beginning to spread in France, and obviously the TGV will always be much faster than a bus.
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Post by fumobici on Mar 8, 2014 0:39:28 GMT
Having recently booked a trip on SNCF, I too am getting sent similar promotions for Summer travel deals on the French trains. Luckily, or unluckily as the case may be, I will be safely out of tempation's reach so can safely delete such mails with only a wistful cursory examination.
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Post by htmb on Mar 8, 2014 1:37:14 GMT
While I, on the other hand, am on the hunt for interesting deals. Besides needing to book Paris/La Rochelle, I'm also beginning to think about two or three different day trips out of Paris.
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Post by bjd on Mar 9, 2014 18:02:35 GMT
Of course, it depends on what you call a "day trip", but unless you want to go to Strasbourg or somewhere needing a TGV, why commit yourself to a specific date? What if it rains the day you planned to go somewhere? If it's not that far away, a train ticket is not going to be that expensive.
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Post by htmb on Mar 9, 2014 18:13:32 GMT
Very true, bjd. I am actually thinking about Strasbourg for one day trip, and perhaps Dijon for another. I am a bit concerned that if I don't make plans that involve non-refundable tickets, inertia will set in and I'll be content to just wander the city rather than venture out. Which wouldn't be such a bad thing either. I guess it's a win win situation. However, since I will be traveling in the summer, I suspect it could always be storming one minute and sunny the next on just about any day I'd pick. If I had waited for good weather on my last trip I only would have had 4 decent days out of 14 to venture out.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2014 19:42:49 GMT
I would heartily recommend a trip to Strasbourg, but "Ouigo" doesn't go there since it only does "north-south" routes at the moment. And I think that even ID-TGV has stopped its service to Strasbourg. (But there are still plenty of cheap fares.) I don't really care about the weather when visiting a city, although obviously nice weather can make the visit spectacular.
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Post by htmb on Mar 9, 2014 23:22:28 GMT
Yes, I know, and I don't have any illusions about purchasing something like Ouigo. That's why I'm planning to purchase TGV tickets as soon as I'm 90 days out. The TGV tickets to La Rochelle tickets will also be purchased soon. For tickets to somewhere like Chartres or Auvers-sur-Oise I'll just wait to purchase on the day of departure. I took a day trip to Metz a few years ago. Going a bit farther to get to Strasbourg shouldn't make for too much longer of a day and I'm anxious to see the city.
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Post by tod2 on Mar 10, 2014 11:33:40 GMT
Thanks for all the comments and advice - that is what I need to make up my mind. Your information about the Ouigo itself is great Kerouac - if we were to travel all the way to Marseilles for instance, and spend a day or so before returning, it might prove an uncomfortable experience.
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Post by htmb on Mar 10, 2014 21:00:01 GMT
I realized after blabbering on that I had jumped in on your thread. Sorry about that, Tod.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2014 18:33:05 GMT
I will continue to go off topic and mention that I was checking various fares from Paris to Avignon regarding a hypothetical trip by my brother and his wife in June, and I was horrified by the fares, many of which were over 100€. Fares in April and May are as low as 29.90€ on normal TGVs.
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