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Interrail reservations on SNCF ticket machines

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DeverseSam

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Further to discussion on another thread, I found a photo showing the previous possibility to make Interrail reservations on SNCF ticket machines

Photo 1: Karlsruhe to Paris December 2023, €18 on either TGV or ICE

and for comparison

Photo 2: Karlsruhe to Paris March 2024, €221 on either TGV or ICE

Interesting that that worked on those machines, even starting from Germany.

(Anyone who needs convincing of Interrail value should see this by the way, €203 saving for one one-way journey!)
 

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rvdborgt

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Pass reservations on the ticket machine never worked for all international TGVs. Although it's a bit strange that they dropped a working one.
Next question is whether domestic reservations still work.
 
HarryF

HarryF

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Does it let you choose a specific seat when making a reservation from the machines, or is allocation random?
 
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rvdborgt

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HarryF said:
Does it let you choose a specific seat when making a reservation from the machines, or is allocation random?
Click to expand...
Last time I booked on a ticket machine, you could only indicate preferences like table seat or solo seat, but not choose a specific seat.
 
30907

30907

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rvdborgt said:
Last time I booked on a ticket machine, you could only indicate preferences like table seat or solo seat, but not choose a specific seat.
Click to expand...
Correct - and that's all the travel centre can offer too :)
 
306024

306024

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trei2k said:
It would be great if anyone in France can test this, as a previous thread highlighted that it was not possible.
Click to expand...
I tried a couple of weeks ago at Lille Europe for a reservation from Paris Bercy to Clermont-Ferrand. The machine had the interrail option on it, but then didn't apply the 100% fare discount to leave just the reservation fee. The very helpful travel centre clerk did the reservation for me, but she was surprised the machine had stopped doing it and was going to investigate herself after serving me. Unfortunately I didn't have time to watch her.

Further update, confirmed today (15/03) by SNCF staff at two other stations that you need to see a human. Even though misleadingly the machines retain the interrail discount option.
 
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DeverseSam

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Location
Reading West
306024 said:
I tried a couple of weeks ago at Lille Europe for a reservation from Paris Bercy to Clermont-Ferrand. The machine had the interrail option on it, but then didn't apply the 100% fare discount to leave just the reservation fee. The very helpful travel centre clerk did the reservation for me, but she was surprised the machine had stopped doing it and was going to investigate herself after serving me. Unfortunately I didn't have time to watch her.

Further update, confirmed today (15/03) by SNCF staff at two other stations that you need to see a human. Even though misleadingly the machines retain the interrail discount option.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Indeed misleading and some people will buy from the machine anyway not understanding the €20 ceiling.

I’ll guess I’ll have to use Raileurope if the ticket office is closed. But Raileurope has a 30 min deadline compared to 5 min deadline on the machine
 
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Ian99

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Just for the possible assistance of anyone else reading this thread - the RailEurope online booking seems to work well with no booking fees, and with a refund on an unwanted reservation coming back to my account within seconds. However obviously there will be situations where the ability to book (or cancel) 5 minutes before would be required.

I've a tight connection, Paris Nord to Montparnasse next week which might mean that I don't get my planned train. I've therefore booked a 2nd reservation for the one after. If I know 30 minutes before the 1st train that I'm not going to catch it, then I'll cancel that reservation and take the 2nd train. Once I'm successfully on the 1st train I can cancel the 2nd train's reservation....
 
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