Changing seat reservations on a TGV booked via DB

[WesternLancer]

Advice / info gratefully received - tho I suspect the answer is that I should have done this in a different way to start off with.

Travel is a date in August from southern Germany to Paris. I booked via the DB website (which I'd not used much before) and got a good value price for a through fare in 1st class. My journey starts off on an ICE and then with a change at Mannheim onto to a TGV for Paris.

I was able to change my seat selection on the ICE to the precise seat I desired using the clear seating plans of the ICE train - window seat with table and best window alignment. I expected to then be able to do the same for the TGV leg of the journey as when selecting the seating preference options I didn't really get the seat I wanted when the ticket was generated. I got Coach 13 seat 31 on TGV 9552 if that helps. I realise the TGVs seem to have far fewer table seats / 'Club Duo seats' which would have been my preference so long as window alignment good.

Is there a way I can select an alternative seat using my booking with DB that I am missing? If so any tips would be great.

Not the biggest of problems but if I can change seats without hassle then I'll check what alternatives are available and may make a change.

 

[30907]

You've got a Salle Basse (downstairs) and want the upper deck?

Seat selection is AFAIK only possible on the SNCF site - where you could do a test booking to see what is available.

The only way I can think of is to phone +33 1 84 94 3635 - from memory the English option is then 85. Even SNCF ticket machines seem to have trouble with tickets they haven't issued themselves (not that you would find one in Mannheim, I think!)

 

[rvdborgt]

You've got a Salle Basse (downstairs) and want the upper deck?

Seat selection is AFAIK only possible on the SNCF site - where you could do a test booking to see what is available.

The only way I can think of is to phone +33 1 84 94 3635 - from memory the English option is then 85. Even SNCF ticket machines seem to have trouble with tickets they haven't issued themselves (not that you would find one in Mannheim, I think!)

Choose #85 for English but SNCF won't be able to access the DB booking. Only DB can.

 

[WesternLancer]

You've got a Salle Basse (downstairs) and want the upper deck?

Seat selection is AFAIK only possible on the SNCF site - where you could do a test booking to see what is available.

The only way I can think of is to phone +33 1 84 94 3635 - from memory the English option is then 85. Even SNCF ticket machines seem to have trouble with tickets they haven't issued themselves (not that you would find one in Mannheim, I think!)

Thanks - I did want the upper deck indeed. Not sure what I have got really as the pdf plan of the TGV issued by SNCF is not very clear and combine that with my limited french language skills and it is not a doc that was helping me very much.

Sounds like from @rvdborgt that even if I phone them (which I would be happy to do) they can't swap it if the reservation is issued by DB then via DB's auto allocation system?

 

[rvdborgt]

Thanks - I did want the upper deck indeed. Not sure what I have got really as the pdf plan of the TGV issued by SNCF is not very clear and combine that with my limited french language skills and it is not a doc that was helping me very much.

Sounds like from @rvdborgt that even if I phone them (which I would be happy to do) they can't swap it if the reservation is issued by DB then via DB's auto allocation system?

Call DB and ask what they can do:

Contacting Deutsche Bahn: You can reach us by phone or e-mail

Overview of Deutsche Bahn's main service hotlines and e-mail addresses. Here you find information on prices, timetables, DB agencies and services.

www.bahn.com

 

[rheingold103]

I had a similar experience with Germany to Paris reservations made for an ICE journey on DB's International site. The one-armed bandit that the system seems to be produced two reservations for one seat behind the other. I deliberately did not specify window or aisle as I know this can encourage irrational selection. Fortunately two other travellers boarded who had reservations one behind the other in the adjacent seats, so we simply swapped. I had enquired of DB before travelling, who responded with an equivalent of a shrug 'our system does not permit this for trains to France'.

 

[rvdborgt]

I had enquired of DB before travelling, who responded with an equivalent of a shrug 'our system does not permit this for trains to France'.

This is quite possible. Belgian railways seem to have the same problem, they're probably booking SNCF trains using the same SNCF API.