Break of Journey with SNCF?

[SquireBev]

The other half and I are planning our summer holiday, and we're looking at doing a tour of southern France, getting about by train.

Provisionally we're looking at doing Lyon > Marseilles > Montpellier > Toulouse, with a couple of nights in each, and ideally a TGV between them.

We'd also like to stop off in Avignon for a few hours on the Lyon to Marseilles leg, and Carcassonne on the Montpellier to Toulouse leg. Would we be able to do this as part of a break of journey on a through ticket, or would we need to split the journey and buy separate tickets?

 

[BC]

You cannot as far as I know get on a TGV without a seat reservation so that will probably mandate buying split tickets unless you can buy one through ticket and then seperate seat reservations.

Another annoying feature is that you can only use one card (credit) for three transactions every 24 hours on SNCF as I found to my annoyance once.

 

[Bletchleyite]

You cannot as far as I know get on a TGV without a seat reservation so that will probably mandate buying split tickets unless you can buy one through ticket and then seperate seat reservations.

You can't. TGVs are basically ticketed as per planes - the ticket and reservation is one thing and inseparable, and tickets are valid on the booked train only. You would need to purchase separate tickets.

 

[SquireBev]

Thanks for the quick responses.

So it's not doable on TGV - what about on the local trains?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thanks for the quick responses.

So it's not doable on TGV - what about on the local trains?

I don't know about the rules there, but I'd probably just stick with TGVs and split the tickets!

 

[30907]

Local trains are still OK AFAIK, but they aren't always as cheap as TGV Prems (Advance) fares and you might want to check out left luggage facilities near the stations first.

 

[SquireBev]

Local trains are still OK AFAIK, but they aren't always as cheap as TGV Prems (Advance) fares and you might want to check out left luggage facilities near the stations first.

Good point - hadn't thought of that.

Doesn't look like the Gare de Carcassonne has any left luggage facilities, which is a bit of a pain.

 

[dutchflyer]

There is a separate international subforum, perhaps better suited, but the main tendency has been given.Also: there is in FR on normal full fare prices (or also if reduced 25% for junior/senior when all trips are off-peak) not that much reduction in A(viaB)to C and direct A to C. Only the basic charge of around 2 eur is then not paid twice., you still pay all the Kms made at the fixed charge.
There are very few real discounts available on local=TER trains for non French tourists. Except the only locally to be had 1 eur fares in region around Montpellier for some branch lines. For what you mention IF you can get them when booking at the right time and if there are no strikes, social conflicts or whatever, the PREM on long-dist are best, even beter as the usual discounts off full fare. Note that on the coastal line Mars-Touls-Bordx are also many more Intercitë/Corail, the TGV will not run through. Also note that Montpellier now has 2 gares-1 way out in the fields with hardly a real bus even, mostly for TGV.

 

[30907]

Good point - hadn't thought of that.

Doesn't look like the Gare de Carcassonne has any left luggage facilities, which is a bit of a pain.

Nor Avignon, though Google suggests alternatives for both.

 

[TRAX]

On reservation-free TER trains, even when you have a ticket for a specific train, you can take any train you want between the two stations of your ticket.

 

[newmilton]

A few years ago I was in the Loire valley, staying in Blois. I wanted to visit the chateaux at Chaumont, Amboise, and Chinon, so I went to the ticket counter (I do speak French) and explained I would need to break my journey twice (and make a connection in Tours) and what ticket would I need, and was sold a simple Blois-Chinon return. All TER of course, but no issue with break of journey.

That being said, the length of time tickets are valid has been reduced since then in an attempt to cut down on fare evasion, and a journey like that may no longer be possible on a single ticket.

 

[Myb]

On TER services break-of-journey is permitted, providing the total trip length does not exceed 24 hours. The ticket should be stamped again at each intermediate station.

 

[reb0118]

On TER services break-of-journey is permitted......(t)he ticket should be stamped again at each intermediate station.

At the yellow compostier or at the booking office?

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

There are next to no left luggage facilities at French stations, I can recall only Lille Europe, Paris Nord, Lyon, Marseilles St-Charles and Bordeaux as a consequent of 'Operation Vigipirate', first introduced some 25 years ago... In smaller cities, definitely not so I normally plan visits around staying in a hotel for a few days. Break of Journey is available for 24h on TER routes (or indeed any without compulsory reservation), the times I have done it I have 'compostee' at the station when restarting my journey and no one has argued. The widespread use of compulsory reservation trains has effectively reduced what was otherwise a major fraud issue as I seem to recall that 'ordinary' tickets were valid for a month and there was/(is?) widespread abuse of them. A number of TGV routes are now being equipped with entry gates on platform to further reduce fraudulent travel (ie. at least to have some kind of reservation to board).

 

[Myb]

At the yellow compostier or at the booking office?

At the yellow machine

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There is a separate international subforum, perhaps better suited, but the main tendency has been given.Also: there is in FR on normal full fare prices (or also if reduced 25% for junior/senior when all trips are off-peak) not that much reduction in A(viaB)to C and direct A to C. Only the basic charge of around 2 eur is then not paid twice., you still pay all the Kms made at the fixed charge.
There are very few real discounts available on local=TER trains for non French tourists. Except the only locally to be had 1 eur fares in region around Montpellier for some branch lines. For what you mention IF you can get them when booking at the right time and if there are no strikes, social conflicts or whatever, the PREM on long-dist are best, even beter as the usual discounts off full fare. Note that on the coastal line Mars-Touls-Bordx are also many more Intercitë/Corail, the TGV will not run through. Also note that Montpellier now has 2 gares-1 way out in the fields with hardly a real bus even, mostly for TGV.

Some TERs offer senior tickets (over 60) at 25% discount, with no need for a railcard, just passport.
I'm pretty sure the ones in the south involved (Occitanie etc) offer this.
Bookable online.
They don't work across borders - eg available from all Cote d'Azur stations but not from Ventimiglia on the same train!

 

[Bletchleyite]

At the yellow machine

Over the top or fold the ticket somehow?