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SNCF Intercités - Reservation Compulsory?

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317666

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Hi all, quick question...

Are reservations compulsory on SNCF Intercités? If the answer is yes, do tickets have to be booked in advance or can I just turn up on the day and buy one? I'm staying in Paris next week and I'm thinking about doing a day trip to somewhere like Amiens or Rouen, but don't have any concrete plans and would rather not have to book something in advance.

Many thanks!
 
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CC 72100

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On certain Intercités, yes.

Rouen is definitely not reservation compulsory, and don't believe Amiens is either.
 

Polarbear

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As far as I'm aware, the only IC services that require a compulsory reservation in France are;

  • Paris - Clermont Ferrand
  • Paris - Toulouse via Limoges
  • Bordeaux - Marselles/Nice

And of course, all TGV's.

So you'll be OK going out to the north of Paris.
 
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Bletchleyite

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To clarify, on routes with compulsory reservation you can still turn up and buy one on the day (or indeed 5 minutes beforehand from a TVM), it's just that if it's full it's full.
 

Gordon

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Quite a few lines out of Paris still have fast or semi-fast Intercites or limited stop TER services, all of which are turn up and go.

For example:

Paris Montparnasse - Rambouillet
Paris St Lazare - Caen Cherbourg
Paris St Lazare - Rouen - Le Havre
Paris Nord - Amiens
Paris Nord Compiegne - St Quentin - Maubeuge
Paris Est - Bar le Duc
Paris Est - St Dizier
Paris Bercy - Dijon - Lyon


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317666

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Thanks for the information all, looks like I don't really have anything to worry about :)
 

Gordon

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I would recommend the Paris Est - Epernay - Bar le Duc / St Dizier route. Still traditional Corail with BB15000 haulage. Pleasant scenery east of Paris along the Marne valley almost all the way. Bar le Duc and St Dizier are just at the western edge of the eastern French uplands. Or stop off at Epernay for the champagne! An even shorter hop to Chateau Thierry gives you a trip to a nice small town. There are also lots of war legacy memorials etc in that region


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317666

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Indeed, Corails with a 'nez cassé' up front was what I had in mind, I'll definitely consider that route!
 
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