Travel In Normandy

[Thames99]

I'm going to be staying a few days in Dieppe soon and realised that it is quite feasible to travel to Vernon-Giverny to see Monet's garden. I've come across this Weekend ticket for two people which seems an absolute bargain for 20 Euro

https://www.ter.sncf.com/normandie/tarifs-cartes/bons-plans/pass-normandie-decouverte

Would this ticket work for that journey with a change in Rouen? I'm not sure if Vernon is still in Normandy as it seems to be right on the border. Nomad seems to be the name given to Normandy TER trains - is that correct? There are several brands - Krono, Citi and Proxi for example. Dieppe to Rouen is Proxi and Rouen to Vernon is Citi, so I assume these are considered part of Nomad where this ticket can be used. It also looks as if it would cover the bus to Giverny from the station.

This map shows the various route brands, but it implies that they are all parts of Nomad

Les plans du réseau NOMAD

nomad.normandie.fr

 

[peteb]

Yes from the map link you supplied Vernon is classed as being in "Eure" for the purposes of the pass and onward travel to/from Giverny is by bus L208. So you just need to check train and bus times. Also if travelling on a TER Train that needs reservations you can book a seat for free on https://www.maplaceabord.com/maplacelibre

 

[nwales58]

It is one of the french regional bargains. Eur20 for 2 (+5/person for 3-5) at weekends and public holidays, 35 midweek but only during school holidays. Unlimited travel on the network so the change in Rouen is fine as would another day of bus through Fecamp, Etretat if you want to see some of the originals and back by train. There's also the Musee des Beaux Arts in Rouen.

You've found nomad.normandie.fr and the english page. French regions are responsible for local transport (train, interurban and school buses but not urban not TGV, Intercites etc). Nomad is Normandy's brand name. Some even subsidise car sharing which the french are big on.

On TER, as well as the Citi/Proxi branding some are shown as 'Train Nomad' but it's all TER. If you see compulsory reservations on TER in Normandy they only apply on the journeys starting/ending in Paris.

Other regions with good value rovers, mostly multi-person, multi-day: Bretagne, Pays de la Loire, Centre-Val de Loire and Occitanie. Plus a few at Departement level.

 

[signed]

It is one of the french regional bargains. Eur20 for 2

I didn't realise it was this cheap. In contrast for a train-only Bretagne rover it's €55 for 2 days for one to 5 persons

 

[nwales58]

Cheap but look at the service levels, try Cherbourg to Mont St Michel and back for a day out, it's a bit limiting, and buses are sparse away from Caen and Rouen.

Breizhgo is dearer but includes up to 5 people.
Occitanie is also cheap: Eur10 per person per day for 2-6 days and the region is mega, from Tarbes/Cahors/Toulouse down to Perpignan and up to Nimes, but they also have Eur1 tickets on the first weekend of the month and so on.

 

[rvdborgt]

Also if travelling on a TER Train that needs reservations you can book a seat for free on https://www.maplaceabord.com/maplacelibre

How do you book a seat there? It says "Select your car" after I've chosen a train, but I don't see how to select one.

 

[signed]

Ma place libre is to show non-reserved seating for season ticket holders, and maplaceabord is to book such seating for season ticket holders.

Only when you take the train to/from Paris are reservations compulsory, if you get on a Krono/Krono+ train on route, and do not go to Paris, you don't need a resetvation

I don't know how it works for Interrail passholders however.

 

[peteb]

How do you book a seat there? It says "Select your car" after I've chosen a train, but I don't see how to select one.

Not sure you'd need one if not travelling to/from Paris? In any case that site can only check trains from A to B 3 days in advance so if looking for eg: next week it won't let you.

Aha I've just done it for tonight Paris to Rouen and it shows empty unreserved seats by train and carriage. It doesn't appear to let you click on them so maybe it's just a tool to show you where the empty seats are so you can sit in them with the pass?

Maybe someone has tried it and can offer more specific advice?

Other than that ask at a staffed SNCF station when you get your ticket?

 

[rvdborgt]

Not sure you'd need one if not travelling to/from Paris?

You don't, but I was doing a test with Paris to Le Havre.

 

[signed]

For interrail passholders to/from Paris, taking a Citi train (train number not starting with either 31, 33 or 34) doesn't need a reservation

For Krono/Krono+ (trains number starting with either 31, 33, 34) you can get your reservation at RailEurope, and it's €1.70

 

[Thames99]

Thanks all. It all seemed too good to be true as the normal single fare for one person from Dieppe to Vernon is over 20 Euros.

I think we'll have one day at Giverny and another in Rouen over the weekend.

 

[dutchflyer]

Since these new larger regions came into being-merged from 2 older smaller such ones, they were also made resp. for organising local transpo-both TER-trains (still all run by state SNCF) and regional buses and a marked difference in policy for this seen. Some really set on low fares (Occitanie), other on big reductions for special ´social groups´ and other more on improving the links.
A local ride-at-will ticket is also available in Grand Est (former Alsace+Lorraine) and along the Loire (Nantes + around)

 

[nwales58]

A local ride-at-will ticket is also available in Grand Est (former Alsace+Lorraine) and along the Loire (Nantes + around)

For the whole of Grand Est? If so, URL please. I was only aware of Alsa+ which covers the pre-2016 Alsace region but no day passes in the rest of Grand-Est.
Along the Loire both Pays de la Loire (Nantes-Angers-Le Mans) and Centre-Val de Loire (Tours, Orléans etc) regions have separate tourist passes with different options.

 

[Gordon]

I found the English version of the info about the pass surprisingly easy to understand (I am fluent in French but wanted to check what the English version looks like)

Sounds a good bargain to me and fairly simple to use especially if you stay on the most local trains. In this case, for Vernon stick to Citi trains for safety's sake and avoid 'Krono'