 Poster: A snowHead
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Due to a prior commitment our 16 year old wants to make her own way back from our April holiday in St Martin to London by train.
She can either get the bus or we can drop her in Moutiers for the train and then it’s a change at Chambéry before a TGV to Paris-Lyon then travel to Gare du Nord for Eurostar home.
Train line is offering me a chance to buy this ticket or I can use the SNCF website. Eurostar rules seem fine for 16+ to travel alone.
I’d be so grateful for any tips or comments from seasoned train travellers in this route (particularly if it matters how we buy the ticket).
The changing times in Paris and Chambéry are generous and she is very used to the tube at home so I’m confident she can make her way across Paris on the RER.
She travelled from Lenzerheide to Zurich airport via bus and train earlier this month without issue so she’s not completely without experience but this one seems a level up! So I’d be grateful for any notes or remarks from wise snowheads. Thank you
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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When I was in Paris a few months ago the TGV from Gare de Lyon to G de Nord was not running. Had to go on the ordinary Metro (only a bit more complicated). Not sure if that is still so.
Such a shame the overnight train with couchettes Bourg from/to Paris was discontinued years ago.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@snowball, it's the RER from Gare de Lyon to Gare du Nord. It was running fine in mid January.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Fri 24-02-23 18:52; edited 1 time in total
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@Skimum1, buy the ticket direct on SNCF. Trainline will likely charge a booking fee (and are a nightmare to deal with if there are any issues with the booking.)
It's a pretty easy journey. Chambrey is a small station so easy for changing at
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| sugarmoma666 wrote: |
@Skimum1, buy the ticket direct on SNCF. Trainline will likely charge a booking fee (and are a nightmare to deal with if there are any issues with the booking.)
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+1
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@sugarmoma666, Sorry, a slip of the brain: I meant the RER. That was start of December so obviously the work on the line ended soon after.
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Great experience for her.  But if it's expensive, and if this early trip home is something SHE wants to do, ensure that she makes a financial contribution.
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@Skimum1, on French domestic services I think you may have to validate tickets at a machine on the platform before boarding the train. Which is something she won't be used to in the UK.
Does she speak any French? Could be helpful for minor queries.
Not sure if you can buy an RER ticket on the TGV?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I hope it works well for her. My kids coped well with flying alone and train travel alone from age 12 onwards. Booking through the french system with public transport generally seems cheaper than booking through any international system. There is the thing about validating tickets on trains that we are not used to here, but with the right attitude and the ability to say just a few words in French our experience has been that help will be given when needed.
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She's probably terrific on the internet. Get her to do the research herself!! But check.........
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| ecureuil wrote: |
| @Skimum1, on French domestic services I think you may have to validate tickets at a machine on the platform before boarding the train. |
No. You just get a QR code and someone on the train scans this to see if it is valid. You'll need ID. The QR code the phone will suffice, no need to print.
Chambery has quite a few platforms but is no problem to negotiate.
Take care in Paris. Gare du Nord is not particularly secure and there are a lot of dodgy people on the public transport including a lot of pick pockets, although they tend to favour the metro system with less time between stops.
Personally, if I had a 16 year old daughter they wouldn't be crossing Paris alone but YMMV. I doubt anything will happen.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Quote: |
if I had a 16 year old daughter they wouldn't be crossing Paris alone
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But surely there are loads of 16 year olds going back and forth to school on public transport in Paris? Or meeting their friends to go shopping etc? As there are in London. Or Portsmouth.
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@Skimum1, you probably know this already, but make sure your daughter has an authorisation letter from you (just in case) to cross the border from France to the U.K. She might be fine but better to be safe.
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You know it makes sense.
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Or Grenoble
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@davidof I thought you had to ‘compostez’ a ticket before travelling on most trains? Or has that now been superseded by technology? I haven’t used a French train for more than a decade, so I might well be out of date on this. But …
From maninseat61: Ticket validation: All French train tickets (except print-at-home e-tickets) must be validated just before you board your train, by putting them into the small yellow machines marked Compostez votre billet at the entrance to each platform. There may be a fine if you don't!
And from ConnexionFrance, the same advice in this article.
The stuff I’ve looked at on this seems a bit ambiguous about the exceptions i.e.whether all tickets bought online are necessarily exempt or not.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@LaForet, I've not had to do this with tickets bought online either from Trainline or SNCF Connect. You just need the QR code.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If this young lady omitted to "composter" the ticket, from being unfamiliar with French trains, I doubt she'd be clapped in irons. If she's aware of the practice, and looking out for the machines on the platform, that should be fine. I don't see any problems with the proposed journey though a letter of authorisation from parents makes lots of sense.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Definitely book with SNCF it's likely to be a fair bit cheaper than Trainline, certainly that was what I found after if already booked tickets with trainline when I traveled to Austria in December. Trainline were also useless when it came to a train being cancelled due to French strikes.
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According to SNCF Connect
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E-tickets are so much more convenient:
E-tickets are available instantly via our app and by e-mail.
No more lost tickets! You can retrieve your tickets in a few simple clicks and print them out at any time.
There is no need to validate your ticket on the platform.
After-sales service is also easier.
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I am sure that as davidof has said, the qr code on the phone is fine. But the pessimist in me will make me do a printout to tuck way somewhere handy just in case my phone chooses to pack up in my forthcoming trip to the Alps. I can do paranoid.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@achilles, I have my boarding passes, insurance certificate and car hire voucher printed out. I don't think that's paranoid. I do think this trip back to the UK is a super, manageable and sensible adventure for a 16 year old girl.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thank you for the advice everyone - much appreciated and very reassuring. She managed fine with the Swiss e ticket so I’m hoping this will go smoothly again booking directly (agree print out always wise if available) and will hopefully avoid problems with composter etc. I agree the crossing Paris bit needs a bit more research and will warn her appropriately to be more alert there.
I will send her with a letter of authority - did this last year when she flew back at 15 and don’t think it’s technically required unless a French resident - but it definitely can’t hurt in case we’ve missed anything!
She is doing all the research but I do like to keep an eye in case of of the unexpected! She’s coming back for a competition in an extra curricular she trains hard in so I’m happy to facilitate it this time… offset in ski hire/pass/meals out probably evens out more or less.
Thanks again for the collective wisdom, I’m really grateful!
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I think that's a great thing for a 16 year old to do. A bit of an adventure she'll remember. Well done for allowing her to do it.
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| LaForet wrote: |
I haven’t used a French train for more than a decade, so I might well be out of date on this.
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yes, I can see that.
Were they still running on steam?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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That’s a super resource, thank you!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I expect will just put the trip across Paris into google maps like any normal teenager, and it will tell her exactly what to do (try it).
Also, as an alternative, she could take the bus (think there’s one change from memory, but no drama) - assuming it’s still day time, a much more pleasant way to see a bit of Paris.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Bus is fun if there's time. We started to do the trip on the bus once but found ourselves stuck in heavy traffic (I think it was New Year sales) and had to get off and dive down the Metro.
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| pam w wrote: |
| @achilles, I have my boarding passes, insurance certificate and car hire voucher printed out. I don't think that's paranoid. I do think this trip back to the UK is a super, manageable and sensible adventure for a 16 year old girl. |
I do, too.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Skimum1, we have done this trip from Les Menuires many times and always allow almost two hours to get from Gare De Lyon to Gare Du Nord. We start with a taxi to Moutiers as the bus times don't seem to line up. This February our TER train left Moutiers at 0849 arriving Paris at 1317, after a 15 minute wait and platform change at Chambery on to the TGV. Then, including the walking, it's 25 to 30 minutes on the RER direction Orry La Ville/Creil or Gousainville, trains every 10 minutes. Check in and border security often 30 to 45 minutes. The waiting area is often crowded. Our Eurostar then left 1503 arriving London 1639.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| davidof wrote: |
| LaForet wrote: |
I haven’t used a French train for more than a decade, so I might well be out of date on this.
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yes, I can see that.
Were they still running on steam? |
And some members wonder why people find SnowHeads a patronising bunch.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Pejoli wrote: |
I expect will just put the trip across Paris into google maps like any normal teenager, and it will tell her exactly what to do (try it).
Also, as an alternative, she could take the bus (think there’s one change from memory, but no drama) - assuming it’s still day time, a much more pleasant way to see a bit of Paris. |
If she isn't taking much luggage with her, and wants to see something of Paris, she can even walk. It is about 3 miles.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Best suggestion yet, @ecureuil.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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My kids caught the sleeper from Paris to Briançon having flown out to Paris from Newcastle earlier in the day. They had a few hours in Paris, dinner of steak and beer near the station and arrived in a taxi at 8.30am at the door of our apartment. Aged 15 and 17. School hadn't broken up and one of them had mock exams so we travelled without them as we were getting the keys for our apartment.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@andy1234, thank you - those timings sound very similar to those we are considering and a similar time to cross Paris in particular.
Walking, bus, sightseeing and stopping for dinner all sound very relaxed and civilised! I know she’d love to see Paris as she has asked before. I suspect on this occasion she’ll be quite focused on completing the solo trip successfully and making it back home in time for her team trip the next day. Maybe next time!
Thanks again to all who’ve shared their experience and advice; we will go ahead and make the arrangements directly with SNCF and Eurostar this weekend. I’m really grateful.
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