Interrail/Eurail not valid in SNCF TER In South East France!!?!

They have left the national tariff of SNCF completely: 

“Depuis le 1er juillet 2022, la majorité des tarifs et cartes nationales SNCF n'est plus applicable sur le réseau TER SUD.”

Reading their new tariff informaton, Interrail and Eurail passes are explicitly not valid since yesterday (as are most other national tariff offers).

Reason (in french): “Afin d’harmoniser l’offre tarifaire régionale du réseau de transports ZOU ! et pour une meilleure compréhension des usagers en prévision de l’ouverture à la concurrence, le Conseil Régional SUD-Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur a décidé de ne plus accepter la tarification commerciale nationale SNCF - comme les cartes Avantage et tarifs Découverte - à bord des TER/ZOU ! à compter du 1er juillet 2022.”

So Interrail / Eurail is not valid anymore on TER trains in between Avignon - Marseille - Cannes - Monaco - italian border on the southern  coast (or up north to Briançon). At least it says: “Pour les trajets ayant une origine et une destination en région Sud, les tarifs suivants ne sont plus disponibles à la vente et ne seront plus applicables: [and] Pour les trajets ayant une origine ou une destination en région Sud et en région Occitanie, les tarifs suivants ne sont plus disponibles à la vente et ne seront plus applicables: [...]

• Billets au tarif Eurail Pass et Inter Rail”

@rvdborgt  :/ Another step in the wrong direction :/

Yeah looks like the region took over the Train services there :/ And they don´t wanna accept Interrail/Eurail anymore :/

Maybe they Region and Eurail can find a solution.

I am pretty concerned because I will be traveling on this route in 2 weeks, but on twitter I have read that passes which have been bought before the 1st of July are still valid. Let’s see what happens.

Yes-since a few yrs the FRench regions are completely responsible to organise the transport in their area-and they can also decide on what they accept or what not. Similar to Poland-where also many local regions do not accept the passes-but there it more clear to grasp as they also have their own railways=easy to recognise. Plus there are since many yrs enormous struggles between thsi region, very dissatisfied with what state-run SNCF offers in practice (a multitude of strikes, filthy old trains and many cancellations) so they also take any chance to lay on their own invented rulings

The only positive thing is that there are also quiet decent buses at very low prices (often just 1,50 or 1€)-and these can offer a viable alternative, f.e. around Marseille and Nice

Information about the topic on interrail.eu:

Urgent message regarding TER trains in Southern France

Dear travellers, 

It has come to our attention that the transport regional authority in the “Sud PACA” region of France (Sud Provence- Alpes- Côte D’Azur) is not accepting Interrail/Eurail Passes on board TER trains. 

We are currently investigating the matter directly with SNCF (France's national state-owned railway carrier and Eurail B.V. shareholder) to understand what this means for you as a traveller.

We thank you for your patience and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

is there any update on this? I am currently in nice and trying to get to the italian border tommorow.

No, today is Sunday and an update from SNCF can get some days. 

From the information of “Sud PACA” Tickets bought before 1st July 2022 are still valid. If this is also the case for Interrail Pass is here the question. You probably have bought your pass before. 

Angelo wrote:

spacemanvt wrote:

is there any update on this? I am currently in nice and trying to get to the italian border tommorow.

No, today is Sunday and an update from SNCF can get some days. 

From the information of “Sud PACA” Tickets bought before 1st July 2022 are still valid. If this is also the case for Interrail Pass is here the question. You probably have bought your pass before. 

 

thanks!

does this refer to the pass or the actual seat reservation?

I havent booked my seat reservation yet for nice to milan so I am confused what I should do here.

Can you send the link to this information?

I’m following this situation too. Today I called TER’s customer service (It’s in French only, but I managed to connect to an English speaking agent by pressing 1 and then 2, if someone’s interested.) They don’t know if Interrail passes are valid and why did the region ban the pass either! I heard that the agent will get some info later and I should call them back. However, the line is closed or broken or too full since then, when I try calling it automatically hangs up on me. Could any of the French guys try calling them and ask if our passes received before 1st July are still valid? Here is the number: +33 800 11 40 23

spacemanvt wrote:

Angelo wrote:

spacemanvt wrote:

is there any update on this? I am currently in nice and trying to get to the italian border tommorow.

No, today is Sunday and an update from SNCF can get some days. 

From the information of “Sud PACA” Tickets bought before 1st July 2022 are still valid. If this is also the case for Interrail Pass is here the question. You probably have bought your pass before. 

 

thanks!

does this refer to the pass or the actual seat reservation?

I havent booked my seat reservation yet for nice to milan so I am confused what I should do here.

Can you send the link to this information?

TER trains in Sud PACA have no reservation. It is not a long distance train. Normally you add the trip to your pass (=Ticket) and hop on the train to Ventimiglia and from there with the italian trains. Now we don't know if the local trains in this region accepts the pass. Long distance trains like Intercities or TGV have not this problem. But on this route no long distance trains between Nice and Ventimiglia.

Please let us know if you hear anything further today. What a rediclious situation.

The only good thing is the train from nice to Ventimiglia is only 8 euros. 

Angelo wrote:

spacemanvt wrote:

Angelo wrote:

spacemanvt wrote:

is there any update on this? I am currently in nice and trying to get to the italian border tommorow.

No, today is Sunday and an update from SNCF can get some days. 

From the information of “Sud PACA” Tickets bought before 1st July 2022 are still valid. If this is also the case for Interrail Pass is here the question. You probably have bought your pass before. 

 

thanks!

does this refer to the pass or the actual seat reservation?

I havent booked my seat reservation yet for nice to milan so I am confused what I should do here.

Can you send the link to this information?

TER trains in Sud PACA have no reservation. It is not a long distance train. Normally you add the trip to your pass (=Ticket) and hop on the train to Ventimiglia and from there with the italian trains. Now we don't know if the local trains in this region accepts the pass. Long distance trains like Intercities or TGV have not this problem. But on this route no long distance trains between Nice and Ventimiglia.

You think it's worth the risk if i try tomorrow or should I just pay for the ticket?

I've just been there (Marseille - Nice - Ventimiglia by TER). Been told interrail isn't valid from july 1st. Point. Did also read that someone got written confirmation about this from TER Sud. 

The thing with "bought before july 1st" refers to normal tickets where a concrete route is shown.

Just my 2 cents: It will lead to discussions and trouble trying to use the pass at the moment if a conductor enforces the new rules. 

Hope they will find a solution. 

They don't say that on their website. It's just a blanket "If you bought your ticket before July 1st, you can still use it”. For now, I'd stick with that, also for Interrail and Eurail. It would also be a one-sided breach of contract if passes bought before July 1st would now not be valid anymore.

Additionally, the website says that the mentioned cards are not valid anymore for journeys with origin and destination in the Sud region, so you should in any case still be able to us it for journeys to and from th region.

And then there's an incomprehensible sentence about “journeys with origin or destination in the Sud and the Occitanie region” for which Interrail and Eurail (and other cards) would not be valid anymore either.

That incomprehensible sentence technically/judicially means that you can make a trip from Pierrelatte (just outside of the PACA-region) to Ventimiglia (Italy) to circumvent the rules. (If you should want to travel via TER.
Since it says “journeys with origin or destination in the Sud and the Occitanie region” and not trains. You might end up having a discussion with the guard though…
But technically, the rules allow it.

There's been an update that interrail will refund full price tickets bought on these trains at least for now.https://www.interrail.eu/en/support/difficulties-with-regional-trains-in-southern-france

Having just arrived I'm wondering if a family day ticket(isabelle famile) would be acceptable to refund or buy full fare for each journey to be safe?

thanks for that! glad they are paying for it at least

UPDATE:

the Region Sud PACA has decided to still accept Interrail!