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Seat Reservation at SNCF

  • 4 October 2021
  • 34 replies
  • 16266 views

Userlevel 1

Hi there,

I´m planning a multistop trip from Spain to Germany. I´ve already bought a Pass, and could make all reservations except for one, from Hendaye to Paris with a TGV. For that connection I find: “ No price results were found for this connection. Please try searching again or find an alternative way to book”. The problem is, I cannot find any other alternative way to book the reservation, at least not a reasonable. I called today to SNCF, and they explicitely told me, it is not possible to buy seat reservations online, and also not at the phone. They said I must come to a french train station… which I can´t really believe…

I won´t be in france until exactly the day of beginning my journey, and the missing seat reservation is for the first train I would need…. so it would be really risky to wait until minutes before departure to go in person to the service at the station and ask for buying the seat reservation. That is really risky. If that doesn´t work, I lost the following connections for what I already have reservations.

Could somebody with experience on this help me, please? I cannot believe that this risky way the french company suggest me is really the only way…

Thanks a lot in advance!

Cheers,

Santiago. 

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Best answer by Nanja 7 October 2021, 13:49

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34 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +14

You can reserve via Interrails own reservation service 2€service fee

or via b-Europe with 4€service fee :)
https://travel.b-europe.com/Eurail-GE/en/booking-tgv#TravelWish

SNCF stopped first to sell the reservations online on their own page, this simmer they stopped to sell them via phone :/ the service for Railpassholders get more and more worse in France

Userlevel 1

Hi Seewulf! Thanks for your answer!

Really good Tip that about b-Europe! I didn´t know that. However, I can still not buy my reservation trough there, because I at a certain moment I am asked to give my Pass “Cover Number”, and I put the only number I have for my pass and it says it is not correct. I have a Mobile pass… Do you know whats going on there?

 

Thanks!

Userlevel 4
Badge +8

@Nanja 

 

Can you get a "pass cover number" for a mobile pass? So that you also have the freedom to book tickets via websites other than your website?

Userlevel 1

Exactly @Sven , I thing the root of the problem is what you say, that I cannot get my “Pass Cover Number” because since I have a Mobile Pass.

@Nanja, I´ve read in other threads that you might help me getting my “Pass Cover Number” for my mobile pass, can you?

Thanks a lot!

Userlevel 4
Badge +8

@DerSpanier 

What date do you travel from Hendaye to Paris?

Userlevel 1

On the 24.10 with the TGV 8530 that starts at 07:24 AM from Hendaye

Userlevel 4
Badge +8

On the 24.10 with the TGV 8530 that starts at 07:24 AM from Hendaye

 

 

1*
I can reserve this train via interrail itself. I do have a 1st class interrail myself, so I can't see if it also works for a 2nd class interrail.

Can you also check whether you can book this train via Interrail itself?
If you book through B-europe, you pay a cost of 4 euros for ALL your trains that you reserve.
With Interrail you pay 2 euros PER train, which you reserve through them.

2*
I'm curious about the answer from @Nanja , in connection with the pass cover number.

Userlevel 1

Hi @Sven, Thanks for your answer.

  1. I cannot. See my first post. And I checked every day since the beginning and it did not change… If I am able to reserve it via B-Europe, I do not care about the 4€, as long as I get the reservation.
  2. Me too! :D

 

Userlevel 4
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By the way, can't you go to train station in Germany to book this ticket?

Via DB BAHN? Via an international counter in Germany?

Userlevel 1

I did that already. Unfortunately they cannot….

Userlevel 4
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@seewulf , are you aware that DB BAHN cannot reserve tickets for trains of SNCF 🤔 ?

 

Userlevel 1

Just a comment: It not that they cannot reserve for any train. They looked specifically for the train I want, and said that for that train, they cannot book it somehow. They do not know the reasons...

Userlevel 7
Badge +8

Hi both, I can indeed provide you with a Pass Cover number. We do not provide such a number with every mobile Pass, but as we are aware there are still certain cases you do need it, we can provide you with one if this also applies to you. 
@DerSpanier can you provide me with your order number via a private message. Then I can send you a Pass Cover number. Cheers, 

Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@Sven  yes iam aware of that DB can´t sell domestic Reservations in France anymore since SNCF block almost all trains for International bookings :/

DB can only reserve the TGV/ICE´s Germany/France , France/Spain, France/Switzerland
France/Italy with luck

Userlevel 4
Badge +8

@Sven  yes iam aware of that DB can´t sell domestic Reservations in France anymore since SNCF block almost all trains for International bookings :/

DB can only reserve the TGV/ICE´s Germany/France , France/Spain, France/Switzerland
France/Italy with luck

 

 

Pffffffffff, why does SNCF make it so difficult for us!

Saddening!

Userlevel 4
Badge +8

I did that already. Unfortunately they cannot….

 

If it didn't work out via the B europe website, you can also call Nmbs Europe.
They do use a toll number! +32 70 79 79 79 (€0.30/min).

They do not charge a handling fee for Interrail.

Userlevel 1

Yes, with SNCF is everything extremely difficult….

 

Thanks for the phone numbers @Sven !  As soon as @Nanja gives the Pass Cover Number, I can try it once more on the B europe website, and if it still does not work, I´ll call there. Thanks everybody for the help!

Userlevel 1

With the Pass Cover Number that @Nanja just gave me, IT WORKED!!! Many thanks to everybody who active helped me!

 

Userlevel 4
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With the Pass Cover Number that @Nanja just gave me, IT WORKED!!! Many thanks to everybody who active helped me!

 

 

 

Did you book the ticket via the B europe website?

If so, have you immediately receive an email with the ticket that also states your seat?

Userlevel 1

Yes to both answers

Userlevel 7
Badge +9

@Sven  yes iam aware of that DB can´t sell domestic Reservations in France anymore since SNCF block almost all trains for International bookings :/

DB can only reserve the TGV/ICE´s Germany/France , France/Spain, France/Switzerland
France/Italy with luck

AFAIK, SNCF don't really block anything but they've changed their back-end system and probably some other stuff, meaning that other operators must make changes before they can book TGV Interrail reservations again. I suppose this does not have high priority, or else they would have already implemented that. Please complain to Deutsche Bahn about it. Only if there are enough complaints DB will see this as a problem.

Please also complain to SNCF about the fact that they removed from their website the possibility to book Interrail reservations.

@Nanja 

I have the same problem as Santiago. Thursday 28th of October I am planning to travel from Paris to Nice, for which I got the same notification (“no price results were found…”). I tried contacting SNCF as well but no response so far. Can I get a Pass Cover Number too so I can make a reservation for my trip?

Regards,
Gabriëlle

Hi @Nanja , 

Is there any way I could also be provided a Pass Cover Number? I am traveling to Berlin from Paris Nord this coming Saturday, October 23rd. I also cannot reserve a pass online and I am worried I won’t make my train either. Happy to provide my Eurail pass number and any other needed info in a private message too.

Thanks in advance!

Userlevel 7
Badge +8

Hi @Gabriëlle and @Allison Daniels, please provide your Pass number (starting with IN or EN) via a private message. I can then provide you with a Pass Cover number. Cheers, 

Hi

I have a friend coming to visit France from the US, who got a Eurail pass, and she is also having trouble making a reservation on SNCF. Would it be possible for you to generate a Pass Cover number for her as well please?

Thanks very much,

Emily

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