Hi I need to get from Paris to Nice probaly on 10/16 or 10/17. There are two of us. I looked on travelocity and found $41 (+5 booking fee) round trip tickets (I would throw away the return leg) but they come to $90 with taxes. The trains look very expensive (1 person over 25 and 1 person under 25). Avis car rental has no extra fee in France to drop off at a different airport and with the AARP code comes to $86 dollars inclusive but then need tolls and gas added on (which is weird because for 2 dayts its only $60.01 but I cant keep it for 2 days because I will be in Italy then) . I would really like to take a train but not at 100-150 dollars per person any advice on cheap ways would be greatly appriciated. Thank You

[This message has been edited by Mr. Pickles (edited 08-27-2003).]

In a word: EasyJet (not on Travelocity) from either Paris Charles de Gaulle (north Paris) or Paris Orly (south Paris) to Nice.

Cheapest one-way on the dates you give is EUR 13.46 (about the same in USD).

www.easyjet.com

While Easyjet may be cheaper I did check the SNCF site of 10/17 and two rates came up.
If you leave on the 745am TGV 2nd class,
non-smoking two paasengers, one between 12 and 25 years it came up with a great rate of 50 EU for both.
Alternately you can leave on the 934am TGV also, for 120EU. The above tickets are listed as non-refundable will have to make sure you make the train.

My opinion take the train, nicer ride less hassle and there is little difference between First and Second other than you may get a drink and little snack in First.
Check out the SNCF site or call the English speaking reservations line.

mike

Easyjet Easyjet Easyjet but book early!

[b]While Easyjet may be cheaper I did check the SNCF site of 10/17 and two rates came up.
If you leave on the 745am TGV 2nd class,
non-smoking two paasengers, one between 12 and 25 years it came up with a great rate of 50 EU for both.
Check out the SNCF site or call the English speaking reservations line.


I can't find this fare. I went to www.sncf.com, clicked on the english icon. then ifo booking and timetables. It brought me to voyages-sncf.com and the best fares for that time came to 147.00 euros for both tickets. If I did this wrong could you please tell me what to do.



[This message has been edited by Mr. Pickles (edited 08-28-2003).]

I got the same 25euro fare one-way only on TGV6171, leaving from Paris-Gare du Nord @ 7:54 with Prem's fare (advance booking).
You will be able to pay online and get your ticket by an automatic machine...Note that with this fare (and generally speaking never without owning a properly train card issued by SNCF) there is no reduction for -26years old people.
Try not to switch to english site and keep on french site instead.
Here the details...(I'm pasting a very long url and I'm not sure it will work:
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/...ervice_COMMVOY 1_SMOKER=NOSMOKING&FCE_CARD_NUMBER=&departure_day= 16&OD_via=&return_time_max=-1&_TMS=1062060572568&outwardMode=display&return_da y=&no_pass_number_1=&departure_choice=D&no_pass_nu mb er_0=&service_COMMVOY1_BOOKING=&OD_arrival=NICE+VI LLE&return_choice=D&nbPortions=1&OD_departure=PARI S+GARE+DE+LYON&_LANG=FR&hf_help=COMMVOY1&is_freq_t raveler_1=0&is_freq_traveler_0 =0&departure_time_max=8&no_freq_traveler_1=&no_fre q_traveler_0=&age_bracket_1=0_0&cardtype_1=0&age_b racket_0=D&cardtype_0=0&OID_arrival=100042936&OID_ departure=100042882&departure_ month=9&otherTariff_1=0&otherTariff_0=0&return_mon th=-1&return_time_min=-1&country=FR&_AGENCY=VSC&returnMode=saisie&_LOCAL= com.webgl.fwk.navigation.session.FwkLocal%404917b9 &defaul tFareValue=0&SCRIPT_PUB=http%3A%2F%2Fad.fr.doublec lick.net%2Fadj%2Fsncfintertitieltrain1.fr%2Flance_ pub_pageattenteresa%3Bsz%3D1x1%3Bkw%3Dd75FRPLY%3Bk w%3Da06FRNIC%3Bkw%3Dc2%3Bkw%3D pg4%3Bkw%3Dnf%3Bord%3D123456%3F&train_number_outwa rd0=6171)
I suggest you to choose a train trip anyway, even though you couldn't get that fare.
6hours is a comparable trip lenght with plane (no transfert to/from city centre, no check in, no baggage claim) and as expensive as best AF87US$ RT fare (to which must be added 10Euro from Paris downtown to ORY/CDG and 3.5Euro from NCE to Nice Ville main station).
France is beautiful through a train window and no wing-aside seat!

Note that the url I've provided is only partially highlighted....last characters are [...]6171

I too accessed the French speaking SNCF site.
But if you use the link ( such as the one provided by antoniospqr) to the top left you will see " TGV 25 Euro Prems" which gives a whole bunch of the 25EU fares between Sept 11 and Oct 26th.
All you need to do is pay by credit card you will get a confirmation code and you can pick up your tickets at any SNCF station.
The machines are very handy but you need to use the same card you used to book the ticket, plus they seem to be out of service a lot.
Would suggest you pick up your tickets at TGV office at CDG if you are flying in there(its a seperate section to the right in SNCF ticket office there, stay to right and do NOT join the sometimes long lines to the regular services)

If all else fails call the English speaking SNCF # 08-36-35-35-39 and ask about the 25EU fare.
mike

I did what you said and used the french site and clicked on the TGV 25 euro link in the top left but it still gave me a fare of 120 euros for two tickes 2nd class on 10/17/2003 or 50 euro on the 16th? Did I do something wrong or have those fares sold out for that day .

[This message has been edited by Mr. Pickles (edited 08-28-2003).]

Checking the website it appears the 0754 on the 16th is longer available.

If you dont want to spring for the higher fare or wait till the AM on the 17th it appears you have two options;
a) take the overnight "territorial" ( = semi-local, a number of stops) you can book reclining seats lokks like about 80EU.
b) The 50 EU fare on the 0754 still shows availability as far as Marsailles, change there for the Nice train for 43.60EU more.

Option b would be my choice. Marsailles/Nice is quite a picturesque journey plus you will have time to have lunch in Marsailles.

mike

Why do suggest a more expensive fare changing in Marseille St. Charles for 43euro more, when the mentioned train TGV6171 goes straight to Nice at 25euro per person and it has been asking for the less expensive solution? Furthermore all the train going from all major french cities to Nice and Italy [B]do[B] stops in Marseille as TGV6171:
Paris Lyon 16.10.03 dep 07:54 -
Lyon-St Exupery(TGV) dep 09:48 -
Aix-en-Provence TGV dep 11:01 -Marseille-St-Charles dep 11:28 - Toulon dep 12:09 -
St-Raphael-Valescure dep 13:06 -
Cannes dep 13:32 -
Antibes dep 13:43 -
Nice Ville 16.10.03 arr 13:57

I've just tried once more time to book the train and the same, cheapest 1Prem's fare is still available, through the window-link on the left side @www.voyages-sncf.com, through its normal reservation page, both in english and french, through www.tgv.com ...
[B]Mr Pickels [B], maybe you do not fill the booking form with the proper station of origin, which is Paris Gare de Lyon, imperatively. Departures from other station (Montparnasse, Bercy, Austerlitz, CDG-TGV) would constrain you to have connection in other station such as Lyon Part Dieu and/or Marseille St. Charles and lose your right to access 1Prem's fare.
Erase your cookies, your temporary internet files on your computer and you'll get the above mentioned 25euro fare.

I did find these fares for Oct. 16th but I would prefer Oct. 17th now. Did you find 50 euro fares (for two) for the 17th, the one I found are 120 euros (for two)?

[This message has been edited by Mr. Pickles (edited 08-29-2003).]

I don't. And conditions seem to be valid 7days/7 until october 29th, then, since is a advance purchasing fare, the longer you wait, the higher the fare will be, as for an airline ticket. Hurry up and buy your 16/10 TGV6171 (TGV6173 as well) trip!
Enjoy France (and Italy too then?)