How early can I buy TGV Paris-Geneva tickets?
A traveler is trying to buy a train ticket from Paris to Geneva for June 17th. They’re confused because the TGV-Lyria site indicates tickets are available up to six months in advance, but they're having trouble purchasing one as the site shows incorrect birthdates for both passengers. They need help figuring out if tickets are actually available or if they should wait longer.
- Tickets for Paris to Geneva can often be booked around four months in advance, not six, so patience may be needed.
- Using Trainline.com can help find available tickets by specifying 'Geneve Cornavin' as the destination.
- If the train data appears messed up, checking back the following day can yield better results.
AI-generated summary-
Hi all experts. I am looking at buying a ticket from Paris to Geneva for travel on June 17th. The TGV-Lyria site says that they are available to purchase up to 6 months in advance but I am having an impossible time purchasing a ticket.
This site says this: * Opening of “sliding” sales:
Tickets are available up to 6 months in advance to the day.
Example: On 11 January, tickets will go on sale for travel between 8 July and 3 September. A new date will open up every day from 12 January, allowing bookings up to six months ahead.Can anyone tell me what I’m doing wrong? Are they really not available for purchase yet? It lets me put in my name and birthdate… and then I add passenger and my husband’s name and birthday… then when it directs me to SBB to purchase, both of our birthdates are ONE day wrong and it won’t let me go forward. Help!
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Quite often the ‘six months before’ is approximate. I recommend you wait a little bit longer to book. To try and help you (because I have been travelling Paris – Geneva every so often for 60 years), I did a ‘fake’ entry for 17 June 2023 and got some very odd offers. However when I changed the date to 17 May 2023, lots of very sensible trains and fares came up.
Thank you! So maybe just not out yet? The site is confusing as it says 6 months. But then other places I read it’s 4 months which would make sense for your May options.
Indeed.
Based on my fake attempt and the odd options that came up, I recommend not trying yet as you may end up booking a non refundable non standard routing, thinking its your only option.
I know from experience. I once tried to book a business trip in the UK and was panicked into buying too quickly. I ended up having to go a roundabout route – other colleagues waited till later and got reasonable fares on the direct route!
Hi Sburbank35!
Tickets to from Paris to Geneva can mostly booked about 4 months in advance (see http://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/france). Some resellers may have options earlier than that, but at this point I think it’s too soon. Just give it some time, as recommended by 1960man, and try again later. You’ll find options at https://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/france/price.
Thank you Arno. That’s what I thought.
Hi SBurnbank35!
Hoping the following might help! (1st posting on this massively useful forum!)
Not sure where you are based (I live in England) but I have already managed to book Paris GDL-Geneve on TGV and return from Basel-Paris for mid/late June. I booked through the UK website Trainline.com and I needed to specify ‘Geneve Cornavin’ as my destination to see the full range of tickets. Just searched on 17 June departures and there are still TGV tickets showing as available throughout the day (Departures every 2 hours).
Try the following link (if it works!):
Trainline : Search, Compare & Buy Cheap Train Tickets (thetrainline.com)
Best wishes!
Archer!!! Thank you so much! I’ll give it a try.
Thanks… even this link says I’m a bit too early. Shoot!
Who knows what on earth is happening here. I just tried Trainline and it also says ‘not available’ for all journeys Paris Gare de Lyon – Geneve on 17 June
Did you get a booking on a direct train?
However, as previously, I tried 15 May and up came all the trains, so I don’t know how you have managed to book late June
Hi all – Very sorry that didn’t help!
I have just searched again for 17 June Paris-Geneve and am no longer seeing any TGV Lyria trains listed, not even as ‘Not available’ so suspect the data is messed up. But…I am seeing TGV journeys for previous day – Fri 16th June – listed so you could try waiting 24 hours and see if the data refreshes.
I did double check my own tickets (doubting my own sanity!) and Yes, direct TGV Lyria Paris to Geneve and these were booked at the end of December, so that aligns with the 6-month window mentioned in Sburbank’s original post.
If I see anything different tomorrow I will share.
That is so interesting! And weird. I’ll keep looking and I’ll check tomorrow. Thank you so much.
Hi Sburbank35,
I always book via SNCF, usually a couple of months ahead. I hope you can book your ticket soon. You can also check the other resellers at http://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/france/price.
In case you have other questions, please let us know.
Ildiko
Hi Ildiko! I usually use that site also… 90 days ahead for the best pricing and availability on TGVs. I’m a France (mostly Paris) expert. But… with this Lyria train, I want to make sure I get an upper seat in first class for the best pricing and it seems strange that the Lyria site says both 6 months in advance and 4 months in advance. I’m not really too worried about making this happen, but I do like to spread out my purchases so I can buy things here and there as I get closer to my trip.
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