SNCF buses - where to buy tickets?

[davetheguard]

I'm hoping somebody can help with the following enquiry.

We're due to be visiting the French region of Alsace in September, staying at a small place called Turckheim near Colmar.

Turckheim does have a railway, and a station, with a few trains, but most of the service provision is by buses (and shown on DB's website) leaving from the station to/from Colmar railway station.

My question is, are these "railway" buses, and if as seems likely they are, do you buy tickets for them from the ticket office, or from the bus driver; or either.

Also, if they are considered part of the "railway service" FIP discounts are available too?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Oscar]

I have one experience of a similar situation in France before (this situation is actually very common in rural areas): the bus service was operated by a local bus company under contract to SNCF. You could buy the tickets on the bus or at a station ticket office and rail tickets / passes were of course valid.

 

[Gordon]

You may rest easy, by September the normal service will be in operation, with mostly train but a few extra buses (due to line capacity).
Turckheim is on the Colmar – Metzeral branch, a nice scenic single branchline climbing out of the Rhine valley aka ‘Plaine d’Alsace’ up into the Vosges mountains. Timetable here:
http://telechargement.ter-sncf.com/Images/Alsace/Tridion/19_Colmar_Metzeral_tcm-10-12392.pdf

TER Alsace website (‘fiches horaires’ timetables section)
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/als...Avant_mon_voyage/Fiches_horaires/Default.aspx

Interactive Alsace TER map:
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/als...ant_mon_voyage/Plan_de_ligne/Carte_Flash.aspx

The all bus timetable is only to cover a summer trackwork closure 8 July – 2 August.

 

[davetheguard]

Brilliant, Gordon, really useful.

Might be able to do the whole branch now.....

Thanks a lot.

 

[khib70]

Brilliant, Gordon, really useful.

Might be able to do the whole branch now.....

Thanks a lot.

Lucky you. Visited Strasbourg last year and spent a day in Colmar. Stunningly beautiful town, like something out of a Grimms fairytale, and well worth a day of anyones time! Strasbourg is a fine city too. Very comfortable loco hauled Corail coaches on the TER between Strasbourg and Colmar.

 

[davetheguard]

Thanks to Gordon's -and others- posts above, we did indeed got to do the whole branch from Colmar to Metzeral, and most importantly, on a train rather than an SNCF bus.

Quite a good service on this pleasantly scenic branch line which slowly climbs from the main line at Colmar (TGVs to Paris etc.) up the Munster valley of the Voges mountains - half-hourly at times, but then long gaps at other times (very French). Modern single car DMUs with plenty of space for bikes and luggage.

Well worth a trip if you're in the area: of the intermediate stations, Turckheim is well worth getting off at. It's a very beautiful small town with half-timbered houses, three medieval gates, lots of restaurants, all surrounded by local vineyards producing local white and red Alsace wine. The station itself, is very well located, and still has its station buildings - these are currently out of use, but according to the local paper they have just been sold by SNCF for use as a cafe and other local businesses.

Another line highlighted in Mr Ball's atlas!

 

[Gordon]

The station itself, is very well located, and still has its station buildings - these are currently out of use, but according to the local paper they have just been sold by SNCF for use as a cafe and other local businesses.

Another line highlighted in Mr Ball's atlas!

On the subject of station buildings in Alsace, it is always worth looking for the original German spelling, still visible on some buildings




.