Hello everyone. Next year I'm planning to do a trip in France and Spain. I'm holder of the FIP facilitates (railway employee) and I'm going to be possesing the coupons for DB, SNCF, RENFE as well as the international FIP card (50 % off). I need to know how are they valid (if even) on the long distance trains in both France and Spain. My plan is to take a direct ICE from Berlin to Paris and then the TGV from Paris to Barcelona. I have found an information on the ICE it should be enough to buy the seat reservation in the DB e-shop but I do not know about the TGV . I read there is some "FIP global pass" on the TGV but I wasn't able to find any other meaningful info. What is this global pass? Is it standalone ticket valid with the FIP card or is it a supplement valid with the coupon? Where I should buy it and how much does it cost? The same questions also go for high speed trains in Spain. Thank you for the help.
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FIP coupons validity in France and Spain
- Thread starter paul2no
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RailUK Forums
Hello,
for the direct trains between Germany and France run in cooperation between DB and SNCF, there is a special fares. FIP coupons are only valid for domestic journeys on those. However, the FIP card fare seems to have not changed for employees of non-involved railways at €10 2nd class/€20 1st. However, I believe you cannot get those at CD ticket offices. DB will sell it (but not online), as might SNCF (see next point on how to buy).
With SNCF, essentially on international routes on non-local trains I believe they still don't offer a coupon fare. You can buy tickets (and reservations for coupons where available) through their hotline (see here: https://www.sncf-voyageurs.com/en/contact-us/our-contact-points/by-phone/).
A way to save might be to use a night train to the border and then cross on a local train as you could use coupons in that case.
With Renfe, essentially coupons are useless on any train that has reservations. There is one fare which is the same regardless if you hold coupons or only your FIP card. CD should be able to book those (except AVE services from/to France). Prices range from €4 to €10 per train depending on the train category. 2nd class is "T" in the reservation system, 1st "P".
for the direct trains between Germany and France run in cooperation between DB and SNCF, there is a special fares. FIP coupons are only valid for domestic journeys on those. However, the FIP card fare seems to have not changed for employees of non-involved railways at €10 2nd class/€20 1st. However, I believe you cannot get those at CD ticket offices. DB will sell it (but not online), as might SNCF (see next point on how to buy).
With SNCF, essentially on international routes on non-local trains I believe they still don't offer a coupon fare. You can buy tickets (and reservations for coupons where available) through their hotline (see here: https://www.sncf-voyageurs.com/en/contact-us/our-contact-points/by-phone/).
A way to save might be to use a night train to the border and then cross on a local train as you could use coupons in that case.
With Renfe, essentially coupons are useless on any train that has reservations. There is one fare which is the same regardless if you hold coupons or only your FIP card. CD should be able to book those (except AVE services from/to France). Prices range from €4 to €10 per train depending on the train category. 2nd class is "T" in the reservation system, 1st "P".
Giugiaro
Established Member
FIP coupons are not accepted on the SNCF TGV Espagne services. Only Renfe AVE Francia accepts coupons.
If you want to save money, my recommendation would be taking the Intercité de Nuit/TGV inOui to Marseille, Lyon, Montpellier or Narbonne, then ask the ticket inspector at the platform to book a seat onboard the AVE.
This summer I did Paris to Marseille on the Intercité de Nuit, and then took the AVE from there to Barcelona.
There's plenty of time to take the train from Marseille Blancarde to Marseille Saint-Charles and have breakfast before boarding the AVE.
I would recommend finding a way to book those tickets ahead of time, as the night train has a tendency to get fully booked.
I asked a friend of mine living in France to do the booking in my name, and they accepted the request (as long as you provide the necessary data for the booking to be processed).
I don't know if this is possible to do in Spain, since I went to Vigo-Guixar on purpose to book the AVE.
Correct. You need a FIP reservation, available e.g. at an SNCF ticket office or by phone (#85 for English). IIRC current price is €2, or more for a peak TGV (€10 in 2nd, €15 in 1st).
Also see this RDG web page:
Europe and FIP
The Rail Delivery Group was set up in 2011 to provide leadership to Britain's rail industry, bringing together the owners of Britain's passenger train operators
www.raildeliverygroup.com
Sir Felix Pole
Established Member
In Spain it is worth downloading the RENFE app (despite the quirks!) as you can see at a glance which trains are fully booked - and thus not worth queuing at the ticket office for a FIP ticket. Be aware that the ticket office queues at Madrid Atocha and Barcelona Sants are notoriously long.
The queues at Madrid Chamartín and Barcelona França are often much shorter.
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