What is the cheapest way of getting from Lyon to Saint-Paul-de-Varax?
How can I get from Lyon to either Saint-Paul-de-Varax or Saint-André-le-Bouchoux by more affordable means than TER train (€10.30 one way per person)?
I am thinking that maybe there are buses that pass through but I'm not sure how to find them.
Best Answer
tl;dr On Saturdays (or every day during school holidays), groups of 2-5 people can get a 40% discount if the ticket is bought using the SNCF phone app (but not with the OUI.sncf app). You need to explicitly select the discount in the app.
This applies to travel within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Other regions may have similar discounts which the app should offer.
@Relaxed has mentioned the Illico Samedi discount for TER trains. Here's my experience with it:
There is a 40% discount (free ticket for children under 12) available for TER (i.e. regional) trains in the Rhône-Alpes region (thus also to Saint-Paul-de-Varax).
The discount is available on all Saturdays or every day during school holidays.
Conditions: there must be at least 2 people travelling (at most 5). No prior subscription is required (unlike with most similar discounts).
This is not a heavily advertised discount. More often than not, the staff at the station will not be aware of it. If you don't specifically ask for it, you will not get it.
It is not available from ticket machines (neither yellow SNCF or blue TER ones).
If you buy the ticket online, it must be bought on the Rhône-Alpes TER site and not the global SNCF site. It is not available from the latter. If you buy it using an app, you must use the SNCF app, not the OUI.sncf (formerly Voyages-SNCF) app.
I do not recommend buying the ticket online. If you do so, you must choose the time of travel in advance. If you buy it from the ticket office, it is valid for a certain number of days. You can just stamp it at the station and get on the train at whichever time you prefer. This flexibility is very important for me. UPDATE: If you do not buy it online, you may not be able to get it at the ticket office either. SNCF is terribly disorganized and they do not properly train their staff: often they don't know about this discount or do not know how to apply it.
At least in Lyon, be at the ticket office at least 20-30 min before departure. There may be big queues.
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Does the TGV go to Lyon?
Services provided by TGV The modern TGV fleet travel at speeds of up to 320 km/h, connecting towns and cities in France. With comfortable seats and ample leg room, free Wi-Fi (on certain services), power sockets at every seat and a bar/buffet, taking the TGV train to Lyon is the stress-free way to travel.Is there a direct train from Lyon to Nice?
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There are 28 direct trains from Lyon to Paris each day. Though there may be fewer direct services available depending on your exact departure date.How much does it cost to go from Paris to Lyon?
Paris to Lyon by trainJourney timeFrom 1h 51mPriceFrom \u20ac10.20Distance243 miles (391 km)Frequency36 trains per dayFirst train05:495 more rows3 Ways to the City Center from Lyon Airport: Cheapest Way Cost €2
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