Groups via SNCF

Group ski holidays by train are a wonderful thing. Fun on the slopes, fun on the way. 

But groups of nine people or more can't be booked online. They need to be booked by a rail-company's Groups department or by a specialist rail-booking agent. 

By doing as a group you have three potential advantages: 

• groups can sometimes book further in advance than the public booking window
• groups get discounted travel
• you get to sit together 

The alternative (booking online) would be to have to split your group into several groups of less than nine people each. 

So, that being said, I'd always believed that SNCF was a useful place to book Group travel.  In the past, when the UK version of SNCF was called Rail Europe, this was so. I booked many ski holidays over the years, for 20 - 24 friends at time, this way.  The journeys we booked were from London to the Alps, Eurostar + TGV. 

But then SNCF's Rail Europe was disbanded.  A different Rail Europe now exists - where you can book fares online. 

So what happened to SNCF's Groups department. 

The website used to be a confusing dead end. I spent two years regularly trying to point out this contacts at SNCF.  But no one ever came back with an answer. Until finally, this, which clarifies it: 

"Unfortunately, the group offer don’t exist on Eurostar product (all the trains that go to and from London). That’s why you find nothing when you are looking for this destination or origin in our booking website."

So, you can book group travel within Europe with SNCF, but not the whole journey from London.

ARTICLE TO BE CONTINUED SHORTLY