Why can’t I choose the type of ticket I receive?

Some rail operators may offer you the choice between an e-ticket or a print-at-station ticket. However at Trainline, we prefer to offer you an e-ticket whenever possible. 

Why didn’t I receive an e-ticket?

In some cases it may not be possible to issue an e-ticket because of the train type (regional versus high-speed). For example, certain TER (regional) trains in France require print-at-station tickets and SNCF does not issue any e-tickets for them. So even if you were to take a TGV train in combination with a TER train, you would always receive a print-at-station ticket.

Another important factor to consider is that you must provide your date of birth to be eligible for an e-ticket. If you do not provide this information for all passengers travelling, you’ll automatically receive a print-at-station ticket which cannot be changed into an e-ticket.

Why do you choose to favour e-tickets?

We choose to issue e-tickets (whenever possible) for several reasons:

• You no longer have to collect your ticket using the ticket machines at the station.
• You receive your ticket by email immediately after paying.
• If you lose your ticket, it’s not a problem at all! You can reprint your e-ticket as many times as you wish (or as many times as your printer’s ink cartridge allows it).
• If you have a loyalty/frequent traveller card or a smartphone, it is even easier; you have nothing to print whatsoever and can instead just display your ticket on your phone or present your card upon inspection.
• If you choose to cancel and/or refund your ticket, you won’t have to send it to us and wait for a refund. We can refund your account immediately with an e-ticket.