France - TGV trains



  1. Routes and Travel times
  2. Onboard services
  3. Individual Fare Types
  4. Booking Horizon
  5. Ticketing Time Limits
  6. Exchange / Refunds
  7. Check-in procedures
  8. Specific to this train
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I. Routes and Travel times________________________________________________

    TGV stands for “Train à Grande Vitesse”, High Speed train in French.
    The TGV offers high-speed train services connecting the major cities of France. TGV trains travel smoothly and silently at speeds over 300 km/h in complete safety. Both 1st and 2nd class coaches afford you outstanding comfort for work, rest and relaxation. Some TGVs have special spaces laid out for customers travelling on business, and others for families or small groups.

    Route Travel time Frequency
    Paris <> Lille 0h58 6 daily roundtrips
    Paris <> Rennes 1h25* 19 daily roundtrips
    Paris <> Lyon 2h08 21 daily roundtrips
    Paris <> Strasbourg 2h20 16 daily roundtrips
    Paris <> Bordeaux 2h04* 21 daily roundtrips
    Paris <> Marseille 3h00 17 daily roundtrips
    Paris <> Montpellier 3h16 12 daily roundtrips
    Paris <> Nice 5h28 6 daily roundtrips
    Paris <> Toulouse 4h 08* 5 daily roundtrips

    ©Alex Profit/SNCF; ©Patrick Messina/SNCF

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II. Onboard services________________________________________________

• All trains are non smoking • Every ergonomic seat reclines with comfortable headrest and footrest • Wifi • Individual reading lights • Spacious luggage storage, at eye-sight • Ambient lighting, softer and natural

1st class

Brigitte Baudesson/SNCF; ©Matthieu Raffard/SNCF; ©Letizia Le Fur/SNCF

• A Solo seat for peace and privacy.• 2 adjoining seats or a Club space for working in groups of two or four.• Power sockets for laptop or mobile phone• Larger seats, recline electronically• A space for a person in a wheelchair is available. Traveller must request it when making their reservation.• Taxi reservation on board (1st class only): available with the train manager on specific TGV (Lille, Paris - Nantes, Paris - Rennes and Paris - Nice)• Services for Business Premier - Flexi fare (Priority check-in / Welcome drink & newspaper / "Grand Voyageur" Lounge Access)

2nd class

©Matthieu Raffard/SNCF; ©Letizia Le Fur/SNCF; ©Brigitte Baudesson/SNCF


• Comfort, convenience • Access to the bar service. • The ’’Carré’’ for travelling in groups of four. • The ’’Kiosque’’ (16 seats) for small groups. • In car #1, a Salon can accommodate six people facing each other, completely separated from the rest of the car. Other services


©Patrick Messina/SNCF; ©Matthieu Raffard/SNCF; ©Letizia Le Fur/SNCF

• On board nursery: equipped with a dressing table and a bottle-warmer (in 2nd class car) • A choice of newspapers and magazines to buy at the bar • A bar and food counter: open for the duration of the journey. You will find a variety of food and refreshments to enjoy in the bar car: breakfast formula, meals, warm and cold dishes, sandwiches, dessert, warm and cold beverages • Facilities for disabled travellers: on all major routes, the TGV have a special coach in 1st class (accessible with a second class ticket) which has built-in wheelchair lift and a bookable space for a wheelchair. Facilities in stations.

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III. Individual Fare Types________________________________________________

• Compulsory reservation

• Open Ticket not authorized onboard

• Client is able to book TGV’s trains 90 days in advance

• Modes of printing available: Tickets are issued as print-at-home e-tickets (PAH)

Click here for fares details

• For information on how to book on the Rail Europe Booking tool 'Easy Rail Access'; User Manual is available here

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IV. Booking Horizon____________________________________________________

These trains can be booked up to 90 days in advance. Some international routes can be booked up to 180 days in advance.

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V. Ticketing Time Limits________________________________________________

  • Booking can be kept on hold status up to 7 days from the booking date/time.
  • Offer search expiration: up to 1 hour
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VI. Exchange / Refunds________________________________________________

Exchange and Refund Policies vary depending on the type of fare purchased

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VII. Check-in procedures_______________________________________________

There is no customs procedures before boarding TGV’s trains • Check-in: trains doors will close 2 minutes prior to departure • Check-in through SNCF gates by scanning your ticket in most of French stations • Ticket control and passport checks will occur on board the train.

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VIII. Specific to this train_______________________________________________

Luggage tag

• On all French Trains, it is mandatory to place a tag on each piece of luggage identifying the traveller

SNCF Gates

Entry gates have been installed at many TGV stations throughout France: Paris Montparnasse, Paris Gare du Nord, Paris Gare de Lyon, Paris Gare de l’Est, Marseille, Nantes, Rennes, Lyon Part Dieu, Lyon Perrache, Bordeaux..

• Travellers should allow enough time to pass through the entry gates with the bar code that appears on the reservation. • Groups should allow an additional hour prior to boarding the train to pass through the gates.