France railways map. Two new TGV stations on the French railway map. Contacts of French Railways

Today I will tell you about the French railway and share useful tips: how to buy tickets, how to reduce the cost of travel, which purchase option is the most profitable for a budget tourist, as well as other features of French railways.

Probably no one will argue with me if I say that it is impossible to recognize a country by its capital. After all, it is important to have an idea not only about the main attractions that are known to the whole world, but also to get to know people, culture, nature. And, having wandered around the capital for one day, alas, you will not see all the beauty that is hidden in the little things. Today I will talk about my trip to France. In order to see as much as possible and not spend a fortune on moving around the country, I decided to travel by rail and did not lose. It is really more informative than in public transport and. Of course, it was scary to go on such a journey for the first time, but then the anxiety disappeared, only pleasant impressions and memories remained. You can read about one of my previous adventures in the essay "".

To begin with, I will tell you the basic information that is important for everyone to know in order to have at least some idea about the French railways. So, the railway network is built according to the radial-ring scheme. In the capital there are the most important highways that diverge to other settlements. This construction scheme allows you to travel between different cities without spending a lot of time on the road. Transfers are carried out in Paris, and often you have to move from one station to another.

Train types

First, I’ll talk about high-speed trains, which are abbreviated as TGV. This is the best offer so far. After all, these trains move at a speed of 300 km per hour, they are comfortable. True, they are equipped only with seats. The fare is higher than in conventional trains, so this option did not suit me. By the way, these trains often stop not at the central railway station, but at special terminals. There are currently three TGV lines, but a fourth is planned. Due to the fact that the lines are interconnected, you can easily and quickly get directly from Bordeaux to Lille. By the way, this is where I will go next time and hopefully on the TGV. After all, although it is more expensive, but without unnecessary hassle and transplants.

You can also choose an option simpler, but no worse - Corail high speed trains. In daytime trains there are only seats, which are divided into 1st and 2nd class. By the way, cars for smokers and non-smokers. This should be taken into account when choosing tickets. The speed of movement is not the same as TGV, but you can get there quickly. And given that this is a more budget option, high-speed trains deserve the attention of tourists. In addition to daytime trains, there are also night trains, but in terms of comfort they do not differ much from Russian ones. People are offered double or triple compartments of the first or second class.

I don’t advise you to buy completely budget options for six people, because it’s crowded, stuffy and there’s not even a question of service.

I note that it is in high-speed trains that bicycles can be transported (the service is paid).

Local Express- also a good option for moving, quickly and inexpensively (if you choose class 2).

In addition, the French offer travelers special trains with wagons for cars, they are called AutoTrain. There are two types of them:

The owner of the car travels with the vehicle in the same train.

The train is intended only for transporting cars, and the owner gets there on his own.

I note that such trains do not always run (from September to May) and only along a certain route: Dordogne - Toulouse - Avignon - Narbonne - Nice.

Now I'll tell you a little about the classes of cars. So, there are two classes: the first and the second. Seats in first class will cost about half as much. If we talk about the second class, then the cost can start from 8.5 to 10 euros for every hundred kilometers. On short routes, the price is more expensive 11.5-15 euros. In the night train of the second class (seats) can be much cheaper (three euros per 100 km). But is it worth it to torture yourself like that, because sleeping while sitting is not the best option. Although, if you need to save money, then you don’t have to choose, since it’s the cheapest.

Train schedule

This issue cannot be resolved without outside help. Although SNCF offers a pocket timetable absolutely free of charge to every tourist, it will be difficult for inexperienced travelers to understand everything without additional instructions. So let me share some knowledge. As a rule, a pocket schedule is made according to a template. The train number is indicated in the upper line, the name of the station is written in the column on the left. The train arrival time is at the intersection of columns and rows. By the way, keep in mind that train numbers often have additional notes in the form of abbreviations and various symbols. Similar marks indicate how the train runs:

Exclusively on Fridays.
On holidays and weekends.
Every day except weekends.

By reading the note in the title, you will know which train is right for you depending on the day of the week.

If you are lucky at major stations, you will be given a special edition of the Tourist Guide (you can also find this information on the website if you have a unlimited Internet on a smartphone). This guide covers everything an SNCF client needs to know.

If you have planned a long and multi-day trip to one region, I advise you to buy a booklet for a tourist at the station station, which will contain a detailed schedule. In addition, everyone can buy at the station in Relay a book for 10 euros, which describes a lot of interesting and useful things for tourists.

Where can you buy passes?

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When you arrive in an unfamiliar country and are going to visit as many as possible in a couple of days, you want to choose the best option for buying tickets, or rather the simplest one. For me, the best way was to order online. And how it will be easier for you, see for yourself, I will tell you about all the ways to purchase.

At separate ticket offices of major railway stations. International– cash desk for flights of international importance; grandes lignes– long-distance following; Banlieue- suburban flights. I note that in some cases, cash desks differ depending on the time of purchase:

preliminary (Achat a l'avance).
on the day of departure (department du jour).

Tickets can be purchased with cash or credit. Just keep in mind that a return is possible only in the first case. Therefore, which payment option to choose is up to you.

In addition, you can buy a ticket through the machine. They are available at almost every station. You can pay for the ticket in cash or by credit card (if the amount is more than 2 euros). By the way, it is not necessary to prepare the exact amount, the machine gives change. But a travel card purchased in this way will be a little more expensive.

Also, travel tickets are sold by the controller on the train. This is in case the cash desks are closed and you don’t have time to stand in line and “conjure” the machine. But it will be more expensive, the overpayment can be from 7.5 to 15 euros per ticket. My advice to you: do not wait for the conductor to come, go to him yourself. So you save a little by overpaying only 3-6 euros.

If you buy a travel card while already in a TGV carriage, then you need to overpay, regardless of the distance - 6 euros.

An interesting feature that I do not advise you to miss: having bought a ticket and punched it, you have the right to get off at any station for several hours, and then go on the road again. The main thing is that there should not be a big break (24 hours). Otherwise, you will have to take a new ticket.

By the way, before boarding, it is advisable to find a composter and punch a ticket (orange machines are installed mainly on the platform). If you did not find or did not have time to break through the travel card, having entered the car, try to immediately find the conductor. Otherwise, a fine threatens, and this is not only not pleasant, but also unnecessary expenses. I will tell about the last method, in my opinion, the most convenient one separately.

To buy tickets online, you need to go to the official page of the French railway company SNCF. Having entered the site, I recommend immediately switching to English (at the top of the page there will be a letter designation FR, we choose En). After that, the first thing we choose is where we will go from and where. For example, I went from Paris to Marseille. I must say right away that it is better to select the “all stations” item so that we are shown more options. We determine the date and time of departure, as well as the type of flight. I advise you to take direct trains (check the box next to "Direct trains" - direct trains). It is also worth choosing the class of the car, I put a tick in front of the second one, since the first one is more expensive. By the way, in terms of comfort, they practically do not differ, perhaps a little. Next, fill in all the other items (country of delivery of the ticket, etc.) and press the search button (Search). After that, you will see several options on the screen (the cheapest and most profitable will be highlighted in orange).

I note that the travel card is at a low price, in which case it cannot be exchanged, it is non-refundable.

If you have chosen the best option in one or both directions, then press the button Confirm to confirm payment for the selected tickets. To pay, you need to enter your credit card details (we enter very accurately). After that, you will need to decide on the method of obtaining:

by mail (wait at least 2 weeks and not the fact that it will come, knowing the capabilities of our services).
through the machine at the station (the ticket must be printed). You need to go to one of the yellow machines and insert the credit card with which you made the purchase. Do not worry, feel free to insert the card into the terminal, this is necessary for confirmation, the second time the money will not be withdrawn.
by e-mail (not available in all directions). In this case, you will also need to print out a document for travel through the terminal, or you can contact the cashier with your printout, which you received by mail.

As you can see, ordering a ticket via the Internet is not difficult, you just need to know a few nuances. But at the same time, it is very profitable, because it is during the purchase online that you can get the best discounts and cheap tickets. Therefore, I choose this option. Moreover, by registering on the site, I can book tickets using the mobile Internet while on the road. Very comfortably.

But for this you need to have a quality Mobile Internet. Pay attention to the offer, which offers good rates. At least I settled on this provider and have no regrets. The quality of communication is excellent, in addition, the cost is affordable and I am always in touch with my loved ones. And this is the most important thing for me. There were no problems during the trip. According to the “Across Europe” or “Go Europe” tariff, communication is available for me in 36 countries + profitable Mobile Internet. By the way friend bought a starter pack Vodafone is also pleased with the result. Three euros a day and no problems:

Half a gigabyte of internet.
50 minutes for calls (part for outgoing and incoming calls).
Ability to communicate in more than 40 countries.

A trip to France inspired me to new achievements, I want to see even more countries and feel their flavor,. After all, it is not only inexpensive, but also interesting, as well as comfortable. I note that the French are very strict in appearance, but in fact they are good-natured and friendly, they helped me in many ways. True, this required my school knowledge of French.

Main routes from Paris
French trains are a quick and easy way to get to your destination. TGV (short for French train a grande vitesse, high-speed train, read Te-Je-VE) is a French network of high-speed electric trains.
Since France is the largest country in Western Europe, train travel is very important. The country has a fairly efficient rail transport system. The government has invested heavily in creating high speed train systems TGV (TGV trains - Train à Grande Vitesse), developed and financed the construction of special high-speed lines LGV (Ligne Grande Vitesse) for these roads.
There are more than 1,700 km (1,056 miles) of express lines, including dedicated high-speed lines, in addition to thousands of kilometers of regional main lines, which are important and allow travel in France by train throughout the country. The roads are managed by the "National Company of French Railways" (SNCF).

Rail network

The French railway network connects not only all major cities, but most of the small towns in the countryside. With careful travel planning, you can only get around by using trains during your vacation. Ordinary trains are convenient for traveling short distances and are relatively cheap means of transport.
You also need to keep in mind the fact that some trains run on a schedule and only on certain days, so you need to take this into account if you are going to travel by train in the regions of France.
There are 6 active railway stations in Paris. From these stations you can practically reach any corner of France. But one of the most beautiful Gare de Lyon, it is located near the Boulevard Diderot in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. The building was built for the World Exhibition of 1900, it was a legendary event that was visited by an unprecedented number of people at that time, 50 million. Paris was seriously preparing for this event and, along with the station, the 1st line of the Paris metro and the trolleybus network were launched. The Gare de Lyon connects Paris with the southeastern part of the country. In addition to commuter trains and bullet trains, you can get to Italy or Greece from here. In winter, you can meet skiers or snowboarders; it is from this station that trains leave for the Alps.
Gare de Lion was conceived as a pompous large-scale building embodying technological progress, which is why the facade was decorated with symbolic figures of the four graces: Mechanics, Electricity, Navigation and Steam.

Expressways

Types of trains in France
France has different types of trains, from the impressive TGV train and other high-speed trains to regular short distance trains. Along with the new facilities, there are still a number of lines using the old types of carriages, most of the trains are now comfortable, modern and high-tech, there are additions such as Wi-Fi. Passenger cars have fairly large windows on both sides, while others have an upper tier that allows you to have an excellent overview when traveling.
Main types of trains in France
The TGV train network operates with major cities in France and Europe.
TGV Nord from Paris Gare du Nord. Connections in northern France, to Lille, and Eurostar to London, Lille and Brussels.

International transportation by high-speed trains

TGV technology is used by other national rail carriers in Europe.
Lyria TGV trains from France to Switzerland
Eurostar links the UK, Lille, Paris and Brussels
Thalys trains from France to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany
TGV France-Italy
Artesia High Speed Rail (France - Italy)

Purchasing tickets

How and where to buy train tickets in France.
Like most countries, ticket prices vary widely. If you can book tickets in advance, you will get good discounts. If you book early, if you miss your train, you will not be able to receive a refund.
Ticket prices for TGV or express train are no more expensive than for a regular local line. This circumstance allows you to compete with cheap airlines, TGV trains offer favorable prices for early bookings. Internet booking is widespread.
Train tickets can be ordered online and you can print them out on your computer as an e-ticket, which is exactly what airlines do. For example, if you book tickets two months in advance to travel from Paris to Nice, the second class ticket will be cheaper at 27 euros ($35) and the first class fare will be 36 euros ($47).
France railway timetable
TGV train schedule from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to Nice daily at 6:49, 8:49, 10:49, 12:49, 16:49, and with iDTGV discount fares, which must be purchased only online and in advance only at 6:49 and 16:49. From the Austerlitz station, the train leaves for Nice at 21:22 and arrives in the morning. Book online www.tgv-europe.com/en

Travel time between the capital and cities in France

Paris to Lille - 59 min
Paris to Dunkirk - 59 min
TGV Est trains from Paris Gare De l "Est. Connecting the east of France with the cities of Reims, Metz, Nancy, Strasbourg, Luxembourg and beyond.
Paris Reims - 48 minutes
Paris to Metz - 1 hour 27 minutes
Paris to Nancy - 1 hour 31 minutes
Paris Strasbourg - 2 hours 18 minutes
Trains TGV Sud-Est (South East) of Paris depart from Gare de Lyon.
Paris Lyon - 1 hour 59 minutes
From Paris to Dijon - 1 hour 37 minutes
The Alpes TGV from Paris, departing from the Gare de Lyon, links with the east of France and is especially necessary for winter skiers traveling to resorts such as Courchevel.
Paris to Grenoble - 3 hours 2 minutes
Paris to Annecy - 3 hours 48 minutes
Paris to Chambery - 2 hours 50 minutes
TGV Méditerranée trains leave Paris from the Gare de Lyon and reach Provence on the Côte d'Azur.
Paris Marseille - 3 hours 25 minutes
Paris Avignon - 3 hours 36 minutes
From Paris to Aix-en-Provence - 3 hours 8 minutes
Paris Nice - 5 hours 38 minutes
Paris Nimes - 2 hours 59 minutes
TGV Atlantique Paris trains run from Montparnasse train station to the west of France.
Paris tours – 2 hours
Paris Bordeaux - 3 hours 3 minutes
Paris Toulouse - 5 hours 167 minutes
Paris Pau - 5 hours 27 minutes
Paris to Lourdes - 5 hours 55 minutes
Paris to Le Mans - 55 minutes
Paris to Rennes - 2 hours 13 minutes
Paris to Nantes - 2 hours 12 minutes

"It doesn't matter how old your sneakers are as long as you walk around Paris in them." So, my sneakers were two years old, I was barely nineteen, and we had a month of travel in France waiting for us. Whether by virtue of character, or simply because of some boringness, I prefer to be prepared for everything and do not like all sorts of surprises when traveling. Armed with glasses and a liter of coffee, I sat down to surf the net for information about the French railway, because I was not going to stay in one place for a long time. After thirty minutes of intensive browsing of various sites, my glasses slipped down on my nose, my coffee got cold, my expression was like on a philosophy exam when I saw my ticket, and one question was spinning in my head: “FAQ?”.

And everything was incomprehensible - no useful information, on one site the trains were described one at a time, on the next site they were already credited with others, almost fantastic abilities, with complete darkness with tariffs, but how to understand how to buy tickets through the official website of the French railway expensive, you could forget. Therefore, I had to learn all the intricacies already on the spot. Many years have passed since my first trip, and the situation with information on the network has not changed much. “A lot, but bad,” as my grandmother says. Therefore, make yourself comfortable, take a coffee, and let's go surf the expanses of the French railways!

French railway as it is

In a nutshell, it is modern and fast. And not very cheap, as tickets on some routes can cost a tidy sum. Under the patronage of the main French railway company - SNCF - there are a variety of types of trains:

Trains.
High-speed.
Night.
Regional and so on.

And each type of train has an individual name, which says nothing to a tourist who has heard about it for the first time. Let's say you bought a ticket for the Teoz train, but it's not at all clear what this train is like: is it fast, how comfortable, what level of service does it have? So that when traveling in France by train you are fully prepared regarding the types of trains, I will talk about their main categories.

Train categories

Classifying this type of transport is quite simple. There are trains that make transportation within the country, these include the following types of composition:

High speed TGV trains:
- TGV subspecies: iDTGV;
- OUIBUS.

Ouigo (Bombardier) high-speed trains.
Regional trains TER.
Regional trains Corail.
Regional trains Transilien.
Lunea night trains.
Intercity trains.
Autotrain.

Trains that make international transportation, they include the following types of high-speed trains:

Thalys.
TGV Lyria.
Eurostar.
Artesia.
Elypsos.

In turn, certain types of trains also have subspecies. I will tell you about some of them in detail, while others I will lose sight of, as they are not very popular among tourists or have a strong resemblance to other compositions.

High speed TGV trains

TGV is truly the flagship among all the trains of the French railway. The first line, on which high-speed TGV trains ran, was opened 35 years ago. Since then, the number of lines that serve TGVs has increased significantly, and the trains themselves are constantly being upgraded. High-speed trains run between the major cities of France, the average speed is 200 km/h. Speed record - 515 km / h. Here are some examples of how long it takes to cover the distance on TGV trains:

From Paris to Lille in 1 hour (the distance between cities is 220 kilometers).
Marseille to Paris in 4 hours (775 kilometers).
From Grenoble to Paris in 3 hours (580 kilometers).
From Strasbourg to Paris in 2 hours (490 kilometers).

TGV train car classes

Train cars are divided into first and second class.

The traveler feels the benefits of a trip in first class, having already crossed the threshold of the railway station. For first-class passengers, there is a special ticket counter, which means you can avoid queues for tickets. There is also a welcome service on the platforms on weekdays, which will help with boarding the train and answer your questions. Even at the train station of such large cities as Paris, Nantes, Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes, and for first-class ticket holders, access to the comfortable Grand Voyager waiting room is provided. In the first class, the seats are placed according to the “2 + 1” scheme.

The seats are ultra-comfortable, there are armrests and a footrest. There are sockets next to the seat, so you can connect your smartphone, laptop or water heater to it. In the first class of the TGV train, in addition to general lighting, there are also personal lights near each seat. As a bonus, passengers can read free press. On some routes on weekdays at certain hours, cold snacks will be delivered to the place, for which you can pay directly on board the train. Wi-Fi is paid - about 5 € per hour. So download movies to your gadgets in advance, so save yourself money for a cup of delicious coffee upon arrival.

Luggage is stored in a separate compartment. However, no one guards it, so it is better to close the suitcase with a lock and not leave valuables in it. Carry them in your hand luggage, because you can put it on a shelf above your seat and keep it in your field of vision at all times.

There are toilets in every carriage. If the red light is on, it means it is busy and you need to wait a bit. Also above the doors you can see a variety of icons that will help you find a particular service on the train.

Also, trains can be double-decker. It must be remembered that the cars even in the same train can differ significantly from each other.

As for the second class, the website of the French railway itself says that it is provided for simple, comfortable and friendly communication. No frills are to be expected. However, clean, comfortable and bright carriages are provided for travelers. On some routes there is paid Wi-Fi, its cost is about the same as in the first class. Seating plan for passengers "2 + 2".

Subspecies of TGV: iDTGV

Are you a saver like me? Then train iDTGV over our unit. I would in good conscience call it a low-cost train. At the moment, tickets for it can only be bought on the French railway website, and I will tell you how to do this a little later. On the same site, the directions in which the train will run are indicated. The cars in it are divided into classes:

Idzen - calm, where peace and quiet should be observed.
Izap - noisy, designed for people who like to talk and families with children.

When I was riding in the idzen carriage, before the start of the journey, the conductor entered it and barked in his mighty voice that it was a quiet carriage and that silence should be observed. And everything is calm! The disadvantage of traveling on such trains, I would call the luggage limit - you can take only two bags: hand luggage and a suitcase. And the rest of the train is like a train, outwardly not much different from standard TGVs.

Ouigo trains

A sort of French low-cost novelty. The routes served by this train are still not enough. Attached is a map with the main directions that Ouigo runs.

There is no class division on this train. Armchairs are arranged according to the "2 + 2" scheme. When traveling, you need to take into account the restrictions on baggage - one suitcase and hand luggage. You can use the sockets, but only by paying 2 €.

No food is provided here. The undoubted advantage of this option is the low price, only from 10 €. The ticket can only be bought online.

OUIBUS - Ouigo's brother

In addition to trains, SNCF also owns a whole fleet of buses. Probably, you have already managed to think, but which side is the bus here? Yaro started for health, and ended for peace? And not everything is so simple. My story about the French railway would be incomplete without a story about OUIBUS.

These buses are a good alternative to trains, as they duplicate the flights of some of them or completely replace trains on certain routes. That's how SNCF comprehensively worries about its customers. Can't go on the train? Welcome aboard the bus! They transport OUIBUS throughout France, as well as to other European countries. A feature is the low cost of tickets compared to the train. A trip around the country will cost from 5 €, and tickets to other countries from 15 €, agree that the numbers are tempting? However, the buses are much slower. For example, to overcome a section of 350 kilometers, as much as 5 hours are allocated.

Some OUIBUS routes:

Paris - .
Paris - Nancy.

The buses are comfortable - clean interior, comfortable seats, Wi-Fi, polite staff, who, by the way, 80% of them do not speak English at all. On the way, one long stop is made for 25 minutes, so that you can stretch your legs a little, have a bite to eat and run to the toilet.

Baggage allowance - one suitcase and hand luggage. Transportation of the second suitcase is paid, and this service must be registered in advance. You can buy tickets on the SNCF website or at the box office.

TER regional trains

The abbreviation TER stands for Transport express regional. These trains are served by regional routes. While the notorious TGVs link big cities, TERs serve routes between different departments, small towns and even villages. Here is an example of several TER routes:

Pibrak - .
Paris - Laroche-Migenes.

If the train is regional, this does not mean at all that it is trudging like a turtle. Compositions of this category travel at a speed of about 130 km / h.

TER train car classes

There are two types of trains: with and without class division.

If we talk about the second class of TER trains, then one gets the feeling that the engineers and designers designed the cars each time different, without adhering to any general provisions, because the design, as well as the number of seats of one train car can differ significantly from the train car on another route or even from next door. However, for your orientation, I note that most often in the second class there is a compartment for six people (three people in a row), it is separated from the aisle by a glass door.

Also, another option for boarding passengers is the arrangement of “2 + 2” seats, both in pairs one after the other, and in pairs opposite each other (in this case, a miniature table separates them).

How are the sockets? Here it doesn’t happen once in a while, in one car there can be both several of them for all passengers, and near each seat.

Among the TER trains there are also double-deck trains. If you have large luggage, it is better to sit on the first floor - there is more space for luggage and there are special hooks on which you can hang your bike.

The toilets on the trains are comfortable and clean.

So I got to the first grade in my story. Sometimes first class is a separate car, and sometimes it's like this, just behind a glass door.

As you can see, there is no particular difference between the first and second class. Seats are arranged according to the "2 + 2" or "2 + 1" scheme, depending on the cars. True, there is still more space, and the space between the chairs is also more common, and sockets are present near each seat.

Bombardier Train

Bombardier is a classless TER train. The layout of seats in cars "2 + 2". Some of the seats have tables. The highlight of this train are the huge panoramic windows. True, when it rushes at a speed of 200 km / h, you can’t really see anything in them.

The design can be called futuristic - entirely glass and metal. Probably, the creators wanted to make the cabin of the Bombardier train something similar to the cabin of a spaceship, but as for me, it didn’t work out.

Corail regional trains

They are intercity express trains. There are a whole bunch of subspecies and branches of these trains with their own names, but in fact the traveler does not need them, since there is no particular fundamental difference in them. They go to dozens of cities in France, for example:

Mende.
Forbash.
Cossad.
Toulouse.

You may not have heard of some cities, but these trains go there. The maximum speed is 160 or 200 km/h depending on the type of train. There are older models, there are new ones that go much faster. In the train, the cars are divided into two classes: in the first, the seating of passengers is according to the “1 + 2” scheme, in the second, “2 + 2”. However, seating arrangements may vary depending on the model of the train.

Transilien regional trains

In order not to rant about this train for a long time, I will say one phrase that will put everything in its place - a commuter train. Serves the Île de France region. "Paris" in other words. You won’t get far on it, but you can explore the surroundings of the city quite well.

The train cars, of course, cannot be called super comfortable, but everything is quite clean and comfortable - you should not expect shocks from the trip. In most cases, the seating arrangement for passengers is "2 + 2".

Intercity trains

Another rather comfortable type of trains on which you can travel around France, in fact, up and down. They are fast, but still a little inferior to the TGV. Here are some options for popular routes served by Intercites trains:

- Deauville.
Paris - .
Paris - Blois.

The undoubted advantage of Intercites is that the fares in them are more democratic than in TGV. There are night and day trains.

They are divided, respectively, into the first and second class. It is very similar to similar classes on TGV trains, but with some design changes. And there are sockets, and they will bring you food - everything is in openwork! In night trains, the first class is represented by compartments in which 4 passengers travel - two shelves separated by a table, as well as the second class, the compartment of which is designed for six passengers - three shelves separated by a table. There is a toilet and a washbasin in every carriage. Everything is pretty clean and tidy.

Lunea night trains

This is a night train connecting different parts of France. Lunea trains run, for example, on the following routes:

Paris - .
Paris - .

The cars are divided into three classes. In the third, completely uncomfortable folding chairs are installed. And when my neighbor laid out his front, my legs, which did not pretend to be a model length, already had nowhere to go. The carriages have air conditioning and a place for luggage, which is not enough, to be honest. There is one toilet per car.

There are six shelves in the second class compartment. To be honest, it's too cruel for me to sleep on three floors, and it's not far from claustrophobia. Coupes can be male or female. My friend was once driving in a women's compartment, counting on the fact that snoring would not be heard. Where exactly! For a long time, putting her hands to her heart, she talked about how such miniature women can snore in no way inferior to the tractor driver Vaska, who is resting in the hayloft.

The first class is more comfortable than its previous counterparts. This is where the standard “RZhDsovskaya” kupeshka awaits with an emphasis on modernity. Four shelves: two upper, two lower, a table, a window - everything is like at home, only not so shabby. Places for luggage are standard, under the lower shelves and above the door.

Auto Train

If you find it difficult to part with your car, as I did with apple strudel in a pastry shop window, then the Auto-Train train is at your service, which will deliver the car to the station of the city you want to visit. At the moment, this opportunity is not available on all routes, but, for example, by going in these directions, you can travel with your car:

Paris - Biarritz.
- Bordeaux.
Paris - Lyon.
Paris - Marseille.

This, of course, is not the entire list of routes on which Auto-Train operates. To use the car transportation service by rail, you need to first make sure that it applies to your iron horse. Cars and motorcycles are transported, but if you decide to drive a truck, this can cause slight bewilderment among the station workers. Next, you need to deliver the vehicle to the station, entrusting it to the caring hands of employees, and wave your hand to the car in farewell with the words: “Goodbye my love, goodbye!” And go to your car yourself, upon arrival at the end point, the car will already be waiting for you.

The cost of such a service is about 120 €. For yourself, you pay the standard ticket price, which depends on the direction.

Thalys trains

Thalys trains connect the French capital with the following cities:

Amsterdam.
Brussels.
Cologne.

The maximum speed of this train is 300 km/h. The arrangement of seats in the cars is similar to the TGV. There are some differences in classes depending on the service. In addition to everything that is offered in the first class of the TGV train, Thalys offers breakfast, snacks, lunch or dinner, and there is also a vegetarian menu. The cost of food is included in the ticket. For a snack, you can go to the restaurant car and eat there, or you will have food delivered directly to your seat.

A taxi service is also provided from the stations of Paris and Brussels. The conductor will call the car thirty minutes before arrival.

In the second class, the seats are similar in comfort to the seats in the first class. Internet is paid.

TGV LYRIA trains

These are the same TGV trains, but they travel from Paris to Switzerland. Here are some of the popular routes they serve:

Paris - .
Paris - Zurich.
Paris - .

TGV LYRIA train cars consist of two classes. In the second class, the chairs are opposite each other in pairs, they are separated by a table. The carriages have vending machines for buying food or drinks. If you want to eat more thoroughly, you can make a trip to the dining car and replenish your calorie reserves with delicious food.

Also, the trains have a special system that counteracts the theft of luggage. Personally, they do not convince me, and I keep a fotik, money, “gold-diamonds” with me. The first class includes the conveniences of the second and has a number of additional services:

Electric socket near each seat.
Larger leg gap compared to second class.
Spacious seats. For some reason, this is always the focus of attention. If you are a good person and there are many of you, this class is just for you.
Free drinks and snacks. Well, how free? They are already included in the price of your ticket, they will be served directly to your seat.
Fresh press. This is where knowledge of languages comes in handy.

In the first class, two options for boarding passengers are provided:

Solo - single chairs one after another.
Duo club - two chairs opposite each other, separated by a table.

Eurostar high speed trains

They are the property of the railway company of the same name, which transports across Europe and partly through the territory of France, connecting it also with other countries. Routes operated by Eurostar trains:

Paris - London.
- Lille - Calais -.
Marne-la-Vallee - Lille - Calais - (summer only).
– French Alps (terminal station Avignon).

I will not dwell on the “inner world” of the train, classes and seating arrangements, all this is similar to the TGV train, only the Eurostar trains are more elongated and technically adapted to travel in tunnels.

Artesia high speed trains

Artesia trains link France and Italy. Popular routes:

Paris - .
Lyon - .

There are both day and night trains. In the daytime, boarding is standard: in the second class according to the “2 + 2” scheme, in the first - “2 + 1”. Goodies in the form of air conditioning, vending machines, and in the first class and personal lamps, folding chairs and sockets are included. Sleeping cars are divided into compartments, in which six or four people travel. You can also ride alone in a compartment or in the company of two or three people. However, the availability of such seats on the train must be clarified in advance. To be honest, I didn’t manage to travel to Italy on a night train, so I can’t say about the division of the compartment into men’s and women’s, but most likely it is, although it’s better to clarify this point when buying a ticket.

Elypsos high speed trains

Have you read Murder on the Orient Express to King? Do you want to plunge into that charming atmosphere with a modern twist and without a tragic incident? Then you are on board the Elipsos, a luxury hotel train. Elipsos is the brainchild of the French and Spanish railways. Main train routes:

Paris - .
Paris-.
- Zurich.

These trains have personal names. I've had a chance to ride the Joan Miro train, named after the famous surrealist. I really like to ride on night trains, as it saves money that I would have to pay for an overnight stay in a hotel, and most importantly, precious daytime is saved, because not everyone likes to watch the flickering landscapes outside the window. There are 4 classes on trains:

Gran Class (grand class).
Club Class (1 class).
Tourist Class (grade 2).
Cars with seats.

Grand Class

In it you can travel like a proud baobab, alone in a private compartment (they are designed for one or two people). There is also a toilet, sink and shower. Serve the press.

Club class

In this class there are double compartments for men, women or families. But there were also such dense times when you would ride in one compartment, and your companion or companion behind the wall or even in another car. There is also air conditioning and a washbasin. There is one toilet per car.

Lucky ticket holders in this and the previous class have access to VIP lounges at Madrid and Milan railway stations and free parking.

Tourist class

Coupe for four people. Male or female. Coupes are also formed for families or people traveling together and knowing each other. Amenities: air conditioning and press. There is one toilet per car.

Carriages with seats

The car is equipped with 20 folding seats. There is a footstool, a lamp in case you decide to stay awake for more romance and plunge into reading a detective story, where the plot is twisted on a similar journey that took place many decades ago. There is plenty of space for your belongings, air conditioning and press.

dining car

He works until two in the morning. The food is delicious. During the day, the car is like a car, but in the evening ... In the evening I was about to go at eleven o’clock to eat chicken and sauce, as my friend says: “Yaro, you should put on this, well, put on a dress, and do something more decent on your head.” I loosened my mane, put on the least wrinkled dress and headed to the restaurant. No, there were no travelers in evening dresses and tuxedos, but I did not notice any visitors in sweatpants either. Everyone tried to look their best, probably getting into the atmosphere of a night trip on a luxury train.

Having dealt with all the intricacies of trains and wagons, I will move on to an equally pressing issue - ticket prices.

French railway fares

If you expect that you will find only a few types of tariffs, then it was not there! Most train categories (not all of course) are subject to specific variations. What is not a train, then new tariff rules. You can go crazy if you are not dedicated to the whole thing! So let's get into it.

I will talk about the three main fares at which you will be offered to buy a ticket for virtually any train on the railway website or at the box office, as well as special additions that apply to some categories of trains. The most popular among tourists are:

TGV trains.
Eurostar trains.
Thalys trains.

But first things first, let's start with the "standard fares" that apply to the vast majority of tickets purchased in France. I will explain everything clearly. In the image below you see a part of the flight schedule for the Paris - Lille route.

At the top above the prices are marked with different colors of tariffs: blue, blue and purple. Perhaps these colors are called something else, such as aquamarine or violet, but my eye sees the spectrum that way. Depending on the fare, the ticket price changes upwards. So, a little about each.

Tariff Non-exchangeable

It means "non-exchangeable". And, in fact, that says it all. It is impossible to return or exchange a ticket purchased at such a fare. The prices for these tickets are minimal.

Trif Exchangeable conditions apply

Here tickets are already subject to exchange, but with certain conditions. In order to find out these conditions, you need to click on the ticket price, and all the details will open before you. For example, on this route, you can exchange a ticket thirty days before departure (return a ticket or return it) by paying a fee of 5 €. But for the day and on the day of the trip, this amount will increase to 15 €. If you decide to exchange a ticket for a more expensive one, the difference in cost will simply be added to this sum. It is not possible to return or exchange a ticket after the train has departed.

Tariff Flexible

According to it, the ticket can be returned free of charge until the day of departure of the train. It can also be handed over or exchanged without commission within two hours after the departure of the train directly at the departure station.

***

These are simple fares for most train tickets in France. Now I turn to the story of more specific details.

Tariff rules for TGV trains

You can buy a ticket for the TGVI train at the following rates:

Prem's.
Loisir.

Let's consider each in more detail.

Tariff Prem's

Suitable for the most "monolithic" travelers who plan their trips in advance and buy tickets. At this rate, you can buy the cheapest tickets. Peculiarities:

The opportunity to buy tickets three months before the expected date of departure, because it is ninety days before the sale begins at this rate, and it closes two weeks before the date of departure of the train.
Limited number of seats - not all routes have tickets at this rate, and there may be very few seats at Prem's.
The ticket cannot be returned or exchanged. It’s absolutely impossible, whatever one may say, and even 50% of the ticket price will not be returned to you.
Several times a year, SNCF organizes a global ticket sale at this rate, and at such moments you can ride in France for next to nothing.

Tariff Loisir

It can be characterized by a good price and relative flexibility. Loisir tariff features:

Tickets can be returned or exchanged, but this can be done a maximum of 24 hours after the train's departure. If you decide to change your ticket or return it on the day of departure, 10 € will be deducted from the ticket price.
If you miss the train, you will not be able to return or exchange your ticket.
Quantity is limited.

Tariff Pro

This is the most suitable option for such windy and fickle people like me - today I plan one thing, tomorrow another. The most flexible tariff, but the prices cannot be called low. Peculiarities:

The ticket can be returned or exchanged for another two hours after the train leaves the station. Missed the train with a Pro ticket? No problem! Rent it to the cashier or exchange it. However, I want to note that on the day of the train departure, the ticket can only be changed at the box office of the station from which your train departs.
Pro also offers exclusive services in first class. Food to your chair and so on.
The number of Tickets at this rate, as my nephew says: “well, just fill up!”

Eurostar train fares

There are three main types of fares for trains, they also depend on your age. I'll start with the main ones:

Flexible tariff (Flexi)

Available in business class. A ticket bought at this fare is distinguished by incredible flexibility: it can be returned or exchanged for another two months after the date of departure of the train. And all without any fees.

Semi-flexi fare (Semi-flexi)

It is designed for first and second class passengers. The ticket can also be returned or exchanged within two months after the intended date of travel, but you need to pay a fee of 40 €.

Inflexible tariff (Non Flexi)

First and second class travelers who have purchased a ticket at this fare cannot return or exchange it. However, the fare will be much cheaper than those bought by Flexi or Semi-flexi.

Benefits according to age

Yes, on trains, how old you are can play into your hands and save you some money. There are the following rates depending on age:

Children's. Designed for people from 4 to 11 years old. Not subject to return and exchange.
Youth. People aged 12 to 25 can ride on it.
Tariff for people of the third age. Seeing this wording on the website of the French railway, I was just offended. Well, what are you 60 years old? I now plan to be an advanced and lively lady in these years, and not a man of the third age. Well, okay, that's not the point. Passengers over 60 years of age are fully entitled to travel at this fare.

What kind of discounts does this imply? You can find out the details when buying a ticket online by ticking the required box with the choice of age or telling it to the cashier.

Thalys train fares

A bit like Eurostar fares. There are three main ones, and there are also those that depend on age. And as usual, I'll start with the main ones:

Flexible tariff (Flex)

You can buy a ticket at this rate in the first class, and there already go and enjoy the comfort. The main features of this tariff:

The ticket can be bought up to the day of the train departure.
It will be possible to exchange it for free as many times as you like before the train leaves and another hour after that. However, this can only be done at stations where Thalys trains leave.
The ticket can be returned free of charge within an hour after the departure of the train. If you do not meet this time, you will have to pay a commission of 50% to return the ticket.

Semi-flex fare (Semi-flex)

This fare combines flexibility with relatively low ticket prices. Ticket can be:

Buy only in one direction and only if there are empty seats up to the day of departure of the train.
Exchange once until the departure of the train.
Return before the departure of the train and within an hour after it.
Buy the sooner, the lower the cost.
Buy first class only.

Inflexible tariff (Non Flex)

This tariff is characterized by minimal flexibility, but a very attractive price. Peculiarities:

It is not possible to return a ticket at this fare.
The sale closes two days before the departure of the train.
Available only in the second class.

Age

There are also two fares depending on the age of the passengers:

Youth rate. For passengers aged 12 to 25 years. Available in first and second grade. You can exchange your ticket once before the train departs.
Tariff for people of the third age. It is similar to the one I described in the section about Eurostar tariffs. The rules for exchange and return are similar to the rules in the youth tariff.
Children ride according to the standard rules: up to 4 years old free of charge.

Here, perhaps, are all the intricacies that a tourist needs to know. If you need to clarify whether there are special rates for other categories of trains, this can be done in a few clicks by entering the name of the train in the search engine and going to the official page of the carrier company.

How to save money while traveling

The question is urgent, since train tickets in France can hardly be called cheap. If you read carefully about the tariffs, then I think you already have the first thoughts on this subject, and I will try to summarize them and add something new.

Advance ticket purchase

Tickets need to be bought as early as possible, so you can save. On the day of departure, the purchase will cost you 80 €, and if you bought it for, for example, three weeks, you would have to pay only 40 €.

Significant difference? And then!

Wagon class selection

First or second class? Yes, of course, the second one, if an additional 5 centimeters between the aisles and 3 centimeters wider seats are not essential to you. Don't get too carried away with frog legs and buns and ride comfortably in the second class cabin, because, in my opinion, the most significant difference between classes is the difference in ticket prices.

Age of passengers

I already spoke about this above. Children, youth under 25, and passengers over 60 are always eligible for discounts.

And children under four years old ride for free, sitting on their parents' laps.

Buying tickets online

For some trains, tickets can only be bought online. But this is not the point, but the fact that when buying tickets online, you can safely consider everything, choose the most convenient and cheapest option. But when you buy a ticket at the box office, there is noise, din, the cashier poorly understands your attempts to express yourself in a language you do not understand, and even someone constantly pokes you in the back so that you hurry up. In such conditions, it is not always possible to buy the “right” ticket. Sometimes you want to quickly hit the road from there, taking already any kind.

Group travel

Sometimes you can get discounts when traveling even in a small group of three people.

The possibilities of such a trip must be specified at the box office or on the railway website.

Travel cards

This is the point I would like to single out. In my opinion, all these cards are such a pleasure if you are in France for three days, and you are going to make only a couple of trips by train. But if you decide to stay longer in this country and travel a lot by trains, they may come in handy. There are a lot of maps, and most of them are convenient for the French themselves. But I advise tourists to pay attention to InterRail pass cards. There are two types in France:

InterRail Global pass - you can ride it like a breeze in thirty countries of Europe.
InterRail France pass - by presenting this card, you can only ride through the territory of France.

Here I will talk about the latter in more detail. If you think that you can ride on it all year round, then I hasten to disappoint you, it is only effective for a few days. Below is the cost to her in the second and first classes.

You can get a card at the box office of major railway stations in the country or on the website. Before buying, you need to weigh everything well. You can buy a card if:

There are large-scale plans for a trip to Europe or France.
You are under the age of 26, then according to the rules you can get even more discounts. What is the difference in ticket prices for youth and adults is visible from the table.

Do not buy a card if:

You have planned a solo or several small trips.
You are planning a trip months in advance. In this case, it is easier and more profitable to buy tickets with discounts.

Travel like clockwork

Here I will pay attention to several important points regarding a comfortable ride. So, in order for the trip to pass without incidents, it is necessary:

Take into account delays and emergency situations.
Validate the ticket (not in all cases).
Save your ticket.
Know where the train leaves from.

I will dwell in a little more detail on each of these points, because observing them is the key to your successful journey.

Delays and emergencies

I remember rushing to the train to Lyon. I didn’t even run a hundred meters at the school Olympiad in physics. If the physical instructor Alexander Nikolaevich had seen me chasing the train, he would not have believed that I was able to develop such speed. But there was something to run - the ticket was bought at an inflexible fare - I was late and that's it, the ticket was gone, neither exchanged nor returned. Fortunately, I did. I still remember the eyes of the conductor and the surprised: “Crazy gyorl!” So, so that you are not considered crazy, plan your arrival at the station in advance. And check your alarms.

Another type of delay is train delays. This is rare, but it happens. If you just have to wait for the train for an additional five minutes, then this is still nothing, but if you have a flight with a transfer, and you realize to your horror that you do not have time for it and only for some miserable three minutes - this is very disappointing. So plan your flights so that you have enough time in case of a train delay.

Now let's move on to emergencies. It was I who so modestly called the strikes of railway workers. I remember in my third year at the university, I twice passed the labor law, by the way, I got an A. So, in one of the articles of the Labor Code it was said that workers have the right to defend their labor rights, and a strike is one of the legal ways to do this. French railroad workers really use this article heavily. And they stand up for their rights.

I know everything from the same Code that workers must notify their “bosses” of a strike several days in advance. Therefore, in most cases, passengers will also be warned, letters of apology come to the post office. Not all trains are canceled, but only some of them. Therefore, you will probably still leave where you need to, but a few hours later. That's the way things are. We will hope that you will not fall on them during your trip.

Validate ticket

Naturally, tickets need to be composted. But not all! You can refuse this procedure if the date and time of the trip are set, then it’s clear that the ticket was bought for only one flight and you won’t be able to ride it for a long time.

If you have bought a flexible fare pass and it is still valid for a whole bunch of time, then, naturally, you need to somehow prove that you are going to travel. Also, some uncomposted tickets for a particular train may work for another month in this direction. But it is better to clarify this at the box office or on the website when buying.

On a validated ticket, you can leave during the day when it was “broken”. And if you don't compost, you face a fine. But more on that below. It is also not necessary to subject electronic e-tickets to this procedure. They are printed on sheet A-4 at your home, and on such a ticket there is a code that, in fact, is scanned by the controller on the train. Well, I’ll tell you another reliable method of how not to miscalculate with composting. If your document flaunts the inscription “A composter avant l" acces au train ", then the ticket needs to be punched. You can do this in the yellow machines that are located at the station. You need to put the ticket in the slot, and the machine will "break through" it.

If you did not disobey all my exhortations about punctuality and ran to the train so that you did not have time or forgot to validate your ticket, an SNCF employee will come to your rescue, who will enter the train before the trip. No, this is not a controller, but a person who will validate your ticket for you. Call him: "Sorry, monsieur!" - And then give your ticket, he will put his autograph and seal.

cherish the ticket

Don't lose your travel document. No need to put it in the back pocket of your jeans or an overflowing wallet, twist it with a tube or use it like a fan - it will fly away somewhere and that's it! And somewhere behind the back, an inexorable controller is approaching, and you can’t do without a fine.

The fine for traveling without a ticket and not validated ticket is equal to double the cost of the trip. And, it seems to me, this is quite a weighty argument, so as not to freebie and keep track of your things!

Know where the train leaves from

Oh, how many tourists I have seen rushing around the station and not knowing where the trains leave from! Yes, and I myself was once like that, but everything comes with experience and stories of fellow travelers. Navigation at French railway stations is well developed. There are screens everywhere, where all the necessary information about trains is displayed.

Way, in French - "voie". Paths are designated either by numbers (1, 2, 3) or by letters (A, B, C). Finding the one you need is quite simple, but you can also validate the ticket. If a wagon is indicated on it, it should be found, but the trick is that there is no numbering on the trains themselves. It is necessary, like a curious Pinocchio, to look into the vestibule, look at the car number on the doors from the inside, and it is also written in small print. Seat numbers are indicated on a small LCD screen, they can change from trip to trip.

Having finished with the theory, we pass to practice. Next, I will tell you how you can buy train tickets in France.

Buying tickets

There are three main ways to purchase tickets, and I will describe everything to you in detail, and you already choose which one you like best and go to battle! So, at the moment, travelers have three options for buying:

At the box office of one of the French railway stations.
in a special machine.
On the SNCF website.

Looking ahead, I will say that on the site you have several options for how you can get a ticket:

Electronic ticket, aka e-ticket. The scheme is quite simple. You buy a ticket on the website, receive it by e-mail, print it out, take it, as well as identification documents, with you on the train and present it to the controller.
Get a ticket at the box office according to the data sent by e-mail. You can do this at any ticket office, and not just at the station from which you depart, on any day.
Getting a ticket in the machine. The system is also simple - you need to enter the four-digit code that you received after paying on the site. Next, information about the ticket will appear on the screen of the machine. Then you will be asked to insert the bank card with which you paid and enter the pin code. The system will check the card, give it back to you and print the pass.
Booking a ticket and its further payment at the box office or machine. Everything is simple here. We book a ticket on the website, receive the necessary information for payment by mail, and then deposit money at the box office or machine. Personally, I do not find this option convenient.
Receive a ticket by mail. Not by e-mail, but by paper. Knowing my postman, I would never risk it. You understand that problems may arise when sending tickets, and they may simply be lost.

Here are the main options. In most cases, when buying a ticket, not all are available, but only a few ways. Personally, I think that e-ticket and ticket printing in the machine are more convenient.

Already knowing how you can get tickets, we go directly to the purchase options.

At the register

Most cashiers speak French, but only a few of them can speak English. Personally, I'm not a big fan of buying tickets at the box office: it's noisy, there's a queue, and it's not always possible to understand what they want from you. So I write a note to the cashier.

On the sheet I indicate the following data:

Departure date.
Departure time.
Departure station.
Arrival station.
Desired rate.
final ticket price.

This greatly simplifies the entire procedure. True, once a funny situation turned out when the cashier thought that I was deaf and dumb, and decided to show that he was not a badass, and demonstrated all his knowledge of sign language. Having decided to play along with him and knowing only how to say: “Hi!”, “Bye!”, “I’m glad to see you” in Russian sign language, I showed him all this and both of us, pleased with ourselves, dispersed.

In special machines

These machines are located at almost all stations. They are called Automatic Ticket Machine, they are painted yellow and it is difficult not to notice them. They look like this.

How to use this representative of robotics? I am attaching step by step instructions. First, click on the Depart immediate button.

Now, first of all, we select the name of the station from which the train departs and the station where you need to arrive.

Now you need to enter the date on which the trip is planned. To do this, simply select the day of the month.

Next, a page opens on which you need to select the number of passengers. And click Valider. This is the action confirmation button, and it is the one you need to click in other cases to go to the next page.

Now choose a class. As for me, there is nothing to think - the second. Travel in comfort and save money.

Now you need to pay for tickets by card or cash.

We insert a card or cash into the receiver.

On the SNCF website

If you want to buy a ticket here and now, then… Follow me! First of all, we go to the SNCF website. By default, I have English, but if you have French, then you can change it in the upper right corner. Next, click on the Reservations tab.

A window appears in front of us where we need to enter the place of departure, the place of arrival, the date, and also the time from which we want to leave. You also need to indicate the number of passengers (by clicking on the plus sign located in the gray rectangle), age, whether you have any special travel cards and whether you participate in the loyalty program. We also select a class.

I want to travel from Paris in second class because I don't want to overpay. Accordingly, I select these cities, but I do not enter the names of the stations, I simply select all stations. As a “true traveler”, I buy a ticket a month before the trip in order to save myself on sweets. After filling in all the fields, click Search.

The system searches for the necessary flights for a couple of seconds, and a window with flights and tariffs appears in front of you. There are many options, every hour, there is plenty to choose from. I want to take a flight at 9:46 on a non-refundable ticket. By the way, in red on the screen you can see the special offer for the Ouigo train for 10 €, which I told you about above.

By clicking Choose your seat, you can choose the location of the seat. I'm a fan of traveling at the window, so I click on this option.

Next, I click Select this outbound journey, which means: “choose this journey”. Now a window appears with more detailed information about the trip. Then it becomes known to me that I will be driving near the window on double seat No. 26.

A window appears in which you need to enter your data. In the first block, we select the method of how we want to pick up the ticket. I talked about all this above. I choose the option with a ticket printout in the machine.

The second block says that the ticket is strictly personal, and you need to enter the first name, last name and date of birth. In the third block, this data is duplicated, plus you need to enter an email address. Do not forget to check the box confirming that you have read all the terms of sale and agree to them.

Here is the final moment - the introduction of payment data. It remains to wait until a special code arrives in the mail, and in our case, already during the trip, print the ticket in the machine.

It is not necessary to register to purchase on the site. In my opinion, the French Railway website is one of the most user-friendly of its kind in the world.

Conclusion

This is what the French railway is like - with a lot of trains, tariffs and rules. I hope I helped you sort things out! To sum up, I would advise you to buy tickets in advance, travel second class, and follow the elementary rules for railway passengers - this will make your travel more economical and enjoyable. Bon Voyage!

Have something to add?

Rail transport in France is the most economical and versatile way to move around the country. A network of railway tracks connects both large and small towns and villages. Traveling by train is faster and more pleasant than by bus.

French railways are a great option for tourists who do not like to fly on planes and prefer comfortable travel. Trains in this country are inferior in time to air travel, and besides, they are quite expensive. France's rail transport is reliable and varied. Most of the vehicles used are produced by national manufacturers.

What trains are used

If desired, the passenger can get to anywhere in the country using trains. There are high-speed, night, local and other trains. From Russia to France can be reached by train, which follows from Moscow to Paris. The second train departs from the Russian capital and arrives in Nice. Departure of these trains occurs from the Belorussky railway station in any season.

There are six train stations in Paris, from where you can go to any area and beyond France. The country's railway network is subordinate to the French company SNCF (National Railway Society. Part of the railway fleet is made up of high-speed GV trains, which are used on intercity routes. They run almost non-stop, reaching speeds of up to 350 km / h. Older trains run at a speed of about 250 km / h. Fast travel is guaranteed by RER or regional express trains, which are equipped with comfortable seating and can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h.

Features of travel for passengers

Passenger trains with carriages of three classes run on French railways: luxury, first and second. In the deluxe carriage, each room is equipped with a single bunk and a double bed, a TV set, a table, an armchair, a shower cabin and a bathroom. Coupes of the first and second classes are almost the same.

Train tickets are sold at the SNCF box office, on the company's website and at vending machines. By looking at sncf.com, a tourist can choose a route and a railway ticket. To order a ticket online, it is not necessary to register on the site. Passengers can enjoy a variety of discounts on train tickets. The EurailPass ticket, which is considered valid in 17 European countries, is very popular. It enables the owner to make numerous trips to first class seats. For two, there is a special Eurail Saverpass ticket, which provides discounts for traveling couples.