Everything You Need to Know About Taking the Train in France

France is the largest country in western Europe, so train travel makes sense. Happily, France has a fast and efficient train system, and the French government has invested massively in high-speed trains (the TGV train or Train a Grande Vitesse) and high-speed lines (LGV or Ligne a Grande Vitesse).

There are over 1,056 miles of dedicated high-speed lines and thousands more main lines and smaller lines, so almost everywhere is accessible by train travel in France.

The French rail network links all the major towns and links up many small towns in rural France. With careful planning, you can get around just using train travel during your vacation. Generally, the trains are on time, comfortable and relatively cheap.

However, some trains run only at certain times on certain days, so you need meticulous planning if you are traveling in rural France by train.

Getting Around France From Paris

Like many capital cities, Paris suffers from having no central railway hub, but a number of mainline termini. Here are some of the main destinations served from the main stations.

• Gare du Nord: Northeast France, London (Eurostar), Brussels, Amsterdam (Thalys), Lille, Valenciennes, Calais
• Gare de l'Est: Nancy, Metz, Reims, Strasbourg, Germany, Luxembourg
• Gare de Lyon: Lyon, Dijon, Besançon, Geneva, Mulhouse, Zurich, Clermont-Ferrand, Marseille, Nice, Nimes, Montpellier, Perpignan; Italy and the east of Spain
• Gare d'Austerlitz: Tours, Poitiers, Limoges, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Biarritz, western Spain
• Gare Montparnasse: All western TGVs, Brittany, Brest, Rennes, Nantes
• Gare St. Lazare: Caen, Cherbourg, Rouen, Le Havre

Types of Trains in France

All types of trains run in France, from the special TGV and other high-speed trains to smaller branch lines. While some lines are operating old carriages, most of the trains are now comfortable, modern, and have high-tech additions like WiFi. Many have massive picture windows along the sides; others have an upper deck that gives you a fantastic view of the French countryside you are powering through.

The main types of trains in France are:

• The TGV Train network (Train a Grande Vitesse) runs to major cities in France and Europe.
• Intercites trains cover many of the medium distance routes between cities like Amiens, Orleans, Bordeaux, Caen, Lyon, Reims, Troyes, Toulouse, and Paris. They link cities in French regions like Nantes, Bordeaux, and Lyons-Nantes-Tours.
• TER is the French regional service running from towns and villages over 21 regional networks in France.
• AutoTrain sleeper service runs from Paris Bercy Station down to the south of France, taking you and your car.

International Train Services

Other national rail carriers use TGV train technology in Europe:

• TGV Lyria trains run through France into Switzerland
• Eurostar runs between the UK, Lille, Paris, and Brussels
• Thalys trains run to Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany

How and Where to Buy Tickets

Like most countries, ticket prices vary widely. If you can book early, you will get good bargains, but you may have to stick to a specific time. If you book that and miss the train, you may not get reimbursed.

Ticket prices are no higher on a TGV or express train than on a local line. And to compete with the low-cost airlines, TGV trains offer reasonable prices for early bookings and for the less popular times of trains. Internet booking is always a good idea.

All French train tickets can also be ordered online, and you can then print them out on your computer as an e-ticket, exactly as the airlines do. 

Visitors from the USA can buy online with Rail Europe, and visitors from the U.K. can buy online with Voyages sncf (formerly Rail Europe UK).

Tips for Taking the Train in France

• Arrive early to find out which platform the train goes from. Paris train stations can be quite confusing.
• There might not be good refreshments on the train; check in advance and, if necessary, buy your own snacks/light lunches at the station.
• You will have to validate your ticket. Look for the yellow machines (‘compostage de billets’) usually just before reaching the platform. Insert your tickets into the slot and retrieve them. Ticket inspectors will check your ticket on the train, and if it is not validated will probably find you.