The envy of the world (TGV)

Member Name: jamesontheroad

Product:	TGV
Date:	09/01/09 (21 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Faaaaaaaaaaasssssst

Disadvantages: Not as comfortable as older "proper" trains

You don't have to be a trainspotter for an A-grade French to know TGV stands for. The "Train a Grande Vitesse" is perhaps the world's most famous and successful high speed train, and it's at the core of France's excellent public transport network. It's what Parisians depend on for short weekends on the Mediterranean, what businessmen and women choose instead of the plane, and what Brits envy with a passion.

In fact, we shouldn't be so envious, because in our own small way, we have a slice of the TGV cake here in Britain. The Eurostar is a descendant of the TGV family, and now with it's own high speed line almost all the way from Paris to London, it connects us not only to Paris and Brussels, but to the entire French TGV network.

The TGV is not just a phenomenally fast (320km/h, or about 200mph) train, it's also a massive system of dedicated high speed tracks. Of fundamental importance to the TGV network are the tracks themselves, which are not shared with any other trains, such as freights or slower local services, and which are built to much more stringent engineering standards so as to withstand the forces created by fast moving trains. They also have special in-cab signalling systems, because the TGV simply moves too fast for a train driver to be able to see and respond to traditional signals! Unlike aborted experiments with magnetic levitation trains, the TGV has the distinct advantage of being able to run over standard railway tracks and dedicated high speed lines, meaning that while immense time savings can be made on high speed lines, the train can approach a city and run on normal lines through the local tracks into the station.

The current TGV network is built around the key lines of Paris - Lille - Brusses / London, Paris - Lyon - Marseille, Paris - Tours, Paris - Le Mans and Paris - Strasbourg. Further lines are under construction in the regions and to alleviate bottlenecks.

For British travelers, key interchanges are at Lille and Paris. That ability for TGV trains to run on both high speed and regular tracks mean that a whole host of destinations are offered by TGV trains, offering faster journey times than by traditional locomotive hauled services (still available in some regions, and marketed as "Corail"). Lille is, in fact, a preferable point of interchange for Eurostar passengers, as connections towards Strasbourg in the east or Marseille in the south can be made without switching stations, which is necessary for almost all connections in Paris.

TGV trains are all reserved, and when booked with a standard ticket or railpass, charge a small premium over regular trains. There exists a low-cost TGV brand called "idTGV", tickets for which are sold exclusively online through a number of ticket agents (although not the idTGV website itself, it merely provides links to those agents). idTGV trains are marketed primarily towards younger travelers, and instead offering first and second class cabins, offer two "ambiences" with "idZap" and "idZen" depending on your preference for noise or calm. Weekend and late night services even occasionally have onboard DJs for the party atmosphere!

Not your thing? Don't worry. The traditional TGV network remains. On board you will find first and second class. I personally don't recommend the premium demanded by first class, since although there is more space in terms of seat width and legroom, there are no complimentary beverages, snacks, newspapers or perks. You will also find that second class compartments, as is the case with many modern trains in different countries, are noticeably less comfortable than older French "Corail" trains. The thinking appears to be that getting you to your destination faster means minor creature comforts such as sprung seats and tall windows are no longer needed.

This was most obvious to me during a brief period spent living and studying in Strasbourg. When I arrived, the long awaited TGV line to Paris was nearing its first stage of completion. When I departed, it had been opened. That meant that I arrived in Strasbourg on a train that took four hours from Paris, and left on one that took just two hours and twenty minutes (it'll be less than two hours in a few years time, when the second stage opened). But on the streets of Strasbourg, I found a surprising number of people, admittedly older but equally vocal, who said they didn't like the TGV. Being four hours away from Paris was a privilege, and they preferred the older and more comfortable trains.

These complaints are, however, of little importance to the occasional traveler or tourist. If you're planning a trip from the UK to France (or even just within France) I can't encourage you enough to investigate traveling by train, and looking beyond the standard Eurostar destinations of Lille, Brussels and Paris. With Eurostar now offering integrated through tickets from British railway stations to French stations, and journey times plumeting as new lines open, you have no excuse not to ditch the low cost airlines and enjoy a truly fast way into and around France.

From the UK, Eurostar & Rail Europe sell integrated tickets that can include TGV connections online at www.eurostar.com and www.raileurope.com

The invaluable website Seat61 will also help you plan your trip. It's independent (written by a former British Rail employee) and passionate about making point to point train travel in Europe easy. www.seat61.com

Finally, if you're feeling brave, explore the complex website of SNCF (French national railways). They now act as a travel agent for many different forms of transport, but their website has an English language option and allows you to check train times and fares. Just like in the UK, advance purchase single tickets exist throughout the TGV network, and often booking your TGV separately through their website will work out cheaper than going through the Eurostar site. www.voyages-sncf.fr

Summary: Why on earth would you still fly to France?