stormtrooper
Traveller
2 comments
Posted 14 years ago
I'm new to this boards and this will be my first interrail trip ever, hopefully the first of many.
Long story short, I'm in Serbia and next month I'm planning to visit a friend in Lausanne, Switzerland. From there I'll go to Geneva and then to Paris. I've had nightmares for the past couple days regarding the TGVs and whatnot because I can't reserve a seat from here and I won't be able to until I reach Geneva which is March 29th. By then, most seats will be taken for sure, I'm planning on leaving to Paris on April 1st or 2nd. How can one get to Paris via train safely. And also, from Paris as well. Naturally, I have no intention of paying the full TGV price which is 70 odd euro ONE WAY, I mean, point of Interrail = none.
I heard there are other ways of doing it, as in, not the TGVs. Help me out here please
Peter
Traveller
9337 comments
Hi ...
There is one solution that you friend will buy the ticket for you at the station.
Or the non official solution which sees to be accepted (as the limited seats for rail pass travelers isn't understandable even for the train staff):
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/tgv-sncf/42[/u]
And here is your way without TGV:
[b]1)[/b] FREE Regional trains only
[b]Geneve[/b] Dep: 0558 | free Regional train
[b]Lyon Part Dieu[/b] Arr: 0751
[b]Lyon Part Dieu[/b] Dep: 0822 | free Regional train
[b]Dijon Ville[/b] Arr: 1024
[b]Dijon Ville[/b] Dep 1046 | free Regional train
[b]Laroche-Migennes[/b] Arr: 1218
[b]Laroche-Migennes[/b] Dep: 1224 | free Regional train
[b]Paris-Bercy[/b] Arr: 1344
[b]2)[/b] FREE Regional trains + one TEOZ train (EUR 3)
[b]Geneve[/b] Dep: 0858 | free Regional train
[b]Lyon Part Dieu[/b] Arr: 1102
[b]Lyon Part Dieu[/b] Dep: 1134 | free Regional train
[b]Vichy[/b] Arr: 1321
[b]Vichy[/b] Dep: 1402 | TEOZ train - supplement EUR 3. No problems with seat limitations: https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/france/fr
[b]Paris Lyon[/b] Arr: 1652
[b]3)[/b] FREE Regional trains only
[b]Geneve[/b] Dep: 1416 | free Regional train
[b]Chambery-Challes-E[/b] Arr 1545
[b]Chambery-Challes-E[/b] Dep: 1601 | free Regional train
[b]Dijon Ville[/b] Arr: 1924
[b]Dijon Ville[/b] Dep: 1946 | free Regional train
[b]Paris-Bercy[/b] Arr: 2244
[b]4)[/b] FREE Regional train + cheap Night train
[b]Geneve[/b] Dep: 1944 | free Regional train
[b]Aix-les-Bains-le-Revard[/b] Arr: 2058
[b]Aix-les-Bains-le-Revard[/b] Dep: 2328 | CORAIL Night train: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train/france/fr[/u]
[b]Paris Austerlitz[/b] Arr: 0621
[b]5)[/b] FREE Regional trains + cheap Night train
It is the same night train like on (4). But you get in earlier for more sleep.
[b]Geneve[/b] Dep: 1958
[b]Bellegarde(Ain)[/b] Arr: 2024
[b]Bellegarde(Ain)[/b] Dep: 2032
[b]La Roche sur Foron[/b] Dep: 2137
[b]La Roche sur Foron[/b] Dep: 2158
[b]Paris Austerlitz[/b] Arr: 0621
Peter :)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi!
There would be this quite nice connection for you:
Genève 0858 - 1102 Lyon Part Dieu
Lyon Part Dieu 1122 - 1334 Dijon
Dijon 1346 - 1644 Paris Bercy
It takes more than double the time the direct TGV needs but at least you have a guaranteed free connection up to Paris. There also is an identical connection two hours later. However, if you want to use a faster TGV connection there are two things that might help you.
- You don't have to make the TGV reservation at Genève - you can do so at Lausanne as well, maybe even at Belgrade and depending on your route to Lausanne at other railway stations if you have enough time there.
- If the direct TGV is full though, you could take one of the direct free TER trains from Genève to Lyon and continue with a TGV from there - there are hourly (in peak times half-hourly) connections to Paris and I'm sure you will get a reservation for one of those).
Flo 8)
Peter wins...
Peter
Traveller
9337 comments
And Flow has the better connection. :)
Is it all by free trains. It seems I missed something. ;)
stormtrooper
Traveller
2 comments
thank you people a lot. I can't do anything from the station in Belgrade so I guess it's TGV or long way around. Either way, no problem for me.
I'd like to keep the topic up in case I have something else to ask, I hope that's not a problem, I AM a total n00b anyway, so have pity at least :)