VincentH
Traveller
3 comments
Posted 11 years ago
Hi there,
From the 5th till the 14th of August we, two youngsters, 22 and 18 yo, want to make use of the InterRail system.
We want to travel from Leeuwarden (Netherlands, our own country) to Le Puy-en-Velay, with a stop of two days in Paris. In total we travel 3 days, within 10 days:
- 5th of August: Leeuwarden - Paris
- 7th of August: Paris - Le Puy en Velay
- 13th of August: Le Puy en Velay - Leeuwarden
We thought the Global Pass is the best option, as we have to travel through the Netherlands, Belgium/Germany and France. Within The Netherlands we won't get to travel with the Global Pass, so we have to pay till the border.
There's a big but (one t, not two's): we can't afford to take the Thalys, as you have to pay extra costs to take that train. We want to avoid this route, but we don't know what route (Leeuwarden - Paris, Paris - Leeuwarden) to take to avoid that. Is there anyone who can help me with this? We don't want to pay more than the two Global Passes and the fee in for the train(s) in our own country.
Greets,
Vincent
VincentH
Traveller
3 comments
After searching through all kind of alternatives, we think we have found one!
Is there anyone here who can tell me if the prizes and routes I take are right?
[b]05/08[/b]
Leeuwarden -> Roosendaal - +-13€ NS-train
Roosendaal -> Brussels - 11,80€ FYRA-train
Brussels -> Paris - 5€ TGV (From here we make us of our Global Pass. 5€ is the reservation fee)
[b]07/08[/b]
Paris -> St. Etienne - 6€ TGV (Also use of the Global Pass. 6€ is the reservation fee)
St. Etienne -> Le Puy-en-Vellay 0€ TER (TER's are free if I'm right)
[b]14/08[/b]
Same way back. Prizes are the same too.
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi!
There are no FYRA trains outside of the Netherlands at the moment. Just the ordinary good old Benelux IC services. You need a ticket only to Roosendaal (fr) (the border point), not all the way through to Bruxelles.
Also, there is no Bruxelles - Paris TGV, just the expensive Thalys trains. I would travel withou paying any extra reservations via Lille - Amiens or Lille - Aulnoye.
From Paris to Le Puy you can use the TGV to Lyon or St Etienne or an Intercités train to Clermont-Ferrand (6€ reservation as well). However pay attention that reservations for 6€ are limited on each train and will be more expensive if they are sold out (up to 18€).
You can travel with regional trains as well, best connections would be from Paris Bercy via Dijon to Lille and onwards via St Etienne to Le Puy.
Another option to get back from Le Puy without paying extra reservations would be to go via Clermont-Ferrand - Moulins-sur-Allier - Vierzon (- Orléans) - Paris or Clermont-Ferrand - Montlucon - Bourges - Vierzon - Paris.
Dont you have more time to add maybe another stop to make more use out of the five travel days of your pass?
Be fair and purchase your IR passes at [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux] - thank you. :)
Flo 8)
VincentH
Traveller
3 comments
Hi flow,
Thanks for your answer. It helps me a lot with planning the journey. I will buy my pass with your link, as soon as I'm sure it all works out.
You're right about the FYRA. I don't know why I didn't realize that. Well, it just makes it a little bit cheaper I guess.
I'm doubting your statement about the TGF from Brussels to Paris. Following this page, it exists: tgv.be.voyages-sncf.com/en/tgv-brussels-France. I can't find the contrary anywhere else too. There's just no TGV from Paris to Brussels (so not a TGV for the way back to The Netherlands).
So, I hope we can take that route (Roosendaal - Brussels - Paris).
From there, we will take the TGV to St. Etienne as you said. I don't exactly know how to reserve it online, but I can surely find that somewhere.
On the way back I have to take another route though, as there is no TGV from Brussels to Paris. I think we'll go from Paris to Amiens to Brussels, and from there go to Roosendaal and back to Leeuwarden.
Does that sounds good?
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
There is no TGV Bruxelles - Paris. Just Thalys. TGV from Bruxelles to France can stop at Charles de Gaulle Airport and at Marne la Vallée/Disneyland, but not in Paris. You can of course go there and then make your way to Paris by RER, however as RER A is operated by RATP on the line to Disneyland I am not sure that IR is valid. From the airport you should be able to travel for free with RER B though.
VincentH
Traveller
3 comments
Flow, you're my hero!
So.. after several hours of search I've come with a new plan. Which adds an extra day of route, but also an extra day to see the beautifull city of.. Brussels!
[b]05/08: Leeuwarden to Brussels[/b]
Leeuwarden -> Roosendaal
Roosendaal -> Brussels Midi
..and the whole afternoon to spend in the city
[b]06/08: Brussels to Le Puy-en-Velay[/b] (This will be a tricky day)
07:07 Bruxelles Midi -> Mouscron -> Lille Flandres 08:50 Train Eurocities and TER: No reservation/fee required
10:02 Lille Flandres -> Arras -> Amiens 12:21 Two times a TER: No reservation/fee required
13:23 Amiens -> Paris Nord 14:32 Intercités: reservation required
--:-- Paris Nord -> Paris Gare de Lyon --:-- I suoppose by metro
16:57 Gare de Lyon -> St. Etienne 19:47 TGV: reservations required
20:01 St. Etienne -> Le Puy-en-Valley 21:35 TER: No reservation
[b]12/06: Le Puy-en-Valey to Paris[/b]
Le Puy-en-Valey -> St. Etienne
St. Etienne -> Paris Gare de Lyon TGV: reservation required
[b]14/06: Paris to Leeuwarden[/b] (Uh oh..)
08:28 Paris Nord -> Amiens 09:47 Intercités: Reservation required
11:38 Amiens -> Lille Flandres 12:58 TER: No reservations required
13:25 Lille Flandres -> Tournai 13:44 TER: No reservations required
14:22 Tournai -> Bruxelles Midi 15:30 I don't know what train, but there's no reservation required
16:18 Bruxelles Midi - Roosendaal 17:43 Intercity: no reservation
Roosendaal - Leeuwarden.
So... do you see any flaws in my plan?