Enjoy France by Train with a Eurail Pass
Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice. All these cities are connected to the French Railway Network.
Tasting wine in famous vineyards, hiking in the French Alps, enjoying local cuisine, all of it is possible if you travel on a Eurail Pass in France.
A Eurail Pass valid in France is valid on trains operated by SNCF, the national railway company of France. It is also valid for travel on trains operated by SNCF from France to Basel, Geneva (Switzerland), Port Bou (Spain) and Ventimiglia (Italy).
For detailed information on the French trains, visit the website of the French railway company SNCF.
The French rail company, SNCF, provides direct service from most European countries using regular trains. The Eurostar service uses high-speed to connect Lille and Paris with London, the later via the Calais-Dover channel tunnel. The Thalys service uses high-speed TGV trains to connect Paris to Brussels and onward to cities in the Netherlands and Germany.
Railway Service
Exceptional comfort and the wide and various range of services available to customers have made TGV trains into a commercial success. In the enjoyment of a relaxed atmosphere passengers can read a book at leisure, write their postcards to their family and friends, make a phone call or just have a meal, relax and take pleasure in a smooth train ride.
For some domestic trains in France Eurail Pass holders need to make a seat reservation.
- Compulsory reservations for TGV and TEOZ high-speed trains cost 3 euro
- Recommended reservations for Corail (IC) trains cost 1,50.
See the reservation fees for domestic trains.
Some international trains to and from France also require a reservation fee. Examples are the Eurostar to London, the ICE to Germany or the Thalys to The Netherlands. See the reservation fees for international trains.
Reservations can be made in advance through a travel agent, or at larger train stations in Europe. More about train seat reservations
Paris - Lyon - Marseille
Take your France Rail Pass and start at the bustling French capital Paris. Dyon is the gateway to the wine region of Burgundy. Lyon has some nice surprises in store (like a Renaissance quarter). Continue your journey through the Provence region, with cities like Orange and Avignon you shouldn't miss. The tour ends at Marseille, a busy port town with an interesting blend of French and North African culture.
Tour stages and average journey times:
- Paris - Dijon (1 hr 40 mins)
- Dijon - Beaune (20 mins)
- Beane - Lyon (2 hrs)
- Lyon - Orange (2 hrs)
- Orange - Avignon (1 hr 15 mins)
- Avignon - Marseille (1 hr 20 mins)
As Marseille is a major railway junction, you have plenty of options to continue your French rail adventure from here.
Read a detailed description of this tour in the recommended guide Europe by rail, available from Thomas Cook Publishing.
Scenic route
A nice scenic route can be made with Le Train Jaune (Villefranche-de-Conflent to Latour-de-Carol). See Wikipedia on the 'yellow train'.
Airport - station links
From Paris Airport Charles de Gaulle, there are connections to Paris Nord and many other destinations. More details on the airport website.
From Lyon St. Exupéry there is a tram link to Lyon Part Dieu (Rhônexpress, every 15 minutes - Eurail Passes not valid).
Eurail Aid Offices in France
For questions about Eurail during your trip, visit the international ticket offices at Gare de Paris-Lyon, Gare de Paris–Nord, Gare de Paris-St. Lazare, Gare de Marseille St. Charles, Gare de Nice-Ville or Aéroport Charles de Gaulle (Paris CDG Airport).
See Eurail Aid Offices for opening hours and more aid offices in Europe.
