The high-speed trains used in France are known as TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse = High Speed Train). With 149 destinations and speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph), the TGV is the fastest way to visit the various regions of France.
Eurail pass holders
Seat reservations are compulsory for Eurail pass holders and cost €3 when made at a French train station.
Please note that the number of seats available for Eurail pass holders is limited. Try to make reservations in high-season as soon as possible.
TGV Routes
TGV trains operate all over France, with various connections to neighbouring countries. The TGV network is no longer centralized in Paris. It is possible to go directly from Northern France to Brittany or the Loire Valley, but also to the south of France. The main tourist regions of France are accessible directly from Charles de Gaulle Airport.
The main domestic high-speed tracks (LGV) where the TGV trains run:
- LGV Sud-Est (Paris-Lyon)
- LGV Atlantique (Paris-Le Mans and Tours)
- LGV Rhône-Alpes (Lyon-Valence)
- LGV Nord (Paris-Lille/Channel Tunnel)
- LGV Méditerranée (Valence-Marseille)
- LGV Est (Paris-Baudrecourt)
The South East TGV has been running for 15 years. It links Paris to Lyon and the South of France (Avignon, Marseille, Nice) but also Geneva, Lausanne and the Swiss Alps.
The TGV Atlantique carries over 40 000 passengers a day. It not only links Paris to the West of France, Brittany and the coast, but also the South West. It takes one hour from Paris to the Loire Valley and its famous Châteaux (Paris-Tours: 1 hour), and 3 hours to the famous Bordeaux wine country.
The Northern high-speed line has brought Northern France and Europe closer to the rest of France: Paris is now only 1 hour from Lille, 2 hours 35 minutes from London, via the Channel Tunnel, and 1 hour 25 minutes from Brussels.
The TGV Est connects Paris with Strasbourg (2.20 hours), Basel (3 hours) and Zürich (4.30 hours), reducing travel time by 1.5 hours.
