Is it easy to travel around France by train?

The best way to travel between French town & cities is by train, in comfort at ground level. France's world-famous TGV travels at up to 199 mph, from city centre to city centre, and if you pre-book direct with the operator you can find some really cheap fares, too.



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Although nine out ten times, the best way to travel around France is by train, there are a few occasions when a flight is your best bet. Take Nice for example. The fastest flight time from CDG or Orly is 1:20. Figure in transport to the airport, check in, security, etc.

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Trains à Grande Vitesse (TGV) TGVs or Trains à Grande Vitesse are SNCF's premier high-speed trains. They run on major routes covering most of France at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).

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The French rail network is superb, and traveling by train is often just as quick as driving, generally very reliable and quite reasonably priced. Better still, you don't have to worry about parking, traffic, motorway tolls, or any unexpected breakdowns. Unfortunately, public transport in more rural areas can be patchy.

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The best way to travel between French town & cities is by train, in comfort at ground level. France's world-famous TGV travels at up to 199 mph, from city centre to city centre, and if you pre-book direct with the operator you can find some really cheap fares, too.

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Ways to save money on train travel in France
  1. Rail travel can be expensive in France but it is possible to pay less by knowing the system and planning out your trip. ...
  2. Remember the basics. ...
  3. Buy a railcard. ...
  4. Use the once a year 25% discount. ...
  5. Check for 'flash sales' ...
  6. Do not buy from the ticket office.


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For long-distance trains including all TGV, Intercités & Intercités de Nuit overnight trains, reservation is compulsory, but there are usually seats available even on the day of travel and you can buy a ticket immediately before the train departs. But there are much cheaper fares if you pre-book.

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You must validate (composter) all French train tickets before you board a train unless you have printed your ticket off at home or downloaded it on your mobile phone. Tickets that are bought or exchanged at a station self-service machine in the hour before you travel may be validated automatically, according to SNCF.

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How do you get around the South of France? Public Transport – One of the world's fastest trains can be found in France and runs between all of the South of France's major cities. By bike – France is well known for its bike-friendly culture, and you'll find many good cycling routes here.

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If you're sticking to the big cities, locals say that trains and air travel are the best ways to get around. But if you want to explore smaller towns and villages (where locals say you'll find many of the best things to do in France, like eating fresh oysters in Cancale), getting a rental car is a good idea.

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Traveling in France without speaking French ???? Travelling in France without speaking French is possible. Not speaking French will not get you into any MAJOR problem. In case of emergency there will always be someone to help you.

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Travel during peak travel periods will usually see you paying more as there is more demand for tickets. For that reason, the best days to buy tickets are generally in the middle of the week between Tuesday and Thursday, the former considered the best of all by several sources.

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Higher fares usually apply when purchasing tickets onboard the train. To secure the best available fare, passengers should purchase tickets prior to boarding the train.

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All TGVs (except a few very short-distance ones such as Lille-Paris) have a café-bar serving hot & cold drinks, sandwiches, a few hot dishes such as quiche or lasagne, small bottles of wine & spirits - see sample menu. The café-bar is located in the centre of the train between the 1st & 2nd class.

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Trainline shows various date options side-by-side with their costs. So if you're flexible on dates and willing to travel on whichever day is cheapest, you are able to get some great savings. This is not possible with the SNCF (though their older site used to do it) or other platforms.

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Nationwide Amtrak Discounts Before you start clicking links, make sure to check Amtrak's Weekly Specials, on sale between Tuesday and Friday each week. These are deeply discounted fares (often up to 80% off) that can be for any train in the country. It's a grab bag, but you might get lucky.

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TGV trains, the high-speed trains that serve most of France's main lines as well as some international routes, require seat reservations. Seat reservations for domestic routes start at $11, and go up to $27 as seating sells out. These trains can fill up, especially around weekends, holidays, and special events.

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