France Railway Information
Most of the French railway network is operated by SNCF.
Train Service:
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TER trains: These link most French towns and cities and operate frequent services.
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InterCité (Intercity) trains: These connect the main towns and cities across France.
Domestic high-speed trains in France:
French domestic high-speed trains are the world famous TGV train and travel at speeds of 320 km/h (200 mph). TGV trains transport passengers quickly and comfortably to cities across France, including from Paris to popular destinations like Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille and Nice.
International connections:
These international high-speed trains operate to and from France:
- Eurostar: Connects Paris and Lille to London (Great Britain) via the Channel Tunnel, and Lille to Brussels (Belgium).
- Thalys: Links Paris to Amsterdam (Netherlands), Brussels (Belgium), Cologne (Germany).
- TGV: Connects Paris to Luxembourg city (Luxembourg), Lille to Brussels (Belgium), Paris to Turin and Milan (Italy) and Paris to Figueres (Spain).
- TGV Lyria: Links Paris to Geneva and Zurich (Switzerland).
- ICE: Connects Paris to Frankfurt and Munich (Germany)
- Talgo du Jour (Mare Nostrum): Links Montpellier to Barcelona (Spain) and continues south to Valencia and Murcia (Spain).
Train stations of bordering countries:
With an Interrail pass valid in France you can travel to the following train stations of countries that border France:
- Basel (Switzerland)
- Geneva (Switzerland)
- Portbou (Spain)
- Ventimiglia (Italy)
Facilities and services on trains:
Bikes on trains
Bicycles are allowed upon purchase of a special bike ticket.
Bar Bistro
SNCF's on-board cafe bar on TGV trains is a great place to grab food and drink (soft and alcoholic) on the go as well as mingle with the locals in the bar areas