French trains - boarding time

I'd say the difference in price is due to popularity - the cheap tickets on the train showing as Inoui having already sold out. It's probably at a more convenient time for people.

The platform the train will be at is only announced 20 minutes before departure. There's not much point aiming to be at the station too early.

Thanks,

The hours are both convenient to us, with luggage you don't need to be 30 minutes or so? I read it sonewhere, so just wondering if this is the case.

Thanks

You need enough time to find your platform and walk there. Just note that there are several stations in Avignon. There is Gare d'Avignon Centre in the city and Avignon TGV in the outskirts. If you're going to Paris your train will most likely depart from Avignon TGV. The station is very easy to navigate, there are two platforms, one for northbound trains and one for southbound trains.

Where are you looking for tickets? Grand Vitesse, is that a Ouigo train? If so, that is SNCF's low cost option. High density seating, limited luggage allowance etc.

Hi,

It is Avignon TGV, near Avis location, where I will return my car.
As faras I saw, I can choose the seats in the ouigo, and in Inoui, only on 1st class.
Both in SNCF website.
Also, the family card for larger families is only for French citizens, right?

Thanks again

The Avignon TGV station, on the town's outskirts, has two platforms, one in each direction. The ony complication is to remember that the schedule is stated in the 24 hour clock (I've screwed up. 1500 is not 5 o'clock.) Usually French stations will post a guide showing where the numbered cars will stop.

There are basically three types of high speed trains operated by SNCF.

• TGV. The famous "Train A Grand Vitesse". A well know, recognisable brand. Which is why it has to go apparently. SNCF is currently being run by former airline managers....
• Inoui. What most TGVs are supposed to eventually become. Just a rebranding. This rebranding is almost finished, so most high speed trains now carry that brand.
• Ouigo. An attempt at finding out if people still come if you make train travel as infuriating as airline travel. Follows the low cost model. Everything is extra. You need "check in" 30 minutes before departure. Whoever came up with this should be banned from ever getting near a railway operation.

Recently they have started adding conventional trains to Ouigo, so now there is Ouigo Grand Vitesse and Ouigo Train Classique. SNCF believe it can become much worse than it is already apparently.

For TGV and Inoui SNCF wants you to be on the platform at the latest 2 minutes before departure. Arrive a bit earlier so you can get your bearings at the station. Do not support Ouigo by booking that. That abomination must go.

Thank you for the detailed explanation.
Looking on SNCF website, I have 2 options:
Direct Ouigo Grand Vitesse or Direct Inoui.

On both they mention that I can board up 2 minutes before departure.
If I get you correctly, I would still have to come 30 minutes before in order to be able to board?

Thanks

No, you can arrive whenever you want, up to 2 minutes before departing time. You just walk down the platform until you find your carriage and board. There is no check in or boarding process or anything.

In May we traveled by train in France and liked Direct Inoui trains. Sometimes they scanned our tickets before boarding and other times they did not. We liked being at the train station at least 20 minutes before so that we could see the platform and time that our train number would arrive and depart. The doors close 2 minutes before departure.

Hoo boy -- FYI, they are not kidding about the 2-minute thing. Just a few weeks ago, after 30 years of never missing a train in France, I switched from traveling in and out of a smaller train station in the south near a vacation home (Narbonne Gare) to Montpellier farther away, because I thought I'd get better cars/faster Hertz Gold service. I was used to boarding TGV Inoui trains in Narbonne with just a couple of minutes (or even seconds) to spare -- I grew up in New York City, where getting on trains just before the doors close is a competitive sport. (Also, Narbonne doesn't have gates.)

Twice when arriving at Montpellier Sud with a couple of minutes to spare, I was denied boarding and had to wait around for 2 hours and rebook. (Why did I let it happen twice? I'm an idiot.) Once the automatic gates closed, the SNCF folks explained, there was nothing they could do. The second time, had my sister and kids with me, so I felt terrible. I'm lucky that both times, space was found for us -- it was peak season.

Bottom line: Don't be like me. Get there early.

How big is the price difference? Personally I'd gladly pay extra to avoid Ouigo.

@kentchristine--how did you get from the airport car rental to the Gare de Sud? They aren't next to each other. The shuttle bus goes every half hour.

OP: Not only do you want to beat the 2- minute door closure, but you also want to be on the platform, at the place your train carriage is supposed to stop in plenty of time. You should avoid getting into a different carriage and having to drag your belongings through the train. Not all carriages connect on double-decker trains.
So aim for 20 minutes before. When you are allowed access to the platform go on down and find your waiting position. You'll be surprised how little spare time you have.

Thanks all,

@badger, The price difference is 460 Euros for 7 people.
630 vs. 1090 Euros.

Reading all the responsee here, I guess it would be worth it;)

Thanks

Bets, I had picked up my cars (two separate rentals) in Barcelona airport and at Montpellier St Roch. Both were dropped off at Montpellier Sud as there is a Hertz location there. (If it sounds messy, it was; my partner’s mom had a fall a few days before the trip so he had to bow out, and I had to retool the car rentals as best I could.)

Hello again,

One more question, are the discounts in SNCF are only available to French citizens or also passengers outside France/EU can use any code/card?

Thanks

If you are referring to the annual discount cards (senior, child, etc.), they are available to anyone. You do not have to be a French resident or citizen.

Thank you.

The family card is only for French citizens, right?

Thank you

In order to answer your question, I did a dummy application, answering the first page with your criteria live outside France, do not work in France, have 3 minor children, and the result was Not eligible. These first questions are not about citizenship but about residence and working in France.. Plenty of non-citizens who live and work in France would be eligible. As a non-resident, you aren't eligible for the large family card.

Thanks, just thought if there is another option;)
Never mind, booked the Inoui.

Thanks a lot for all your help!

Glad to see you purchased Inoui tickets. Just so you know, although the Ouigo tickets may have been less expensive, we found out (the hard way) that ours were non-refundable and the service did not include access to WiFi. We ended up purchasing new tickets on an Inoui train and put our Ouigo ones "up for redemption"on the Ouigo website...although we don't expect they will actually be resold to anyone. Chalk it up to our learning curve as new visitors to France. Also, we plan to take several trips by train during the time we are there and purchasing Carte Avantage Senior cards has already saved us more than the 49 euro annual fee.