We are taking the Eurostar via chunnel from London, going to Lyon on a Wednesday mid-October. We will arrive in Paris (Gare du Nord) approximately 2:45 pm with 60 minutes until the TGV leaves Gare de Lyon.. I am familiar with the RER and the Metro and thought an hour would be plenty of time to move between those 2 stations. After I purchased my tickets (non-refundable) I saw the statement (on the tickets) that entry gates close 30 minutes before departure. This was anticipated and no problem on the London end. However, I am thinking that if this is a hard and fast rule, we are unlikely to make our TGV train from Gare de Lyon. Does anyone have recent info on this situation? Thank you for any help. I'm afraid I may just have to chance it and buy new tickets to Lyon if the gate is firmly closed! Help please. Susan
Posted by
Chicago
8166 posts
The TGV is not the same as strict as the eurostar. I am pretty certain they will let you on up to 2 minutes before departure or just change your tickets before you go.
Posted by
Chicago
8556 posts
I am pretty sure this is wrong -- I never experienced this with TGV travel (but things change as we have seen at the Louvre so be alert to information about this). We were admitted to the platform right before the departure; the platform wasn't even announced until 20 minutes before the last time I caught a TGV in Paris which was this spring. The Eurostar is often late (well I have taken it twice and it was half an hour to an hour late both times and there was no event that should have caused this.). I would never book a connection this tight at different stations. No mercy here for any slight kerfuffle or delay that might cause a missed train.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4088 posts
Previously it was possible to walk onto the station platform at Gare de Lyon once it was announced, 20 to 30 minutes in advance. Now for the fast trains the station has installed ticket-scanning gates at the platform entrance. Most appeared to have an attendants when I was there in July. Some gates had crowds waiting for them to open. I wasn't catching a train so didn't test the process but it appeared to be moving efficiently.
Posted by
Paris
10205 posts
The reference to the gates closing 30 minutes before departure applies only to the Eurostar. (I usually give myself a buffer and try to be at the station and in line 1 hour before my train’s departure, as you must have made it through that part of the line by 30 minutes before. You then still have to go through security screening, British emigration, and French immigration, which is why they require the 30 minutes.
There is no such requirement for the TGV departing from Gare de Lyon.
Posted by
OP
lake forest park, washington, usa
121 posts
Thank you everyone. Here is what appears to have been the source of the confusion: I went back and looked really carefully at my tickets. Both legs of the journey were printed under the auspices of Eurostar and both state the 30 minute deadline. HOWEVER, There are also specific inOui TGV tickets and they say we can board up to 2 minutes before departure - just as some of you said. Additionally, there is info on them indicating that we can exchange the tickets for a small fee. (Not allowed by Eurostar) So, I will plan to seek a later train from Gare de Lyon to Lyon Part Dieu.
Thank you all very much. Susan
Posted by
231 posts
We are on a TGV train from Avignon to Paris right now. Our platform number showed up about 20 minutes before departure and they scanned our tickets to go to platform. The OUI train arrived about 2 minutes before our departure time and left right on time. So we had 1-2 minutes to get on our car. Look for digital number of the car on your ticket as the train comes in so you can quickly enter. We had 1st class and chose the exact seats for both of our rain trips in France so this time we knew what we were doing!