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TGV how far ahead can you know full availability?

Posted by (City of Seattle) on

Bonjour!

For instance, my family arrives at CDG on Thursday 17/8 and we want to immediately go to LILLE, direct by TGV. Our flight arrives at 11:15am.

Here are the TGV departure time from CDG to LILLE on 17/8: 13:07, 15:17, 15:47

But if I search the same route on a Thursday in June (15/6), here are the relevant departures: 13:07, 13:16, 13:36, 14:41

Prices in June and August are similar.

And if I look earlier in the spring there are also more TGV trains available around our desired time of departure.

SO: my question is if I wait a couple of months to buy tickets, will more trains become available for my desired route? Or is it that there are just fewer trains in August than in June? It would be ideal to be able to book the 13:36 train, so I'm wondering if I wait maybe that option will appear?

Merci beaucoup!

Posted by
16893 posts

All TGVs are now on sale for travel through August. And the 14:41 that you see in June is only indicated to run through June 30 on that schedule (after the June 11 schedule change, but not all year). Current price range is €15 (on the later departures), €25, or €53 (full fare) in 2nd class.

With this many to choose from, and with the vagaries of flight arrival, I probably would not book ahead. But if you get a good price now, it may be cheap enough that you're willing to throw it away in case of missing the flight. Four hours is a safer cushion of time than two, but two hours should work if you carry on luggage and have no significant delays.

Posted by
1785 posts

Laura you've been such a tremendous help - thanks so much! We'll take a chance on the 13:07 and if we miss it so goes the war as the French say :)

Thanks again

Posted by
420 posts

Question for Laura (related to the thread title, but not to the Lille route).

I'm having a problem booking the early 6.13 am TGV from Niort to Paris Montparnasse on Saturday 1st July. It doesn't show up on the Loco2.com or Trainline.eu searches, but is definitely on the Bahn.de search. If I change my date back to Saturday 10th June, it shows up as available.

I suspect the problem might be related to the timetable change from 11th June that you refer to above. I've already booked myself on the Eurostar 11.13 am to London on 1st July and I need to be on that early TGV from Niort to make the connection across Paris.

Do you have any idea when TGV bookings on that line after 11th June will become available?

Posted by
420 posts

Still concerned about my query below (to Laura).
Loco2.com have set an alert for me but I didn't think there was so much delay in post 11 June TGV bookings becoming available.

Posted by
420 posts

Thanks, Southam, but the alert I had booked with Loco2.com eventually came through yesterday and I was able to book on the early TGV I wanted direct from Niort to Paris. So all is well. I was just being impatient as I had not previously experienced such a long delay in TGV booking availability (11 weeks out).

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