We plan to travel by train from Paris, Eiffel Tower neighborhood, to Avignon. What is the nearest starting point? Do we need to train first to a location outside central Paris and then change trains?
Posted by
Chicago
8166 posts
No it is easy to take the metro or taxi or uber from where you are to Paris Gare de Lyon. The trains there go to Avignon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gare_de_Lyon
this site to see train schedules
https://uk.voyages-sncf.com/en/#/
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Carl,
You want to cross town to Gare Lyon, where there are many direct, fast trains to Avignon every day.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Thank you!
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
You will probably need to change trains at the Avignon end, as the high-speed line station is some distance from the city. There are traditional slower trains to meet the TGV and take you to the city centre.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
If, however, you plan to rent a car, there are a number of rental offices at the TGV station.
Posted by
Paris
10206 posts
If you know your travel dates, buy your tickets in advance for the best prices. You can save a LOT with advance purchase. Normally tickets in France are available something like 92 days before your travel date (although for July and August, the SNCF -- French trains authority -- usually opens tickets a little BEFORE the 92 days).
You can check ticket availability at oui.sncf or at trainline.eu. Tickets are the same on either site. Sometimes people find that they have problems with U.S. credit cards at the SNCF site.
https://www.oui.sncf/ (official site of French trains authority - click the French flag in top right to change to English)
https://www.trainline.eu/ (Trainline, they also have an app that is very convenient if you're going to have data connection while you're in France)
You can read about train travel in France here at this great site:
Posted by
U.S.A
19 posts
We did this in May. We used Rail Europe to book the TGV. It was quick & easy. We even had time to grab Starbucks at the Gare de Lyon. We did rent a car once we got to Avignon because we wanted to use the time to explore more of the region. However, if we did it again I wouldn't get a rental car until day 2 because we really didn't need it IN Avignon!
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Thank you all for your responses. I appreciate each one and feel much better prepared!
Posted by
Paris
10206 posts
A note to advise you NOT to buy from Rail Europe if you can avoid it. They charge a surcharge.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4088 posts
Kudos to Kim for her ride-the-rails knowledge.