What if I don't make a reservation for the high-speed train?

Hi Marsha,

We advise to always reserve TGV trains ahead if you have a rail pass. French TGV trains have a limited number of seats set aside for railpass holders so it's absolutely necessary to reserve ahead. This can be done up to 3 months before online here: http://ricksteves.raileurope.com/us/rail/point_to_point/triprequest.htm

If you don't have a seat reservation and try to get on the train without one, the conductor won't let you on the train if he asks to see your ticket during boarding. If checks your ticket after the trains has already departed, you will be asked to get off at the next stop and/or fined. It's possible to get a seat reservation a few days ahead at the station, but since space is limited for passholders, it's highly likely you won't be able to get one.

If you would rather be flexible with your schedule and not have to plan your TGV trips, then I would buy individual tickets as you go, rather than a railpass. There are many more seats available for individual tickets on TGV trains than passholder reservations.

Different railway companies have different rules

• TGV's are run by SNCF (French Railways). In France, you are not allowed to get on these trains unless you have a reservation. If you try, you will be treated as travelling without a ticket.
• On German ICE trains, you do not need a reservation for normal tickets, for passes you would need to check the rules for the pass.
• In Britain, you never need a reservation, so long as your ticket is valid for that train.
• Other railway companies have their own rules

But, in all cases, if the train is full, if you have no reservation, you will have to stand.

You have to have a reservation to ride the TGV, even with a rail pass (and reservations are limited for pass-holders). So you are either asking,

"What if I don't make a reservation for the TGV until I arrive at the train station for departure?"

or

"What if I don't make a reservation for the TGV and just walk onto the train with my pass?"

In the first case you risk not getting on the train you want and perhaps others as well. If you go that route, be prepared for that, also arrive with plenty of time to queue up and try to buy a reservation.

In the second case you risk a fine.

Your second question is a bit different,

What do I ride if the high speed train is full and I have a rail pass?

I think the answer is that you may be able to ride a later train, there may be slower trains that go to the same place, or you can go someplace else.

Unfortunately you are dealing with the dirty underside of rail passes. In France there are only quite tightly rationed pass holder reservations on TGV services.

While you could purchase a discount PREM ticket or iDTGV ticket in advance if you were buying point to point tickets, when you are using a pass you must try to get one of the rationed passholder reservations. If there are no pass holder reservations available on the train you want you can either try for a different train, or you can pay out of pocket for a full price ticket and travel on the train you want.

Please don't try to board a TGV without a ticket. Your ticket - or lack of one - will be discovered by the Train Manager who will check every ticket. The consequences are severe.

There is no standing on TGVs. All passengers are allocated seats.

Short answer: you probably will be able to buy a ticket on a TGV if passholder seats have run out. But it will be very expensive (probably expect a three-figure sum in euros).

Hi,

Riding the TGV has stricter rules than on the ICE train in Germany. If the TGV is full at that departure time, ie, ask if that applies in both 1st and 2nd class, assuming your Pass is 1st class. If both are full, you can't buy a reservation with your Pass. If you're flexible, change to another departure time or date.

You still have a few options with the Pass. If your Pass is first class and you're told by the SNCF that no more seats in 1st class are given to passholders (I've had this experience a few times), then ask if it's likewise with 2nd class. Your 1st class Pass allows to sit in 1st and 2nd class. You still need a seat reservation on the TGV. They won't sell you one if no seats are available.

In Germany with the Pass, you hop on the ICE and if all seats are taken, you stand or sit on the floors in the back. People do this all the time. You don't have this luxury on a TGV.