TGV from Geneva to Aix-en-Provence, FR

Posted by dfranken2 on 04/23/18 03:02 PM

I want to book the TGV train from Geneva to Aix-en-Provence in mid-July (one-way ticket). In going to the website, I am given a choice of Geneva train stations...should I leave from the Geneva Airport (CH), or from another train station in Geneva? Even with selecting the option to display only direct routes in the search, I got back two choices, each one involves 2 changes i.e. "Train, TER, TGV" and takes 4.5 hrs or longer. Is there a way to get from Geneva to Aix on a TGV that would not involve any changes? What is "TER"?

Thanks!

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

04/23/18 03:31 PM

20093 posts

TER = Transport Express Regional. It is a French regional train.
Deutsche Bahn is show a direct TGV from Geneva to Aix-en-Provence at 8:38 in July.

TGV site is also showing it, as well. They run the train, so I guess they would know.
https://en.oui.sncf/en/tgv
On that site, it is shown as Geneva(CH). The main station is Geneva Cornavin, which French TGV site calls Geneva(CH).
https://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/railway-stations/geneva-station.html

Posted by LIZinPA 🧳

SE Pennsylvania

04/23/18 03:47 PM

2375 posts

Some trains do not run daily. It's possible the direct, all TGV train doesn't run the day you need.

Posted by Nigel

Northamptonshire, England

04/23/18 05:34 PM

32757 posts

What time of day are you wanting? Day of the week?

You're not looking on RailEurope are you?

Posted by Chris F

Basel, Switzerland

04/23/18 06:58 PM

8889 posts

You do not want to start from Geneva Airport, from there you would have to double back into the city. You want to start from the main station in the centre of Geneva, known as "Genève Cornavin", or just "Genève". You may have to change trains in Lyon.
You can find trains and buy on the SNCF website, or https://www.trainline.eu/

I did a search from "Genève" to "Aix-en-Provence TGV" for 12th July, and found:

08:38 ➜ 11:53, Direct, CHF 38.21
11:22 ➜ 15:38, 1 change, CHF 68.30
11:50 ➜ 17:31, 2 changes, CHF 80.72

"Aix-en-Provence TGV" is the station on the High Speed line on the edge of the city, and gets more long distance trains than "Aix-en-Provence" which is in the city centre

Posted by Laura

Rick Steves' Europe

04/23/18 07:27 PM

16893 posts

Rail Europe has the same trains for sale - no issue there. Price for the 8:38 on July 12 test date is currently $48.

The notation "Train, TER, TGV" is the type of thing you see on an overview of trains schedules from DB, before you click the link to "Show details." DB is ideal for finding schedules but doesn't sell tickets that don't touch Germany.

From Aix-en-Provence TGV station, there's a bus into town, to the bus station. This is reflected in DB schedule searches to the city center. But since it's a separate company and ticket, it's not reflected on sites that actually sell French train tickets.