We are leaving next week and are traveling from Paris to Chamonix and then to Nice. The TGV trains seem to be the best option for us since we want to travel quickly. The price of the Anywhere Anytime France pass is 777 dollars for three of us. I know that the train does not go directly to Chamonix, but I think I read we should take toe TGV to Annecy and then take a train to Chamonix. My question is is this a good plan. We do want to ride in first class--I assume it is worth it, but maybe it is not. Is there also an additional fee when I select the individual stops? The TGV site does not indicate this. I am a novice and need some advice. It would be extremely appreciated.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
IMO, 2nd class is perfectly fine. Besides, for Paris-Chamonix and Chamonix-Nice only one leg out of the several you'll need to take for each trip will be on a TGV. The other legs will be on regional trains which don't offer 1st class.
You will have at least two connections for Paris-Chamonix: either Paris-Bellegard-St Gervais-Chamonix or Paris-Annecy-St Gervais-Chamonix. (At other times of the day you'll need more connections.)
You will have at least two connections for Chamonix-Nice: Chamonix-St Gervais-Geneve-Nice. You can travel nearly as fast with three connections: Chamonix-St Gervais-Geneve-Valence-Nice.
See the timetables at www.bahn.de. Click on the drop-down flag menu for English. After you get summary timetables, click on the arrow to the left of each departure time to see the connecting points.
If on top of the "Anytime Anywhere" base fee you will need to pay $50 for each leg on these two trips, your costs will add up in a hurry. (That's an assumption on my part. Rail Europe may tell you otherwise.)
Even though you'll be only using two pass days, you'll be better off buying France 3-day Saver passes for two or more people traveling together. You can choose either 1st or 2nd class. You will pay a seat reservation fee of 3-4 euro for each leg on a TGV and no fees at all for each leg on regional trains. Click on the Railpasses tab at the top of the page you're reading now for the details.
Posted by
Bend, OR, United States
1167 posts
If you click on the "Railpasses" tab at the top of this page you will find a wealth of information and, probably, the answers to most of your questions.
Posted by
Ottawa, Ontario,, Canada
521 posts
Hi Jennifer,
Are you looking at purchasing this pass through rail europe? So far they are the only vendor I can find for this pass.
Unfortunately, this pass is a fairly complicated thing and it would require knowledge of exactly all of your intended train trips within France (are you just doing Paris - Chamonix and then Chamonix - Nice or will you be doing anything else?).
What I recommend is you take a look at this previous discussion on the pass and then if you have any other questions you could call rail europe directly.
Sorry I could not be more helpful.