I have a very tight train transfer in Paris (Montparnasse). What happens if I miss the connection for a train that requires reservations? Do I automatically get on the next train, or do I need to rebook the reservation? And how is the cost handled? Do I have to pay, even if the transfer time was too tight to make? I'm trying to decide if I should schedule a much longer layover, since 6 minutes to change trains seems a little optimistic. Any experience with this?
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
Is this a reservation with a rail pass or a single rail ticket? I don't know the rules for rail pass reservations, but if it's a single ticket it depends on the price of the ticket. An "open" ticket can be used on later trains, but a cheap advance "Prems" or similar can only be used on that specific train and if you miss it you're out of luck and have to pay full fare. I've heard some reports that SNCF staff will bend the rules if you missed the train because of delays on an earlier service: if the previous train is running late it's best to seek advice from a staff member on the train before it gets into Paris. But they usually won't do anything if you're late because some other transport service screwed up. In general I think that six minutes is tighter than I'd like for a large station like Montparnasse even if the previous service runs to time.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10207 posts
I can't answer the question about re-reserving, but here are two scenarios.
Montparnasse is a major, large station. You can make it if you work your way up to the front car (like a lot of other people are doing to be the first off), if your connection is on a close by track, if you hop onto the first car you encounter on the connecting train and work your way through the cars to your assigned seat, and if you first train is on time. On the other hand, if you book a later train you can compensate with some of the best crepes in Paris. Montparnasse is known for the creperies on nearby streets since this was the jumping off point for Bretons emmigrating to the capital to find work in the early 20th C. Parisbymouth.com has a few listed.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4049 posts
Here is a photo tour of the Montparnasse station http://parisbytrain.com/gare-montparnasse-photo-tour/
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
If your ticket is for a train for which seat reservations are required (like TGVs), you cannot simply get on the next train. You will need a new ticket. Full fare tickets are exchangeable. Here is a quote from the tgv-europe site: "This ticket may be exchanged or refunded free of charge up to 2 hours after the departure, in the departure town only."
Posted by
OP
San Jose, CA
1994 posts
Thanks all. I think i'll opt for a more generous transfer time, and the crepes suggestion sounds great!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23282 posts
Our experience with restricted fare tickets is that you can get a new reservation or ticket at no charge IF the train being late caused you to miss regardless of how tight the connection. The ticket agent will know if the train was late and caused the missed connection. However, the really serious problem is that there will be another 50 or more travelers with the same problem and the line could be impossibly long to exchange the ticket. I would book a wider window.