TGV-Lyria

The TGV Lyria passholder seat reservation is expensive. Eurail shows from €25 or from €52, plus a booking fee; you can only book the reservation there if you also bought the pass directly from them. Also if you're booking by phone with Rail Europe in order to make a particular seat request, then you are paying fees for that service, versus booking online.

If you're willing to make an extra train connection, then the TGV reservation to Strasbourg is cheaper through either vendor.

Most European web sites don't book pass holder reservations. http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/ does do this (meant for European Interrail travelers) but may give you trouble with US credit cards. If you try that, there's a pull-down menu a step into the process that displays "No discount card" and then you can choose Global pass (doesn't have to be Global, just to cover France, since Basel is the border point) or a France Rail Pass.

Always check The Man in Seat 61 about the best way to ride the rails. He has a section on the TGV-Lyria that seems complete: http://www.seat61.com/lyria.htm#.VxajR3nmo5s
While he does list Rail Europe as a source of tickets, his other options always seem a better approach. Clearly he would check point-to-point prices before springing for a pass. I didn't follow the link all the way to the point of purchase but it seems to offer ticketless delivery (i.e. print at home) and an indication of preferred seats although not exact seat numbers to choose. The seat reservation is included in the cost, an easier way of doing it in the first place. Specify Antarctica as the country for delivery. If you are stuck with a rail pass, see if he has an explanation for how you can buy the reservation, at extra cost of course.

I think that Seat 61's reservation estimate of €10 for this train is outdated. It was about two years ago that the price shot up.

I got my railpass from Rail Europe so I got my Lyria seat reservations from them as well.

Note that the reservations are restricted, so you may end up taking a train that isn't your first choice but has seats available.

I was disappointed that the train wasn't really going all that fast between Lausaunne and Dijon. But when I reboarded and we headed to Paris, that's when they had their own track and the in-car speed was showing 300 KPH. And it felt it!

We received our reservations through RailEurope by a phone call. It was about $80 a person. Be prepared..... I was quite surprised. However, if you don't make a reservation, there may not be a space available for rail pass holders.

Seeing as how the price on July 13 (my random date) is from 49 to 59 euro/P, hooray for Eurail passes.

Yes, Sam - but you'll need seat reservations on TOP of your Eurail pass prices...that is, if there are any seats left on the train for Eurail pass holders.

Tim, that is Sam's point, of course. Note that Eurail.com says the number of seats for pass holders is not limited on TGV Lyria. You pay more, but you can book on shorter notice, versus other TGV routes.