Content
TGV InOui (Océane)
Welcome to the guide to the latest generation of TGV trains operated by the French national rail operator SNCF.
They are branded as Océane when they are used on routes to and from Paris Montaparnasse, but technically they are [TGV 2N2 trains]https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/TGV_2N2).
They are also known as EuroDuplex trains, as they are also used for some of the the DB-SNCF services between Paris and Frankfurt (Main), Stuttgart and Munich.
They are also used for some Lyria services on the routes between Paris and Switzerland
Share
At a Glance
Travel Pass Supplement
Rail Pass Reservation Fees
Reservations
Compulsory
Time of Day
Day
Catering
Food services available
Bistro (bar food and take away meals)
Accessibility
Accessing the train
Wheelchair Spaces
Bikes Allowed
Train Specification
Attributes of the train
Has a Conductor
High Speed (total journey)
Country
Which country these trains operate in.
France
Travel Passes
Eurail
InterRail
On Board
Première/Premium/1ére
Perks
WiFi
A complimentary WiFi portal is available throughout this train.
Power Socket
The power sockets on this train are compatible with standard E.U. two point plugs.
In Premiére/1st class, the seats will be rotated by staff prior to boarding, so that most of them face the direction of travel.
On The TGV Océane trains, one of the three Premiére/1st class coaches on each individual train* is usually set aside for the exclusive use of those who have booked Business Premiére tickets.
*= Two trains are joined together on many departures.
Seconde/2nde/2
Perks
WiFi
A complimentary WiFi portal is available throughout this train.
Power Socket
The power sockets on this train are compatible with standard E.U. two point plugs.
Good to know info
ShowMeTheJourney has anticipated what questions are most often asked about travelling on the Océane version of the TGV InOui trains and answered them below.
If you can't find the information you are seeking, you can ask a question by using the Travel Planning Service.
How fast does the train travel?
When in service these TGV InOui (Océane) have a theoretical top speed of 320 km/h (198 mph), but on the high speed lines, the LGV Atlantique and the LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire and the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique they typically travel at up to around 300 km/h.
Are seats allocated when booking tickets?
Yes.
Can specific seats be selected from a seating plan?
This is possible when booking Premiere, or Business Premiere tickets on SNCF Connect.
See the ShowMeTheJourney guide on how to book on SNCF Connect.
Can I choose forward facing seats?
Yes - uniquely among TGV trains, most of the seats can be rotated by station staff prior to the commencement of each jourmey.
So when booking tickets on SNCF Connect it shows forward facing seats as a default (but this can be switched).
See the ShowMeTheJourney guide on how to book on SNCF Connect.
Do Eurail / InterRail Pass users need to make reservations?
Yes, seat reservations are mandatory when travelling with rail passes on all TGV services.
See the guide to using rail passes in France
Note that the same fees are payable by holders of both First and Second class rail passes.
What catering is available on the train?
The trains have a bar/ bistro service - see the Catering section below for more info.
More detailed info has also been produced by SNCF Connect.
Are power sockets available?
Yes - for standard E.U. 2-point plugs
Is Wi-Fi available?
Yes and more info on how to connect is available here.
Is a Quiet Coach available?
No, the French national rail operator does not have a policy of offering coaches in which mobile phone usage etc is not permitted.
What is the luggage policy?
You must be able to carry all your luggage alone at one time.
You can take either:
2 suitcases + 1 hand luggage
OR
1 suitcase + 1 special baggage + 1 hand baggage
Your hand luggage can measure a maximum of 40 cm x 30 cm x 15 cm.
Your suitcase can measure a maximum of 90 cm x 70 cm x 50 cm
Your special luggage (musical instrument, bicycle under cover, folded bicycle, scooter) can measure a maximum of 130 cm x 90 cm. Bicycles, musical instruments, and snowboards, skis, must be in a labeled cover.
More info is available on the SNCF Connect website.
Are wheelchair spaces available?
Yes, they are housed on the lower deck in a Premier / 1st class coach.
More info is available on the SNCF Mobility Services guide.
Can non-folding bicycles be taken on board?
Bike racks are available but spaces must be reserved prior to boarding.
When booking tickets on SNCF Connect you can add a bike symbol to the search, so will then see which departures have bike spaces available - taking a bike on board requires an additional ticket.
See the ShowMeTheJourney guide on how to book on SNCF Connect.
What’s also worth knowing is that you can’t book Premiére/1st class tickets for journeys by these trains if you want to travel with a bike; presumably because the bike storage on these trains isn’t adjacent to the Premiére Class seating areas.
Can dogs be taken on board?
One dog per person, non guided dogs are charged €7, smaller dogs must travel in containers, larger dogs must be muzzled.
More info is available on the SNCF Guide.
TGV Océane travel guide:
These are the brand new TGV trains - so new that we have yet to have had the opportunity to travel by them.
They have been introduced on MOST of the services that use France's newest high speed line - the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique that has opened between Paris and Bordeaux.
So if you'll be taking a train which travels non-stop between Paris and Bordeaux, then it's likely that you will be travelling by one of these trains.
Many journeys taken by these trains also extend beyond Bordeaux to and from other destinations.
So it's likely that you will be travelling by these trains if you take a TGV between Paris and Bayonne or Biarritz or Hendaye or Lourdes or Tarbes and Toulouse.
The key innovations of the TGV Océane compared to the previous TGVs are:
- more powerful Wi-fi
- more luggage racks in the middle of the coaches and more luggage space under the seats
- Power sockets are available in 2nd class.
- In Premiére/1st class, the seats will be rotated by staff prior to boarding, so that most of them face the direction of travel.
- More bike spaces are available than on other TGV trains, but spaces must be reserved prior to boarding.
- Enhanced accessibility and services for travellers with reduced mobility.
SNCF is branding its top-class TGV services, those with new interiors and enhanced Wi-Fi, as INOUI services, therefore ALL departures on which TGV Océane trains are used are classed as TGV INOUI departures, on the Oui.SNCF ticket booking service.
Routes:
These trains are used for the Océane services on these routes which all start/finish at Paris Montparnasse - click on the city names, when available, to access journey guides:
- Paris ↔ Bordeaux (non-stop)
- Paris ↔ Bordeaux - Agen - Montauban - Toulouse
- Paris ↔ Bordeaux - Dax - Bayonnne - Biarritz - Hendaye
- Paris ↔ Bordeaux - Dax - Pau - Lourdes - Tarbes
- Paris ↔ Poitiers - Angouleme - Bordeaux - Dax - Pau - Lourdes - Tarbes
- Paris ↔ Poitiers - La Rochelle
- Paris ↔ Le Mans - Rennes - St Malo / Morlaix - Brest / Vannes - Lorient - Quimper
- Paris ↔ Le Mans - Angers - Nantes - St Nazaire - Le Croisic
On board summary:
Staircases link the lower and upper levels and there are toilets on both levels in each coach
However, if you want to access the bar counter, then it’s easier to move through the train at the upper level, as the serving counter is on the upper deck.
The upper deck inevitably offers better views, as they enable passengers to see over the sound barriers that line much of the track.
However, the scenery that can be seen from a French high speed line is rarely scintillating.
Target the lower deck if you have luggage and/or if you are tall - the lower deck can feel more spacious.
If you are tall and sat by the window on the upper deck, take care not to bang your head on the ceiling when you leave the seat.
Reservations (& Using rail passes)
Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for journeys by TGV Océane trains.
Rail pass users will need to have made reservations prior to boarding.
Travelling with Children
When booking on the SNCF Connect website if you include children (aged 12 an under) in the travel party, you can be offered specific types of reservations. - How to use SNCF Connect.
Regardless of whether you will be booking the equivalents of 1st or 2nd class tickets, you may be offered a Family Carré booking, which will reserve the four seats at a table.
Though obviously this is subject to availability, particularly as most of the seats on these trains are arranged airline style, so are not at tables.
When travelling at weekends, during school holidays and on national public holidays, an area in a 2nd class coach on these trains is designated as a Family Space.
If places are still available, you can opt to book seats in this space.
For those travelling with babies there is also a nursery area in 2nd class located near the Family Area. From here you can also access the universal toilets (adapted for wheelchair users), which are in 1st class, as the are also equipped with a changing table.
Catering:
There is no trolley service on TGV trains so you will need to go the bar coach if you want to purchase food and drink – though don’t over rely on it having all items available to purchase.
The at-seat catering service on TGV trains is typically only available if you order meals to be delivered to your seat prior to boarding.
The first stage of this catering booking service is to enter the train number (not the departure time) which will be on your ticket, into this order form.
Take care with food and drink, particularly un-opened bottles and drinks in cups and glasses. When the trains corner at high speed, drinks and food can fly off the table.
Conductor services:
On board announcements are in French language only, but the conductors usually speak English, so you can verify any questions when they pass through the train to check tickets.
Using mobile phones is discouraged in 1st class, you are expected to have conversations in the vestibules between the seating saloons.
If you happen to be travelling in a ‘Calme’ coach – (you may not have knowingly requested this), then the conductor will ask you to move from your seat to take a call
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please consider saying thank you.
This is one of more than 100 train travel guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.
