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Travel On Train TGV France/Italy
Exterior view - note the destinations listed above the windows

TGV France/Italy

Welcome to the guide to taking a TGV train on journeys between France and Italy.

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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
Train Specification

Attributes of the train

High Speed (partial journey)
Has a Conductor
Country

Which country these trains operate in.

France
Italy
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.

At Seat Catering

According to the time of day of travel, passengers will be able to choose from a menu of catering options, which will then be served at their seats.

A catering attendant should pass through the 1st class coaches and deliver the on-board catering menu to each passenger, who can then order any food and drink items directly from this attendant.
As is common on TGV InOui services, none of the food/drink items are complimentary.

Seconde/Standard/2nde

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.

Travel Guide:

Apart from the destinations listed on the exterior of the coaches, the trains used for the TGV France/Italy service are standard, modernised, single deck TGV trains.

These branded trains only operate on the one route between Paris and Milano via Lyon*, Chambery, Modane and Torino.
*not all departures serve Lyon.

Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for journeys by TGV France/Italy train.

But you will be given an option to choose the location of your seat and whether you want to face forwards.

On board:

These trains have Wi-Fi, though don’t rely on it being available - particularly as the train makes its way through the Alps - though looking out of the window, rather than staring at a screen, is recommended for this part of the journey.

These trains also have these four things in common with other single deck TGVs:

(1) the comparatively cramped Standard class seating saloons;

(2) all seats are open plan - there are no compartments on these trains;

(3) a preponderance of seats that don’t line up with windows, and;

(4) have their main luggage racks between the door and the seating areas.

Also if you want to have a mobile phone conversation you are encouraged to do so in the vestibules of the coaches, by the exterior doors.

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.
It won’t be particularly obvious that you are sitting in a part of the train with a ‘Calme’ atmosphere (Espace Calme) - there are no signs displayed in the coaches etc.

Catering:

A catering attendant should pass through the 1st class coaches and deliver the on-board catering menu to each passenger, who can then order any food and drink items directly from this attendant.
As is common on other TGV services, none of the food/drink items are complimentary.

Both Standard and Premiére class passengers can visit the on board 'bar' and then either consume the food and drink available in the bar car or take it back to their seats.

Using rail passes:

The TGV France/Italy service has particularly expensive rail pass reservation fees,
They're more than twice as expensive than the reservation fee for a TGV journey within France!
So, if you are will be using a Eurail or InterRail pass and a journey between northern Italy and Paris is on your itinerary - check the price being charged for a point-2-point journey, before booking the reservation fee.

The rail pass reservation fees for a journey in either direction between Paris and Torino/Turin or Milano are close to matching the cheapest price of the journey tickets = €45 in 1st class and €31 in 2nd class.
If your pass is limited to a set number of travel days, use your pass for another day of travel, such as a day trip from Paris.

You will only save money by paying the rail pass reservation fees for the TGV France/Italy trains when the discounted point-2-point tickets have sold out.
Those point-2-point tickets can be booked up to 4 months ahead of the travel date.

OR if you will be travelling over the Franco/Italian border on this route at weekends, on Saturdays and Sundays there are now local trains in both directions, which link the French border town at Modane, with Torino/Turin.
So if you'll be happy to change trains and have a slower end-to-end journey, you can save money when using a rail pass to travel to Milan and Torino/Turin from Lyon and from Paris.
Or in the other direction when travelling from Milano or Torino/Turin to Lyon or Paris.

Bicycles:

Non folding bikes must be disassembled and packed into travel cases, then presented to platform staff, who will show you where to stow it on the train.

hand-money

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