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Travel On Train TGV POS
A TGV POS train when it was being used for Lyria services

TGV POS

Welcome to the guide to travelling by the single deck TGV trains, which were previously used on the Lyria services between Paris and Switzerland (hence the image above), but are now used on the shorter distance routes from Paris Est and Paris Nord.

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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

Has a Conductor
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.

Seconde/Standard/2nde

Perks
WiFi

A complimentary WiFi portal is available throughout this train.

TGV POS travel guide:

These single deck TGV trains were previously used on the Lyria services between Paris and Switzerland, but they're now primarily used on routes from Paris Est and Paris Nord on which the volume of travellers doesn't justify the use of double-deck trains.

Routes:

It's LIKELY that you will travelling by these TGV POS trains on these routes.

(1) Paris Est <> Reims
(2) Paris Nord <> Dunkerque and Boulogne via Arras
(3) Strasbourg <> Bordeaux and Lille and Nantes and Rennes
(4) Toulouse/Montpellier <> Nancy via Dijon

Reservations (& Using rail passes)

On these TGV POS trains it's worth making use of the seating options you're likely to be offered when making a booking - because on departures by these TGV Sud-Est trains you can opt to select forward facing seats.

Rail pass users will need to have made reservations prior to boarding (see below) and info on how to book these rail pass reservations is available HERE.

Boarding:

Before boarding check your ticket for the number of coach in which your reserved set is located
Use the zone/repére information on the voie/platform/track, to work out where to wait on the voie for easy boarding in to the coach in which your seat is located.

The coach/carriage numbers can be hard to spot, as they are on the electronic info panel set into the body work of the train by the door.
The coach numbers aren't included on the interior, so try and take your time and check that you are boarding into the coach in which your reserved seat is located.

Each carriage/coach only has one door. It won’t open automatically there will be a button to the right of the door (when exiting the train you will also need to use the button to open the doors).

Whether you have luggage or not, keep your ticket where you can access it easily, so that you can check your seat number as you enter the seating area.
The sequence of numbers can seem illogical, so take your time.

What you won’t see is any indication of the stations between which the seat is reserved for, all you have to do is look for the seat numbers and match it to the seat number on your ticket.

If you don’t have luggage with you hang back and be amongst the last passengers to board.
All seats are reserved, so you won’t risk having no seat to travel in, and you can avoid being caught up in the scramble for luggage space

On board:

Power sockets are also available in the platforms/vestibules between coaches, you are encouraged to use these spaces between coaches to make mobile calls.

The operator SNCF has evidently adopted an attitude of providing more leg room in 2nd class than in on Economy seats on a typical airline, but not much more.
On occasion the price difference between 1st and 2nd class can only be a couple of €s and when that is the case, the difference in space can be worth every cent.

On board announcements are in French language only, but the train conductors will usually speak English, so you can verify any questions when they pass through the train to check tickets.

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 the vestibule between the coaches if you're speaking on your mobile.
It won’t be particularly obvious that you are sitting in a part of the train with a ‘Calme’ atmosphere; there are no signs displayed in the coaches etc.

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 being open.

TGV Bar Menu (PDF)

Bicycles:

Limited numbers of spaces for NON-folding bikes are available on most departures, these spaces must be reserved on any journey and the reservation fee is €10.
Folding bikes can be taken on board as hand luggage.

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.

hand-money

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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.