Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

TRAVEL NEWS

VIDEO: See inside France’s ‘next generation’ TGV trains

France's national rail operator SNCF has released film footage of its new style TGV trains - complete with extra bar space and a games room - which are set to go into service in 2024

Published: 14 September 2022 12:39 CEST
VIDEO: See inside France's 'next generation' TGV trains
The presentation of the new SNCF's TGV "M" next generation high-speed train at the Alstom plant, western France, on September 9, 2022. (Photo by XAVIER LEOTY / AFP)

Hailed the ‘TGV of the future’, French national rail line executives are calling the TGV M – the new train carriage to be debuted in 2024 – a “revolutionary flagship.”

In the video below, Info France 2 took a look at the futuristic new railway vehicle, which is set to be equipped with 20 percent more capacity, nine carriages instead of eight, and 32 percent less CO2 emissions.

The TGV M – which stands for TGV Mobilité – will sport a more aerodynamic appearance, also intended to help in ‘energy sobriety.’

Inside the train there will be more space, more seats, a bar on both floors and a ‘games room’ with a widescreen TV, which in the promo video appears to be showing a football game.

The TGV M will be launched toward the end of 2024 on the historic Paris-Lyon line (LGV Sud-Est).

SNCF’s CEO told BFMTV that he hopes to run the train outside of France as well. “It will start running to Italy on the Paris-Milan line, a line that has been incredibly successful, in 2026,” he said.

The French railway saw its busiest ever summer as many people took the decision to take the train, rather than the plane, on their holidays in order to help the planet. 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

CYCLING

What are France’s rules for bringing bikes on the train?

Travelling by bike and train are good ways to reduce your carbon footprint. But transporting you bike on a train can sometimes be a little complicated - especially in France where the rules vary from service to service.

Published: 26 September 2023 15:16 CEST
What are France's rules for bringing bikes on the train?

The rules for carrying your bike onto a train in France depend on multiple factors, including the type of train you are using. 

Generally speaking, recumbent bikes, tricycles, tandems, cargo bikes, longtail bikes and trailers are not allowed on any train lines. 

The breakdown for regular bikes is as follows:

TGVs and Intercités

TGVs are high-speed trains that connect major cities and some large towns in France. The Intercités trains connect major towns not covered by the TGV network. 

If you want to bring your bike, fully assembled, on either of these train services you must reserve a space for your bike at the same time as you buy your ticket online or at the station. This will typically incur a €10 charge. You must then store your bike on the dedicated racks on board the train. 

If there is no option to reserve a bike space online, this means that either the train doesn’t provide a space for bikes or that all of the bike spaces have been reserved already. Some lines, such as Paris – Avignon TGV do not accept fully assembled bikes at all, which is why it is worth checking online first, via www.sncf-connect.com. 

One solution is to bag up (housse) or box your bike, or use a folding bike, which doesn’t require you to reserve a space for it. This must be packed into a cover and stored in the baggage area onboard the train. The dimensions must not exceed 130cmx90cm. No specific reservation is required and it is generally free to carry a bike on this way.

However, when booking a journey on a line operated by OUIGO, there is a €5 charge even for bagged or folding bikes and you must reserve online.  

TER

The TER network consists of regional train lines where you can bring your bike for free, provided you hang it on a designated rack or place it in the bike storage area. No special reservations are required but spaces in the bike areas are often limited and are available on a first-come, first-served basis, meaning that it is worth arriving a little early. 

In most cases no reservation is required but it is worth checking the TER website first or asking at the station as there are notable exceptions, such as on the Paris-Dijon-Mâcon line for example. 

There also some TER lines on which you can only bring a bike at certain times of day. On the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur line for example, station controllers sometimes ban bikes at busy rush hour times such as 7am-9am and 16h30-18h30 Monday to Friday. 

A regional breakdown of other such exceptions to bike transport onboard TER services is available here. 

Rail transport in Paris

Bikes are banned on the Parisian metro service, as well as on bus and tramway services in the capital.

The notable exception is on line 1, where bikes can be transported on Sundays and bank holidays before 16h30. You should ask station staff to open the service gates for you to transport your bike through the station. 

The RER and Transilien trains which connect Paris to its suburbs do allow for the transport of bikes, but not between 6h30-9h and 16h30-19h Monday to Friday. When using these trains, you must keep your bike in the designated section of the train and are advised to stay with it throughout your journey.

No special reservations are needed. 

Eurostar 

If you are travelling between London and Paris on the Eurostar, you can book a space for your bike by emailing [email protected]

This service is only available at between the following times:

  • London to Paris 08h01 – 15h31
  • Paris to London 11h13 – 18h13 

Availability is usually limited to it is best to email well in advance. Reservations made more than 48 hours in advance of departure cost £45 each way, while those made less than 48 hours before cost £60 each way. 

Any bikes you plan to transport this way must be disassembled and placed in a box or bag. They should be dropped off with Eurostar staff at the station in London or Paris and picked up on the other side. 

If you are travelling from London to Lille, or vice versa, it is not possible to carry a regular adult bike onboard. 

On any UK-France Eurostar service, you can carry a folding bike or a children’s bike for free – as long as it is no more than 85cm long and carried in a protective bag. These bikes will be considered as one item of luggage, when it comes to your luggage allowance. 

SHOW COMMENTS