When booking my TGV train tickets is choosing my seats important? We are two older adults with carry-on only. We'll be taking 3 separate TGV trips.
Paris to Strasbourg,
Colmar to Avignon and
Avignon to CDG.

Also wondering if it makes a difference to get 1st vs 2nd class?
Is there any advantage to upper or lower deck if the train has that option?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

I travel alone a lot and thus prefer the single window seats and choose that if I can. And I choose facing in the direction the train is going. But if you don't care about seat preferences like that, it doesn't matter at all. For a couple, I think there is a difference in regular 2-seats and then the ones with a table but I forget what they call that. They probably wouldn't automatically assign you to one of those, families prefer them, so then it really doesn't matter except for the direction.

I have never been able to choose my exact seats on SNCF, only type of seat I want.

Some people prefer upper deck, some lower, there is not single opinion. I prefer lower as I travel alone and it is easier for me to manage my luggage that way. Some people like upper because you can get better views in some places (not all of them), if the train is traveling through an area with low walls around it or something and you won't get much of a view on the lower. I don't care about that at all as there are plenty of areas that are open anyway.

Yes, 1st vs. 2nd is a difference, but many people don't care about it. It's like most trains in Europe, seats are a little nicer and usually the car is less crowded (but not always).

Keep in mind you will have to carry your own bags, so upper deck means another set of steps.

To see the difference in class etc:

http://www.seat61.com/France-trains.htm#What are French trains like

Sometimes 1st class costs only a little more than 2nd class. I looked at a day in April from Avignon to CDG and found one train with PREMs available for €114 in 2nd and €128 in 1st. Those were the lowest fares on that day.

I always choose our seats since we like to get the single seats facing across a table (duo vis à vis) on the upper deck when available. There are some stairs as DebitNM pointed out, but we are also older and have had no problem getting our carry-ons up.

I have found more than once that sometimes 1st class is even cheaper than 2nd class. I'm sure that the SNCF would pay good money to a computer programmer who could prevent that from happening.

That is an incredibly expensive rate for CDG-Avignon, MaineGG. Although I always leave from Gare de Lyon, I have never paid more than 40€ for Paris-Avignon and 50€ in first class.

I checked the Avignon TGV - CDG 2 TGV fares for the random date of April 9th:
40 EUR 2nd class and 45 EUR first class for almost all trains.

Well, I responded to Kerouac's post awhile ago, but it seems to have disappeared. I looked at April 23, but failed to note that the fare was the total for 2 passengers, so I should have said that 2nd class was €57 and 1st class was €64. My bad! Sorry for the confusion.

I'd like to find one of those fares Kerouac saw where 1st class was less than 2nd.

We did a trip from Avignon to Strasbourg recently and for that long journey I was very glad we had first class seats.

I prefer the lower level for reasons stated above; much easier with luggage, especially for "older adults".

Christina, I don't know how you can choose a seat that is facing forward when you book your ticket; how do you know that? I choose a single window seat when traveling alone, also. In fact, I chose that when traveling last fall with my husband and his SILs and BIL!

<I>I'd like to find one of those fares Kerouac saw where 1st class was less than 2nd.</I>

Actually, they are not all that uncommon but in such cases they are completely non refundable and non exchangeable.

FWIW - I cannot ride backwards, we picked seats facing each other so that I could be sure one of them would be going forward.

DebitNM - My strategy exactly. I can't ride backwards either.

I've gotten 1st class PREMs several times that were cheaper than 2nd, I believe. I know I've gotten them when the difference in fare was only a couple euro.

AS I recall, one of the options when choosing seats is the direction the train is going (sens de la marche), at least sometimes that is given as an option. I just checked for Paris-AVignon, and I didn't see that choice, I agree. I know I've been given that choice when I bought a ticket at a train ticket window in France rather than online, maybe that's when I've done it.

here's an answer in French http://fr.answers.yahoo.com/question...2094357AAnaVbf

It says it is available online sometimes but not always.

ahah, I saw it when choosing the seat option -- it isn't in the window with solo, etc., it's in a shade box just under that window, you can check a box that says "voyager dans le sens de la marche". That does appear if you look at TGVs between Paris and Strasbourg, for example, but not Paris to Avignon.

We caught the train from Strasbourg to Avignon and accidentally purchased 1st class and it was great! Not a massive difference between that and 2nd class IMO, but enough that if it only cost a little more I'd always do it.

Most Paris-Strasbourg trains are single-deck TGVs with the funky Christian Lacroix designer interiors. If you book these at www.capitainetrain.com you can select the 'forward facing seat' option on these trains as well as other seat options.

Although for two people in 1st class I'd suggest a table for two, facing each other in a civilised fashion, both of you getting aisle and both a window, so the best of both worlds. See video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG7jCNdGlQE

A few trains on this route are double-deck TGV Duplex, and by far the best is top deck, as you'll get the best views of the scenery. The people on the lower deck are only inches above rail level and spend a lot of time staring at concrete sound barriers - no way do I ever want a claustrophobic lower deck seat! I went lower deck once with my (then) 5 year old son, he's never forgiven me for not getting us far-more-fun top deck seats!

There are toilets and luggage space both upstairs and down, so that's not an issue, in fact the access along the train to and from the cafe-bar is at the upper level.

The stairs from the entrance door to the upper deck are short, wide and shallow, it's really no problem to take your bags upstairs. If you are an octogenarian with a recent hip replacement, then fine, the few stairs may be an issue.

See the TGV Duplex video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrXUqOPU9wc

Thanks to all for the replies...very helpful. Will purchase tickets once I am positive this trip will be a "go". (DH's health not 100% yet) Plan to go May 11-30 this year.

"(DH's health not 100% yet)"

Highly suggest trip insurance....

Trip insurance...we never travel without it. Many years ago DH had heart attack in Mexico...the result was medical airflight to San Diego (closest major medical facility)where he was treated and stayed a week in Sharpe hospital. The Dr in Mexico initially treated him and told me "we have no services here for what he needs. I will arrange air flight out." I just handed over my credit card and insurance info and he took care of the rest. All in all a good result but I would NEVER go anywhere w/o insurance.