Getting the TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Avignon - Any Advice on Station
 

I have a PREM ticket for tomorrow, and I have no idea what to expect when I get to the Gare de Lyon. I've read about Blue trains and Yellow trains. Any way to know in advance which you will have? I know the track # won't be available until 20 minutes before hand.

We are getting a taxi to the station. Any practical tips on what we need to look for, do, etc., when we arrive. We're giving ourselves plenty of time, but I'm still a little (a lot) timid about the whole process.

Any advice would be very appreciated! Thank you.

Sheila

Get there a half-hour early. There will be a huge board in the middle of the station with info on every train that's arriving and departing within about a half hour. Just find your train there, note the track (voie),and go there and get on the train. Make sure you have a photo id with you in case the conductor wants to check it against your PREM.

I don't know about yellow trains and blue trains. Just take whichever comes into your track.

Hi Sheila-it is a pretty easy gare-but you are smart to leave yourself time just to orient yourself and give you time to walk out to the platform, etc. If you have any questions there is an information booth in the middle part of the station and they speak English well enough to help you if you don't speak French.

The only advice I can give you is to know your train number-that is what will flash up on the big board 20 minutes prior (along with the destinations). And look on your ticket for the "voiture" number-that is the carriage and "place" for your seat number. The ticket shortens voiture to "voit" by the way. So it might have something like Voit 63 Place 22.

Once you get to the right platform, there will be a drawing posted in the middle of the platform showing where your specific car will be-whether it is closer to the head of the train or tail of the train. Some of the trains are long, so you want to make sure you know where your carriage is. The number of the carriage is written near the door of each carriage.

Also, if you have printed out your Prem tickets at home on your printer be aware that you don't have to validate it in the machine in any way before the trip-you just show it to the conductor when he asks-along with your passport since each ticket is specific for a person and asks for their date of birth.

Hope this hasn't confused you-it is pretty straightforward as you will see that when you get there I think. Have a great trip!

jeanne

Not to confuse the issue, but does the TGV leave from the Gare de Lyon or from Bercy?

The TGV to Avignon departs Gare de Lyon

The TGV leaves from Gare de Lyon. It is a big station. Depending what level or street you enter depends where you go. Try to get to the main level where the tracks are directly in front of you on the same level. If you face the tracks, on your right will be stairs leading down to Salle Meditrananee(sp). If you go down there, there are multiple gates corresponding to track no.s From there you walk up stairs to the appropriate track. When you get to the station look for the track no. If you can't find it go down to the salle med. The stairs are near the tourist info booth, which I did not find to be very helpful.

Whether a train leaves from the blue zone or the yellow zone is indicated on the board well ahead of time. Once I've seen that information, I just wait by the big departure board in the appropriate station section about half an hour before departure time. For a destination like Marseille/Avignon, you will see a major crowd movement the moment the track number appears 20 minutes before departure. Just join the movement; plenty of the people are not familiar with the train either.

Oh, I just remembered that I had a few visuals of Gare de Lyon on my Avignon report: http://tinyurl.com/ljtujy

Thank you, thank you! Great info! We will be arriving by cab, so I am hoping we will be arriving at the main level where the tracks are. We are taking the 13:15 and our cab is coming (7th Arr) at 11:30, so we should have plenty of time.

Just one more question, if anyone knows. Are there elevators in the station? My sister has some difficulty with steps. So, if they are handy and accessible, she might want to use one.

Again, thanks to all.

Kerouac
Thanks for the pictures of the train station as I will there travelling to Avignon for the first time in 3 weeks.

I looked at your other posted pictures Wow they were great to view.

Kerouac, Love the pix of the board -- shows what to expect. Thanks.

Oh, if you went all the way to the end of that report, there are also photos of the Avignon train station.

Since you are leaving at 1 o'clock, come early--about 11 --and have a glass of wine in Le Train Bleu--the elegant Belle Epoque dining room upstairs in the Gare. It will only add to your Paris experience. There is an elevator to get to it, and you can leave your luggage in the cloak room.

Kerouac I didn't realise there were other pages. Yes enjoyed looking at the Avignon TGV pictures very impressive. Quite different to what I had imagined. Always good to have an idea of what to expect. Looking forward to our TGV trip especially as we were able to get great PREM tickets through help from Fodorites like yourself.
We must find the rental car place once we arrive, and then find our way to Buoux, it will certainly be an experience

When you get off the train in Avignon, walk through the station and out the back side (the side that looks like a bunker). All of the rental pavilions are down the little hill. (Just follow the signs!)

Just a little update and thanks for the information.

We arrived early at the station, and we couldn't believe how simple it was to get on the train, find our seats, etc. The station was cool and quiet. We have had quite a few problems in the past (couldn't find the proper car, seats (neither could the conductor!), hoisting the luggage, etc.). This went so smoothly. The TGVs apparently all leave from the same level, so when they posted our track, it took 2 minutes to get there and get on.

I know I must sound a little paranoid about "training," but I've had some harrowing experiences, probably the worst being my sister's getting knocked off a standing train in La Spezia by closing doors. She was on the ground outside, and I was inside with all the luggage. That was a nightmare, but the doors reopened and no injuries were involved. :)

I'm glad it went well!

At Gare d"Lyon the "yellow or blue" refers to which level of the station your train's track will depart from. There are signs explaining which tracks are blue and which are yellow depending on platform number.

Larry J

It has nothing to do with the level. Both the yellow and blue zones are on the same level, also known as "ground level," which is where main line train tracks are often situated.

It's just that Gare de Lyon has two sections -- the old section in the historical building and the other section about 200 meters farther out on the left, clearly because there was no room for expansion right next to the other tracks when they were added.

Kerouac: next time you are at Gare d'Lyon take note that there are indeed two levels used for mainline trains. The platforms are "yellow" on one level and "blue" at the other. Most people arriving by metro remain on the lower level until the board designates "blue" or "yellow".

Larry J