hi-speed train from Paris to Strasbourg?
 

Wondering in there is a lift or elevator at gare d'est? Not easy carrying luggage up/down stairs when you are seniors.

TAW:

The platforms are at street level. As Est is a railhead, there is no need for underpasses. Only the Metro station is down a few flights of stairs. You may want to get to the station by taxi.

Hope this helps.

Enjoy your trip

Phil.

Thankyou! We have 2 other train trips so I hope it same. One leaves Colmar to Avignon, the other is Avignon to CDG. All hi-speed.

There is an elevator at Avignon to get to the platform; Avignon Gare is very user friendly for seniors.

Merci, grandmere!

Are you talking about Avignon's station in the town center or the Avignon TGV station a few miles outside of town? The new TGV one certainly would have lifts - not sure which station grandmere is talking about. Most TGVs only serve Avignon TGV station and not the older in-town station.

They have escalators at the Avignon TGV station, also.

Avignon centre is at ground level. Avignon TGV is a 21st century station will all modern conveniences.

Avignon centre is at ground level.>

curious kerouac - is Avignon centre-ville station a dead-end terminus - it must be I guess if it is all at ground level?

just curious. merci!

Frankly, the stations of all of the major French cities have been retrofitted with elevators and sometimes escalators since the SNCF takes disabled access very seriously.

Of course, not all seniors are disabled.

FYI, got here OK today...elevator & escalator at Strasbourg. However, be aware that if your hotel is anywhere near the train stn, the taxis WILL NOT take you...you must walk. You can plead all you want but they won't budge.

I want to say "good for them!" but I fear that I will annoy you if I do so.

Why??? You think someone w/health issues should be forced to drag luggage several blocks??? We would gladly pay an extra fee.

You had not yet mentioned health issues.

a little baksheesh could persuade cabbie to do such a short trek - always works IME.

What business is it of anyone to question why someone would want to use a taxi to travel a short distance? Many have disabilities that are not apparent to a casual observer. I have twice encountered obnoxious Parisien taxi drivers who rudely expressed their disgust at my wanting their services for short journeys.

There should be no need for any argument with or extra incentive for such drivers. From the official site of the Mairie of Paris:

"Un taxi n'a pas le droit de refuser...
... une course de petite distance
car il existe un montant minimum (suppléments inclus) de 6,60€."

Which in English states, "A taxi does not have the right to refuse a journey of short distance because there exists a minimum charge (including supplements) of 6,60€."

http://www.paris.fr/pratique/deplace...97_sheet_23180

I realize that TAW's experience was in Strasbourg, but I would be very surprised to learn that their licensed taxis are not subject to a similar rule.

That of course is the reaction when one comes from a completely capitalist country. In other parts of the world, workers do as they wish, whether or not it corresponds to the regulations.

My own feeling is that taxis should be avoided whenever possible out of respect for the environment.

So, kerouac, you do not own a car?

No, I have never owned a car in my entire life.

I've read that Parisians, of which kerouac is one that the majority of them do not have cars - not sure if this is so but seems likely given the tremendous public transporation system and problems with parking, etc.

True, only about 40% of Parisians own a car and the number continues to drop. When new apartment complexes are built, they can only have half as many parking spaces as the number of apartments.

Noit sure if the TGV-Est or whatever it is properly called has Duo-level trains but if so the view from the top level is far superior to that from the recessed lower level where you see mainly windbreaks and retaining walls. If a choice and if they have double-deckers take the upper deck to see anything at all.

I think that the TGV-Est only has single level trains.

Not surprised kerouac and most Parisians don't own cars, like many city-dwellers everywhere. I do believe that kerouac, like many others, rents a car from time to time when he chooses to use that form of transportation. And why not?

What struck me as odd was his praise for a taxi driver who refused service to someone who had chosen to use that form of transportation. As I said before, there could be many reasons someone would want to use a taxi for a short distance. As long as passengers are willing to pay the required minimum fare, why is it unreasonable to expect a taxi driver to take them to their destination, even if it's nearby?

And why is it unreasonable for a taxi driver to decide that it is not worth the time and effort? There are two parties involved in any transaction, and there is no reason that one should be considered the slave of the other.

Slave???

Well, anybody who thinks that a taxi driver MUST accept his request clearly thinks that the taxi driver is a slave rather than a human being capable of making his own decision.

Oh, come on. They are in the business to take you where you want to go and they get paid for it. Using your logic, anyone in the service industry would be considered a slave, ie wait staff, hotel personnel, etc.

Again a little extra baksheesh will do wonders with any cab driver I've encountered - the reason the cabbie will not do a short run is he/she will make not as much moolah as a longer ride - so just add a few euros to the tip ahead of time!

Just human nature. These people need to feel that they have a certain amount of control over their lives, same as us.