how early to get to the train station
Dec 10th, 2006, 09:39 PM
#21
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would certainly NOT recommend more than 30 minutes inside Gare de Lyon in January at ungodly morning hours - 1h30 early that would mean 4h50 - even the cafes in the station may not be open,next to nobody (some employees, cleaning staff and homeless people) to watch, even next to no train to look at ...
Dec 10th, 2006, 09:59 PM
#22
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,238
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Unless you have your taxi lined up beforehand, I very much would be starting out earlier rather than later, and you don't say how close your apt. is to the station, which might make a great deal of difference if you're down in the 5th somewhere, on a street that a taxi driver might have difficulty finding (unless they hacw GPS in the taxi-I've had that happen more than a few times, the driver didn't know how to get to a particular street in the 6th, without calling in).
The fact that the station may be cold and uninteresting makes no difference-better early than late.
The fact that the station may be cold and uninteresting makes no difference-better early than late.
Dec 10th, 2006, 10:12 PM
#23
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you are afraid for a beforehanded arranged taxi not to find your apartment (i never had a taxi delayed by more than 5 minutes in such a case, most have GPS and all have maps), just locate (the day before) the taxi stand closest from your flat and ask the taxi to pick you there - taxis are able to locate taxi stands ! (and before 6h30 there is next to no traffic in Paris)
Dec 10th, 2006, 11:53 PM
#24
I don't really want to start a taxi vs. metro debate here, but I have always found Gare de Lyon to be much easier to figure out (blue zone, yellow zone) from the underground levels rather than on the surface.
Dec 11th, 2006, 04:53 AM
#25
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 36,842
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Since Girlspytravel suggests an hour and a half at the station BEFORE departure and since that has nothing to do with checking luggage, I'm guessing she suggests that for all train trips. In a 10 day stay in Paris, we normally do about 5 or 6 day trips by train out from Paris. Let's see -- 1.5 hours times 6 -- we'd lose an entire day of our stay just sitting in boring train stations. No thank you, and I can think of about a million places I'd rather be sitting, people watching, and eating in Paris than in a train station!
Dec 11th, 2006, 05:14 AM
#26
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That 1hr30 thing just too much. Gare de Lyon opens at 4.45, but only to receive&send away a few suburban trains.
Even a railway buff such as myself would take it as a joke. If one needs 1hr30 to punch (or buy and punch) a ticket, find the platform and board the train ...
<i>Most of the TGV's to the south leave from the far left-hand </i>
What do you call "far-left hand" ? When you are facing the tracks, most TGVs leave from the right side of the station - that is, platforms A to N, "blue zone". Those to Lyon and Marseille definitely do. (TGVs to the Alps, to Grenoble, sometimes to Switzerland sometimes leave from numbered platforms).
Some train stations in Paris are well worth a non-railway visit, notably Gare du Nord.
Even a railway buff such as myself would take it as a joke. If one needs 1hr30 to punch (or buy and punch) a ticket, find the platform and board the train ...
<i>Most of the TGV's to the south leave from the far left-hand </i>
What do you call "far-left hand" ? When you are facing the tracks, most TGVs leave from the right side of the station - that is, platforms A to N, "blue zone". Those to Lyon and Marseille definitely do. (TGVs to the Alps, to Grenoble, sometimes to Switzerland sometimes leave from numbered platforms).
Some train stations in Paris are well worth a non-railway visit, notably Gare du Nord.
Dec 11th, 2006, 05:46 AM
#27
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Gare de Lyon is a confusing station, even for experienced rail travellers, but half an hour is more than enough time to spend there. It is divided into two sections, with numbered platforms and lettered platforms. These are identified as blue and yellow zones (I don't remember which is which, but it's obvious when you're there). The departure indicator boards don't show the exact platform till 20 minutes before the train departs, but they do indicate the zone by means of a blue or yellow panel, so you can go to the right part of the station even before the exact platform is displayed. If you're there on a January morning, it will be cold so the lower concourse will be the best place to wait. The reason why the exact platform isn't displayed far in advance is probably because the SNCF doesn't want people crowding the platforms before the trains are ready to start boarding. There is no reason whatsoever to arrive more than half an hour in advance of the train's departure, and that will still allow plenty of time to get a coffee and a newspaper.
Dec 11th, 2006, 07:17 AM
#32
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
>from the humblest omnibus to the flagship TGVs, the platforms are known in advance and printed in the internal timetables. Thus I don't understand why this information is not publicised in the general public timetables, at least for major stations. The German, Swiss and Austrian railways manage to do so ..<
So, we are standing on the proper platform in Cologne and the train is not there.
We ask a station agent (in halting German) if this is the right platform. He says, "yes".
Still no train.
Fortunately, I hear the announcement, in German only, that our train is leaving from another platform in 2 minutes.
We are standing at the platform in Florence, having checked the big board for our departure platform, when it is announced that our train will leave from another platform. At least they give us 10 min warning.
We are standing at a platform in Vienna, having checked the departure board 5 min in advance and we get on the train.
The conductor comes by to check our tickets. He tells us we are on the wrong train.
We get off at the first stop. Wait about an hour for the train returning to Vienna. Explain to the conductor - who kindly does not charge us - and repeat the above.
Fortunately, this is the correct train.
So, we are standing on the proper platform in Cologne and the train is not there.
We ask a station agent (in halting German) if this is the right platform. He says, "yes".
Still no train.
Fortunately, I hear the announcement, in German only, that our train is leaving from another platform in 2 minutes.
We are standing at the platform in Florence, having checked the big board for our departure platform, when it is announced that our train will leave from another platform. At least they give us 10 min warning.
We are standing at a platform in Vienna, having checked the departure board 5 min in advance and we get on the train.
The conductor comes by to check our tickets. He tells us we are on the wrong train.
We get off at the first stop. Wait about an hour for the train returning to Vienna. Explain to the conductor - who kindly does not charge us - and repeat the above.
Fortunately, this is the correct train.
Dec 11th, 2006, 07:20 AM
#33
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ira, where is your point in your recollection of last-minute platform shifts ? I know that they happen and that one must always double-check. But on the whole, they're not that frequent on mainline trains (they happen when something else is going wrong, usually : signalling; track failure, etc...) But I think it is a good information for the traveller to know in advance what will be the (probable) departure platform.
Dec 11th, 2006, 08:16 AM
#34
Generally, train stations where the train just rolls through always use the same platforms. Big capital cities with terminus stations tend to switch platforms from time to time, for reasons known only to them.
Dec 11th, 2006, 08:27 AM
#35
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,652
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Back to OP
Unlike airports and airlines there are no minimum amounts of time needed to arrive and be able to get on the train, which you can usually do right up until departure.
That said some trains now close their doors one minute before leaving so be ready to board a few minutes ahead of time. TGVs have no security measures as far as i know - but as others have said in effect leave plenty of time to find that platform the train is on in this huge station, which is so over-capicitated that overnight trains have been relegated to the nearby Bercy train station and platforms are not posted until they know which platform will indeed be empty i suspect. The Paris Gare de Lyon-Lyon line is now practically at full capacity many times of day - even in introduction of TGV Duplex - doubledecker trains has not abated the capacity problem so things do not run with the ballyhooed Swiss efficiency.
Unlike airports and airlines there are no minimum amounts of time needed to arrive and be able to get on the train, which you can usually do right up until departure.
That said some trains now close their doors one minute before leaving so be ready to board a few minutes ahead of time. TGVs have no security measures as far as i know - but as others have said in effect leave plenty of time to find that platform the train is on in this huge station, which is so over-capicitated that overnight trains have been relegated to the nearby Bercy train station and platforms are not posted until they know which platform will indeed be empty i suspect. The Paris Gare de Lyon-Lyon line is now practically at full capacity many times of day - even in introduction of TGV Duplex - doubledecker trains has not abated the capacity problem so things do not run with the ballyhooed Swiss efficiency.
Dec 11th, 2006, 08:39 AM
#36
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<i>and platforms are not posted until they know which platform will indeed be empty i suspect.</i>
Hi Bob,
No, no, really: the platforms are pre-determined in advnace (actually at each service shift, one in December, on in June) and written in the internal timetables. I've seen those, they also indicate the exact composition of the trains (number of cars/trainsets) and the timings with 30s accuracy, (and not 1 minute as in publc documents.
It would be definitely impossible to manage a situation where the station officer would choose in real time the platform.
At the risk of repeating myself : a platform shift means that the operator will have to switch points, draw a new path, maybe delay other trains etc... if they happen, it's due to perturbations.
<i>The Paris Gare de Lyon-Lyon line is now practically at full capacity many times of day - even in introduction of TGV Duplex - doubledecker trains has not abated the capacity problem so things do not run with the ballyhooed Swiss efficiency.</i>
Well, the reliability figures are not that bad for a line which is indeed close to saturation. But you know, the situation was much worse before the TGV, when all trains - local, stopping, regional, express, TEE, etc... of the imperial PLM artea - Paris, Lyon, Méditerranée - had to be shoved into only 4 tracks
Hi Bob,
No, no, really: the platforms are pre-determined in advnace (actually at each service shift, one in December, on in June) and written in the internal timetables. I've seen those, they also indicate the exact composition of the trains (number of cars/trainsets) and the timings with 30s accuracy, (and not 1 minute as in publc documents.
It would be definitely impossible to manage a situation where the station officer would choose in real time the platform.
At the risk of repeating myself : a platform shift means that the operator will have to switch points, draw a new path, maybe delay other trains etc... if they happen, it's due to perturbations.
<i>The Paris Gare de Lyon-Lyon line is now practically at full capacity many times of day - even in introduction of TGV Duplex - doubledecker trains has not abated the capacity problem so things do not run with the ballyhooed Swiss efficiency.</i>
Well, the reliability figures are not that bad for a line which is indeed close to saturation. But you know, the situation was much worse before the TGV, when all trains - local, stopping, regional, express, TEE, etc... of the imperial PLM artea - Paris, Lyon, Méditerranée - had to be shoved into only 4 tracks
Dec 11th, 2006, 09:00 AM
#37
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,652
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
superh:
I'm not a habitue of Gare de Lyon but am of Austerlitz just across the Seine and here large groups stand watching the big board to see which track their trains will come in. If it were predetermined and the same everyday i think they would wait on the right platform before making a mad dash to get the ever-increasingly full second class seats on the trains to Aubrais, like i often take. And i've found that from day to day the same timed train will not always arrive or depart from the same platform - it's been this way for years there - why i don't know as this station seems not over capcitated.
I'm not a habitue of Gare de Lyon but am of Austerlitz just across the Seine and here large groups stand watching the big board to see which track their trains will come in. If it were predetermined and the same everyday i think they would wait on the right platform before making a mad dash to get the ever-increasingly full second class seats on the trains to Aubrais, like i often take. And i've found that from day to day the same timed train will not always arrive or depart from the same platform - it's been this way for years there - why i don't know as this station seems not over capcitated.
Dec 11th, 2006, 09:06 AM
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was hoping that someone would reply and I certainly got plenty of great information! Thanks to all that posted and have to admit that I am enjoying the lively discussion thread.
We are staying in the 4th, near the Hotel du Ville (We'd probably just walk to GDL if it wasn't so early and in Jan). Also, Kate W, Seamus is correct. We'll get into Marseille about 9:30 am, have the whole day, one night and the next day before returning on the 17:30 train (no worries getting a taxi back from the station)
We are staying in the 4th, near the Hotel du Ville (We'd probably just walk to GDL if it wasn't so early and in Jan). Also, Kate W, Seamus is correct. We'll get into Marseille about 9:30 am, have the whole day, one night and the next day before returning on the 17:30 train (no worries getting a taxi back from the station)
