mikster

Hello fodorites...we are scheduled to take the iDTGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Avignon on June 2nd. I have printed my tickets but if there is anyone out there who can give us some guidance so that finding and boarding our train is not too stressful I would greatly appreciate that. My understanidng is that we go to boarding reception, wherever that is, and have the ticket scanned. Our tickdets say IDTGV 2915 on the outbound...is that the train number i assume?...it also says coach 13 and then seat 71. The seat number seems obvious enough but what is the coach 13 about? Also, is it fairly easy to get to the station from the 6th arr. by bus? Our train leaves at 11:07 AM so wondering what time we should start out from the hotel. Also, i read that the iDGTV trains always start wtih the number 79 as opposed to the standard TGV. I'm sure it's no more complicated than Grand Central but I had a pretty stressful time of it going from Rome to Florence a few years back and I want to keep the stress level down if at all possible this time. Thanks in advance for your input.

grandmere

If you have an actual printed TICKET with a bar code on it, you don't need to have anything scanned at the gare, just get on the train and they will scan it on train along with looking at your passport. However, if you don't have a bar code on the paper you have, you need to get to gare ahead of time to get the actual ticket.
Coach 13 would be the train car numbered 13.

They don't post the track from which the train will leave until 20 min. before departure, but at that time, everyone rushes to the track; therefore, I, erring on side of caution, would plan to be at the gare at least 20 ahead of that or about 40 min. ahead of when train is scheduled to leave. If you have to get your ticket, I'd get there even earlier than that to cut down on stress at last minute.

I believe (someone who is certain about that is bound to respond to your query) it's Bus #63 that goes from the 6th to the Gare de Lyon. I'd say 20 min. max.
www.ratp.com should be helpful with bus.

Good luck; I'm sure it will work out just fine for you.

Sarastro

iDTGV ticket holders are greeting by an SNCF agent on the departure platform and your tickets are indeed checked or scanned before you board. This is most likely what is described as the boarding reception.

Give yourself plenty of time at Gare de Lyon as there are two different locations for boarding trains:

http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frply/accueil/

MaineGG

We took an iDTGV train from Gare de Lyon to Lyon last fall. Your train number's departure platform/quai will be listed on the big board 20 minutes before departure. In our case, the quai was quite a distance to walk. According to an email we got from iDTGV a few days before departure, boarding closes 5 minutes prior to departure. Our train was a combined TGV/iDTGV train, and there was an iDTGV agent scanning tickets to admit passengers to that portion of the train. We were not asked for ID. Once your tickets have been scanned, look for the car/voiture number, board and find your seats.

By the way, our iDTGV train was number 2937, so all iDTGV trains do not start with 79.

As far as getting there from the 6th by bus, Bus 87 runs along Boul. St. Germain to Bastille then to Gare de Lyon. See the RATP map:

http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/cartebus.php?lang=uk

We enjoyed the iDTGV experience.
Bon voyage!

kerouac

The iDTGV is attached to a normal TGV, so you will find two train numbers on the departure board leaving at the same time from the same platform.

Self printed tickets do not require validation, but SNCF agents will check the tickets with their flash code pistols.

mikster

Thanks all...much appreciate all of the help.