Need a train reservation?
 

We have a France Saverpass which implies that we will always be able to get on a train, but not necessarily have a seat. Is that correct? We are just taking a short trip from Paris to Tours (one hour trip) and it's not clear whether we need to pay for a seat reservation. This is not the TGV, which I have heard requires reservations. I'm hoping we can just show up that day and get on the train, but I don't want to be unpleasantly surprised and not get on. <BR> <BR>Thanks for any adivce!

You will be able to get on. If you sit in a seat reserved for someone else, you may be asked to move. If the train has compartments, the reservations are shown on the doors. If the train has airplane seating, most likely you will find a bit of paper on the top of the back part of the seat saying it has been reserved. Have a good trip! Boots

As far as I know, that is what those passes guarantee -- simply that you will get on the train but are not necessarily guaranteed a seat. I think you are allowed to stand in the rear part where luggage is or whatever if there were really no seats. However, if you are taking a one hour train, I think that must be the TGV as the regular trains between Paris and Tours take about 2-1/2 hours, only the TGV takes one hour--I'm pretty sure of that, so you should check. And you must have a reservation for the TGV. I don't know why you would take the regular train instead of TGV, the extra time spent in traveling would not be worth the few dollars in savings for reservations IMO.

I have taken Paris-Tours ~1hr train, it was a TGV. I agree with Christina. We bought a reservation 4 minutes before the departure, rushed down the stairs and hopped on. <BR> <BR>Paris Montparnasse station - Tour is a TGV, ~1:03. <BR> <BR>Paris Austerlitz station - Tours is a slow train 2:15 - 2:45 range.

Thanks for the input! I will definitely make sure we get on a TGV...no reason to waste time! I'm glad to know this is something we can take care of once we get to Paris....at this point we know what days we are going to the Loire Valley, but not necessarily the times. <BR> <BR>

I would add that you should make a reservation as soon as you are sure about which one you are taking and you find a short reservation/ticket window. It does not have to be at the departing station. We bought the reservation so late because the train arriving Paris was 2 hrs late and we rushed to Montparnasse to catch the "next" train to Tours, that happened to be just 4 minutes to departure. The reservation window at large station can have a very long waiting line, not to mention you have to deal with a "fonctionnaire", closest equivalent to a type of service you get at your local "department of motor vehicles" renewal window in the US. I got to deal with helpful SNCF employees at ticket windows in small towns, but in Paris and Nice, I was treated like dirt; just don't generalize that all Parisians treat you that way.

If you already have a TGV reservation, do you need to check in at the train station prior to departure or just jump on the train?

While my opinion of Paris fonctionnaires is not quite as bad as Greg's, big train stations are busy and confusing (I actually think you can get a reservation from a machine, but...), so if you are in a smaller town, like Versailles, make your reservations there. <BR> <BR>I usually make reservations on all trains for two reasons: (1) I'll be sure to be in the right car on the right train (I'm often confused) and (2) I won't have to stand up (which we did once from Marseilles to Paris!). <BR> <BR>And, by the way, once you have your reservations and have punched your ticket in the orange machine at the head of the tracks (do this or be fined), just jump on the train. Don't punch your railpass, but do punch your reservation card if you have one.