How far in advance should I reserve a seat for a TGV train (I have a Eurail pass). Also, should I do it when I get to Paris or can I call ahead and do it from the USA? Thanks.

You can make a reservation right up to the time the train leaves; not really recommended.... <BR> <BR>You can wait until you get to Paris, and you can make the reservation at ANY train station.

It depends on your route and date, of course. I would do it when you get to Paris unless you want to take a very popular train route on some heavy date or time period, then it depends how important getting that exact train is to you. For example, once I made a reservation for a seat on the TGV going from Tours to Paris on early Sunday evening in the summer. This is a very popular weekend tourist destination and that train (people going back to Paris from their weekends) was completely full and I got about the last seat making a reservation about 3-4 days ahead. I don't know if you can do it from the US, I think you can but it will cost you as the phone number is a pay per minute--there was a recent post on this with the phone number for Eng/French speakers at SNCF in Paris, I believe they will take a CC number over phone. I don't know the cost per minute of that call, however. It is under Eurostar, Paris office, in the France telecom phone book (www.pagesjaunes.fr)

You can make the reservation by phone from the States cby calling the French railway they have a number for that, no extra charge, must give a Visa no. and you can have the ticket including seat #etc waiting for you <BR>up to half an hour before departing. <BR>They were very kind and gave me all kind of discounts without Me even asking <BR>... because I was traveling on a Sunday between Lyon and Torino and also a seniors discount. Perfect. <BR>Again this was directly with the French railway company.

I also say it depends on your route and date, and also the size of your group. On Paris-Tours route, we made a reservation 4 minutes before the departure and 3 of us got to sit together. On Paris-Lyon route, even though we made a reservation 8 days ahead, the train was packed and we could not sit together. It was a Monday late afternoon train full of business people returning to Lyon. <BR> <BR>You can make a reservation at ANY SNCF station, but if you know which train you are taking, and you happen to be at a station with a short waiting line, GET THE RESERVATION! We had to take a number and wait for an HOUR trying to make an advance reservation at NICE. I found that SNCF ticket agents at small station were more helpful than ones at large stations, where we were treated like dirt.

Also important to know- there are a limited number of reservations available to Railpass holders. We made reservations from the US through the Rick Steves recommended euraide.de site.

Patrick,<BR>we just returned from our trip to France that included 2 TGV trips. We had the flexi-pass rail pass, and reserved seats by calling Rail Europe 1-800-438-7245 (from Rick Steves) for the first leg. When we arrived at the station before boarding, we reserved seats for the return leg at the station. You have to pay a little to upgrade yoour railpass to a TGV ticket. If you are taking a regular RER train, you just get on the train - no additional reservation or ticket needed - just fill in the travel dates on your railpass on the days you use it - (you need to do this for the TGV as well). The trains run precisley on time. Great way to travel! Bring food and drink with you.