petite

hello... I'm trying to book a TGV reservation from Paris to the Loire Valley (Tours) for June. SCNF website has a listing of 3 different stations for Montparnasse station. Can anyone please tell me which of these 3 I'm suppose to choose from? Thank you so much.

bob_brown

Could you explain to me what you are seeing that indicates 3 different stations for Montparnasse? There is only one Gare Montparnasse as far as I know. It is a huge station, so there may be subdivisions. I looked at the SNCF web site and it would not show me anything in English, so I am not sure what et 2 means on the departure listings. <BR><BR>The German rail site indicates only Montparnasse with no qualifications.<BR>Hopefully someone else will know the drill. I only rode the train from there once and have gone in there to buy tickets 3 times. <BR><BR>

petite

hi bob, from the departure station menu, i click on 'Paris', then i click 'select here' right below it to narrow down the Paris stations. From there you get 3 different choices for Montparnasse station: 1 et 2; 2 Pasteur; 3 Vaugirard.... ? Thanks.

adrienne

I just checked and did get on the English site and saw the same information. If you continue and start to book the trip you get the departure station as Montparnasse 1 et 2. But, I don't see any other station listed. <BR><BR>I tried the reverse journey; Tours to Paris to see what the arrival station would be but the trains come into Austerlitz rather than Montparnasse.<BR><BR>For departure from Paris it doesn't look like you have a choice of station. <BR><BR>adrienne<BR><BR>

bob_brown

I just tried again and the ratty thing is Le site voyages-sncf.com est momentan�ment hors- service.<BR>I take that to mean the whole show is out to lunch, which means all night and part of tomorrow. Perhaps it is not responding to American inquiries.<BR>

petite

Ughh... now another problem. I'm trying on different dates just to check, but.. is there a way to just select the TGV train? I do not want any other types of train i.e. TER? How do I do this....website is not user friendly to me...

bob_brown

Some of the trains come into Gare Austerlitz, but not the TGV trains. It depends on the type of train. I looked at the German site and it specified some to Austerlitz and some to Montparnasse.<BR>Those to Montparnasse were not qualified.<BR><BR>Those Pasteur and Vaugirard designations sound like Metro stations. There are two stations by that name on Metro Line 12 that goes through Montparnasse-Bienvenue, which is a separate station from the Montparnasse train station. If one has stamina and grit, one can hike from the Metro station to the train station through endless tunnels.<BR>If that bloody web site will ever get off the &quot;disabled list&quot;, perhaps I can take a look.<BR>In the meantime, perhaps our resident Paris Guru, whoever that might be, will chime in and set us all straight.<BR><BR>Vincent B., are you by chance and hopefully out there at your bilingual finest to tell us all about it??<BR>

adrienne

Petite,<BR><BR>When I went to the site I just entered Paris as the departure station and Tours as the destination. The next page showed Montparnasse 1 et 2. I didn't see any other choices. I think if you don't know the Paris station the system tells you what station the train leaves from. For instance, if you put in Lyon as the destination and click on proceed the next page shows that trains leaving Paris for Lyon leave from Gare de Lyon.<BR><BR>adrienne<BR>

Sue4

I've been using the site frequently planning a trip in May. On the list of stations, it's the one that says &quot;Paris Montparnasse 1 ET (75)&quot;. The TGV goes to St. Pierre des Corps, so put that as destination. It's the TGV station right outside of Tours, and has frequent shuttle trains to the main Tours Station. The site does seem unfriendly at first, but gets easier as you fool around with it. Good luck!

Sue4

By the way, I just used the site, and it wasn't disabled.

Christina

Those are just different buildings right next to each other. I think the SNCF site is just very comprehensive in listing every possible name of a station, even different &quot;parts&quot; of it. When I use that site, I don't try to get that specific because I want the site to tell me the different departure possibilities to choose from. You could close some options off by selecting individual stations. YOu only need to put &quot;paris&quot; in the departure and then &quot;tours&quot; in the arrival and it will show you all options. <BR><BR>Gare 1 is the big main one closest to bd Montparnasse. Gare 2 is in the rear behind the Jardin Atlantique and 3 is a little one over to the side of that. <BR><BR>I wouldn't specify, but I think all trains to Tours leave from gare 2.

petite

thank you so much to all of you! Just booked it and got what i wanted. Merci!<BR>I love this forum!

bob_brown

I think I have the answer to the questions which petite raised concerning the notations Montparnasse 2 and 3 and the meaning of the names Pasteur and Vaugirard associated with Gare Montparnasse. <BR><BR>You know, people should practice what they preach, right? Well, I preach reading maps. Did I read my map before I responded?<BR> <BR>Uh. No. <BR>Did I eventually read my map. Uh. Yes <BR><BR>What did I find when I finally read my map? Duhhhhhhhh<BR>I found that Montparnasse #2 is known also by the name Pasteur, and that Montparnasse 3 is known by the name Vaugirard. <BR>There is the main part of Gare Montparnasse that is just behind the Montparnasse Tower, that is Gare Montparnasse 1. Then in the middle of the buildings is Jardin Atlantique.<BR>Gare Montparnasse 2 is on the southeast side of the gardens, fronting on Boulevard Pasteur. Accross the street is Montparnasse 3, Vaugirard. <BR><BR>I have not explored the complex at all, so I cannot give any directions on how to find the right track for your train.<BR>But I hope this answers the question of what is meant by Montparnasse 2 Pasteur and Montparnasse 3 Vaugirard.<BR><BR>My earlier surmise about the Metro station names was so much eyewash. A false premise.<BR><BR>Suffice it to say that the station is even larger than I thought it was. And what I have found so far is somewhat bewildering in complexity and operation.<BR>And I think Hartsfield Airport in Atlanta is easy to deal with! (Not that it is my favorite airport!!)

Michael

Checking on SNCF.COM, I got a clear answer that the TGV leaves from Gare Montparnasse to St. Pierre des Corps (reservations required) with a transfer to Tours. The 1 and 2 on that information page referred to the travel classes. I simply asked for a train schedule between Paris and Tours, leaving between 10 and 14 hours.

bob_brown

Michael, I think there is more to it than what you report. The full information is this:<BR><BR>Lieu de D&eacute;part: PARIS MONTPARNASSE 1 ET 2 <BR>The 1 and 2 in that context cannot refer to travel classes. Those are specified when you buy your ticket by clicking on the screen a little circle for Classe, either 2e or 1&egrave;re.<BR><BR>Also, no other departures except those from Gare Montparnasse have a 1 et 2 associated with them, and these trains have both first and second class seating. I know, I have ridden on some of them!!<BR><BR>