Travel/holiday thread

[briantrumpet]

It might be an Ouigo train, but I don't really know. I was just trying to get a ticket and was surprised that it wasn't trivial, and that I was supposed to take the connection risk.

Ah, sounds more like Ouigo. I used to look for tickets from them particularly, as I've had some crazy bargains travelling light (e.g 10€ for Valence to Paris), but the last few times I've looked, the regular TGVs have been very good value, particularly if they offer a 1st Class upgrade with single seat for very little extra. Plus you get more flexibility of train times/routes as well, obviously.

I don't think there are any connection guarantees with Eurostar, whoever you book through... one reason at the moment I'm splitting my journey overnight at Lille for the next booked journeys.

 

[PurplePenguin]

Ah, sounds more like Ouigo. I used to look for tickets from them particularly, as I've had some crazy bargains travelling light (e.g 10€ for Valence to Paris), but the last few times I've looked, the regular TGVs have been very good value, particularly if they offer a 1st Class upgrade with single seat for very little extra. Plus you get more flexibility of train times/routes as well, obviously.

I don't think there are any connection guarantees with Eurostar, whoever you book through... one reason at the moment I'm splitting my journey overnight at Lille for the next booked journeys.

I think if you book with Eurostar, they will put you on the next French train although they won't accommodate you overnight if the train is not until the next day. And in terms of the different trains, they're all trains to me. I don't know the difference. I just can't imagine a system in the UK, where luggage tickets are also being checked simply because there are so many people and so many trains, but that has always been the big difference for me between the UK system and the French system - the French trains may be quicker, but they're not frequent.

 

[briantrumpet]

I think if you book with Eurostar, they will put you on the next French train although they won't accommodate you overnight if the train is not until the next day. And in terms of the different trains, they're all trains to me. I don't know the difference. I just can't imagine a system in the UK, where luggage tickets are also being checked simply because there are so many people and so many trains, but that has always been the big difference for me between the UK system and the French system - the French trains may be quicker, but they're not frequent.

I think the TVG system is viewed somewhat differently because of the size of the trains and the distances they cover, and also that some of them go direct to airports (e.g. the one from Valence to Lille stops at Paris CDG, as well as Eurodisney, has 1100 seats, and covers the 400 miles of Valence to Lille in about 3h45). But SNCF is a law unto itself, and not the easiest system to navigate.

Eurostar will compensate you if they screw up: they paid 100% of my overnight hotel cost in Lille when they cancelled my train a few days in advance – the last one of the day – back to London. (I'd been booked into a hotel in London.)

 

[Ian H]

Interrail includes Eurostar I believe.

 

[briantrumpet]

Interrail includes Eurostar I believe.

It does, though the booking fee isn't tiny, and there aren't that many available on each train. But it can be well worth it, I've been told.