Page 248 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Provence & The Côte d'Azur

246  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

Getting Around by Train Within Provence and the
Côte d’Azur, the coastal route
Travelling to Provence by train is fast and efficient. The between Nice and Marseille
French state railway, Société Nationale des Chemins de is often crowded, so it is best
Fer (SNCF), is one of Europe’s best equipped and most to reserve tickets in advance
comfortable. The train journey from Paris to Avignon is on this and other Grandes
Lignes. In the Var and Haute
almost as quick as by air – the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) Provence, railway lines are
takes only four hours. The Channel Tunnel provides a fast scarce, but SNCF runs bus
rail link via Calais between Provence and the UK, although services. The private rail service
not all of the route is high-speed. Chemins de Fer de Provence
runs the Train des Pignes
(see p185).
When purchasing a rail
ticket – whether in France or
abroad – it is also possible to
pre-book a car (Train + Auto),
bike (Train + Vélo) or hotel
(Train + Hôtel) to await you
at your destination.
Further information on rail
travel is provided on the main
SNCF website.
The interior of Avignon TGV train station
Booking from Abroad
Train Stations the main Paris station serving Tickets to and within France
The main stations in the region the south of France. Tickets can be booked in the UK and
are Marseille Gare St-Charles, from London to Nice, Avignon US through Rail Europe and
Nîmes and Nice (Nice Ville and Marseille, via Eurostar via www.voyages-sncf.com.
av Thiers). All offer a range of or ferry, are all available from Rail Europe also has infor-
facilities, including restaurants, the Rail Europe office in New mation on prices and
shops, Wi-Fi and secure left York or on their website. The departure times. Reservations
luggage lockers. Keep in mind Eurostar connects at Lille or made abroad can be difficult
that trains in France are punctual Paris with TGVs to the rest of to change once in France –
and very rarely leave late. France. Passengers arriving you may have to pay for
by sea at Calais can catch the another reservation, or claim
train to Paris and transfer on for a refund on your return.
Main Routes to the Corail overnight sleeper
The main train routes to service to Nice. Booking in France
Provence from Northern From southern Europe, trains
Europe pass through Lille run to Marseille from Barcelona Ticket counters at all stations
and Paris. In Paris you have to in Spain (5 hours) and Genoa in are computerized. There are
transfer to the Gare de Lyon – Italy (3 hours). also automatic ticket and
The TGV Train
Trains à Grande Vitesse, or high-
speed trains, travel at up to 300
km/hr (185 mph). There are five
versions of TGV serving all areas
of France and some European
destinations. The Eurostar links
Paris and London, the Thalys runs
to Brussels. The TGV Méditerranée
to Provence leaves from Paris Gare
de Lyon. Other TGVs leave from
Grenoble, Geneva and Lausanne.
The trains’ speed, comfort and
reliability make them relatively
expensive. Always reserve a seat.
Paris to Marseille now takes just
three hours by TGV