Page 268 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Brittany

266  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

Travelling by Train Types of Train
SNCF offers several kinds of
It is easy and enjoyable to travel to and around France by train. Luxury TGV (train à grande
train, and this is also one of the best ways of reaching and vitesse) trains travel at around
travelling around Brittany. While both Nantes and Rennes are 300 km/h (186 mph), making
served by TGVs (high-speed trains) from Paris, comfortable train journey times very
competitive with flights. There
Intercité trains link other main towns, and TER (local trains) are TGV lines from Paris to
provide connections to smaller towns and villages in the Nantes and Rennes, from where
region. Some areas of Brittany cannot be reached by a rail branch TER lines run to St-Malo,
service, but they can usually can be accessed by bus, some Brest and Quimper. Some
run by the SNCF railways. TGV trains from Bordeux also
connect with Brittany, avoiding
Paris altogether. Seat
reservations are obligatory
for TGVs; you can buy tickets at
stations until shortly before
departure time, but you will find
better fares if you book online
and well in advance.
Intercité trains are more
traditional long-distance express
trains, though they are still
quite fast at a speed of around
200 km/h (125 mph). The main
line in Brittany runs along the
Atlantic coast from Bordeaux
through Nantes and Vannes to
Quimper. Reservations are
The railway station at Brest required and can be made
through Rail Europe or SNCF.
Arriving by Train
about 1 hour), or you can take RER TER trains are regional services
TGVs to Rennes and Nantes line B from the airport and change that stop (usually) at every
(where you can change for Brest at Châtelet-Les Halles to Metro station on the line. Some of
and Quimper) and all other trains line 4, which will take longer. these trains have been replaced
to Brittany leave from Gare All mainline trains and some by buses. Route maps and
Montparnasse in south-central buses in Brittany are operated information are available
Paris. Journey time to Rennes or by the French national railways, (in French only) at stations and
Nantes is about two hours; to SNCF. Bookings can be made on www.sncf.com (click on the
Brest or Quimper, four hours. An from France and (for long- map for Brittany). Reservations
LGV, serviced by TGV, between distance trains only) from are not needed, and tickets
Connerré and Cesson Sévigné is abroad through www.voyages- cannot be bought much in
due to begin running in 2017. sncf.com. If you live outside advance, nor online or through
Travellers arriving from Britain France, however, the best service Rail Europe. TER trains (and
on Eurostar trains can bypass for information and bookings is buses) are slow but provide
Paris altogether by changing at generally Rail Europe. The Man an enjoyable way of exploring
Lille and catching a TGV to in Seat 61 website is a useful both the coast and small
Brittany from there. guide to the railways of Europe. towns inland.
Unless they are on a direct
Brittany train, travellers from
Europe will arrive in Paris at Gare
du Nord (from Holland, Belgium,
north Germany), Gare de l’Est
(most of Germany) or Gare de
Lyon-Gare de Bercy (Italy,
Switzerland). Metro line 4 runs
from Gare du Nord and Gare
de l’Est to Gare Montparnasse;
from Gare de Lyon, take RER line
A to Châtelet-Les Halles and
change to Metro line 4. From
Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport,
there is a direct Air France bus to
Gare Montparnasse (journey time A TGV train, providing swift and comfortable passenger transport

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