How early should you arrive for a train in France?
How early should you arrive for a train in France? You should arrive at the train station from 30 – 60 minutes before the departure time of your train. In Gare Bordeaux-Saint-Jean, arriving 30 minutes prior to your train's departure is plenty.
How early should I arrive to Gare de Lyon?
Station / Airport guide For assistance boarding the train, arrive at the platform at least 30 minutes the before train departure time.
Is it cheaper to book trains in France in advance?
Any tips for buying point-to-point train tickets in France? If a rail pass doesn't pencil out for your trip, you may be able to shave off the cost of your train tickets with some of these tips: Advance-purchase discounts: Buying tickets in advance from SNCF'S site can get you 50 percent off the full fare.
How early should you be for an international train?
Please ensure that you have enough time to go through all the extra passport and security checks before your train departs. We recommend arriving around 30 minutes before your train leaves. Don't cut it too fine, as it is no longer possible to board the train within five minutes of departure.
How early should you go on a train?
Unless you're taking the Auto Train, plan to arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled departure. If you need assistance with baggage and/or ticketing, we recommend you arrive 60 minutes early.
What must you not forget to do before you board a train in France?
At large train stations in France you'll scan the barcode or QR code on your ticket (paper, or smartphone e-ticket) to pass the fare gates and board the train; but in some smaller stations you may have a paper ticket which you must validate before boarding.
When should I arrive at the train station in Europe?
Arrive at the station at least 30 minutes to an hour in advance to give yourself time to get your bearings and find your way to the correct terminal.
How early to get to Gare du Nord for Thalys?
Aim to be at Gare Du Nord a minimum of 15 min before departure if you will be taking a THALYS train; all Thalys passengers now have to pass through security checks. Prior to the confirmation of the specific voie (platform/track) that a Thalys service will be departing from, you can join the queue for Thalys departures.
How early should I be for Eurostar in Paris?
Check-in for Eurostar journeys opens an hour and 15 minutes before departure. We recommend that you arrive at least 90 minutes prior to your train leaving so you can have a stress-free check-in.
Do you need to reserve seats on French trains?
Many French trains need to be reserved in advance, and seats can be limited at times. Make your train trips in France comfortable and reserve your seats before the journey even begins! Most French high-speed trains and night trains can be reserved up to 2 months in advance.
What happens if you are late for Eurostar?
Generally, if you'd left enough time had the delay not happened, Eurostar will re-book you onto the next available service. If you're delayed getting to the Eurostar station by something other than a train, YMMV, so it's probably best to leave more time for that.
Do they check passports on trains in Europe?
Passport checks used to be carried on the international Eurostar train, but all formalities are now carried out before boarding. At some border crossings, the train stops twice. First on one side of the border for checks and then on the other side for a second set of checks.
How long do you need to be at Eurostar before your train?
For stress-free boarding, we recommend that you arrive in the station 20 minutes before the scheduled departure time of your train.
How strict are Eurostar with luggage?
On Eurostar there's no weight limit for your luggage, but you must be able to carry and lift your bags safely on your own, as there is no porter service at the station and our teams are unfortunately unable to help with luggage. Each bag can be up to 85cm long at its widest point and should be clearly labelled.
Should you book trains in France in advance?
For long-distance trains including all TGV, Intercités & Intercités de Nuit overnight trains, reservation is compulsory, but there are usually seats available even on the day of travel and you can buy a ticket immediately before the train departs. But there are much cheaper fares if you pre-book.