24830Explore the Wonders of France by Train

France has often been an idyllic holiday destination, although many tourists simply spend their vacation time in one specific location. Maybe they are attracted to the sunny beaches, perhaps a spot of skiing in the French Alps, or even a special sporting event, such as the Tour de France or the Monaco grand prix. However, there also happen to be thousands of tourists who flood to France on an annual basis to travel up and down the country on a train with France rail.

A tourist can travel through France and visit all the major cities by train including the romantic capital of Paris, and other well-known destinations such as Cannes, Lyon, Nice or Bordeaux. There is a wide variety of things to see and do in each one of these amazing cities and something to please just about anyone. There are many different types of trains which travel throughout France, although the vast majority of the network runs under the operation of the SNCF. The SNCF (Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais) is basically the National Rail Company of France.

International High Speed Trains

There are a number of high speed trains which operate to and from France. Some of the better known international high speed train destinations include, London, Brussels, Barcelona, Zurich, Milan, Turin, Cologne, Munich and many others. The services to the destinations are also provided by some very well known names, such as Eurostar, TGV, Thalys and ICE. These trains all typically travel at well in excess of 200 miles per hour and therefore a commuter can arrive at any of these major European cities in no more than an hour or two.

Domestic High Speed Trains

There are also domestic France rail high speed trains available, although these trains are all run by TGV. This is the ideal opportunity to travel anywhere within the country, quickly arriving at destinations such as Paris, Marseille, Montpellier and many others. The TGV high speed trains also offer many of the facilities that can be expected from an international service. These include refreshment, and more often than not, a restaurant car, power sockets, air conditioning, and even larger than usual luggage racks for those spending much of their holiday on the trains.

Reservations

Many of the French trains require passengers to make reservations in advance and this includes the international and domestic high speed train services. However, a commuter has the ability to book a train ticket up to 3 months in advance. The reservations can be made in a station, either at the ticket desk or the self-service machine, if available. There also happens to be many railway call centres, which are able to make reservations in advance. There may even be the opportunity to book online, although this does very much depend on the train company.

There may be certain reservation fees to pay, although this is a standard practice whereby a high speed train, an international train, or an overnight journey which requires sleeping arrangements and accommodation needs to be taken. All-in-all, there are plenty of reasons why someone may wish to visit France and there is no better way to get around than by train.

Ana Aleksejeva has travelled throughout much of Europe by train. She has chronicled many of her journeys, her findings and facts she believes will be of interest in her travel articles. Her French adventure is one that she remembers particularly fondly as she travelled the length and breadth of the country by France rail.

 

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