France LGV engineering works

[philjo]

I was looking at journey planners for sample timings/prices for TGV from Paris to Basel and was surprised to only find a few services offered, all of which involve going from Paris-Est and changing at Strasbourg.

Anyway I eventually found this PDF listing engineering works wihc says that services using the LGV Paris-Lyon are currently closed for booking 22 May to 30 August.

http://uk.voyages-sncf.eu/sites/uk.voyages-sncf.eu/files/Engineering%20works_0.pdf

The bit I like is the phrase "services should reopen in due course once the new timetable is confirmed"...

Is there a site that will send me alerts when services for a specific day/week are open for bookings (similar to the email alerts I get from East coast)? I get an email from voyages-scnf but it isn't route/date specific.

 

[Gordon]

As a registered user of Voyages-SNCF.com (the 'original' French version) I get the kind of updates/alerts you are talking about.

However...as regards the 'booking closed' conundrum: This seems to be a case of one of my pet hates about modern computing/marketing - in fact it really makes me angry - this business of websites etc detecting where you are and defaulting to the langauge or version that cyberspace thinks to want be.

SNCF has increasingly done this, and it has got even worse since the 'fusion of Voyages-sncf.com and Rail Europe.

I've tried desperately in the last few minutes to get my computer to go to the 'original' French version of Voyages SNCF and every time it jumps to an en prefixed URL. Eventually I managed to get an original French version and when you do this, lo and behold you get an offer of a direct Paris Gare de Lyon - Basel on a date in June, which the english language versions of the site refuse to accept exists.

On the random date I chose there is a fare of 59 euros on offer for a midday departure from Paris

hmm...



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[philjo]

I have now managed to find some fares for dates until 22 August on Capitainetrain.com but the timings are showing a much reduced frequency so those timings indicate I may have to rethink - departures from Paris are 11:55 or 16:23 so I either have to leave home by 6am for the 07:55 Eurostar or get to Switzerland late - I'll look at Geneva trains as well. (though bookings for the week I want in late August are not avialable at all yet so timings that week by change)

I booked on the Engilsh language voyages-scnf.com last year for TGV services & paid in euros.
The only way I can get the site to provide details in English & pricing in euros now is to select a country such as Slovenia as your country for collection.

 

[Gordon]

I have now managed to find some fares for dates until 22 August on Capitainetrain.com but the timings are showing a much reduced frequency so those timings indicate I may have to rethink - departures from Paris are 11:55 or 16:23 so I either have to leave home by 6am for the 07:55 Eurostar or get to Switzerland late - I'll look at Geneva trains as well. (though bookings for the week I want in late August are not avialable at all yet so timings that week by change)

As usual with SNCF opinions vary! I found a site that suggests there is still the 'normal' - ish service but another one suggest the mid afternoon train is not running.

Try going via the Lyria website

http://www.tgv-lyria.com/main/FCK/File/site_fr/timetable/horaires.asp

I'm not surprised you are not finding services via Geneva:

Warning! remember that the line from France into Geneva is closed this summer to be switched from 1500v dc to 25 kv ac

http://www.tgv-lyria.com/main/FCK/File/site_fr/timetable/info_Trafic/Travaux-Geneve.asp


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[starrymarkb]

Presume this means the end of the funny tram things that SBB use on the SNCF route out of Geneve. Should have had a go on one (but only saw one working, other services were FLIRTs)

 

[Gordon]

Presume this means the end of the funny tram things that SBB use on the SNCF route out of Geneve. Should have had a go on one (but only saw one working, other services were FLIRTs)

Correct.

CFF (as it is in those parts!) can't get rid of them (the Bem 550). Lausanne TSOL light rail line is the only other user of (a simpler variant of) the type but doesn't need them.

For a while now, the Bem 550s have only been operating the longer journeys to Bellegarde (for which they are essentially less suited than Flirts!) hence why you probably missed them.



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[STEVIEBOY1]

Are SNCF doing work in June/July that may also affect trains from Biarritz to Paris? I have just booked a 3 centre holiday, the last portion of the trip is in Biarritz and I am booked on a train from there to Paris and thought that I would arrive into Montparnasse, but I have been assured that the train will in fact arrive at Gare de Lyon which I though was rather odd. I have over two hours anyway to get across Paris to get to Nord for Eurostar. I think I will try using the metro to get to Nord.

 

[Gordon]

Are SNCF doing work in June/July that may also affect trains from Biarritz to Paris? I have just booked a 3 centre holiday, the last portion of the trip is in Biarritz and I am booked on a train from there to Paris and thought that I would arrive into Montparnasse, but I have been assured that the train will in fact arrive at Gare de Lyon which I though was rather odd. I have over two hours anyway to get across Paris to get to Nord for Eurostar. I think I will try using the metro to get to Nord.

assured by whom?

Hard to investigate this conundrum without a travel date... I've tried a few random dates and all gave me Montparnasse as the arrival station





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--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
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After doing some digging (pun Intended!) I've at last found a full (?) list of engineering works affecting SNCF trunk routes:

http://aide.voyages-sncf.com/toute-...oraires-trafic-gares/perturbations-et-travaux






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[STEVIEBOY1]

assured by whom?

Hard to investigate this conundrum without a travel date... I've tried a few random dates and all gave me Montparnasse as the arrival station





.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
.

After doing some digging (pun Intended!) I've at last found a full (?) list of engineering works affecting SNCF trunk routes:

http://aide.voyages-sncf.com/toute-...oraires-trafic-gares/perturbations-et-travaux






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Thank you for your reply and this link. The date that I hope be travelling Biarritz, Paris, London is 03 July.

I think the agent who made my booking was looking only at the outbound journey when I am travelling from Gare de Lyon to Perpingnon, and was thinking of that when he told me the return was also to Lyon. I am sure it will be Montparnasse and it will be on the tickets when they come.