Lille Europe connections reliability

[DeverseSam]

I’d like to travel London via Lille to Nantes tomorrow using Interrail. Raileurope offered me:

Eurostar 13:01 from London, arriving 15:26 Lille

Then

TGV 15:52 from Lille, arriving 19:50 Nantes

But it then couldn’t find available seats for the TGV. If I book the legs separately, am I protected for the 26 minute connection, which looks a bit tight to me? Are the staff there generally kind (hotels etc) to people connecting from Eurostar when disrupted?

 

[Mike395]

You should be fine - those TGVs often leave from the platform adjacent to where your Eurostar will arrive anyway and a 20minute+ delay into Lille from London is relatively unusual.

Saying that, to answer your actual question: even on separate tickets, you should be covered by CIV regulations alongside Railteam's HOTNAT policy. Just make sure you get a stamp from the Eurostar train manager (the onboard shop will be able to page them if they're not in that area anyway) to confirm the delay. You can then speak to staff at Lille who will book you onto the next available train to Nantes (or overnight accommodation if relevant - though I suspect they'll try and get you closer to Nantes even if there's no connection all the way rather than leave you stuck in Lille)

As you're travelling with an Interrail pass, if SNCF are unhelpful then keep any proof of delay/correspondence (to show you've made an effort to make arrangements directly with the rail operator first) and send it to Eurail who should refund necessary accommodation/additional reservations.

 

[Full Standing]

Do French customs officials carry out occasional random checks at Lille on arrival from London that may delay the OP?

 

[30907]

A bit late, but a through/connecting normal price ticket is offered so the connection is OK in principle. By now there are no Passholder fares to Lille

 

[DeverseSam]

Thank you. I managed to get an Eurostar seat but something strange is going on with the TGV, I can’t book it at Raileurope or even SNCF at full price of €158 first class.

If I can’t book that TGV when I get to Lille, I guess there’ll be plenty of other TGVs via Paris

 

[James H]

We made that connection at Lille Europe between the same two trains comfortably just over a year ago. As has been mentioned, through tickets are available.

 

[DeverseSam]

For Lille to Nantes, the SNCF Connect site has been showing 7 places at €158 since Friday (see photo), but it’s unbookable (with or without Interrail!). I guess that means it’s going to be cancelled

 

[DeverseSam]

Stuck at Calais while they apparently evacuate a train in the other direction.

Can’t see any passengers outside though

Not sure how to check the live running info - the eurostar website seems to show everything’s fine!

 

[30907]

Stuck at Calais while they apparently evacuate a train in the other direction.

Can’t see any passengers outside though

Not sure how to check the live running info - the eurostar website seems to show everything’s fine!

Have you got anywhere?

 

[DeverseSam]

Have you got anywhere?

Yes thank you, just an hour late into Lille.

I bought a reservation on the later TGV and it worked out OK for me.

However the people on the evacuated #9117 were 8 hours delayed according to X!