TGV/EC Connections at Genève.

[D6130]

Planning our next trip to Italy - with the direct line via Modane still closed - I see that the connections at Genève from the TGV ex-Paris to the EuroCity Pendolino for Milan are only nine minutes. While I have changed there many times over the years, I have never had such a tight connection....so do you fellow continental travellers think that this is doable, or advisable?

 

[yoyothehobo]

I certainly wouldnt go with advisable.

Its certainly not far to go between the platforms, but i wouldnt take the risk, a couple of minutes delay could really scupper you.

 

[D6130]

I certainly wouldnt go with advisable.

Its certainly not far to go between the platforms, but i wouldnt take the risk, a couple of minutes delay could really scupper you.

That's what I was thinking....but the connections at Zürich are even tighter at seven minutes and the trains from Paris are only every two hours. If we missed the connection, would we be entitled to use the next available service - if necessary changing at Brig - under CIV regulations....or do they not apply to on-line advance tickets? I notice that the nine minute connection is shown on the InterRail/Eurail journey planner app.

 

[YorkshireBear]

I'd just spend two hours at a station and grab some food. Too much potential for problems.

 

[yoyothehobo]

And check your mobile phone roaming before getting to Switzerland as when i was there last month it very much wasnt part of my contract, whereas France (and the rest of the EU was)

 

[D6130]

And check your mobile phone roaming before getting to Switzerland as when i was there last month it very much wasnt part of my contract, whereas France (and the rest of the EU was)

Yes....I always try to remember to switch off data roaming when passing through Switzerland.

 

[Watershed]

And check your mobile phone roaming before getting to Switzerland as when i was there last month it very much wasnt part of my contract, whereas France (and the rest of the EU was)

And indeed many Swiss trains (even new ones) lack WiFi, which seems a bit of an omission. Still, free WiFi is available at most larger stations.

 

[signed]

And indeed many Swiss trains (even new ones) lack WiFi

The Giruno have.

Why there isn't WiFi is mostly linked to the fact that they implemented FreeSurf, which is a weird thing.

Which is a app that checks with Bluetooth whether you're in the train. And while you're in the train, it tells your Swiss ISP not to cap/charge your data.

SBB is basically telling that WiFi with that many people is dumb (reasonable) and that 4G coverage is much more suitable. Which is fair, seeing as train WiFi is usually nothing more than a 4G hotspot.

 

[DanielB]

The Giurno have.

Giruno it is.

SBB is basically telling that WiFi with that many people is dumb (reasonable) and that 4G coverage is much more suitable.

Switzerland also has really excellent mobile coverage, another reason not to bother offering wifi. My Dutch mobile plan does include roaming in Switzerland and must say there hardly is any place without signal. Even in a tunnel below a high mountain you'd have signal.

 

[signed]

Giruno it is.

Indeed, I was always under the impression is was named Giurno. But that's corrected.

 

[SW19Traveller]

Access from the TGV arrival platforms to the rest of the station is a bit of a bottleneck too as it goes through the Customs corridor. You could easily lose a few minutes getting off the platform when there's a train load all coming through the narrow corridor (though it doesn't look like customs themselves often stop people).

 

[rvdborgt]

That's what I was thinking....but the connections at Zürich are even tighter at seven minutes and the trains from Paris are only every two hours. If we missed the connection, would we be entitled to use the next available service - if necessary changing at Brig - under CIV regulations....or do they not apply to on-line advance tickets? I notice that the nine minute connection is shown on the InterRail/Eurail journey planner app.

Check the SBB planner. The Rail planner app should never be used to plan.
Whether a 9-minute connection in Geneva is doable depends on what plan B is in case it fails. If you can reach Milan with a later train, then I'd say book it. Under the AJC you should be rebooked free of charge on the next service.

 

[D6130]

Check the SBB planner. The Rail planner app should never be used to plan.
Whether a 9-minute connection in Geneva is doable depends on what plan B is in case it fails. If you can reach Milan with a later train, then I'd say book it. Under the AJC you should be rebooked free of charge on the next service.

OK. Thanks.

 

[D6130]

Thanks for the advice and suggestions. We've now decided on - and booked - a safer itinerary:

TGV 9203, 07 22 Paris Lyon-Basel SBB, arrive 10 26
EC 151, 11 06 Basel SBB-Milano Centrale, arrive 15 50 (now via Zurich instead of via Luzern as in the past)
FR 9551, 16 10 Milano Centrale-Firenze SMN, arrive 18 04

....connecting nicely into the last bus to our village, which departs from outside SMN station at 18 20. In the event of a major delay, we have a fall-back of the 19 14 Regionale Veloce to Arezzo, arriving 20 16....giving a tightish connection into the last train for our village, departing at 20 25.

 

[Gordon]

Your latest plan looks good. I would not have gone via Geneva at the moment as the Italians keep closing the Domo - Milano line for upgrade work. And 9 minutes is not enough because TGVs often arrive late into Swiss stations.