Originally Posted by
wawah5
I searched SNCF for tgv trains going from Paris CDG to Brussels. There is a direct tgv # 9863 which leaves CDG to Brussels at 11:07am and arrives at 12:51pm on March 25, 2012 for 77euro. Another train also leaves CDG to Lillie @ 11:07am but has a different train #5144(cost 26euro) Finally, the train which leave Lillie to Brussels has the same #9863 as the direct train (cost 18euro). Is it true that tvg #9863 and tvg#5144 are the same train? If so, what do I do when I arrive at Lillie? Do I stay in the same seats or will I have to change seats? This is my first time on TVG. Thanks.
Firstly, welcome to FlyerTalk, wawah5!
As far as I can tell (looking at both
www.voyages-sncf.com and the journey planner at
www.bahn.de), there are two TGVs running between Paris CDG and Lille Europe, that depart at 11:07 on March 25:
TGV5144 - originates in Marseille St Charles at 07:14, leaves CDG at 11:07, and finishes in Lille Europe at 12:01.
TGV9862/3 - originates in Montpellier at 07:00, leaves CDG at 11:07, arrives at Lille Europe at 12:01, and continues to Brussels Midi, where it finishes at 12:51.
(This train seems to be numbered 9862 for Montpellier to Brussels, but 9863 for CDG to Brussels - I'm not sure why the numbers change).
What I don't know is whether these two trains are coupled together for the stretch between CDG and Lille Europe, or whether they run separately. (Although some kind of coupling/separation of units might account for the number change of 9862/9863, and if I had to guess, I'd guess that 5144 and 9862/3 run together between Lyon and Lille - but I have no way to check).
If you booked part of the journey on TGV5144, and the rest on TGV9863, then you would presumably have to change trains in Lille (even if the units were coupled together, you'd have to get off one, and run down the platform to the other, as a) there's no connecting corridor between different TGV units, and b) the trains are reservation-only, so you're expected to be sitting in your assigned seat). Personally, without being 100% sure that the two trains will run together, I think this approach might be a bit of a risk, as if TGV5144 is delayed, there is not necessarily a guarantee that TGV9863 will wait for it.
However, it seems that the €26 fares for CDG to Lille are available on both TGV5144, and TGV9863. So, if you book CDG to Lille Europe on TGV9863 (for €26), and then Lille Europe to Brussels also on TGV9863 (for €18), then you would be making a saving over the through-fare of €77. As long as you're on the same-numbered TGV, you
should be OK.
However, note that many TGVs operate as two units coupled together, so you could still find that you had a seat in one unit for the first part of the journey, and the other unit for the second part of the journey. If so, this would again mean running down the platform in Lille to get from part to the other - but as the train has a 16 minute layover in Lille Europe (departing again at 12:17), this should be fine, as long as you're prepared for it.
Note that I haven't actually done this route myself (although I will do something similar next month), so I'm not 100% sure of how the train numbers, etc work. Someone who has more experience on this route may be in a better position to advise.
Also, note that it's TGV (= Train à Grande Vitesse)...