TGV: 1st Class or 2nd Class?
 

Never took a TGV ride.

I am wondering about the difference between TGV 1st class and 2nd class for the Paris East and Strasbourg line.

1st Class costs 45 Euro
2nd Class costs 15 Euro

Should I go for 1st or 2nd Class? :confused:

Where can I find pictures of the seats etc?

Merci ;)

http://www.theculturedtraveler.com/A...OV2003/TGV.htm

Go about 80% down the page and you will see:

Here you go: http://www.toffsworld.com/travel/pri...est-europeen-/

the difference is in wider seats (3 to a row (2 and 1) vs. 4 in second class). sometimes there are special waiting areas for the train and the big difference in summer months, much less crowded with less noise.

While there is a difference between 1st and 2nd Class on the TGV, it should be noted that 2nd Class is worlds better than coach class on an airplane. I think the Paris-Strasbourg run is under 3 hours now with the TGV and I personally wouldn't pay another 30 Euros to get in 1st.

Whatever you decide, I suggest pulling the trigger soon as those fares look very low.

For TGV, I have always been pleased with 2nd Class--plenty of room. I'll be on the train this Tuesday Paris-Reims--looking forward to it.

Of course, if you really want privacy, 1st Class does offer the single seat in its 2-1 seating arrangement.

As you may be aware the TGV line from Paris to Strasbourg is brand new. As well as the halved journey times there is a substantially enhanced service compared to the old days. As a result it is unlikely to be in any way crowded.

Those fares are indeed very low for TGV service and doubtless are some introductory special deal.

If you are only used to air travel you will find that second class on the TGV has about as much space as first class on US domestic airlines. First class on the train is more roomy again, but there is no significant service difference.

The route may be new but the trains are not. Some new higher-capacity double-deck trains have been built for the existing and more heavily used TGV lines, and their trains built some years ago have in turn been handed down to TGV-Est.

Are you sure? The TGV Est Européen page of the SNCF site says:
Les rames du parc TGV EST EUROPÉEN bénéficieront d’un nouvel aménagement intérieur entièrement redessiné par Christian Lacroix. En juin 2007, elles pourront circuler à 320 km/h, soit 20 km/h au dessus de la vitesse pratiquée sur les autres axes TGV. Chacune d’elles accueillera jusqu’à 360 voyageurs.

The trainsets of the TGV Est fleet will have a new interior layout, completely redesigned by Christian Lacroix. In June 2007, they will be able to run at 320 km/h, that is 20 km/h faster than the speed at which existing TGVs travel on the other TGV routes in Europe. Each set will be able to carry 360 passengers.

http://www.tgvesteuropeen.com/rubriq...id_rubrique=86 (photos and descriptions of the trains are here)

please follow this thread in the Europe forum, this is not a specific question for Paris.

regards

chrissxb
moderator
Paris Forum

ps: if you come to Strasbourg, post the date on communitybuzz! and the SXB FlyerTalker will be happy to have dinner with you. one of the most important differences between 1st and 2nd class are
a) wider seats 2+1 seating instead of 2+2
b) power plugs for your laptop

I think this depends a lot on what you are willing to pay. If you are Bill Gates - take first class, no question. If you are a student living of €500 a month, take second class. Most people will fall somewhere inbetween.

I'd probably do it.

SmilingBoy.

MERCI BEAUCOUP....
:):)

I booked 2nd Class TGV Paris-Strasbourg for two families of 6 people, totalling only 90 Euro instead of 270 Euro for 1st Class. ^

We decided to save 180 Euro for more delicious French food. ;);)

These 2nd Class seats look fine! I was shocking to see such low price at 15 Euro each.

I don't make anywhere remotely close to what Bill Gates makes, but I am not a poor student either. ;)

We look forward to the TGV ride. :p

Nice link. Very much appreciated.

By looking at the pictures we decided that 2nd Class is not bad!

I also printed the tickets online.

SNCF is so much more enjoyable, and advanced than AMTRAK for poor Americans. :D:D

I've gone both first and second on the TGV South. I wouldn't spend more to go first again. Except, maybe over school breaks. And, even then, second has its points. Get to meet the French school kids. :)

Yes, the trains are indeed secondhand. If you look at the quote from the SNCF, with the benefit of this knowledge, you will see they do not actually say the trains are new, they only speak about the interiors !

The trains now starting use on the TGV-Est were built in the early 1990s for the TGV-Reseau service. They have been refitted inside as you need to do with trains (and indeed planes) after about 15 years service, and Christian Lacroix has done the design, including the asymmetrically-shaped seats with slanted tops, mostly of one colour but with odd ones up and down the car in a different colour (standard class are purple with odd red seats, first class are blue with odd green seats. Only in France.... :) ).

These trains are being replaced on the TGV-Reseau routes (the non-Paris routes, eg Lyon-Lille), which cross France elsewhere by new Reseau-Duplex trains, Duplex being the French expression for double-decker.

The maximum speed is more a function of how the tracks have been laid out (eg minimum curve radius) rather then the vehicles themselves, and how much electricity you find it economical to consume.. TGVs on test runs on straight sections have gone very much faster than this maximum.

On the new TGV-Est there will also by German ICE high speed trains running, and similarly the French trains will run on into Germany. The arrangement is that the French will operate the Paris-Strasbourg-Munich route while the Germans will operate the Paris-Saarbrucken-Frankfurt line, not passing through Strasbourg.

I see; very interesting! Thanks, WHBM, for the additional information.

I've taken the TGV down south in both first and second class, and although second class is perfectly fine, I admit to liking first class better because it simply feels more comfortable and restful. I wouldn't pay a lot extra for it, but sometimes it's available for as little as 5 euros more than second class or occasionally even cheaper than second class.