🇫🇷 France

Train Stations

France operates one of the world's most celebrated high-speed rail networks, anchored by SNCF's TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse) services. The LGV (Ligne a Grande Vitesse) network radiates from Paris to every major city: Lyon in 2 hours, Marseille in 3 hours, Bordeaux in 2 hours, and Lille in 1 hour. Eurostar and Thalys cross-border services connect France to London, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Cologne. Night trains under the Intercites de Nuit brand serve routes to Brittany, the Basque Country, and the French Alps, with international Nightjet services expanding to Vienna and Berlin. Regional TER trains cover the entire country, providing connections from TGV hubs to smaller towns and villages. The Paris metro area is served by the RER (Reseau Express Regional) and Transilien commuter networks, both integrated with the RATP urban transit system. Tickets can be booked via SNCF Connect up to 3 months in advance; early booking unlocks significant discounts through the Prem's fare category. Seat reservations are mandatory on all TGV trains and are included in the ticket price. France is fully covered by the Eurail/Interrail Global Pass, and a dedicated France Pass is also available. However, pass holders must still pay seat reservation fees (typically EUR 10-20) on TGV and Intercites services. For domestic travel, the SNCF App and SNCF Connect website offer the most complete availability and pricing, including flash-sale Prem's fares that can bring Paris-Marseille tickets down to EUR 19.

4,428

Stations

228

Main Stations

Operators

Yes

High-Speed Rail

Rail Infrastructure

Track Gauge

1435 mm

Electrification

25 kV AC

Operators

Ouigo

High Speed · 300 km/h

SNCF

National · 320 km/h

Lyria

High Speed · 320 km/h

Popular Routes

Dijon Ville Bourg-en-Bresse

126 km

Cagnes-sur-Mer Bourg-en-Bresse

321 km

Bellegarde-sur-Valserine Bourg-en-Bresse

48 km

Avignon Centre Bourg-en-Bresse

253 km

Besançon Viotte Bourg-en-Bresse

132 km

Stations

Station	City	Type	Connections
Dijon Ville	—	Major	778
Bourg-en-Bresse	—	Major	778
Givors Ville	—	Major	778
Cannes	—	Major	778
Clermont-Ferrand	—	Major	778
Lyon Part-Dieu	—	Major	778
Disneyland Paris	—	Major	778
Grenoble	—	Major	778
Massy TGV	—	Major	778
Bordeaux St-Jean	—	Major	778
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine	—	Major	778
Laroche-Migennes	—	Major	778
Besançon Viotte	—	Major	778
Toulouse Matabiau	—	Major	777
Mâcon Ville	—	Major	778
Nice Ville	—	Major	778
Montpellier St-Roch	—	Major	778
Moirans	—	Major	778
Versailles-Chantiers	—	Major	778
Évian-les-Bains	—	Major	778
Marseille St-Charles	—	Major	778
Valence Ville	—	Major	778
Cagnes-sur-Mer	—	Major	778
Avignon Centre	—	Major	778
Albi Ville	—	Major	778
Issoudun	—	Major	778
Château-Arnoux – St-Auban	—	Major	778
Troyes	—	Major	776
Trouville – Deauville	—	Major	776
Strasbourg	—	Major	778
Tours	—	Major	777
St-Georges-d’Aurac	—	Major	778
Thiers	—	Major	778
Ste-Pazanne	—	Major	778
St-Étienne Châteaucreux	—	Major	778
St-Louis	—	Major	775
Rezé – Pont-Rousseau	—	Major	777
Romilly-sur-Seine	—	Major	776
Assier	—	Major	778
Houlgate	—	Major	775
Jeumont	—	Major	778
Dieppe	—	Major	778
Langres	—	Major	778
Riom – Châtel-Guyon	—	Major	778
Nogent-sur-Seine	—	Major	777
Pau	—	Major	778
Le Puy-en-Velay	—	Major	778
Montauban Ville Bourbon	—	Major	778
Nîmes Centre	—	Major	778
Rouen Rive Droite	—	Major	778

Frequently Asked Questions

SNCF opens TGV bookings 3 months in advance. The cheapest Prem's fares sell out quickly -- booking 6-10 weeks ahead typically secures good prices. Last-minute full-fare tickets can cost 3-4x more than early Prem's prices.

Yes. All TGV, Intercites, and Lyria trains require a mandatory seat reservation even with a valid Eurail or Interrail pass. Reservation fees are EUR 10-20 for domestic TGV and EUR 20-30 for international services like Eurostar or Thalys.

Paris to Lyon (432 km) takes just 2 hours on the TGV, giving an average commercial speed of around 216 km/h. The LGV Sud-Est, opened in 1981, was the world's first high-speed line outside Japan. TGV trains reach a maximum operational speed of 320 km/h.

Yes. SNCF's Intercites de Nuit operates overnight services from Paris Austerlitz to Toulouse, Hendaye, Briancon, and Rodez. International Nightjet trains (Austrian OBB) serve Paris to Vienna and Munich, with a Paris-Berlin route also available.

The official SNCF Connect app (iOS/Android) offers the full range of domestic and international tickets, including flash-sale Prem's fares. For multi-country European trips, Trainline and Omio are convenient alternatives that aggregate cross-border options.