High-Speed Train Travel in France
TGV from Paris to Lyon with Kids
“Trains are wonderful…To travel by train is to see nature and human beings, towns and churches and rivers, in fact, to see life.”
Sophie was so comfortable on the fast moving train that she settled in for a nap.
One of the experiences we were looking forward to while in France was the high-speed train. Train travel is a popular mode of transportation throughout Europe but we had never traveled by train. While there are quite a few Amtrak routes in the United States, they’re not as popular as the dedicated lines in Europe. We were excited to board our first high-speed train and see what all the fuss was about.
History of High-Speed Train Travel
In 1964, Japan debuted the Tokaido Shinkansen, from Tokyo Central to Shin Osaka. The train was designed to operate at 210 km/hour and became the model upon which passenger transport was built for future generations. Almost two decades later, the French national railway company introduced the first high-speed line between Paris and Lyon in September 1981, at a maximum speed of 260 km/hour.
Following the lead of the successful railways in Japan and France, several European countries got into rail service. Italy and Germany began in 1988, followed by Spain and Belgium in the 1990’s and the UK and the Netherlands in the first decade of the new millennium. Meanwhile, more Asian countries jumped into the game with China, South Korea, and Taiwan all introducing high-speed lines in the early 2000’s. China really committed by implementing more than 20,000 km of new high-speed lines and emerging as the new leader.
In the early days of railroads, the United States had a fairly robust passenger train business. However, non-commuter passenger railway travel declined by 84% between 1945 and 1964, as just about every American purchased an automobile and our focus shifted to interstate highway travel. As a result, most Americans have very little passenger train experience (except for the commuter trains of the Northeast). Today, our railways are built primarily for cargo transport. A series of bankruptcies and consolidations led to almost all long-distance passenger traffic being shifted to Amtrak (a government owned operation) in 1971.
While long distance, high-speed passenger train travel has been booming around the world, the US has been slow to jump on board. Hopefully, we will see a shift in the coming years. In 2021, a bipartisan infrastructure law set aside billions of dollars for Amtrak to work toward trains running at up to 160 mph between Boston, New York, and DC. Other areas of the country are working on their infrastructure as well. High-speed rail lines are currently proposed in California, Nevada, Texas, Georgia, and the Pacific Northwest.
Our Experience on the TGV
After enjoying our 2nd trip through Paris, we dropped off our rental car, and boarded the high-speed train that could take us from Paris to Lyon in just 2 hours instead of the 4 ½ hours by car. The Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV) travels at speeds up to 320 km/hour and operates throughout the major cities in France and beyond. The international TGV service connects France with Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and more.
The TGV train station in Paris is conveniently located adjacent to the Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport. We purchased our tickets using the SNCF Connect app and arrived at our gate about 30 minutes before our scheduled departure. When our departure was announced, we made our way to the gate agent, showed our tickets, and took the escalator down to the tracks. Each of us had one carry-on suitcase and a backpack. When it was time to board, the adults took the lead in stowing all of our suitcases in the designated area. We decided to take our backpacks with us to our seats, allowing each of us to grab things that we needed during our journey.
The seats were easy to locate and were at least as large as a coach seat on an airplane. We settled in and got comfortable for the 2 hour trip to Lyon. The train departed at the precise scheduled time and we found the ride to be quite smooth despite the tremendous speeds. We watched as we quickly exited the bustling city of Paris and made our way into the countryside. We snacked, read, worked, talked, and even napped during the ride.
When we arrived at Gare de la Part-Dieu (or simply, Lyon Part-Dieu), which is the main TGV station in Lyon, we quickly retrieved our suitcases, making sure that we put the Littles between the adults as we left the train. Upon disembarking, we were greeted by a bustling commuter scene with tourists and business travelers rushing to catch their train or heading off to their final destination. We were surprised to find someone playing a grand piano right in the heart of the station. We also took note of a coffee shop and a few food options.
The train station is located in the 3rd arrondissement of the city. Lyon, like Paris, is divided into several districts, called arrondissements. The 3rd arrondissement is a popular destination for commuters as it is served by the TGV along with several metro and tram lines. This large station was conveniently located right next door to our hotel so we had a very short walk to our destination.
Our Transportation Strategy
Our primary purpose for this particular stop in Lyon was to pick up a new rental car for the next leg of our trip. We divided our 3 month tour of France into 3 main segments. Part of the rationale for this strategy was precipitated by our rental car needs. We use the Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa which is an excellent card for international travel. With it, we receive many benefits including rental car insurance. However, the maximum time we can rent any vehicle (and have that coverage benefit) is 30 consecutive days (we learned this thanks to Kevin taking the time to actually read the fine-print).
We picked up our first rental car in Paris and used it for our travels to Normandy, Brittany, and both regions that make up the Loire Valley - Pays de la Loire and Centre-Val de Loire - before returning it to Paris. Our trip to Lyon allowed us to reposition ourselves so we could pick up a new rental for the 2nd leg of our journey, which took us through the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, the Occitanie Region, and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region in the south of France before eventually returning to Lyon. Our last leg was only a 10 day rental which we picked up in Lyon and drove to the Grand Est Region to enjoy the Christmas markets in Strasbourg, and returned at our final stop in Paris.
Taking advantage of the car rental coverage provided through Kevin’s Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card was a large part of our planning strategy during our 3 months in France. After we identified some of our biggest must-see places, we created 3 routes to ensure we returned each car within 30 days, allowing us to take full advantage of this benefit. With these 3 routes in mind, it was, then, just a matter of how to make it work logistically and filling in the rest of our itinerary. We were very thankful for the coverage provided by our card! It not only helped us plan our route, but it allowed us to confidently decline the additional (and expensive) coverage offered by the rental car companies, knowing that we were already fully covered!
IBIS Hotel
The IBIS Hotel, which served as our accommodations for this stop in Lyon, was located right next door to the train station. Kevin made the reservation on Booking.com and we were able to reserve two rooms for the price of one! We tend to mainly use Airbnb rentals due to the fact that hotel rooms don’t typically make it possible for our family of 5 to stay together. This hotel, however, was very accommodating and gave us rooms that were next door to each other. Kevin and I took one and Ellie stayed with her younger sisters in the other.
The 2 rooms gave us an opportunity to rest, plan our travel routes and lodging for the next couple of weeks, and get some schoolwork done over the course of our 2 night stay. Our stay wasn’t anything fancy, but after several weeks on the go, it was just what we needed. We had food deliveries from Steak and Shake (not the same as the American brand) and KFC so we didn’t have to worry about grocery shopping (and all the hassle that comes with a new grocery store in a foreign country) or cooking. Just a few blocks away from our hotel, we also had the Westgate Mall with loads of dining options. We chose gourmet hotdogs from Frank’s one afternoon and they hit the spot!
On the morning of our departure, we gathered our belongings and checked out of our hotel. In addition to being located right next to the train station, the IBIS was also adjacent to the car rental location making it easy to pick up our ride for the next phase of our trip - the French Alps. They took one look at the five of us and made sure that we had a rental that would fit our family and belongings. After taking a quick video of the exterior of our car (we highly recommend you do this for insurance purposes), we were on our way toward Saint-Gervais-les-Bains to enjoy the mountains.
Popular TGV Routes Throughout France
CDG Airport is the busiest airport in the European Union, serving over 25 million passengers each year. While many visitors spend their entire stay in the Paris area, the TGV offers the opportunity to see so many other areas of the country without having to spend money on a rental car or hours driving. If you’re staying in France for more than a week, we highly recommend that you consider one of these routes that will allow you to venture out of Paris to see other parts of France. Some of these routes also offer a longer overnight schedule that would allow you to book a sleeper car for a completely different experience.
Paris - Lille (1:30) – Located in northern France, near the border of Belgium, this destination is a favorite for Parisians looking to escape the city for the weekend. You can travel the 60 to 90 minute route (depending on which line) to Lille. It has also become a popular getaway for those traveling from London as well (just an 80 minute train ride away). Here, you can wander Lille’s cobblestone streets, shop in trendy boutiques, and enjoy craft beers. You’ll also want to sample some of the local cuisines including Carbonnade Flamande (beer and onion stew), Flamiche Maroilles (a rich cheesy tart), or le Welsh (a melted cheese poured over toasted bread and ham, topped with an egg).
Paris - Strasbourg (1:45) – Strasbourg is home to the Strasbourg Cathedral, one of the most beautiful Gothic structures in Europe. The city itself is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The food is wonderful and the town is absolutely gorgeous! We especially recommend a visit here during late November through early January when the Christmas markets are underway.
Paris - Dijon (1:35) – Dijon, the capital city of the Burgundy region, is located around 200 miles southeast of Paris. It has a rich history, beautiful countryside, fabulous food and wine, and some wonderful museums like the Musée des Beaux-Arts which is located in the Palais des Ducs and displays works by Manet, Monet, Géricault, Delacroix, and many more.
Paris - Lyon (2:00) – Known as the culinary capital of France, Lyon, is the 3rd largest city in the country. It is home to Roman amphitheaters built over 2,000 years ago and is also the birthplace of modern cinema.
Paris - Avignon (2:40) – Travel to the heart of Provence where you can tour Le Palais des Papes, the largest surviving Gothic palace in Europe. Seven popes ruled from here, over the span of 100 years, when Avignon was the center of Christianity. The beautiful medieval walled city is easily walkable, though definitely not as driveable (we learned this first-hand). The weather also tends to be beautiful and the wine is abundant.
Paris - Perpignan (4:45) – This town, located just 30 minutes from the border of Spain, can be reached from Paris in under 5 hours. Perpignan was once the continental capital of the Kingdom of Mallorca. Here you’ll enjoy an old town with nods to its Spanish history. The French-Spanish blend makes Perpignan a unique cultural experience, and lively festivals are common here.
Paris - Nice (5:30) – You can travel to the south of France to experience the beautiful French Riviera in less than 6 hours. Nice promises beautiful views of the Mediterranean, pleasant temperatures year-round, lots of old world charm, and plenty of history. You’ll also have easy access to the city-state of Monaco to the east via train or car.
Paris - Bordeaux (2:00) – Travel to the heart of wine country where some of the world’s most popular wines are made. In addition to fabulous wine, this walkable city has amazing architecture and great food.
Paris - Nantes (2:25) – One of our favorite destinations in France was located in Nantes. Les Machines de l’île is found near the old shipyards and was a delightful, hands-on experience for our kids. We all learned so much as we watched some of Leonardo da Vinci’s engineering sketches come to life. In addition, Nantes is home to the famous Chenonceau château and has a quirky and fun cultural vibe.
Popular TGV Routes From Paris to Other European Destinations
If Paris is your first stop and you’re interested in venturing to some other countries during your travels, you’ll be happy to know that there are tons of TGV options that will get you from Paris to other parts of Europe quickly. We’ve provided just a few to give you an idea of how quickly you can get from Paris to many other popular European destinations (without the hassle that comes with flights).
Paris - London (2:15)
Paris - Brussels (1:20)
Paris - Amsterdam (3:20)
Paris - Luxembourg (2:15)
Paris - Geneva (3:10)
Paris - Zurich (4:05)
Paris - Turin (5:40)
Paris - Milan (7:00)
Paris - Barcelona (6:30)
We very much enjoyed the experience and efficiency of the TGV to get us from Paris to Lyon. We will definitely be utilizing this form of transportation on future trips throughout Europe. It is a convenient, quick, comfortable, and moderately priced way to travel all around the region. We were also pleased by how well our Littles managed to get on and off the train with their luggage (Sophie needed just a little assistance). They were quickly becoming experienced world travelers. Have you traveled by train with your kids? How did your experience compare with other forms of transportation? If you haven’t tried train travel, we encourage you to jump in and give it a try!
Sophie, now awake, is ready for her next adventure!
