Some folks have told us they're going to Paris for a few days before Provence... And some have noticed that often times the most frequent and least expensive flights to France are direct non-stop flights into Paris... Either way, if you're interested in flying into Paris before coming to the Villa in Provence, know that you can get from Paris into Avignon (which is about 45 minutes from the Villa) in as little as 2 hours and 35 minutes on the TGV train... But know that there's lots of different trains into Avignon, and their time schedules and prices can differ dramatically...
Want to know how to get from Paris to Avignon by train? We have gathered for you all the useful information about this trip!
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| beam me up Scotty... |
Is there a direct train from Paris to Avignon? Yes, there are direct trains from Paris to Avignon. You'll usually find around 33 direct trains on the route from Paris to Avignon every weekday. There are typically fewer trains leaving at weekends, when you'll usually find around 30 departures.
How long does it take to travel from Paris to Avignon? The Paris to Avignon train travel takes as little as 2 hours and 36 minutes on a TGV (high speed) train.
What are the Paris to Avignon train times and schedule? If you're travelling on a weekday, you'll find the earliest trains to Avignon leaving Paris at around 06:07 and the last train leaving at around 21:30. At weekends, the first train of the day leaves Paris at around 07:15, with the final departure at 21:37.
What does it cost to take the Train from Paris to Avignon? Prices for a single ticket between the two cities start from $29.45. TGV trains can be more expensive, and depending on time of year and time of day, can range from $49 to as high as $180 depending on class of seat, time of day, day of week, time of year. Note also that the TGV trains direct to Avignon come into the Avignon TGV station, different from the Avignon Centre station.
When should you book your train tickets from Paris to Avignon? Trains in France usually open for booking around 3 months in advance. If booking is not yet open for your travel dates, you can set a booking alert and you'll receive an email as soon as the cheapest tickets are released for your train journey.
Which train companies operate between Paris and Avignon? More than one train company operates on the route from Paris to Avignon, so you’ll be travelling with one or more of the following rail operators: Alleo, TGV
High-speed Trains à Grande Vitesse or TGV trains are the comfortable, modern flagships of the French high-speed rail network. TGV trains run mainly on high-speed lines at speeds of up to 350 km/h. An increasing number of TGVs are double-decker trains, referred to as TGV Duplex. The TGV is the fastest way to reach hundreds of destinations in France. TGV trains speed from Paris to major French cities including Bordeaux, Avignon, Lyon, Nantes and Nice. Operated by SNCF, the French national railway company, there are also inter-regional TGV services and direct TGV trains from France to a dozen cities in Germany and a handful of stations in Italy and Spain.
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| If you're traveling with friends, know that you can book what we like to call "party seats" with seats that face each other with a table in the middle... A bottle of wine, a block of cheese, and a baguette...it makes the ride a very fun adventure! (and yes, you can take your own food & wine on the train) |
Before you board There are no check-in or customs procedures before boarding TGV trains. However, ticket control and passport checks take place once onboard international services.
Onboard Air conditioning comes as standard on TGV trains. There is good luggage space on board, but bear in mind that your luggage has to be labelled. On TGV Duplex trains, choose a seat on the upper level for better views.
Free wifi is available in both Standard Class and First Class on TGV in OUI and all TGV trains offer power sockets in both classes too. There are toilets, sometimes with baby-changing facilities, at the end of most carriages.
A bar-bistro carriage, called 'Le Bar TGV', is part of every TGV (although it may not be open on some short-distance services or at the very start or end of some longer journeys). It offers hot and cold snacks, sandwiches, breakfast, salads, cakes, hot and cold drinks, beer and wine. There is also a mobile food and drink cart that passes through the train carriages.
Booking and printing options. TGV tickets are open for bookings 90 days in advance. A reservation is needed to travel onboard all TGV trains. TGV train tickets have no hidden fees and they include the price of your seat reservation. Get the lowest prices on TGV trains by booking early and don’t wait until the last minute as cheaper seats sell out quickly. Opt for off-peak TGV trains if you have to travel at short notice. Off-peak TGV trains are more affordable than ones running mornings and evenings along with those running around the holidays, Fridays and Sunday afternoons.
Classes of service TGV trains offer seated accommodation in two classes: Standard Class and First Clas
TGV First Class. Seating in TGV First Class is more spacious with three seats across the aisle rather than four. Some seats are arranged in groups of two or four across a table, others are airline style. On a small number of very new TGVs these airline-style seats can be reversed to face the direction of travel. For couples travelling together, a pair of seats across a table (called a 'Club duo') is a great choice.
A small number of TGVs now offer wifi in First Class, and SNCF plan to enhance connectivity as older trains are refurbished. All TGVs have power points for First Class passengers (European two-pin norm). Seats recline for added comfort and there is plenty of space for luggage.
TGV Standard Class Seating in TGV Standard Class is arranged in pairs of airline-style seats across a central aisle in open-plan carriages. There are some groups of four seats around a table, while others are arranged in pairs, either facing or with your back to the direction of travel. A novelty on some of the newest TGVs is that these airline-style seats can be turned to face the direction of travel.
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