0728 Paris Montparnasse - Irun

[yorkie]

Anyone got any suggestions on the best seats for two passengers (60+) on the 0728 Paris Montparnasse - Irun (they're travelling as far as Bayonne), which I believe is a single deck TVG atlantique?

Is it a busy service, and are they likely to have to occupy their booked seats?

They're probably wanting to go standard class but may consider 1st class if it was not a lot extra and is more comfortable

Thanks in advance for any info

 

[30907]

Can't make a link work, but Google

plan voiture tgv atlantique

and the first entry is a pdf of a brochure of the refurbished units.

First class gets you 2+1 seating and more legroom - worth paying a bit extra IMO but not 50%

 

[ainsworth74]

Is this the link you were trying to get?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Beware! Some "window" seats aren't, just like on the 373s and 390s...

 

[Oscar]

TGV services are reservation compulsory, there are no reservation cards in seats, more or less everyone sits in their reserved seats and I've regularly heard announcements on board long-distance trains in France telling passengers that they must sit in their reserved seats. First Class gets you a bit more space but no food or drink and often doesn't cost a lot more. I'm booked on this train in two weeks' time so can post more if required.

 

[crehld]

French TGV services operate in a system of compulsory reservation (which unlike us can be made immediately prior to travel). Thus there are no reservation coupons on the seats to indicate if they are reserved or not. Everyone has an allocated seat and sits in it. If it's a busy service you will almost certainly have to sit in the seat allocated for you.

I've witnessed informal swapping of seats on numerous occasions, so this may be an option provided who you swap with is happy to move to where you're coming from - being able to speak French, even of it's a few phrases for the sake of courtesy, will get you some traction on his front (excuse the pun).

From experience upgrading to first class can be reasonably priced and doesn't cost that much more than second, but I agree it's probably not worth paying an extra 50%. When I last travelled first on a TGV I did get wined and dined, but that was three years ago and on an international service to Geneva.

 

[Gordon]

When I last travelled first on a TGV I did get wined and dined, but that was three years ago and on an international service to Geneva.

Swiss TGV services are operated by Lyria, which is a different beast to bog-standard SNCF.

Lyria's first class offer is a cut above other TGVs, and a throw back to the good old days of SNCF or even TEE, with at seat restaurant service.

Funnily enough (warning - the grass isn't always greener comment coming up...
...the best service similar to this I have had recently was on first class Virgin East Coast from Edinburgh - London: by the time the fourth offer of free sandwiches came round we were doggy bagging the food, not eating it, as we were stuffed!


.

 

[SHD]

Beware! Some "window" seats aren't, just like on the 373s and 390s...

That is very true, apart from one standing exception: first-class coaches 2 and 3 on TGV Atlantique trainsets.

These coaches are quite different in their layout from other single-deck TGVs (PSE, Réseau/Thalys). All seats are set in a facing layout, in a 1+2 configuration. On one side of the aisle you get 1+1 pairs, on the other side you get a 2+2 compartment with a small separation from the aisle.
The layout diagram below might be clearer than my words:

I must say that I like this layout very much, but your kilometreage may vary of course!