Saint-Malo to Turin itineraries

[akm]

Looking at Saint-Malo to Turin (Torino) in a day, on a Saturday. Not for a while yet (the other side of the June timetable change), so these are based on the currently-available timetable for after the Fréjus tunnel reopens. Would welcome any thoughts on these itineraries, or others I've overlooked!

Option 1: three trains, ample connection times, avoiding interchanging in Paris
The third train is Trenitalia. Is three trains asking for trouble?

d Saint-Malo 10:31
a Rennes 11:25

d Rennes 12:31
a Lyon 16:30

d Lyon 17:20
a Turin 21:20

Option 2a: via Paris, tight connection at Rennes
The Rennes-Paris train comes in from Brest. Presumably I would be allowed to fall back to option 2b, if delays caused me to miss the Rennes connection?

d Saint-Malo 10:31
a Rennes 11:25

d Rennes 11:35 (not 11:25 as I'd typed earlier!)
a Paris Montparnassse 13:15

d Paris gd Lyon 14:47
a Turin 20:24

Option 2b: via Paris, tight connection at Paris
I'm feel like 47m is doable for Gare Montparnasse to Gare de Lyon, but it does feel a bit squeezy

d Saint-Malo 11:39
(via Rennes)
a Paris Montparnassse 14:00

d Paris gd Lyon 14:47
a Turin 20:24

Option 4: via Paris, ample connection
The most reliable one, I think

d Saint-Malo 11:39
a Paris Montparnassse 14:00

d Paris gd Lyon 15:18
a Turin 21:20

 

[dana_nitsa]

I would go for options where I can book the entire trip on the SNCF website as a single ticket. This way you have airtight protection if one connection fails.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Option 2a seems the best - it is a 10 min advertised connection at Rennes (TGV departs at 1135) and you do have the 11.39 as a fallback.

Option 2b is the quickest, but 47 mins to transfer between Paris G. de Montparnasse and G. de Lyon is a bit tight. I often find the 91 bus (5 min frequency) is easier - it departs from the square right outside Montparnasse so you don't have to faff about walking to the Metro at Bienvenue nor changing at Châtelet–Les Halles.

 

[SHD]

47 minutes is too short for PMP-PLY. If you are seated at the rear end of the incoming TGV, it's either a long walk to the bus plaza right outside Montparnasse (almost 10 minutes) or a hike up to the Montparnasse 2 - Pasteur loop terminus of the 91 bus, but the extra stops can add significant time (Bd de Vaugirard is one-lane only and gets regularly clogged).

The best Metro connection is Line 6 to Bercy then line 14.

 

[russellb]

I would not be keen on any of those tight connections. No room for recovery if something goes wrong. I got bitten on a similar journey fairly recently. 4 would be my favourite.

 

[signed]

4 is the best one by far, no fuss and plenty of time to get from Montparnasse to Lyon.

1 is also good, since you also have HOTNAT agreement in case something goes wrong in Lyon.

You can however expect to have to change from P1 to P5/6 but that's easy at Rennes, do take the underground passage and do not climb up. Done P9 to P3 in less than 10min last week.

or a hike up to the Montparnasse 2 - Pasteur loop terminus of the 91 bus, but the extra stops can add significant time (Bd de Vaugirard is one-lane only and gets regularly clogged).

Note for trains numbered 86xx, they come from Brest, those trains are always (bar the one or two daily) in pairs with either STM or Quimper trains, at the back. The center power cars are at the level of the stairs for M2.

Getting to the 91 bus is much much faster than the metro from a Brest train than for example a 87xx (Quimper) or 80xx (St-Malo) which would be at the front or solo.

 

[railfan99]

Option 1 is best as it avoids Paris.

 

[30907]

Option 1 is best as it avoids Paris.

Well, it goes via the Paris suburbs

1 and 4 both involve Frecciarossa (TI Francia) - do they play ball with HOTNAT/AJC?

 

[akm]

Seat61 says Trenitalia is not Railteam (HOTNAT), but is AJC. The only thing is, that 1720 out of Lyon is the last train of the day through that tunnel (I believe), so if it's missed...

 

[30907]

Seat61 says Trenitalia is not Railteam (HOTNAT), but is AJC. The only thing is, that 1720 out of Lyon is the last train of the day through that tunnel (I believe), so if it's missed...

...SNCF should reimburse the cost of your hotel (Accor have their whole portfolio overlooking the station...) and TI should allow you to travel next morning. Same applies via Paris.

 

[peterblue]

I prefer option 1 but 4 is also good. I wouldn't risk those right connections in options 2a/2b.

 

[akm]

Sorry, never came back to this thread! Thanks all for thoughts. Have gone for option 4, direct TGV St Malo to Paris then a 1+hr connection to the Turin train. And I know it's a familiar tale, apples to oranges etc, but when you consider UK train fares, being able to get a family of 4 from Paris to Turin for less than a hundred pounds is insane...

 

[30907]

Sorry, never came back to this thread! Thanks all for thoughts. Have gone for option 4, direct TGV St Malo to Paris then a 2+hr connection to the Turin train.

I make it 1hr 18min - have you opted for the change at Rennes?

 

[akm]

I make it 1hr 18min - have you opted for the change at Rennes?

I really need to get better at proof-reading... 1h18 it is!