The British Media has long had a habit of criticising the British Railway Network, especially by comparing it to the French TGV. However there are a lot of respects in which TGV seems to be way behind British Express. Yes, it is super-speedy, but TGV seems to have a bizarre ethos;
1) Trains are seen as being functional, not something you go on for the sake of it. Consequently, they are eyesores both inside and outside.
2) With relation to the above point, trains seem to be in constant stages of regeneration. Often superficial redecoration changes are made that have no practical significance.
3) Second Class (yes, second not standard) is incredibly painful. You cannot raise the armrests, rest back your chair, go to sleep; instead you must sit straight-upright. There are almost as many 1st class seats as second.
4) Tilting trains are not very good for falling asleep on. Similarly, on lignes classiques, there is no CWR so a train doing 200 kph makes a lot of noise to keep you awake.
5) Railway stations and TER trains seem to be covered in graffiti, and no-one seems to want to clean it up. I saw several trains where the graffiti had been stickered over with a region Conseil General Logo.
6) Many stations are underground nightmares. Paris Montparnasse is remeniscent of New Street - but unlike New Street no-one seems to be trying to make it look nice, which to me is the important bit.
7) Although the buffet car is indeed a whole car, no-one seems to use it and I had to wait 20 mins plus to see a member of staff. Indeed, no-one seems to walk up and down the train as there are doors seperating every 16 seats which make a lot of noise when you open them. Conversely, the poor seat layout forces you to get up and take a walk to stop the DVT.
9) Trains never run full. In fact, on a Bordeaux-Paris train, the first 10 cars were for people getting on before Tours and the last 10 for after. (Note - nearly every TGV train runs as two sets of 10 cars + 2 locos). Quite why they didn't run the second set from Tours only, I don't know.
10) Trains seem to be intended to run from Paris to other places only. Not only do most run through Paris, but most also only stop in Paris and one region elsewhere. Indeed, There was a Bordeaux-Paris "sans-arrêt" (i.e. without stop) which took me baack.
1) Trains are seen as being functional, not something you go on for the sake of it. Consequently, they are eyesores both inside and outside.
2) With relation to the above point, trains seem to be in constant stages of regeneration. Often superficial redecoration changes are made that have no practical significance.
3) Second Class (yes, second not standard) is incredibly painful. You cannot raise the armrests, rest back your chair, go to sleep; instead you must sit straight-upright. There are almost as many 1st class seats as second.
4) Tilting trains are not very good for falling asleep on. Similarly, on lignes classiques, there is no CWR so a train doing 200 kph makes a lot of noise to keep you awake.
5) Railway stations and TER trains seem to be covered in graffiti, and no-one seems to want to clean it up. I saw several trains where the graffiti had been stickered over with a region Conseil General Logo.
6) Many stations are underground nightmares. Paris Montparnasse is remeniscent of New Street - but unlike New Street no-one seems to be trying to make it look nice, which to me is the important bit.
7) Although the buffet car is indeed a whole car, no-one seems to use it and I had to wait 20 mins plus to see a member of staff. Indeed, no-one seems to walk up and down the train as there are doors seperating every 16 seats which make a lot of noise when you open them. Conversely, the poor seat layout forces you to get up and take a walk to stop the DVT.
9) Trains never run full. In fact, on a Bordeaux-Paris train, the first 10 cars were for people getting on before Tours and the last 10 for after. (Note - nearly every TGV train runs as two sets of 10 cars + 2 locos). Quite why they didn't run the second set from Tours only, I don't know.
10) Trains seem to be intended to run from Paris to other places only. Not only do most run through Paris, but most also only stop in Paris and one region elsewhere. Indeed, There was a Bordeaux-Paris "sans-arrêt" (i.e. without stop) which took me baack.
