“Unreserved seating” on the TGV

July 12, 2018 10:33 AM

We’ve booked train tickets on a TGV from Lyon Part Dieu to CDG. Our seat number in the app says “double reservation” and in our receipt email it says “unreserved seating”. What....does that actually mean? Maybe this is a Google failure but I have been at this for hours.

We’ve heard both that this means we might have to stand, and that standing is not allowed on TGV trains; these are of course mutually exclusive. We don’t mind standing, but if we literally can’t get on this train it will be a Big Problem. If it is the case that we can’t stand, what is our best course of action? Try to get on an earlier train? Show up at the station upon arrival in Lyon and ask an agent? Arrive to the platform super early?? Beg??? Our email and ticket say nothing about the possibility that we maybe just can’t ride the train, but I’m not actually super reassured by that.

Any ideas? Anyone done this and made it to their final destination?

posted by goodbyewaffles to Travel & Transportation (8 answers total)

My experience with French trains is that one MUST have an assigned seat. I would talk to an agent pronto.
posted by brujita at 10:49 AM on July 12, 2018

Response by poster: Also when you buy the ticket the website tells you “we can’t guarantee you a seat; contact the train manager when you are on board the train” — do they let you on and then kick you off if it turns out there isn’t a seat?
posted by goodbyewaffles at 10:53 AM on July 12, 2018

Says here that reservation is compulsory and that all tickets automatically include a reservation.
posted by Segundus at 11:01 AM on July 12, 2018

I have asked a similar question previously
posted by JPD at 11:11 AM on July 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: It means that you are allowed on the train, but do not have an assigned seat. If you approach one of the agents when you get on, they will try to find you a seat. If they can't, you may have to stand (I've done this before and never gotten hassled as long as you pick an unobtrusive place) or IIRC there are also unreserved seats near the entryways that are first come first serve (You can look up the seating plans for various TGVs at Seat 61 - I think I think they are the "espaces détentes" near the baggage areas)
posted by btfreek at 11:40 AM on July 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

I bought a eurail pass and was told that i still had to reserve a seat, which i then did.
posted by brujita at 2:03 PM on July 12, 2018

Best answer: The french phrase seems to be "sans place attribuée" and googling that with TGV turns up a bunch of grumpy frnech people who had to stand up on train trips because they didn't get seats. This seems to be the stock answer from SNCF, which the same as what btfreek says.
posted by kjs4 at 7:33 PM on July 12, 2018

I had some trouble booking TGV trips a few years ago*, and eventually phoned SNCF (from Australia) and they do have English speaking agents who can help you.

*Couldn't book with an australian credit card for the TGV bit. Tried many times. SNCF confirmed this was the case. Booked using a travel agent for significantly more. Got to france and discovered that the non-TGV parts of the trips had been issued. Took them to the ticket window and got an 80% refund, feeling like a total idiot for not checking my bank statements better. Checked bank statements, and had not in fact paid for the tickets I got refunded for.
posted by kjs4 at 7:38 PM on July 12, 2018