The size of Europe is just right for traveling to many places and seeing many sites very quickly and affordably. But even though the continent of Europe is not large, it is very diverse. Such is the nation of France. And between the Eurostar high-speed train from London to Paris, the SNCF (Soci‚t‚ Nationale des Chemins de Fer) National Railway, and the European railways, you can travel this country and enjoy such places as Disneyland Paris Resort, the French Alps, and practically any location within the country.
In Paris, there are seven rail stations all intertwined and connected by the transportation system for the public. The Gare du Nord Station is used by the Eurostar which crosses the British Channel from London through a tunnel system. If you are coming from Italy and Spain, you will arrive at the Gare de Lyon Station. The Gare de Bercy Station services the autotrains which transport travelers’ such as their automobiles, scooters, and bicycles. The remaining stations are the Gara de l’Est, Gare d’Austerlitz, Gare Saint-Lazare, and the Gare Montparnasse.
You can save quite a bit if you choose the correct Europe or France rail pass. Even if you are just buying a ticket, you can save. You need to decide what it is you want to do in France. Do you only want to stay in France the whole trip or do you want to go to other countries? Do you want to go to a major metropolitan area and then take short trips to the surrounding towns and villages?
* If you are traveling alone and want to stay only in France but visit several locations then you need the France Single-Country Rail Pass which gives you unlimited travel based on the number of travel days you buy on the pass. The travel must be accomplished within a one-month timeframe.
* If you are traveling with another person and want to visit several locations then you need The France Saver Pass which gives a group discount. This is like the France Rail Pass in that you buy unlimited travel days to be used in one month but requires that there be at least two people on the pass.
* If you are flying to a big city and looking to take short trips to towns around the metro area of that city then the Point-to-Point tickets will suit just fine. The cost of a rail pass would not be justified in this case.
* There are some small towns and villages in France that do not have a train station. Here you might want to get a France Rail ‘N Drive pass so that you can combine four days of unlimited rail travel with two days of car rental.
* The France Senior Pass is for those aged 60 and older. It is a discounted pass for seniors.
* The France Youth Pass is for those below the age of 26 (a minimum of 11 years old). It gives four days of unlimited train travel to be used in one month. If a child is aged from 4 to 11 years then they don’t need this pass as they travel at a 50% discount. Children below the age of 4 travel for free.
* If you want to visit London as well, you can buy an add-on voucher to your pass that allows you to ride the Eurostar high-speed train running between London and Paris.
* You can also get the France ‘N Italy Pass if you want to visit the two countries. The same applies to the France ‘N Spain Pass if you want to visit Spain in addition to France. These passes come in variations of a group pass and a youth pass (under age 26). You get four days of unlimited rail travel in the other country plus France.
There is a lot of variety to what you can do as far as traveling by rail in France. Enjoy yourself.