The TGV network radiates from Paris across France and into neighbouring countries. Paris Gare de Lyon connects to Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice, and Barcelona via the LGV Sud-Est (Paris to Lyon, 300 km/h) and LGV Mediterranee (Lyon to Marseille), completing Paris to Marseille in three hours. Paris Gare Montparnasse connects to Bordeaux via the LGV Sud-Ouest (Paris to Bordeaux, 2 hours), Nantes (2 hours 10 minutes), Rennes (1 hour 30 minutes), and Le Mans (55 minutes). Paris Gare de l'Est connects to Strasbourg in 1 hour 47 minutes via the LGV Est. Paris Gare du Nord is the departure point for Eurostar services to London, Thalys to Brussels and Amsterdam, and domestic TGVs to Lille.
Intercites trains serve city pairs not connected by TGV infrastructure, including Paris to Clermont-Ferrand, Paris to Toulouse via Orleans and Limoges (Capitole corridor), Paris to Rouen and Le Havre (Normandie trains), and the Nantes to Lyon Intercites running cross-country without going through Paris. These services use both modern double-deck Regio 2N trainsets and older Corail coaches on locomotive-hauled rakes.
TER services are organised by each of France's 12 metropolitan regions and tendered to SNCF (and occasionally to private operators in some regions). Ile-de-France Mobilites manages Transilien, the suburban network around Paris, which operates over 4,600 trains daily on ten RER lines and conventional Transilien lines. The RER A between Cergy and Marne-la-Vallee and the RER B between Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports are two of the busiest city rail lines in Europe.
Booking for TGV services is done through SNCF Connect (sncf-connect.com) or the SNCF Connect app. The cheapest Prem's fares for Paris to Lyon start as low as 15 euros if booked weeks ahead when availability first opens. TGV Max subscription (99 euros per month) grants unlimited last-minute bookings on TGV trains for travellers under 27 and subscription holders. An Interrail or Eurail France Pass is available for multi-journey tourists but requires seat reservations (with a small fee) on TGV services.