TGV sleeper?

[johnnywb]

Has anyone done this?

I'm travelling down to Bourg St-Maurice on the 28th from Paris Austerlitz. Just wondering what the facilities are like on board?

Is it better to eat before boarding (we have 2 hours between arrival at Gare Du Nord and departure from Austerlitz)?

Is there any Wifi?

Any general tips?

[Le TVR]

The sleeping arrangement is called 'couchette', if you google that you will see what they look like.

They are rolling out wifi in most TGV trains now but its not cheap!

As for the wagon-restaurants, yes buy something before you get on....

[johnnywb]

Thanks.

We're not bothering with the couchette, the reclining seats will be fine (used to coaching it out to the Alps).

Helpful re Wifi. Will take a external hard disk of stuff to do then!

[B17NNS]

There's a certain romance about sleeper trains don't you think.

Traveling through the mountains in a double decker Amtrak, dressing for dinner, drinks with fellow passengers and gently rocked to sleep by a distant ch chunk chunk.

Where the journey is as experience, not just a means of getting to a destination.

I'm sure the reality is nothing like the fantasy however.

[johnnywb]

B17NNS said:

There's a certain romance about sleeper trains don't you think.

Traveling through the mountains in a double decker Amtrak, dressing for dinner, drinks with fellow passengers and gently rocked to sleep by a distant ch chunk chunk.

Where the journey is as experience, not just a means of getting to a destination.

I'm sure the reality is nothing like the fantasy however.

There is to an extent i agree. Have done couchettes before as a youngster to get down to the Pyrenees, it was good fun, but that was back in the day before mobile internet etc.

This is very much a means to an end, the opportunity to sit back, have a few beers and chill out. I'm interested to see if it's less stressful than flying down.

[muppetdave]

Few friends did that option a few years back (I was meant to, but joined up with them in resort having worked in Cannes the week before). Said it was good fun, they got Eurostar from Waterloo then the TGV from Paris as you are. Had a bit of a messy night on the beer, bit of sleep and arrived about 09:00 the next morning - I think we were skiing very shortly afterwards.