Alaskans like to go fast, there's no doubt about that. Whether it's in the air, on the road or on the water -- fast is better. But that's simply not in the cards when it comes to riding the rails. No land speed records will be set riding on the Alaska Railroad.
But in Europe, they take pride in their quick trains. We recently rode the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) from the south of France up to Paris.
Whether you're a train lover, a plane lover, or just feel the need for speed, theTGV offers a fresh perspective on point-to-point travel. France is not the only country with a high-speed rail network (Japan, China, Spain and several other European countries have them as well), but the French take pride in their TGVs -- and it shows.
Travelers from the U.S. should consider a rail pass from Rail Europe. You can choose a week-long pass, a single-country pass or a number of variations--depending on your plans. We had French passes that permitted four days of travel within one month ($286). If you have a pass and you're traveling on the TGV, you have to purchase a seat reservation for an additional $10-$15 each way.
In many communities, the French national railroad (SNCF) built brand-new stations to accommodate the TGV. That's logical since the high-speed trains often run on their own tracks, which must be built and maintained to exacting
standards to accommodate them.
Both of the TGV terminals we visited in Lyon and Avignon were large, elegant, glass-enclosed terminals. The passenger flows from the parking areas to the check-in kiosks to the tracks were well-designed and orderly.
Overhead, there were numerous displays indicating at which track the next train would arrive. In fact, with your seat reservation, you can tell which "bay" you can stand at to be in the right position to board the train once it arrives.
Between Avignon and Paris, we rode a "full duplex" or double-decker train. We sat up on the top deck. Unlike airline cabins, there's barely room to put your coat up above in the bins. Rather, there are two roomy baggage areas in the middle of each car, in addition to bag stowage at either end of each car.
The seats are roomy and comfortable. There is a sturdy tray table for a laptop or book. While cell service was available throughout our two-and-a-half hour ride, the protocol in the car was for you to go stand in the common areas between the cars to talk on the phone. Only those travelers with a 3G connection were able to get mobile internet. Each seat had power outlets so you could charge up your phone, laptop, or both.
There was a club car on board, but it was nothing special. We got a $7 bread-and-cheese sandwich that was wholly unremarkable. The espresso was very good, though.
Once we pulled out of the Avignon station and made the long curve across the Rhone River, the train started to pick up speed. I'm not sure if we hit the 187 mile-per-hour mark, but we were passing cars on the highway like they were standing still. All the while, the environment on the train was almost serene.
Our arrival in Paris was right on time at Gare de Lyon, just by the Seine River in the center of the city. Although we struggled with a couple of boxes of wine and all of our bags, it wasn't that far from the train to the taxi.
In Lyon, France's second-largest city, the TGV station is right at the airport.
Aside from the TGV, train travel around France was very efficient. Even in Paris, you could choose from the Metro subway or the regional trains to get around the city quickly. It's easy to see how you could get hooked on train travel in Europe, particularly since there's no TSA and no need to check in two hours prior to departure.
Online resources:
Rail Europe Get a rail pass for traveling around Europe.
Autoeurope.com We picked up a car near the train station, after reserving it through Auto Europe, which works with a variety of car rental firms. It's worth taking a taxi off-site, since they will charge you $30-$50 fee to pick up at the station. There's no additional charge, however, to drop the car at the station (which we did).
Paris's Gare de Lyon train station: This train station is a work of art, originally built for a world expo in 1900.
Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based travel marketing consultant who has lived in Alaska for three decades, spending much of that time traveling the far-flung corners of the state. Visit his website at www.alaskatravelgram.com.