arctic swan Jul 16, 2025, 7:51 PM

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Opening thread to yap about my itinerary and post pictures on the journey

quartz cosmos Jul 16, 2025, 7:52 PM

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😎

arctic swan Jul 16, 2025, 8:04 PM

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TRAINS

Monday 11th August
WereGettingThere 1C29
Home ➡️ London St Pancras 12:08

Eurostar ES 9142
London St Pancras 15:04 ➡️ Lille Europe 17:26

logo_sncf TGV 7534
Lille Europe 17:51 ➡️ Paris Nord 19:10

logo_sncf NT 5781
Paris Austerlitz 21:25 ➡️ Nice Ville 09:09

Tuesday 12th August
logo_sncf TGV 6866
Nice Ville 15:12 ➡️ Marseille St Charles 17:59

Wednesday 13th August
logo_sncf IC 4760
Marseille St Charles 11:22 ➡️ Toulouse Matabiau 15:15

logo_sncf NT 3750
Toulouse Matabiau 22:16 ➡️ Paris Austerlitz 07:03

Thursday 14th August
logo_sncf TGV 7047
Paris Nord 15:45 ➡️ Lille Flandres 16:48

Eurostar ES 9159
Lille Europe 20:05 ➡️ London St Pancras 20:27

WereGettingThere 1C66
London St Pancras 21:20 ➡️ Home

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NICE SIGHTSEEING ITINERARY

Tuesday 12th August
Arrival at rail station 09:10
Breakfast at 09:30
Cathedrale Saint Nicolas 10:00
Colline du Chateau 11:30
Place Garibaldi/Tete Carree 12:00
Place Massena 12:30
Promenade des Anglais 12:45
Palais de Justice & Lunch 13:00
Cathedrale Sainte Reparate 14:00
Eglise Sainte Jeanne d'Arc 14:30
Return to rail station by 15:00

arctic swan Jul 16, 2025, 9:40 PM

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MARSEILLE SIGHTSEEING ITINERARY

Tuesday 12th August
Arrival at rail station 18:00
Hotel Check In 18:15
Palais Longchamp 18:45
Fontaine des Danaïdes, Eglise Saint Vincent de Paul & Dinner 20:00
Return to Hotel 21:30

Wednesday 13th August
Hotel Breakfast 06:00
Palais Felix Baret 07:00
Palais de Justice 07:10
Parc Pierre Puget 07:20
Notre Dame de la Garde 07:45
Char Jeanne d'Arc 08:00
Citadelle de Marseille 08:30
Eglise Saint Laurent 09:30
Fort Saint Jean 09:45
Cathedral La Major 10:30
Porte d'Aix 11:00
Return to rail station by 11:10

mild coyote Jul 16, 2025, 10:05 PM

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Following

arctic swan Jul 16, 2025, 10:36 PM

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TOULOUSE SIGHTSEEING ITINERARY

Wednesday 13th August
Arrival at rail station 15:15
Jardin Pierre Goudouli 15:30
Place du Capitole 16:00
Couvent des Jacobins 16:30
Chapelle Saint Joseph 16:45
Cathedrale Saint Etienne 18:00
Dinner at Place du Capitole 18:45
Basilique Saint Sernin 20:00
Jardin Compans Caffarelli 20:30
Return to rail station by 21:30

dense crater Jul 16, 2025, 10:37 PM

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very busy

pallid merlin Jul 17, 2025, 2:45 PM

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Drgl

wintry surge Jul 17, 2025, 5:36 PM

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pretty vet

pallid merlin Jul 17, 2025, 6:50 PM

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What's gonna happen if a train is 15 minutes late

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Are these tijdhaltes btw?

misty smelt Jul 18, 2025, 6:17 AM

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omg microplanning a trip

arctic swan Jul 18, 2025, 9:59 AM

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pallid merlin Are these tijdhaltes btw?

For the trains yes, the sightseeing is more a rough estimate of what I want to do

arctic swan Jul 18, 2025, 10:00 AM

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pallid merlin What's gonna happen if a train is 15 minutes late

It'd just mean less time for sightseeing

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Cancellations on the other hand I'm covered for by travel insurance

misty smelt Jul 18, 2025, 10:02 AM

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trains too?

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noticed many exclude train cancellation and its only planes.

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anyway. interrail/railway should cover/arrange.

arctic swan Jul 18, 2025, 1:58 PM

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misty smelt noticed many exclude train cancellation and its only planes.

The policy I'm on covers the outward and return journeys and any necessary connections to and from the UK

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So in theory the trains other than Nice > Marseille and Marseille > Toulouse are all covered given the stops in Lille and Paris would be considered layovers

arctic swan Aug 8, 2025, 2:28 AM

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Trying to figure out how the online catering system works

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I'm assuming for TGV I need to use https://lebistro.tgvinoui.sncf-connect.com/

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And https://restaurationabord.sncf-connect.com/ for Intercites

misty smelt Aug 8, 2025, 2:54 AM

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intercites have catering?

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just walk to le bar on a tgv.

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do they even have seat service?

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Also its not really worth using anyway

wintry surge Aug 8, 2025, 6:46 AM

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intercités have trolley but idk if all do

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Paris Toulouse for sure

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Nantes Bordeaux and Nantes Lyon I think don’t

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anyway if there’s catering it will say on the train and they usually have QR codes around the place with the relevant links

delicate trout Aug 8, 2025, 6:54 AM

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wintry surge Nantes Bordeaux and Nantes Lyon I think don’t

indeed they don't

misty smelt Aug 8, 2025, 11:19 AM

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wintry surge intercités have trolley but idk if all do

icnuit some branches dont or it last minute isnt available

arctic swan Aug 8, 2025, 2:16 PM

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I'm not planning on eating onboard icnuit

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TGVs and the Marseille Bordeaux ic more likely

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Eurostar I don't need to worry about as it's compo in plus

arctic swan Aug 8, 2025, 2:30 PM

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arctic swan TGVs and the Marseille Bordeaux ic more likely

The latter of which will be my longest non sleeper journey to date

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Not counting seated coach Caledonian lowlander last year

misty smelt Aug 8, 2025, 3:06 PM

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arctic swan I'm not planning on eating onboard icnuit

inwouldnt bother eating on any train in france

arctic swan Aug 8, 2025, 9:23 PM

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arctic swan # __**NICE SIGHTSEEING ITINERARY**__ __Tuesday 12th August__ Arrival at rail sta...

I'm just going to wing it for Paris probably, vague aim of walking a counterclockwise loop

wintry surge Aug 10, 2025, 7:16 AM

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you don’t have a public profile I think

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 5:50 PM

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OK it should be working now

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 6:56 PM

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hmm interesting ride

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what ticket you use for this?

wintry surge Aug 10, 2025, 7:08 PM

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your Toulouse Paris is probably wrong btw

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this almost always goes via Limoges

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:09 PM

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misty smelt what ticket you use for this?

Interrail 4 Day Pass

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Updated link
https://trainlog.me/public/trip/441524,441525,442266,441542,441529,441530,442264,441533,441540

Trainlog trip starting on 11 August 2025

From 🇬🇧 London St. Pancras International to 🇬🇧 London St. Pancras International

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:23 PM

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wintry surge this almost always goes via Limoges

no it goes often via bordeaux too

wintry surge Aug 10, 2025, 7:23 PM

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but not often hsl

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:23 PM

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Your paris - Nice is wrong too

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it goes via classic PLM via dijon

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And it can do lots of funky stuff south of lyon

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also dijon-lyon has options

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:24 PM

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wintry surge but not often hsl

never afaik

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:24 PM

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arctic swan Interrail 4 Day Pass

is this worth??? like icn costs 30€ prebooked.

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(and tbf you can just use a 20€ interrail reso without having a interrail on them)

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Marseille-touliuse is also wrong routed via lgv

wintry surge Aug 10, 2025, 7:28 PM

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Nice

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:29 PM

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misty smelt is this worth??? like icn costs 30€ prebooked.

I did the numbers, it was more expensive booking tickets individually because of Eurostar

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:30 PM

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wintry surge but not often hsl

there is a logic in it going over limoges or bordeaux. Weekdays vs weekends if i remember right but also trackworks at bight

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btw bring a powerbank for on the icnuit

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:34 PM

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misty smelt is this worth??? like icn costs 30€ prebooked.

First Class Interrail 4 Day is £237/€269, Eurostar fares individually would have cost £328/€378 alone

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delicate trout Aug 10, 2025, 7:34 PM

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yikes

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:35 PM

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arctic swan

This is actually over by £20 for option A as at the time I wasn't sure about Interrail validity on SE

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Neither were their staff when I asked this past monday; They gave me an endorsement sheet in the ticket office to be on the safe side

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That being a print out from the booking system stating the validity of the pass for outward and inbound journies, marked with an official stamp

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:42 PM

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arctic swan

idk how far ahead you got these prices. but for example a ic uit to Nice is ,from, 25€ 2nd class if booke early. They are not even that hard to get.

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Also next time get your Reservations at raileurope, not interrial. saves you 2€ in each one.

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:43 PM

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arctic swan This is actually over by £20 for option A as at the time I wasn't sure about Int...

why would t it be accepted?

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Inteerial global passes are valid on all trains in uk

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A global pas on an in/outbound day is just valid in all of UK too, you dont even need to cross out of the country when using in/out days

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:46 PM

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misty smelt Also next time get your Reservations at raileurope, not interrial. saves you 2€ ...

I did book through Raileurope

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:46 PM

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misty smelt why would t it be accepted?

No way to scan at barriers

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Plus agency staff who aren't necessarily trained on all the different fares available

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:47 PM

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arctic swan No way to scan at barriers

staff just open it.

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:47 PM

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Even the lady in the ticket office was bemused at first, hence why she printed the sheet out

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:47 PM

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interrailnis way mroe common then many other tickets

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and just jump gates

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:48 PM

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There is also zero info on the SE website about interrail, the only thing I could find was buried on National Rail Enquiries

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https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/tickets-railcards-offers/promotions/interrail-global-pass/

Interrail Global Pass | National Rail

Special offer: Interrail Global Pass. The portal into UK rail travel, including information on ticket purchase and promotions, train times and delays, and more.

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:50 PM

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You gonna regret 2 days og night train in a row btw.

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:50 PM

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misty smelt You gonna regret 2 days og night train in a row btw.

They're not in a row

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Tuesday night I'm in an ibis hotel in Marseille

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:51 PM

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ow you got a night marseile

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i dont know how much of an easy sleepr you are?

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:51 PM

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Quite easy

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:51 PM

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But unless you can sleep in heat, noise and movements you dont get mcuh rest

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:52 PM

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I've slept on Caledonian Sleeper seated before

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:52 PM

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atleast these two trains are not being shunted middle of the night

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:52 PM

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Good few hours

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:52 PM

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cal eeper is way more modern stock afaik.

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:53 PM

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Icnuit is corail albeit refurbished within the last couple of years

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:53 PM

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yes andm

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they are rough old cars still

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:53 PM

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Caledonian is the much maligned Mk5 stock

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:54 PM

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not all refurbished either. I even had a unrefurbished 1st class one last month, which to my suprise still exist

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 7:55 PM

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If I can sleep across two of these with only my coat covering me I think I can handle a couchette

Caledonian-Sleeper-train-sleeper-seat-by-Laurence-Norah.png

misty smelt Aug 10, 2025, 7:56 PM

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idk. i think you made a way to high paced plan to enjoy. yiu gonna be completely broken on day 3 already. But idk enjoy i guess.

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its worse then my icecream barcelona speedrun

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ow cool tgv to paris is a arras one. Nice curves for map

pallid merlin Aug 10, 2025, 8:18 PM

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Let the man have his lore

arctic swan Aug 10, 2025, 9:20 PM

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I don't see what's exhausting about being sat on my arse for long stretches between 6-8 hour stints in cities

arctic swan Aug 11, 2025, 9:18 AM

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Just left home, off to spoons for some breakfast before I head up to St Pancs

arctic swan Aug 11, 2025, 10:06 AM

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rn_image_picker_lib_temp_f37c5525-f0f2-4b29-b47f-1348b9b69f3a.jpg

pallid merlin Aug 11, 2025, 10:25 AM

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Have fun on your holidays

delicate trout Aug 11, 2025, 10:41 AM

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have fun

arctic swan Aug 11, 2025, 11:28 AM

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395 001 taking me into the crapital

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Looks decent in the refreshed livery

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Breakfast was nice, very crispy bacon

arctic swan Aug 11, 2025, 12:14 PM

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Have about 15 mins before check in opens for ES

arctic swan Aug 11, 2025, 12:31 PM

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Reasonably sized queue at check-in

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arctic swan Aug 11, 2025, 1:53 PM

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Boarding has commenced, armed with RTT clairvoyance I'm one of the first onboard

mild coyote Aug 11, 2025, 2:59 PM

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gamer chair ass design

arctic swan Aug 11, 2025, 3:36 PM

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It wasn't as comfortable as I were expecting

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IET/Azuma 1st seats feel on par if not slightly better

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TGV seats so much better

arctic swan Aug 11, 2025, 4:50 PM

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Kanker SNCF

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Email says IC 4760 cancelled due to hot weather

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Guess I'll do TER via Narbonne

arctic swan Aug 11, 2025, 4:52 PM

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arctic swan Email says IC 4760 cancelled due to hot weather

Screenshot_20250811_185232_com_mail_mobile_android_mail_MailViewActivity.jpg

arctic swan Aug 11, 2025, 4:55 PM

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arctic swan # __**TOULOUSE SIGHTSEEING ITINERARY**__ __Wednesday 13th August__ Arrival at ra...

Means I lose two and a half hours in Toulouse but gain one in the morning for Marseille

arctic swan Aug 11, 2025, 6:06 PM

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Jardin des plantes

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Natural History and Geology museums

misty smelt Aug 11, 2025, 6:11 PM

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arctic swan Guess I'll do TER via Narbonne

might also be cancelled. due to the massive forest fire in the region

arctic swan Aug 11, 2025, 6:11 PM

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Well shit

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Have to get from Marseille to Toulouse somehow

misty smelt Aug 11, 2025, 6:12 PM

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You could be lucky its running. but you never know with the massive fire near narbonne/carcassone

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Apparently the reason is, IC's have problems with reduced speed limits caused by slack overhead wires due to overheating

delicate trout Aug 11, 2025, 6:16 PM

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that's one reason, but they're also cancelling ics because the rolling stock is very old and they're afraid the ac can't cope with the heat

misty smelt Aug 11, 2025, 6:16 PM

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There is not rlly other options/lines to get to toulouse.

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Guess Beziers-Millau-Bus Rodez-Toulouse is a route. But i dont think its doable from marseille.

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Or Via neussargues or clermont

pallid merlin Aug 11, 2025, 8:01 PM

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Busdiensten

misty smelt Aug 11, 2025, 9:27 PM

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Franse streekbussen 🥰

arctic swan Aug 12, 2025, 5:14 AM

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Bonjour de Toulon

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All three other occupants of my compartment have disembarked

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I have now commandeered the bottom bunk as my seat for the roughly two hour journey left to Nice

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After some fighting with her card machine the steward sold me a brioche and a carton of apple juice for a few euros

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I've also been doing some thinking this morning, I may adjust my plans significantly so that I'll be cutting out Toulouse entirely and returning to Paris on the night train from Nice instead

arctic swan Aug 12, 2025, 6:16 AM

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Even with my subpar french I've managed to get a half decent cup of tea sorted