Le Mans train station

[SteveMc1972]

Has anybody gone to Le Mans via the train?

If so what is the train station like on the Sunday afternoon ( 4pm onwards )? Is it rammed and a case of everyman / woman for themselves or is it still fairly civilised.

Also, what about the trains? I know with the TGV etc you have to reserve a seat, but what about the TER trains, are they chocka or will you get on one between 4pm - 6pm ish.

Thanks

[Panamax]

Yes

SteveMc1972 said:

If so what is the train station like on the Sunday afternoon ( 4pm onwards )?

I've not been on a Sunday afternoon but I'd expect it to be very quiet. After all, people who want to get to Paris can get there in less than an hour on Monday morning.

SteveMc1972 said:

Also, what about the trains? I know with the TGV etc you have to reserve a seat

The trains are massive; something like 200 metres long. I can't conceive you'd need to book far ahead for a Sunday; in winter. Or are you talking about LM24 race weekend? If so, book a seat.

SteveMc1972 said:

but what about the TER trains

It would take twice as long to get there.

[DaveTheRave87]

Took the train from Paris in 2018 but we did Wednesday-Monday return.

I remember Le Mans station being fairly quiet on the Monday morning.

TGV gives you an assigned seat and takes less than an hour, a mate of mine had a speedo app on his phone and it was showing 186mph the whole way.

Only thing you have to watch for is strikes. There were strikes on both of our travel days but most TGVs were running. The lack of regional trains may have made the station quieter than it normally would be.

[SteveMc1972]

Panamax said:

Yes

SteveMc1972 said:

If so what is the train station like on the Sunday afternoon ( 4pm onwards )?

I've not been on a Sunday afternoon but I'd expect it to be very quiet. After all, people who want to get to Paris can get there in less than an hour on Monday morning.

SteveMc1972 said:

Also, what about the trains? I know with the TGV etc you have to reserve a seat

The trains are massive; something like 200 metres long. I can't conceive you'd need to book far ahead for a Sunday; in winter. Or are you talking about LM24 race weekend? If so, book a seat.

SteveMc1972 said:

but what about the TER trains

It would take twice as long to get there.

Yes I should have clarified, I’m looking at the weekend of the 24.

We nearly went by train last year but changed our minds, I did however keep an eye on the fast trains and they ended up all being sold out.

Yes I know the TER takes a lot longer, but the price doesn’t go up and they never sell out so it gives a lot more flexibility. I’m just concerned over how busy the train and station would be straight after the race with all the French day visitors and if you have no chance of getting near the train let alone on one even if you have a seat booked. Just thinking about connections from Paris back to blighty.

[Kev_Mk3]

Train station can be busy but when you use the TGV as said you get allocated seats so not bad. Getting to the track youll need to then get a tram to Antarès which will be rammed.


Oh and just be warned after dark Le Mans station isnt the nicest to be around.................... Lots of surgery required is all i'll say.

[Chrisgr31]

My wife used to use the train to get to Le Mans. Tram from the circuit to the station, TGV to Paris, Eurostar to Ashford (pre covid) then drive home. She’d be home before I was on the ferry at Calais!

The trick is of course booking the right train from Le Mans and I seem to recall booking for Eurostar and TGV opened at different times.

Last year campers leaving Epinettes etc were held for an hour after the race, I can’t recall passing huges queues for the tram.