SNCF - St. Modans High School

SNCF
The French railway system, la Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer
Français, is normally referred to as the SNCF. Many of the lines go through
Paris and it is common to have to travel via Paris in order to cross France by
rail.
In Paris, there are six main stations – the gare du Nord, gare de l’Est,
gare Saint-Lazare, gare de Lyon, gare d’Austerlitz and gare
Montparnasse.
Trains to different regions of France and to other
European countries travel to and from these stations. If you were travelling
to Paris from Britain you would probably arrive at the gare du Nord or the
gare Saint Lazare.
The cost of your ticket depends on the number of kilometres you travel. On
some timetables, the distance between stations is given, so that passengers
can easily workout the cost of their journey. Of course, there are
reductions for special excursions, tourists, families with a lot of children
(familles nombreuses), groups and students. You can travel in first or
second class (en première ou en deuxième classe).
You may have to pay extra (un supplément) to travel on a rapide, which is an
express, rather like an inter-city train, on a train corail (a very modern and
well equipped train), on the most luxurious of all the TEE (Trans Europe
Express) which links main French and European cities or on the TGV (Train à
Grande Vitesse) which is a very high speed train.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
What are the initials of the French railway service?
Which city do many trains go through?
How many main-line stations are there in Paris?
Name one of the stations where you might arrive if you were
travelling by train from Britain to Paris.
How is the basic cost of a ticket worked out?
Who might get a reduction for travel on the French railways?
What is the name of an express train rather like an Inter-city train?
What is the name of the most luxurious type of train?
13
At The Station
In a large French station it is easy to find the sign saying billets or guichet.
This is where you buy your tickets.
There will also be an information desk called Information or Renseignements
where you can enquire about train departures and obtain a pocket timetable.
(Une fiche horaire)
There may also be une salle d’attente (waiting room), une consigne (left
luggage office), un buffet (snack bar) and un kiosque or un tabac, where
you can buy books and magazines to read on the train.
Once you have bought your ticket you may want to consult l’indicateur (the
departure board) usually headed trains au départ, or trains en partance or
tableau horaire (timetable)
In order to get to the platforms you need to find the sigh Accès aux quais
or départ.
Before going through the barrier though, you must composter votre billet
(cancel your ticket). There are no ticket inspectors to check and punch your
ticket. You have to put your own ticket in a machine, and this punches it and
dates it. If you forget to do this, you’ll have to pay a fine when the
controleur (inspector) checks your ticket on the train.
On the platform you may notice the sign voie (meaning track) as well as quai
to indicate the platform number.
In the train you will notice some carriages are fumeurs (for people who
smoke) and some are non fumeurs.
When you get to your destination you should look for a sign saying Sortie
(exit).
14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
What could you buy at the guichet?
Why would you go to a counter marked renseignements?
Where could you buy newspapers at a station?
If you followed the sign Accès aux quais where would you end up?
What must you remember to do first?
If you forget to do this what would happen?
Can you smoke in a compartment labelled fumeurs?
What sign should you look for if you want to leave the station?
Vocabulary Section 2
A la gare
Le quai
La voie
Le guichet
La sortie
La consigne
La salle d’attente
Les magasins
Les téléphones
Les arrivées
Les départs
Les renseignements
Les réservations
Les jeux électroniques
La station de métro
La station de taxi
La gare
La gare routière
L’aéroport
Le port
L’horaire
the platform
the platform
the ticket office
the exit
the left luggage office
the waiting room
the shops
the telephones
the arrivals
the departures
the information
reservations
the games machines
the metro station
the taxi station
the station
the bus station
the airport
the port
the timetable
15
Here are some words you might see on a French rail timetable:
Trains en arrivée de
En provenance de
Heure
Train direct (TD)
Train à grande vitesse (TGV)
Train Rapide (TR)
Trains en départ
Destination
Nature
Particularités
arrivals
coming from
time
direct train
high speed train
fast train
departures
destination
type of train
special points
Un billet
Un aller retour
Un aller simple
Première classe
Deuxième classe
Fumeur
Non fumeur
Voitures couchettes
Suppléments
a ticket
a return
a single
first class
second class
smoking
no smoking
sleeper carriages
supplements
How to buy a ticket
Vous désirez?
Can I help you?
Est-ce qu’il y a un train pour Lyon?
Is there a train for Lyon?
Il faut changer?
Do you have to change?
A quelle heure part le train pour Bordeaux?
What time does the train for Bordeaux leave?
16
A quelle heure arrive le train de Bordeaux?
What time does the Bordeaux train arrive?
Un aller simple pour Lyon, s’il vous plaît
A single ticket for Lyon, please.
Deuxième classe?
Second class?
Quelle classe?
Which class?
Non, première classe.
No, first class
Fumeur ou non fumeur?
Smoking or non smoking?
Non fumeur, s’il vous plait
Non smoking, please
C’est combien?
How much is it?
C’est vingt euros
It is twenty euros
Le train part de quel quai?
What platform does it leave from?
Du quai numéro deux
From platform 2
17
Exercise 1
Here are some signs you might see in a train station:
A
Horaire
B
Quai 8
C
Snack
D
Guichet
E
Gare
F
Compostez
Which sign would you choose if:
1
2
3
4
5
6
You need platform 8
You are looking for the station
You want to buy a ticket
You want something to eat
You need a timetable
You want to stamp your ticket
18
Exercise 2
1
Guichet
If you saw this sign, you could
A
B
C
2
buy tickets
buy a cup of tea
leave your luggage
Accès aux quais
If you followed this sign you would
A
B
C
3
leave the station
find the ticket office
find the platform
Sortie
You would look for this sign if you
A
B
C
wanted to leave the station
wanted information about a journey
wanted to buy a drink
19
4
Salle d’attente
This notice means
A
B
C
left luggage office
information office
waiting room
a
Informations
c
Buffet
b
Consigne
5
Which of the above three signs would you look for if
i
ii
iii
you wanted to buy a sandwich
you wanted to leave your case in the left luggage office
you wanted to enquire about a train journey
Non-fumeurs
6
This notice in a railway carriage means that
A
B
you can smoke
You cannot smoke
6
Voie
7
You might see this sign
A
B
C
on a platform
in the carriage
outside the station
20
Exercise 3
Can you write in the correct caption for each sign? Use the words below
to help you.
Toilettes
Buffet
Téléphone
Guichet
Bureau de renseignements
Salle d’attente
21
Exercise 4
This board gives you details of trains leaving the station. Read it and
then answer the questions below
Heure
0944
1011
1229
1307
1410
1525
1635
1
2
3
4
Destination
Boulogne
Paris
Paris
Calais
Amiens
Lille
Boulogne
Quai
3
2
2
5
7
4
3
You want to go to Paris. Which platform should you go to?
Where would you be going if you were at platform 5?
When could you get a train to Boulogne?
Which platform would you go to if you were going to Amiens?
Exercise 5
Read this advert and then answer the questions below.
REGARDEZ!


Un aller-retour en Ecosse pour 400 euros seulement
Les enfants voyagent sans payer s’ils sont accompagnés
par deux adultes
What two special offers are mentioned in the above advert?
22
Exercise 6
Read this timetable and then answer the questions below.
No
Destination
Heures
Nature Quai
Particularités
3481 Bordeaux
2h00
Exp
voitures couchettes
6858 Poitiers
5h55
4370 Nantes
9h15
Exp
1
4372 Toulouse
15h45
Exp
2
162
17h11
Rapide 1
supplément de Poitiers à Paris
18h29
Exp
Voitures couchettes
Paris-Aust
3529 Marseille
1
3
2
1a
What sort of train would you travel on if you took the train to
Bordeaux?
1b
At what time does it leave?
1c
From which platform does it leave?
2a
What type of train will you be on if you are going to Marseille?
2b
You will be travelling through the night and would like a sleeping
compartment. Is this possible?
2c
Which platform do you need?
3a
You are taking the train which leaves at 3.45 in the afternoon. Where
are you going?
3b
Which platform should you go to?
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4a
You want to travel to Paris.. Which station in Paris will you arrive at?
4b
Would you have to play a supplement?
4c
Does your train leave arrive 6pm?
5a
When does the train for Nantes leave?
5b
Which platform does it leave from?
5c
What sort of train is it?
Exercise 7
Look at this arrivals board at Paris train station.
TRAINS EN ARRIVES
Provenance
Heure
Provenance
Heure
Annecy (TR)
9.15
Toulouse (TGV)
10.40
Grenoble (TGV)
9.20
Calais (TD)
10.45
Nimes (TR)
9.30
Bordeaux (TR)
11.05
Marseille (TGV)
9.45
Tours (TD)
11.15
Orléans (TD)
10.15
Poitiers (TR)
11.25
TD = Train direct TGV = Train à grande vitesse
24
TR = Train rapide
A
The
The
The
The
The
True or false?
fast train from Nimes arrives at 9.15
TGV from Toulouse arrives at 10.45
direct train from Orléans arrives at 10.15
direct train from Calais arrives at 10.55
fast train from Poitiers arrives at 11.25
B
Now make up five statements in French about the arrival of the
other trains. The first one has been done for you.
1
Le TGV de Grenoble arrive à neuf heures vingt.
Exercise 8
Translate these train travel announcements into English. Use a
dictionary to help you if necessary.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Le train rapide pour Bordeaux en provenance de Tours arrive au quai
numéro trois.
Le TGV de dix heures trente de Calais arrive quinze minutes en retard
Le train direct Calais-Paris part du quai numéro deux. C’est cinq
minutes en retard.
L’arrivée de Paris à neuf heures dix est dix minutes en retard.
Le train rapide pour Chambéry part à seize heures quarante. C’est un
quart d’heure en retard.
Le TGV Marseille-Strasbourg part du quai numéro quinze.
L’arrivée de Toulouse est une demi-heure en avance.
Le train rapide pour Annecy en provenance d’Orléans arrive un quart
d’heure en retard.
A cause de problèmes électriques le train direct pour Grenoble est une
heure en retard.
Le TGV de quatorze heures moins dix part du quai numéro cinq. C’est
vingt minutes en retard.
25
Exercise 9
Look at this timetable and then answer the questions below.
23
rapide
Paris
D
(Gare de Lyon)
Dijon
A
D
Lyon
A
D
Marseille A
49
rapide
52
express
4
rapide
32
express
07.20
09.12
12.24
15.35
19.32
09.57
10.02
11.40
11.47
14.53
11.40
11.55
13.32
13.39
16.45
15,27
15.32
17.42
17.49
22.21
18.12
18.17
19.55
20.02
23.11
22.35
22.40
00.50
00.57
04.38
A = arrivée
D = départ
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Which two types of train are available to passengers?
Which of the two types of train is the fastest?
From which station do these trains begin their journey?
For how long do trains stop in Dijon?
How many “rapides” leave Paris in the morning?
How many “rapides” leave Paris in the afternoon?
How long does the journey from Paris to Marseille take if you catch
rapide number 49?
How long does express number 32 take to reach Lyon from Paris?
Which train would you catch from Paris if you wanted to
A
arrive in Dijon as early as possible in the day?
B
reach Lyon as soon as possible after midday?
C
arrive in Marseille shortly before midnight?
D
leave the Gare de Lyon as late in the day as possible
26
Exercise 10
Read this passage and conversation and then do the exercises below:
Jean Duval est canadien. Il vient de Montréal. Il va passer un mois à
La Rochelle, chez la famille Masson.
Il a pris l’avion de Montréal à Paris, et maintenant il va continuer son
voyage par le train.
Il arrive à la gare d’Austerlitz en taxi et il va au guichet.
Jean
Un aller simple pour La Rochelle, s’il vous plait.
L’employée Deuxième classe?
Jean
Oui, deuxième classe.
L’employée Voilà. 100 euros.
Jean
Merci, monsieur.
Puis il va au bureau de renseignements.
Jean
Pardon, madame. A quelle heure part le train pour La Rochelle?
L’employée Voyons, vous avez un train à 12h05, arrivée à La Rochelle
à 17h18
Jean
C’est direct?
L’employée Oui, c’est direct.
Jean
Merci, madame. Et c’est quel quai?
L’employé
Quai numéro 9.
27
Complete these sentences:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Jean Duval comes from….
He is going to spend ….. in La Rochelle
He is travelling to Paris from Montréal by …..
He arrives at the gare d’Austerlitz in a …..
He buys a ….. class ticket
It costs…..
At the information office, he asks when the train for la Rochelle…..
There is a direct train from…..
It arrives at La Rochelle at…..
It leaves from platform…..
Exercise 11
Can you translate these sentences into English?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Excusez-moi, madame, où se trouve le guichet?
La station de métro est au fond.
Je cherche les renseignements.
Le train pour Paris part de quel quai?
Est-ce qu’il y a un train pour Strasbourg?
Il faut changer à Tours.
La salle d’attente est à gauche.
Il y a un train pour Nancy à midi.
B
Now translate these sentences into French:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Excuse me, where are the toilets?
The taxi rank is on the right
Where are the departures?
Is there a train for Bordeaux?
It is the bus for Versailles
The bus station is at the back
Where are the departures?
The shops are on the left.
28
Exercise 12
Look at these three conversations and the do the exercises below:
A





Bonjour, monsieur
Un aller simple pour Rouen, s’il vous plait.
Oui. C’est vingt euros.
C’est quel quai?
Rouen? Quai numéro deux
B





Bonjour, madame
Un aller-retour pour Lyon s’il vous plait
Oui. C’est quinze euros.
C’est quel quai?
Lyon? Quai numéro sept.
C





1
2
3
4
5
6
Bonjour monsieur
Un aller simple pour Paris, s’il vous plait
Oui, c’est dix euros.
C’est quel quai?
Paris? Quai numéro trois.
How much would it cost to go to Lyon?
What time of ticket does the passenger going to Rouen buy?
From which platform does the Paris train leave?
How much does it cost to go to Rouen?
What type of ticket does the passenger going to Lyon buy?
Which platform do you go to if you are going to Rouen?
29
Exercise 13
Read this conversation. Then make up similar ones using the information
in the chart below:
Bonjour
Bonjour. Un aller simple pour Paris, s’il vous plait.
C’est vingt franccs.
Le train part de quel quai?
Du quai numéro deux.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Return
Return
Single
Single
Return
Single
Nice
Lyon
Marseille
Calais
Rouen
Lille
30 euros
25 euros
40 euros
50 euros
13 euros
100 euros
30
3
7
5
4
2
10
Exercise 14
Read this conversation. Then make up similar ones using the information
in the chart below:
Bonjour. Vous désirez?
Je voudrais un aller simple pour Lyon, s’il vous plait.
Quelle classe?
Deuxième classe.
Fumeur ou non fumeur?
Non fumeur, s’il vous plait. C’est combien?
C’est trente euros
Le train part de quel quai?
Le train part de quai numéro deux.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Single
Return
Return
Single
Single
Return
Bordeaux
Nantes
Nimes
Orléans
Strasbourg
Lille
2nd
1st
1st
2nd
2nd
1st
Smoking
Non smoking
Non smoking
Smoking
Non smoking
Smoking
31
15
24
18
31
76
55
euros
euros
euros
euros
euros
euros
5
2
7
1
4
8
Exercise 15
Read this leaflet and then answer the questions that follow
Angleterre
Boulogne-Douvres
Pour vos enfants*
c’est gratuit
 4 départs par jour
 Traversée de 1h 45
 Accès très facile au Port de Boulogne
 Et… le confort Normandy Ferries
*Offre valable jusqu’au 15 septembre
pour les enfants de 4 à 14 ans
voyageant en voiture avec leur parents
au tarif normal
Normandy ferries
Renseignements et réservations
toutes agences de voyage
1
2
3
4
To which English port does this ferry sail?
How many sailings take place each day?
How long does the journey take?
Until September 15th, how much is a child of under 14 expected to
pay?
32
5
On what conditions does this apply? Where may reservations be
made?
Exercise 16
L’Angleterre en voiture
La traversée la plus rapide en car-ferry
Calais-Douvres en 75 minutes





1
2
3
4
5
Nouveaux navires – Calais-Douvres en 75 minutes
Jusqu’à 50% de réduction sur les petits voyages
Nouveau tarif E économique
Jusqu’à 66 départs par jour
Des milliers de départs à demi-tarif pour caravanes
How long does the Calais-Dover crossing take?
Which type of journeys have a 50% reduction?
What is special about tariff E?
How many crossings are made per day?
What sort of tariff is offered for caravans?
33
6
Between which two ports is the quickest crossing?
34