I rode on a high-speed double-decker train in Europe that goes up to 186 miles per hour and puts Amtrak to shame

Taylor RainsJul 26, 2023, 15:56 IST

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A series of TGV double-decker trains operate throughout Western Europe to places like France and Germany.
The trains run at speeds up to 186 miles per hour and can be more convenient than taking a plane.

For the second time this year, I have taken a European high-speed train to Paris in lieu of a flight from a neighboring country.

To my surprise, my February journey from Amsterdam sparked an online debate over rail travel thanks to a viral Twitter post teasing the difference in how Americans and Europeans see trains.

Personally, growing up in north Florida meant high-speed rail travel was pretty foreign to me, so I was thrilled about the experience despite its apparent mundaneness in Europe.

And, after giving it a second go in June — this time on French-operated TGV InOui from Frankfurt — my thoughts haven't changed as the experience truly put US rail companies like Amtrak to shame.

Granted, Amtrak isn't horrible and has provided me with a comfortable ride from New York to Boston many times, but it is often late and the cars and stations are much dirtier usually.

Plus, there are only a few high-speed routes available in the US and it's unlikely the car-dependent nation will see a robust rail network like in Europe anytime soon. Building anything close to Japan's 300-mile-per-hour bullet trains in a reasonable amount of time is probably impossible.

Nevertheless, it doesn't hurt to dream. And, some companies are hoping to move the needle, like South Florida's Brightline high-speed train.

As I patiently wait for rail innovations at home, I can at least still enjoy them abroad. Here's what my $100 one-way journey from Frankfurt to Paris on the 186-mile-per-hour TGV train was like in first class.

I started my journey at Frankfurt's central station around 12:15 p.m., which proved to be a very busy time of day to travel.

Taylor Rains/Insider

While my train wasn't until 12:56 p.m., I gave myself 45 minutes to find the train and get settled.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Once at the platform, I made my way to car number 13 and to seat 41 — a forward-facing chair near both the bathroom and a luggage rack on the lower level.

Taylor Rains/Insider

The first class chair was big and cozy with privacy wings, plenty of legroom, and good padding.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I was also happy to find similar amenities that were onboard Thalys, including a seatback pocket, a power outlet, a small trash bin, and a large tray table.

Taylor Rains/Insider

The footrest was also nice to see, and at 5'3" tall I had plenty of legroom and space to spread out.

Taylor Rains/Insider'

Though, the onboard WiFi was pretty spotty and I ended up using my phone's hotspot for internet most of the time.

Taylor Rains/Insider

A luggage rack was next to my seat, though there was also one at the entrance to the cabin.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I got settled and the train departed right on time about 20 minutes later, venturing off into the German countryside.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Once we got going, I headed to the buffet car that was luckily right upstairs from where I was sitting.

Taylor Rains/Insider

There was an attendant available to take orders, and there was cozy lounge seating along the windows.

Taylor Rains/Insider

TGV had a good stock available during the four-hour ride, including snacks like M&Ms and chips and heavier options like quinoa salad and a chicken sandwich.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I opted for quinoa salad, the chicken sandwich, and a small carton of water, and the food was pretty much exactly what I expected it'd be.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Both tasted okay — not good and not bad — but I wouldn't order either again unless I was on the TGV train and was hungry enough.

Taylor Rains/Insider

After eating, I checked out the bathroom and found it to be large and clean.

Taylor Rains/Insider

The rest of the journey was spent working, reading, and napping.

Taylor Rains/Insider

We arrived at Paris Est station around 5:00 p.m., which was centrally located, and a quick hop to my hotel near Moulin Rouge.

Taylor Rains/Insider

In total, it took about four and a half hours to travel from Frankfurt station to my hotel in Paris via train.

Taylor Rains/Insider

If I chose to fly, the flight time would only be around one hour and 30 minutes, but the entire journey could easily take over five hours.

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And, according to Google Flights' historical fare data, the one-way price was only $88 on the day I bought my ticket in May — $12 cheaper than the train.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Currently, a one-way train ride between Frankfurt and Paris varies between $45 and $78 in September. Nonstop flights range from $93 to $153.

Google Flights

Overall, I was pleased with the first class section's comfort and amenities, though I think coach would still be perfectly enjoyable despite the less plush seats.

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I rode on a high-speed double-decker train in Europe that goes up to 186 miles per hour and puts Amtrak to shame

I started my journey at Frankfurt's central station around 12:15 p.m., which proved to be a very busy time of day to travel.

While my train wasn't until 12:56 p.m., I gave myself 45 minutes to find the train and get settled.

Once at the platform, I made my way to car number 13 and to seat 41 — a forward-facing chair near both the bathroom and a luggage rack on the lower level.

The first class chair was big and cozy with privacy wings, plenty of legroom, and good padding.

I was also happy to find similar amenities that were onboard Thalys, including a seatback pocket, a power outlet, a small trash bin, and a large tray table.

The footrest was also nice to see, and at 5'3" tall I had plenty of legroom and space to spread out.

Though, the onboard WiFi was pretty spotty and I ended up using my phone's hotspot for internet most of the time.

A luggage rack was next to my seat, though there was also one at the entrance to the cabin.

I got settled and the train departed right on time about 20 minutes later, venturing off into the German countryside.

Once we got going, I headed to the buffet car that was luckily right upstairs from where I was sitting.

There was an attendant available to take orders, and there was cozy lounge seating along the windows.

TGV had a good stock available during the four-hour ride, including snacks like M&Ms and chips and heavier options like quinoa salad and a chicken sandwich.

I opted for quinoa salad, the chicken sandwich, and a small carton of water, and the food was pretty much exactly what I expected it'd be.

Both tasted okay — not good and not bad — but I wouldn't order either again unless I was on the TGV train and was hungry enough.

After eating, I checked out the bathroom and found it to be large and clean.

The rest of the journey was spent working, reading, and napping.

We arrived at Paris Est station around 5:00 p.m., which was centrally located, and a quick hop to my hotel near Moulin Rouge.

In total, it took about four and a half hours to travel from Frankfurt station to my hotel in Paris via train.

If I chose to fly, the flight time would only be around one hour and 30 minutes, but the entire journey could easily take over five hours.

And, according to Google Flights' historical fare data, the one-way price was only $88 on the day I bought my ticket in May — $12 cheaper than the train.

Currently, a one-way train ride between Frankfurt and Paris varies between $45 and $78 in September. Nonstop flights range from $93 to $153.

Overall, I was pleased with the first class section's comfort and amenities, though I think coach would still be perfectly enjoyable despite the less plush seats.