Before going to the station, it is a good plan to turn up in the index of the “Livret-Chaix Continental” the place required, to ascertain the fare and the time of starting, which stations are supplied with refreshment rooms (marked B), and the time the train halts at each on its way.
On arriving at the station join the single file (queue) of people before the small window (guichet), where the tickets (billets) are sold. Your turn having arrived, and having procured your ticket, proceed to the luggage department, where deposit your baggage and deliver your ticket to be stamped. The luggage tickets are called also “bulletins.”
After your articles have been weighed, your ticket, along with a luggage receipt, is handed you from the “guichet” of the luggage office, where, if your baggage is not overweight, you pay 10 c. or 2 sous. Before pocketing the luggage ticket, just run your eye down the column headed “Nombre de Colis,” and see that the exact number of your articles has been given. The French have a strange way of making the figures 3, 5,
and 7. Whatever is overweight is paid for at this office; but remember, when two or more are travelling together, to present the tickets of the whole party at the luggage department, otherwise the luggage will be treated as belonging to one person, and thus it will probably be overweight. Another advantage of having the entire number of the party on the “Billet de Bagage” is that, in case of one or other losing their carriage tickets, this will prove the accident to the stationmaster (chef-de-Gare) and satisfy him. If, after having purchased a ticket, the train is missed, that ticket, to be available for the next train, must be presented again to the ticket office, to be re-stamped (être visé).
The traveller, on arriving at his destination, will frequently find it more convenient not to take his luggage away with him; in which case, having seen it brought from the train to the station, he should tell the porter that he wishes it left there. He retains, however, his luggage ticket, which he only presents when he desires his luggage again.
On the Railway.
In the carriage cast the eye over the line as given in our railway map, and note the junctions; for at many of these—such as Amiens, Rouen, Culoz, Macon, etc. etc.—the passengers are frequently discharged from the carriages and sent into the waiting-rooms to await other trains. On such occasions great attention must be paid to the names the porter calls out when he opens the door of the waiting-room, otherwise the wrong train may be taken. To avoid this, observe on our railway map what are the principal towns along the line in the direction required to go; so that when, for example, he calls out, “Voyageurs du Côté de Lyon!” and we be going to Marseilles from Macon, we may, with confidence, enter the train, because, by reference to the map, we see we must pass Lyon to reach Marseilles. The little railway map will be found very useful, and ought always to be kept in readiness for reference.
Buffet means “refreshment-room”; and Salle d’Attente, “waiting-room.”
There are separate first, second, and third class carriages for ladies.
Express trains have third class carriages for long distances.