How to avoid French travel fines over new luggage restrictions

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Passengers travelling on France’s rail network could face fines of €50 (£42) if they exceed luggage allowances under new regulations.

High-speed train services in France will place obligatory limits on the number and size of suitcases starting in mid-September.

A fine can be issued by ticket inspectors to passengers on these services who do not comply with the new rules, French media reports.

The French national train operator SNCF announced the change in February, stating that there would be new limits for the amount and size of luggage on the high-speed TGV InOui and Intercites trains.

SNCF hopes the baggage limit will prevent people from bringing excess luggage onto services, which is an issue for passengers joining the train at later stops who cannot find suitable places to also store their items, The Connexion said.

Passengers are told they must be able to carry their bags and suitcases themselves in one go and can only carry either one piece of hand luggage and two suitcases or one piece of hand luggage, one suitcase and one specific item.

Read more: Baggage allowance guide – luggage limits for British Airways, Ryanair, easyJet and more

Hand luggage should measure a maximum of 40 cm x 30 cm x 15 cm, and suitcases should measure up to 70 cm x 90 cm x 50 cm.

The ‘specific item,’ such as a musical instrument, bikes, scooters and snowboards, must be under a labelled cover and can measure a maximum of 130 cm x 90 cm. Skis do not have a maximum size but must be under a cover, with only one pair per person.

Booking a space for a bike on TGV InOui and Intercites trains is compulsory, with a €10 (£8.45) cost per bike per journey.

Trips on TGV InOui and Eurostar trains to certain destinations like the UK, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany all have slight variations of the regulations around luggage size and weight.

For example, if you are bringing more than two suitcases on a Eurostar trip to London, you will be asked to pay €40 (£34) per extra piece of luggage during the check-in process.

Those who travel on the low-cost TGV OuiGo services already had to pay luggage fees while booking their train ticket at €5 (£4.25) per item or €10 per item after booking a ticket.

The regional TER trains have no maximum dimensions for luggage, but the passenger must be able to handle their bags and items themselves.

The Independent has contacted SNCF for comment.

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast