Is it possible on TGV INOUI to book a second leg of a ticket to extend my journey on the train?

Upvote:5

You (and I) don't know if buying from the train guard is possible. And there may be no vacant seats available on the day you travel. Both these issues must be resolved in your favor on the day of travel in order to take that same TGV on to Surgères.

Thus, you should now buy new tickets for the same train from Poitiers > Surgères. Getting off in Poitiers (at the end of your first ticket) then getting right back on (to use your second ticket) is OK; step down onto the train platform, find the right car, and step back up onto the train. Doing that, you will have the three seats you need.

The three of you may end up in different cars. Being in different train cars could be a challenge if any of you is young or an inexperienced or elderly traveler. But you'll be on the train.

Upvote:8

SNCF introduced tickets checks at major stations, but once you have passed those in Paris Montparnasse you will have no issue getting to your new booked seats on taking a split tickets because they are operated on entry to the platform and not directly adjoining the train.

Now, it is really important that you pay very close attention to the train numbers on your two tickets.
A large part of the TGV services are operated using two discrete train-sets linked together in the middle (some can be single, but you never know).

If you are in the same train number for both tickets, you have all the time to switch seats, all cars being communicating and no need to leave the train on the platform.

If you have different train number, that will become way more complicated.

When boarding at Paris, check where the coupling is relative to your seat.
Near arrival in Poitiers (like a good 15 min), leave your seat and walk to the nearest car to the coupling and stay in the door area while waiting for arrival.
This is really important, if you don't, you will likely not make it in time, as most TGVs stop only for 3 minutes at a given, non-terminus, station.

Once the door opens, go to the other train, don't bother going on the platform and risk missing your train, and board the other train at the first door available, and walk your way down to your seat.

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