Today we traveled into France, taking the TGV at 8:44am from Milano Porto Garibaldi to Chambery, arriving 12:52pm. It’s interesting that we didn’t scan or show or ticket anywhere and sat in our assigned seat in a first class coach…no questions asked (yet). The announcements are in French and Italian. As far as I can determine, it’s mostly about food. After a stop in Turin, we are asked for our tickets. A stop in Oulx and then one in Bardonecchia where we wait outside “Entrée tunnel du Frejus coté Italien” an 8.1 mile tunnel running under Col du Fréjus in the Cottian Alps. Walla! We pop out and into France picking up more passengers in Modane (and where we wait again as French police to walk through the coaches).
Purchased these tickets from the OUI.sncf app/website and conveniently downloaded into Apple wallet. First class tickets were $60 each and allowed you to select the seat type (we chose dual side by side). See picture of interior.