I travel on the TGV to and from Paris frequently.
I have never been asked for my passport on the ZH - Paris leg, I have however been checked coming from Paris back into Switzerland on more than one occasion by Swiss police/passport control. I also have been checked coming back from Milan to Zurich.
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| I was wondering if say I were to travel by train from Lausanne to Basel and then switch to take a train to Paris,would there be passport control on the French boarders? Similarly, if I come back to Switzerland by train, most probably to Basel, will the Swiss authorities have passport control, along the Swiss boarders or in Basel | |
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Note that if you are travelling from/into Geneva/Basel, there is officially a French and a Swiss area in both these stations and whilst it is usually unmanned you are sometimes required to cross through security to get to/from your train platform. Again I have only been checked coming back into Switzerland and not leaving.
My experience is it is always best to carry your passport with you. Bear in mind that whilst the Schengen agreement does aid freedom of movement the authorities are within their rights to ask for ID at any time and having the right ID on you will avoid any potential delays/detainment with your travel plans.