Another Fly vs Train Question - Paris to Barcelona
 

So I have read many posts...

I am flying Atlanta to CDG on June 8th arriving June 9th at 6:10am

We need to get to Barcelona to start our trip...

At first I thought we'd fly - we are at the airport right...


Most Likely 10am Flights would be fine - but a little nerve wracking.... if delays
There is a 10am fights - Veuling/Easy Jet (can't remember) for 72
And a 10am on Air France $122 (we are flying in on Delta/Air France)

To avoid the stress I thought id do the later flights ....
There are later flights 2:34-/3:45 that are $50 +/-

We will have small rolling suitcases but worried about the strictness....

That makes a 10am train intriguing - but also TIGHT on timing. That train is neutral on price
The later Train - Would be more expensive and be getting into BCN late.

Thoughts???
Kids want to take a train, and we wouldn't have to worry about luggage, but that timing is too tight right????
I'm trying to read the luggage rules... and should do more of that to know if we'd come out close to Neutral on Air France
We are Gold Medallion on Delta

Money matters, but more is having a smooth transition.....

You will be absolutely fine with 10 AM…though your flight says you'll be in at 6:10 AM, unless there are delays due to weather, etc, you will probably arrive within 1 hour earlier.

I always flyer Vueling or Easy jet. Vueling, you can push it with the size of your carry on, Easy jet - you can't; they are strict. However, if you are going to use Easy Jet, make sure you get in line for the plane early…after 100 passengers they make you check your bag, at not cost to you, because they never have cabin space. Then again if you are traveling with large bags, those will get checked anyway.

Regarding taking a train, keep in mind that after a long plane ride, sitting in a train for many hours may not be as intriguing as it sounds. But, that's up to you.

Have fun,
Laura

If you are already at the airport a connecting flight probably makes more sense. But I think your real issue is what if your initial flight has a schedule change or is cancelled or delayed. If both flights are on the same ticket the airline will put you on the next flight with available seats. But if air is not on the same ticket and your connecting flight is non refundable you will not get anything from the initial airline or the connecting airline. If train is non refundable you won't get anything from the railroad either. And you would have to make a new arrangement on the spot on arrival at CDG. So whatever you choose I would research in advance what might be the available Plan B choices if you arrive too late at CDG. The cost/convenience of that Plan B might determine what you choose for Plan A.

flights make more sense - kids would be sleeping thru most of the long train ride - but for train info check www.voyages-sncf.com for fares and these sights for general info - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

The train ride however lets you see the bucolic French countryside - not super spectacular but interesting if you've never been to France.

But again with kids and all I'd fly from the airport - getting from plane to train can be a bit hard too - you can take the train in from Paris airports for a train ride!

I've heard suggestions here that airlines can extend the arrival destination to include the next stop, having your itinerary end in Barcelona rather than CDG at little extra cost. I suggest you call your airline and ask, could they add a connection to Barcelona, making it 1 ticket, therefore the airline's responsibility to give you a workable transit time. The ticket would then become an open-jaw, into BCN, home out of wherever you're already ticketed.

If you choose to buy a flight, make sure you're also flying out of CDG and not Orly or another.

I agree, this doesn't make any sense, if you are flying in on Delta/AF anyway, why didn't you just make it the original ticket to fly to BCN? Then you don't have to worry so much about connections, at least in terms of lost money nor baggage, it would be checked through. I don't get the concern about size limits, you can always check your bags, I always do when going to Europe. Not sure what the limit concern is but if you are over the limit, then you have to check. And baggage check is free on international flights on that airline (most, in fact, but I think I read recently some discount airline like Norwegian charges even for international trips).

A 10 am flight when arriving at 6 am wouldn't be any problem whatsoever for me. If anything, it's too long, I hate hanging around airports. NO way in the world would I be so worried I'd book a 3 pm flight when arriving at 6 am.

Can't remember how long the train takes from Paris to Barcelona...6/7 hours? After an overseas flight an additional 6/7 hours would strike me as madness. Not at all fun. Your objective should be to get to your destination ASAP. Add another leg to your ticket via Delta/France.

Why haven't you booked your flight straight through to Barcelona if that is where your trip is supposed to begin? That's like flying from Atlanta to San Francisco to start you trip from Seattle.

Besides, the earliest train from CDG to Barcelona on June 8 departs at 11h58 and takes 7 hours 33 minutes. A first class ticket would set you back around 245€/person. Second class is around 200€/person.

Well the funny way airline ticket prices work, the cost to go to BCN from ATL was several hundred per ticket MORE than into CDG. So as many advise on this site, better to find the cheap into Europe tickets and then book a low cost airline. Much better than spending an extra $2500+++ to book to my ideal final destination. This is my first effort to use this "low cost carrier" strategy.

I am seeing a Train at 49 Euros per person on Captain Train. At first I thought no way as the train will be so much more expensive... but the 49 Euros put it into the zone.....

I will call the Airline though and ask about making the whole ticket one. Doubt it will work.

Being able to catch a 10am and get to BCN by noon would be delightful....

that 49 euro train fare is no doubt a discounted ticket which means if you miss the specific train you are booked on you are out - no changes nor refunds I believe and then you'd have to buy a full-fare ticket - all the more reason to put angst to rest and fly.

Delta will fly you non-stop from Atlanta to Barcelona, and yes, it will cost more than to Paris. But Delta/Air France will fly you with a stop at CdG to BCN for around
$1100, about the same as getting off in Paris. And you could fly into Barcelona and home from Paris (taking the new high-speed train Barcelona-Paris for the experience) for about the same price for air ticket. I wonder if you are using the Delta website and its multi-destination function to research your costs.