ileen

Hello France Experts, We are traveling from Paris, CDG to Nantes in May and want to find out if there is a direct train.
What is the best website to search this?
If we get the tickets while still in US do we get a better price?
Appreciate all the help you can give us.

StCirq

If you speak/read French, use www.voyages-sncf.com. If you don't, use www.capitainetrain.com (same schedule, same prices). Buy 3 months out from your date(s) of travel to get the cheapest tickets - nonexchangeable, nonrefundable. You're already late to get the best fares. It has nothing to do with being in the USA - you could be anywhere in the world pretty much to get these deals.

ileen

StCirq-Thanks for your reply. We don't speak French.
We are going in couple of weeks, thus we realize we are late.
Will check out the websites you have given us and figure out what to do.
Have a good evening.

PalenQ

Currently most days trains leave CDG TGV station at 9:40; 12:49 and 14:49 and like that later - two or three hours between direct CDG to Nantes trains traveling on a CDG- Passy-Massy-Le Mans routing to Nantes - taking 2 h 59 - other links require going into Paris via RER/metro and take nearly 45 minutes longer all told plus the hassle of changing stations in Paris - Gare du Nord where RER comes in to Montparnasse where TGVs to Nantes depart.

If I were you I would leave plenty of time for planes to be late at CDG and if unfamiliar with the airport you may spend more time than you think, depending on what terminal your plane lands at, getting to the TGV station.

If you buy a full fare ticket on arrival it would cost more than a discounted ticket booked online - but those tickets I do believe are non-changeable non-refundable so it's tricking to arrange a train after landing, due to not knowing when the plane will land, how long it will take to clear Customs, etc.

Maybe better buy a full-fare ticket upon arrival and you may find it quicker at times to take the RER/metro to Montparnasse then go on one of many direct trains from there.

For lots of good info on French trains check out these IMO fine info-laden sites: www.seat61.com - good info on discounted tickets in France; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com. You may want to book a full-fare ticket online and then if you miss the train I think you can then use that ticket on the next such trains.

StCirq

Not all the discounted tickets are nonexchangeable/nonrefundable. You have to read the explanations for the various types of tickets.

PalenQ

If we get the tickets while still in US do we get a better price?>

RailEurope, owned largely by the French Railways - SNCF - as a subsidiary in the U.S. and other countries generally does not sell discounted tickets at a low level of discounted tickets at the two sites StCirq gives - full fare tickets are often in the ballpark however but there are handling fees I think if your order is under $399 or some figure that is too high to get free service.

clarkgriswold

You can rent a car from Hertz for $150 plus fuel. Visit Versailles or Chartres or Chambord....some chateaus or a winery on the way.

PalenQ

Well Chambord would be a major detour but yes Versailles or Chartres or Giverney could be kind of on the way if you get off the autoroute.

StCirq

Chambord is undergoing major renovations now, through the end of the summer.

ileen

PalenQ,Thanks for your help and the wonderful information. Will check everything out soon.

St. Cirq, Thanks again for your input.

Clark--we don't want to drive.
Thus will concentrate on finding the best train to Nantes.
Have a great day everyone.

PalenQ

thanks ileen and that first TGV CDG to Nantes direct leaves at 9:39 not my typo 9:30 - but check the www.voyages-sncf.om site StCirq gives as that is the official site of the French Railways - I was only using www.bahn.de/en - the German Railways web site for schedules for most all European trains (can't buy unless the train involves Germany however) - but I'd check the official source too though IME www.bahnde/en is rarely not correct.

Southam

SNCF in English is directly accesible at http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/
On the major inter-city routes you can either print your ticket off the Internet or get it from an agent at any French train station or boutique. No charge.
To avoid being bumped to RailEurope, select France or even Antarctica as the country for ticket pick-up.
Always, the go-to site for information on routes and ticket-buying tactics is the unmatched www.seat61.com, as mentioned above.

PalenQ

If you can't find a good fare for the direct Paris-Nantes TGVs then you can also go to Paris-Austerlitz station and take non-TGV trains there via Les Aubrais-Orleans and St-Pierre-des-Corps - should be some direct trains and they have a fairly flat fare structure - just show up and you will not pay tons more as on TGVs I believe - but it would take a few hours longer all told. But an option if.....

ileen

Southam and PalenQ -- thanks again for your huge help.
After checking the schedule and the fare etc. I think we will do what PalenQ is suggesting.
We will use the non-TGV train and buy the ticket right there.
This may be the best to do under the circumstances.
Truly appreciate your help.
Hope you all are traveling somewhere soon and will enjoy your own planning too.
Have a wonderful day.