OK, the last time I was on a train was in the 1960's when Oregon sent honor students to the Seattle Worlds Fair. (except the Heathrow express)
So I'm not train experienced to say the least!
I'm considering leaving Amboise in the a.m., parking our luggage-laden car in Chartres, having a look at the cathedral (probably without Michael's help), then turning the car in, taking a train to Paris. We would spend the nightnear the Gare Montparnassee - hopefully time to walk around a bit. Then taxi to our assumedly morning flight.

Is this doable? Two years ago we left Amboise with the idea of seeing Chartres (driving) on the way to Paris, and the (holiday) traffic was so crazy we just bypassed that highway spur and went right to CDG.

Do I need to book a train ticket ahead of time or is it true they run hourly and we'd be OK? If there's a train strike, I'd just plan to keep the car and deal with whatever.

If my Chartres look was not lengthy, how much time would I have for that evening in Paris? (We have 3 days there beginning of trip).

TTT

It's certainly do-able. Put it this way, in 1 day I drove as follows, stopping at all the places mentioned:
Avallon - Vezelay - Auxerre(breakfast) - Sens(coffee) - Angerville - Chartres(lunch) - Maintenon - Montfort-la-Maury - Cergy-Pontoise (NW of Paris). On another occasion I did Chartes-Paris & back by train, with a full day in between to enjoy Paris.

Is it true the trains run almost hourly? Do I need to book ahead of time?

Chartres to Paris are regional trains. Depends on time of day, can be every 50 minutes or more frequent. No need to purchase tickets ahead and no reason to. Seats are not assigned.

Most trains origin from Chartres, so you shouldn't have problem getting a seat. And it's only an hour. [Some trains come in from Le Mans.]

There are trains from Chartres to Paris very frequently and there is absolutely no need to book ahead, if you mean make a reservation. They often have more than one an hour. In fact, I don't even think it's possible to make a reservation on a short, local route like that, they don't have reserved seats on those types of runs. You can buy a ticket in advance, but that doesn't mean anything as they are not for a specific train or seat. There's no point to doing that online, as there are no discounts and you'd have to pick up the ticket in person at the station, anyway.

It's hard for me to figure exactly how much time you might have in Paris, but I'd think you'd be there by 6 pm, wouldn't you? the train takes about an hour.

I've ridden a bike from Chartres to Amboise so i think the drive should not be more than two hours - i'd take the back roads actually - those in white on Michelin maps - a little rolling at times but well paved an untravelled and no bouchons - or traffic snarls and you get a great view en route of Chartres perched high on its hill for miles away.

Chartres at noon, return car, spend few Malcolm-less hours (what a wine bag egomaniac who often seems to abuse folks on his tours and off) then hop train by three (station is within eyeshot of cathedral) and be in Montparnasse at least by 4:30 or 5pm.

Or get an aerly start and have more time in Paris.

Hi H,

>Is it true the trains run almost hourly? Do I need to book ahead of time?

Look up the schedules at www.voyages-sncf.com

If trains run hourly, you wouldn't need to book ahead of time.

However, you could buy a ticket at any convenient train station along your route and you wouldn't have to bother buying one in Chartres.

They are not sold on-line.

yes, they appear to be sold online. At least SNCF thinks so, as they were willing to sell me one (although I didn't go through with the transaction).

However, there isn't any point to it as you don't get a discount, and you can't reserve a specific seat -- and since it's online, if you aren't in France, you have to pick it up in person at the station when you get there. So there's no point to buying it online. But you can. It's 12.7 euro one-way, second class.

YOu can't print regular tickets like that yourself from your own computer, so if you buy it online, you have to pick it up in person if you don't live in France (where they will mail it).

PalenQ, loved your post.
It's funny. My husband and I are 'unequally yoked" so to speak. I thought I was stretching things taking him through St. Paul's in London. He still thinks of it as one of the most impressive places he's ever seen.
I like the idea of the rolling back roads. Last time in Loire I didn't have an official map. Lol, what a nightmare that was! The little drawings from books were nothing!
Agree, with my DH in tow, we don't need a tour! Thanks