CDG - Avignon TGV
 

We arrive at CDG airport at 7:35 am on Tues., Sept. 26. How much time do we need to allow to go through customs etc.? We want to make reservations on the direct TGV to Avignon and are thinking that the 13:57 pm would be the earliest we could take. Thank you for your assistance.

Well, what are the other options? I usually allow 3 hours between touchdown and boarding a train, as immigration control (not Customs - that takes 10 seconds) can be busy at that time of morning.

If you don't want to change trains in Lyon, that's the first train out. Departs 1:57 p.m., arrives Avignon TGV at 5:09.

I think you'd be perfectly safe (4 hr 20 min connection) with the 11:55 a.m. departure from CDG to Lyon. There's a 35-minute transfer time in Lyon, and you get into Avignon at 3:45 p.m.

While you could probably make the 9:56 a.m. train out, there would be the anxiety about a misconnect.


I'd either purchase a refundable ticket ... or purchase travel insurance with $500 in trip cancellation insurance.

Or you could go into Paris and take a direct train from the Gare de Lyon. There are several possibilities.

There are also MRS bound AF flights, CDG dp 9.55 and 13.00. Fares start at 140 EUR

I'd either purchase a refundable ticket ... or purchase travel insurance with $500 in trip cancellation insurance.>

Does trip cancellation insurance cover non-refundble train tickets? Seems unlikely but in any case yes discounted tickets are non-refundable non-changeable - full-fare tickets can be changed and refunded I believe but oh so much more expensive.

For lots about discounted tickets check www.seat61.com. - general train travel in Europe also www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com though I suppose you are just doing Paris-Avignon and return probably?

I'd book the 11:55am CDG train even with discounted tickets.

>>I'd book the 11:55am CDG train even with discounted tickets.<<

I would take the 11:55 with a change in Lyon only if you are "light on luggage". There always seems to be a storage problem - even in first class. Chances are you'll have more "open" space starting in CDG than you'll have in Lyon. And I would not welcome two extra "ons & offs" (we might also be older than you). And Lyon is a rather large station - but 35 mins will probably be enough time - if the train from CDG is on time (we took 3 train trips this year & all were on time). Our train from Annecy to Paris last year was about 1 1/2 hrs late.

Note that the 11:55 gets you to Avignon only 1 hr 24 mins earlier.

Stu Dudley

But less time dwelling in CDG was my rationale.

I would go to the CDG Sheraton next to the train station and have a nice & relaxing lunch until 1:30 when it is time to catch the train. I find CDG to be much more enjoyable than the train station in Lyon.

Stu Dudley

Train bleu ? Biche au bois ? crêperies ?
Gare de Lyon !

A direct train especially after all-night flight yes is key -take the !3:30 CDG-Avignon TGV - going into Paris a hassle - RER especially for novices - you usually do I believe have to change RER lines - getting off at say one station and even though just transferring to usually another RER train on same platform - even that with bags, exhausted, etc.

And then you have to navigate the perhaps flummoxing to novice users and often mobbed Gare du Lyon, which has two separate sections I believe. With bags in tow not fun if IMO if you can avoid it.

And even going by taxi CDG- Gare du Lyon you still have to deal with the hectic Gare du Lyon.

If you have to do all the above it is not all that terrible but again jet-lagged if can be avoided priceless.

Take the 13:30 direct to Avingon-TGV.

And apart from the Sheraton at CDG there are lots of other eateries and shops and lounge chairs and of cuourse cafes to while away the time.

Changing RER line at Gare du Nord has become even easier due to the color coding -- blue for the RER B and green for the RER D. The edge of the platform now has a stripe of the same color at the RER line that runs on it.

You could easily get to Gare de Lyon for an earlier train. SNCF cancellation insurance in case of a problem is only about 1.80 euros but of course you would have to check the conditions.

You don't have to take the RER into Paris. The Air France buses go directly there from CDG every 20 minutes. Then you can have a nice lunch at the Gare de Lyon and hop on a direct train to Avignon.

And the OP is likely way too late to snag PREM or IDTV fares at this point, anway, so nonrefundable, nonexchangeable fares aren't that important.

Af bus sounds easy - if going to Gare du Lyon I'd take that - RER sounds easy but again having to change trains is a pain with luggage - train you change to may be crowded too. Bus sounds really simple.

Thank you all *so* much for all your thoughtful replies. This forum is a remarkable resource and I can't believe our good luck the first time we've used it. We now have tickets for the direct TGV at 13:57 and look forward to our trip.

The easiest option - especially if your plane is seriously delayed and you have non-changeable tickets (even changeable tickets are subject to there being places available on other trains).

The whole point of trip insurance is to cover nonrefundable things, in fact, it probably wouldn't cover refundable tickets. Sure, I think it would cover it but for such a trivial amt of money, seems like might be more trouble to try to claim it than it's worth.

AS a matter of fact, you often can buy reduced price tickets that are modifiable but not fully flexible, and you certainly still can for that date. You often can up until about departure day. They aren't the super discounted ones, but still about 20-40 euro less than the full fare tickets. But you can only exchange those up until departure. Even full fare tickets can't be exchanged forever, there is a 2 hr limit.

Even full fare tickets can't be exchanged forever, there is a 2 hr limit.>

But they can be refunded?

Take the 1pm Train. Thats what we did.

The OP's trip was in September. Likely they're back already.