CDG TGV connection to Avignon: A second opinion: Really? I won't make it?
 

Good day everyone. I was carefully following a thread last week that discussed someone flying into CDG and having 90 minutes to make a connection to their TGV train and needing to get to another terminal to do so. The poster was advised by many that 90 min. is too tight of a window.
I find myself in the same situation. I arrive at 3:35 p.m. in T1 in July and we were hoping to get a 5:05 p.m. TGV in T2 to Avignon. There is also one at 6:45 but that gives us a really late arrival in Avignon after a long day. Even with the 20 minute shuttle to T2 and say 45 min-60min. to get our bags, doesn't that still seem to be plenty of time to get to the TGV connection? Ultimately, I will trust all of your advice since your advice is always invaluable to me for every trip but forgive me for double checking!
cheers,
CC

Unfortunately, you can't count on your plane's being on time or that there won't be a delay in getting through Immigration (Customs is usually a snap) or a luggage hold-up. I wouldn't plan on making it in 90 minutes.

You can hope all you want and I'm very sorry that planning on that later departure will make for a "long day" but personally, I would hope for the best, but plan for the later connection.
And NOTHING anyone here says, or does, is going to change the odds so plan on what you obviously already know will probably occur.

Capt.
We flew into CDG Terminal 2 and had about 2-1/2 hours between plane arrival and train departure. We ended up waiting about 90 minutes which means we could have made it in one hour. I don't know what the time factor is to get from terminal 1 to 2. My hunch is that you could probably just make it. However, like others have said, this means everything would have to work out perfectly. This would create too much stress for me. Why don't you just book the later train? There is a deli/cafe in the train terminal that makes a pretty decent sandwich. Also, if you do happen to get there early enough, and there is space available, maybe you could exchange your tickets for the earlier train.
JoeG

I am one of those who suggested 90 minutes was not enough time to make a TGV if arriving in terminal 1. At the same time, I have just planned a trip that gives me a 95-minute connection. I'm just going to hope that everything goes smoothly, and if it doesn't, the worst that will happen is I'll be stuck in Périgueux for one night because the car rental place will have closed when I arrive there. So just have a backup plan.

Thanks as always everyone. I think I will book the later train and then once we arrive, if we have the time, then try to get on the earlier train.
My question is...how hard is it to get on a TGV last minute? Would that 5:00 train be already fully booked do you all think or would there be a realistic chance to get on there? It's a Saturday in July that we are travelling.
And thanks everyone for your honest opinions...St. Cirq..I will have to email you when you get back to hear how your connection went! When are you going?
cheers,
CC

Capt:

I'm flying out of Dulles the evening of March 30. I arrive at 10:40 am and have to catch a 12:15 TGV.

Technically, having a reservation (which is required) on a TGV means that you must have purchased a ticket five minutes before the train departs, but I have actually seen people fly onto the train as it was pulling out of the station, then immediately finding a conductor and buying a ticket on the spot. I suspect you need near-fluent French to get away with that! At any rate, you can definitely get on any TGV at the last minute
as long as you have your (composted) ticket. Since all seats are reserved, it's not as though the trains are overbooked.
Which TGV route are you taking, Capt?

Thanks St. Cirq. That's good to know. We are going to the Avignon TGV station

Hi Skipper,

If you are able to make the earlier train, they will give you a new ticket at the station.

Thanks Ira!

Many times the TGV are completely booked in July because many travelers make their reservations weeks in advance.
South of france is a favourite place for the Parisians and others to spend their vacations.
However, I saw many people that did not have a seat reservation,for one reason or others, perhaps they were taking an earlier train or missed it completely.
Anyway, many were standing in the platform or sat in their suitcases.
If you want to take a chance of not having a seat, go ahead with your plans..

Capt. - I have a flight arriving at Terminal 2 at 9:40 (Hopefully), and have booked the 11:24 train to Avignon.
I have even bought the "prem" ticket - so I guess I like to live dangerously!
This is on May 5 (a Wednesday). Trying to save some money may cost me alot more! But the 25 euros was too tempting.
The last time I flew this same flight, plane was 30 minutes early. Time before, 2 hours late. We'll see!

Sue, you sure like to live dangerously...Prem ticket?
Bonne chance,
ciao:)

Here's our experience last Thursday (March 4):

There was some thunderstorm in Southern US, which is not uncommon at this time of the year. So, Continental decided to hold our flight from IAH to CDG for about an hour. There was strong tailwind, and we made up some time, but still about 45 minutes late into CDG.

Now, since Paris was our final destination, 45 minutes late was really nothing, but if you had a 90-min connection, well, sorry, but your transit time had just been cut in half, and I'm sure you would have a miserable 10 hour in the air, thinking about your TGV connection every second... I don't think that's a good idea, unless you are certain they'll honor your train ticket if you miss your scheduled one.