CDG to Gare de Lyon by train - early morning
 

We are arriving in Paris at 5:30 am and have read on the Australian Dept of Foreign Affairs website that it is not safe to travel by train from CDG to central Paris early in the morning because of robberies and assaults by gypsies, BUT I haven't seen any mention of problems on this forum. Can anyone tell me if they have traveled from CDG by train at this time?

Clearly the Australian Dept of Foreign Affairs does not get out much (normal, if they are afraid of everything). I have taken the RER tons of times at this time or morning, arriving from Hong Kong or Singapore usually -- the flights from Southeast Asia tend to arrive at that time of day.

There are plenty of non-stop trains between CDG and Paris, so it would be rather hard for thieves to hop on. And even when you have a train that stops at every station, you will mostly only see sleepy service workers dragging themselves into the city. The turbulent elements (which are usually on the RER D and not on the RER B, but nobody seems to realize the difference) are fast asleep at that time of morning.

We always take the RER as far as Gare de Nord and usually find a taxi from there to our hotel. It's no big deal and if you are nervous make sure you are in a carriage with as many people as possible.
I make sure I give any dodgy-looking character a direct stare with a certain air of defiance and even travelling alone as an older woman, have never had the slightest trouble.
However, I was given the same warning about muggings from a taxi driver as he sped me towards Gare de Nord to take the RER to CDG.

I have taken the train at around 6 AM (which is what time you will be taking it if you arrive at 5:30) Hmm... looked like workers going to work with me.

I wasn't worried and this advice would not change my plans.

The next question is why do you want to go to the Gare de Lyon.? If it is to catch a train south (Provence?) you can do it at CDG.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs should be ashamed of itself for disparaging "gypsies." People on the RER at that time of the morning are most likely just working folks heading to their jobs, and folks like you arriving from overseas flights from Asia.

And yes, why are you going to the Gare de Lyon anyway?

We are going to the Gare de Lyon area as we have a hotel booked there. We are in Paris for 3 nights and then will be traveling south departing from Gare de Lyon.
Many years ago we had a bad experience with some young gypsy girls while traveling on the metro. We were jet-lagged and had dropped off our luggage at a hotel and were on the metro going to Champs Elysee. I was caught in a crush while getting onto the train. At first I didn't realise what was happening. I kept trying to get through into the seating area but noone would move. Some French women were looking at me and staring at the girls who had me in between them. I finally got through and sat down near the women and it was only then that I noticed my handbag was undone and my watchband was partially undone. Luckily nothing was missing. We all got off at the next station and the Parisian women stood between us and the gypsy girls.

jenmorg - your RER connection to Gare de Lyon is of course at Chatelet - my choice would be line 14 direction Biblotheque F. Mitterand.
The two other RER lines connecting here are Line A & D but only a Parisian like Kerouac may give you the best advice about which connection to take. I think with luggage in towe I would be inclined to get off at Gare de Nord and join the very fast moving taxi line.

I would change from the RER B to the RER D at Gare du Nord for a direct train to Gare de Lyon. You just walk from one side of the same platform to the other side to change trains.

It's the OP who said this, not the Australian Dept of Foreign Affairs. I just checked their website, and they never said "gypsies" at all. They did say to be careful using public transport late at night or early morning, as there have been reports of robberies or muggings. They never once used the word gypsy. Their warnings are a bit dramatic in general, though (they warn about terrorism in Paris), and I think may have been written a couple years ago when they were having a lot of that urban violence in some Paris suburbs, and some of those terrorist bombs in the RER or something.

I know its PC to claim gypsies are just like everyone else, but they do commit a lot of scams and petty crime in certain areas, I see them more around tourist spots and they tend to just ask for handouts in metro stations (usually its women with babies who appear drugged).

I do not know if it runs at that hour but we took the
Air France bus a few years ago, CDG to Gare Lyon...maybe check that out. It does regular runs but not sure how early they start.