Chalabre: How Best to Get There from Paris?
 

We will arrive in Paris via United and plan to stay a few days with friend in Chalabre. She said could fly into Toulouse. Also is 1 1/2 hours away from Spain and Andorra. We will be on UA employee passes so that is stand-by....hard to make future plane reservations into Toulouse since you don't know for sure if you will get on the flight from US. So, was thinking of train or bus possibilities.

Any advice would be greatly appreciation.

Where will your friend pick you up? Or are you picking up a car? If the latter, Toulouse would be the best destination; train tickets are cheapest if purchased three months in advance. If your friend is picking you up, Carcassonne is closer than Toulouse.

Did't you ask this question before? Of course you can get there by train (forget the bus long distances), it will just take a while. If there is a train track, you can get there.

YOu want a train from Paris to Toulouse as that is the same endpoint as if you fly into Toulouse, right? The rest you have figured out. There are several direct trains daily to Toulouse from Paris. One leaves Austerlitz train station at 7:53 am and arrives at about 2 pm. There is another around 9:45 am. NOt so bad, 6 hours. There are plenty of other trains, you just will have to transfer at least once or twice.

There is also one direct from Paris Montparnasse train station at 9:30 am that arrives around 3 pm, it takes less time and I'd choose that one if possible. That staiton also as a direct one at 12:30 pm that arrives in Toulouse about 6 pm. Plenty of good choices.

I just checked one weekday, that actual date and day you do this, it could differ. But it won't be a problem. Seats will be much more expensive if you buy at last minute, but it is definitely do-able. If you buy far in advance, you can get the ticket for only about 40-50 euro. Last minute, it might be between 80-125 or something like that.

If your friend can pick you up, it will be quicker to take a train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Montpellier and another train from Montpellier to Carcassonne - less than 6 hours.
You could even take a train from Carcassonne to Limoux which is close to Chalabre.

There are several direct trains (no change) from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport to Montpellier (4 hrs journey). CDG airport dp 6.58, 9.58, 16.58, 17.58

Thank you all for info and really appreciate the less snarky ones.