Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

enough time between TGV train & flight

Search

enough time between TGV train & flight

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 22nd, 2013, 12:51 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
enough time between TGV train & flight

hi! i am about to book my TGV train between CDG and toulon. my concern is on my way back to CDG...the train arrives at CDG at 1030am. my flight is at 120pm. do you think that's ample time for me to make the flight? if not, then i will need to take train the night before and spend a night in paris. thanks!
alifafa is offline  
Old Sep 22nd, 2013, 12:57 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Where does this 1:20 flight take you and which terminal does it leave from? If it's a long-haul flight you need to be at the terminal 3 hours ahead of time. The TGVs come into Terminal 2.
StCirq is offline  
Old Sep 22nd, 2013, 01:05 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 42,628
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
What day of the week?

Those "3-hours before" recommendations are just that...recommendations. Sometimes they are justified due to a variety of airport conditions and sometimes they aren't.

Checking any baggage?

Prepared completely to get through any and all security points?

Know how long it will take you to actually get from the train arrival point to your check in counter?

We are assuming here that the train will be on time (probably the most likely of all the factors involved).
Dukey1 is offline  
Old Sep 22nd, 2013, 01:27 PM
  #4  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
the flight takes me to reykjavik (i think it's a 3 or 3.5 hr flight)
not going to check baggage.
i don't know how long it will take to get from train arrival point to check in counter.
alifafa is offline  
Old Sep 22nd, 2013, 01:37 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Take the train the night before and sleep at an airport area hotel - dozens of them such as the www.accorhotels.com chain with shuttle buses to the terminals. More expensive hotels right in the airport. TGVs can be late - any train can be late for unforeseen reasons - if you have a non-refundable ticket always be in your departure city the night before IMO - you never know what will happen - trains have suddenly gone on strike for example several times the past years or just can be running slow - and CDG is a huge airport to navigate and again if like St Cirq says not in Terminal 2 where the TGV station is you then have to take the people mover to other terminals - nope 1:30 hours between train and plane is asking for disaster - things that rarely go wrong may well go wrong when you really count on it.
PalenQ is offline  
Old Sep 22nd, 2013, 01:58 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The OP has 2 hours, 40 minutes. For a flight to Reykjavik he should probably be at thee terminal 2 hours before flight time, so if he can get from the SNCF station to the terminal in 40 minutes, he should be OK (but yeah, only IF the train is on time).
StCirq is offline  
Old Sep 22nd, 2013, 09:00 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,421
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This would be quite risky, unless you are prepared to purchase a new ticket if you miss the flight (probably with no credit for the missed flight).

You need to know check-in deadlines for your airline. Iceland Air, for example, 90 minutes. And, the departure terminal. Terminal 1, for example, requires taking the CDGVAL from the train station to the terminal.

Only you know whether you'd be sure not to miss a very early train from Toulon.

Experienced travelers would travel to CDG the evening before and be safely at/near the airport for a morning departure the next day.
djkbooks is offline  
Old Sep 23rd, 2013, 05:40 AM
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
merci! thanks for your advice. i'm glad you are telling me to better be safe than sorry. it would be terrible to miss the flight due to an unforseeable train delay because the flight is non-refundable. i'd be very disappointed if i missed my flight on my way home especially because it includes a 1 day stopover in iceland so i can soak my old bones in the blue lagoon thanks again!!
alifafa is offline  
Old Sep 23rd, 2013, 06:10 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 23,780
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 1 Post
Non-refundable tickets is one of the reasons that travel insurance exists. Standard policies cover missed connections.
kerouac is offline  
Old Sep 23rd, 2013, 07:18 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Don't think travel insurance or most of them cover late trains - are you sure of that kerouac?
PalenQ is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
trvlgirlmq
Europe
12
Mar 20th, 2014 04:45 PM
shelleyk
Air Travel
5
Nov 16th, 2007 08:08 AM
Paucie
Europe
24
Apr 29th, 2006 09:08 AM
Scrabble
United States
8
Aug 29th, 2005 01:46 PM
moondance
Europe
10
Apr 20th, 2004 07:50 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On



Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -