npiazza

Can someone make suggestions for traveling from Paris to Geneva by train? We need to arrive in Geneva in time for a Sunday evening meeting, but want to spend as much time in Paris as possible before heading to the train station. Thanks in advance. It will be my first trip to France and Switzerland!

PalQ

Lv Paris Gare de Lyon daily:
14:38 (ar 18:11)
17:40 (ar 21:14
19:10 (ar 22.45)
so looks like 14:38 is your train unless you're really a late diner.
RailEurope sells tickets for as low as $44 each way on this route (14 day advance minimum and sold in strict allotments - booking up to 60 days in advance) RE also charges a $15 per order handling fee (includes reservation fee) and a mailing fee (not charged by some RE agents, such as my ubiquitous recommended one: BETS 800-441-2387. check www.sncf.com - French railways for fares in euros and special PREM fares.

zeenat10

Try the TGV directly online for PREM fares . you may get a good deal on first class tickets if you book early.

elmothehobo

Unfortunately for you, the TGV is not a "fast train" on the Paris-Geneva run, in fact it only goes "fast" from Macon onwards.

I would even take the step of suggesting that you take the RER to Paris Orly and (This is the first time I have ever suggested this) hop on EasyJet to Geneva. Geneva Airport is a three minute train ride from downtown Geneva with trains leaving every 10 minutes at peak times (there are even times when trains leave every 5 minutes... quite rare though).

Beware, EasyJet can be quite expensive on the weekends, even more expensive that Swiss/Air France (Swiss no longer flies Geneva-Paris, however it codeshares on Air France's 10 daily flights to Paris).

rex

I;m sure that you meant well with that easyjet suestion, elmo, but it does not fit the needs of a "Sunday evening meeting" at all. With flights at 08:55 (arr 10:00) or 21:50 (arr 22:55) as the only two choices, the train will most surely be a better fit.

Best wishes,

Rex

ira

Hi rp,

www.sncf.com is offering PREMS fares on the TGV for 25E. No S&H charges.

You can purchase as early as 60 days in advance.

PalQ

<Unfortunately for you, the TGV is not a "fast train" on the Paris-Geneva run, in fact it only goes "fast" from Macon onwards>
It's the contrary, between Paris and Macon the TGV train goes up to 186 mph, after Macon it leaves the high-speed tracks and limps into Geneva at speeds of probably only 100 mph or so - a miltk train by French standards. If you can get the 25 euro PREM fare it would not only be cheaper than flying (have to pay to get to and from airports as well as fare) it's just as quick (city centre-city centre - airports have to spend time getting there and then check-in well before flight, etc. Hard to beat 3.5 hours by train. And you also see the fine French countryside in between - trains also are rarely late - not so for airline.

elmothehobo

PalQ - Thanks for pointing that out, I didn't flip the journey in my head (I have only take the TGV going to Paris).

While the train goes quite slowly (due a combination of factors - old rail lines, congestion and areas that are still single track) it is an absolutely beautiful trip.

PalQ

Yes especially on the old tracks between Macon and Geneva - this line however will soon be speeded up with the reopening of a cut-off somewhere near Geneve reducing travel time a few minutes. I thought you may have been thinking of the line in reverse when i first read that or you wouldn't have said it. I'm not against flying for folks who have been over the route many times but for tourists it's a nice bucolic rail ride.