Fly or take the Train from Lyon to Paris?
Aug 20th, 2011, 05:28 PM
#1
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Fly or take the Train from Lyon to Paris?
For about the same price and time both the train and Air France can get me to Paris for my final 6 day tour of Paris. What is a better traveler experience in your opinion? The plane may end up costing more because of the taxis to and from the airport. Hovever from earlier posts you may recall I am "lugguge challenged" and a little concerned about having to maneveuer my luggage on a train.
As an aside is the train route from Pau to Lyon a long and multi transfer one? I was planning on flying however the only direct flight leaves at 6:30 AM and i will have to stay in Pau the night before and add an extra night of loding.
Your thoughts....
As an aside is the train route from Pau to Lyon a long and multi transfer one? I was planning on flying however the only direct flight leaves at 6:30 AM and i will have to stay in Pau the night before and add an extra night of loding.
Your thoughts....
Aug 20th, 2011, 07:37 PM
#2
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If you take the train you leave from central Lyon and arrive in downtown Paris, saving time over going by air. The luggage should not be a problem, as the TGV cars have storage space at the end of each car.
Aug 20th, 2011, 11:36 PM
#4
We have used the Eurostar a lot and would always take it in preference to a flight. It's simpler, less stressful, you take your luggage with you - which for us is a plus - you can walk around the train, take your lunch or bottle of wine with you, check in time is less, you walk off the other end straight into Paris. No question the train is better.
If you really have so much luggage you cannot handle it yourself, then you should cut down on what you are taking. From experience, do this. Lay out everything you really must take. Then put half of it back in the cupboard. Anyone I've met who travelled with too much luggage ended up regretting it. You can manage with a lot less than you think.
Kay
If you really have so much luggage you cannot handle it yourself, then you should cut down on what you are taking. From experience, do this. Lay out everything you really must take. Then put half of it back in the cupboard. Anyone I've met who travelled with too much luggage ended up regretting it. You can manage with a lot less than you think.
Kay
Aug 21st, 2011, 12:29 AM
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The train will actually be faster. The station is inthe center of Lyon and the airport a bit out of town . No security line at the train either so you don't have to be there hours in advance. It is pleasant ride from Lyon to Paris with nice views out the window.They do have carts to get your luggage to the boarding area of the train. ANd if you have that much luggage yu probabply would have to pay excess fees on a plane. You will pay them on you r out bound flights too. SO cut back what you are takingg. Youreally don't need all that . I am going on the QM@ and need evenig ckothes for formal nights and the DH needs his tux and then we have 3 weeks in LOndon and PAris and I aaam taaaking 2- 22" and which we'll check and 2 small carryon hand luggage and I have lots of options for outfits.
Aug 21st, 2011, 10:53 AM
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Hi KA,
We took the IDTV train from Lyon Perrache.
It was a pleasant ride through the countryside.
You can get up and walk around if you wish.
www.voyages-sncf.com has a 57E 1cl fare.
We took the IDTV train from Lyon Perrache.
It was a pleasant ride through the countryside.
You can get up and walk around if you wish.
www.voyages-sncf.com has a 57E 1cl fare.
Aug 21st, 2011, 01:41 PM
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StCirc said, "No one needs luggage they can't easily get on and off a train." Sorry, but some people have physical limitations that make it difficult for them to deal with even a reasonably-small piece of luggage.
Aug 21st, 2011, 02:01 PM
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Yes, tom18, I'm aware of that. But in earlier posts of KeppieAngel, she admitted she was having a hard time keeping the amount of luggage she was taking along to what she could handle. It's nothing to do with physical limitations, in this case. She said she was having trouble "conceiving of packing light."
Aug 21st, 2011, 04:07 PM
#12
You don't have to go "via" anywhere. According to bahn.de there's a direct TGV, 8527, leaving Pau at 8:07 and getting in to Paris Montparnasse at 13:50. If that's too early for you, there's another leaving after lunch.
Aug 21st, 2011, 05:30 PM
#13
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I hope you're checking back here, KA.
Another suggestion for you are the colissimo packages at the French post offices. We were basically having two vacations, or a split vacation, ending with 5 days in London. I purchased the colissimo at the PO, filled it up and sent it to my house with everything I had used in France but wouldn't need in London. Very handy, and made taking trains much easier.
Here is a website: http://www.colissimo.fr/particuliers/home.jsp
Another suggestion for you are the colissimo packages at the French post offices. We were basically having two vacations, or a split vacation, ending with 5 days in London. I purchased the colissimo at the PO, filled it up and sent it to my house with everything I had used in France but wouldn't need in London. Very handy, and made taking trains much easier.
Here is a website: http://www.colissimo.fr/particuliers/home.jsp
Aug 21st, 2011, 05:36 PM
#14
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To clarify - I had planned a 3-4 night stay in Lyon after my yoga retreat near Pau/Bordeuax/Biarritz/DAX before ending my trip in Paris. I thought the plane would be fastest and I am pretty sure there are no direct high speed rails the entire route and I would probably have to change trains too. However, the mitigating factor is I have to add an extra nite in Pau at a hotel airport because the only direct flight I can get out of Pau leaves at 6:30 AM. I wasn't planning on spending that night in my original plans. So perhaps it would be more interesting to take the train to a connecting city in route to Lyon that leaves later on the day I wanted to leave and maybe stay somehere in between for one night? Any suggestions on for a nice stopping ground betweeen the train route from Pau/Bordeaux/Biarittz/DAX to Lyon for one night? Probably the place where I have a direct train into Lyon might work. I just noticed Toulouse and Montpellier are en route. Actually some of you mentioned this in earlier forum but I am just figuring this out now.
So again the question is Fly or take the Train from Pau to Lyon considering the lack of afternoon flights and who wants to stay in a hotel in Pau for the night that is so close to the airport and get up before the crack of dawn to check into a 6:30 AM flight?
Has anyone taken this route (Bordeaux to Lyon) by train and can you share your experience?
So again the question is Fly or take the Train from Pau to Lyon considering the lack of afternoon flights and who wants to stay in a hotel in Pau for the night that is so close to the airport and get up before the crack of dawn to check into a 6:30 AM flight?
Has anyone taken this route (Bordeaux to Lyon) by train and can you share your experience?
Aug 21st, 2011, 06:51 PM
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Not at all crazy about sleeping on trains. Maybe Toulouse will work. Can I purcahse a ticket for Pau to Lyon and get off at Toulouse and reboard the next day or do I buy two different tickets?
