elkor

Hi I just checked LOCO2 train company. They are the cheapest and schedule is perfect. Is it a reputable company??

Thanks, El

Gretchen

It doesn't look like a train company--it looks like it sells train tickets. Why don't you take the MANY people's advice here about booking tickets directly.

ira

Hey elk,

>I purchased tickets at $925 flying Delta, compare to tickets directly to Paris which would cost me $1500.<

You did right.

I agree with Adrienne,
"I would not add any place else to the itinerary as you can easily fill months with sightseeing in Paris".

What is your hotel budget?

adrienne

<< Hi I just checked LOCO2 train company. They are the cheapest and schedule is perfect. Is it a reputable company?? >>

How could you possibly know that LOCO2 is the cheapest when you can't book your Frankfurt to Paris ticket until May 5 and can't book your return ticket to Frankfurt until May 12?

I also don't understand how the schedule could be perfect when you can't book yet. Yes, you can see schedules for other days but since this is not a train company but a booking agent the train schedule would be the same from bahn.de

One more important thing - I did a random price check for a date in July and bahn.de shows a price of E79 but LOCO2 has a price for the same train of 79.5 GBP which is E96 so LOCO2 is charging E17 more for the same train

The next train is not shown on bahn.de and the price is very low which makes me believe the train does not run since bahn.de is the authority. The following train is the same price as bahn.de.

You really need to look carefully before you buy tickets.

Michael

elkor,

read Adrienne's latest reply carefully as to when you can buy the tickets and the type of ticket you are purchasing, i.e. no RT tickets if you want the cheapest.

elkor

thanks. This is our first trip to Europe and I am completely confused. I'll be more careful in my choices. Thanks a lot for your suggestions

Gretchen

One of my points is to buy your tickets from the country's website--NOT LOCO or RailEurope, etc. They are brokers and add their 2cents (we wish!!) on to the price.
You don't seem to be taking the advice given to you by real experts on this board.

WorldTravlr

A couple of ideas to explore. Is there a way to connect to Paris through a US port like Philadelphia or even Minneapolis that saves money. Another thought is to connect through London or even an open jaw through London and out of Paris with the Chunnel train in between.

janisj

>>Is there a way to connect to Paris through a US port like Philadelphia or even Minneapolis that saves money. Another thought is to connect through London or even an open jaw through London and out of Paris. . . .<<

Too late. The OP has already booked their flights.

JAMH

OP, If you decide to get to Paris by train, when you buy your train tickets be sure to use the airport station which I think is called FRANKFURT FLU FERNBAHNHOF as the departure point so that you can see trains leaving directly from the airport. It sounds like you really want to go to Paris and Frankfurt is just the means to that end so if I were you, I would head straight to Paris and not make stops along the way given that you will only have five real vacation days. It looks to me like you saved $1,725 by flying in and out of Frankfurt and train tickets so even after train tickets and the hotel room in Frankfurt, you could end up saving around $500-$700. All in all, I would not beat myself up about flying into Frankfurt. You can have 5 fantastic days in Paris. What is your budget in euros for your hotel in Paris? Also are you looking for one room for all 3 people or 2 rooms? People on the forum will have some good suggestions. Have a great trip.

elkor

Hi. Thanks again for all good advises. I want to buy train tickets tomorrow. Just wondering what is the best way to safe time. we're landing in Frankfurt at 10:20am and our plain departing from Frankfurt at 4:40pm.
I am thinking about taking train to Paris about 1pm. Is it too risky? we 're going to have about 3 hrs in between.

On the way home I want to take train early same morning-about 7am, so we can get to Frankfurt around 12 noon. Just wondering if its ok

Thanks

adrienne

You should be fine with the 12:53 train to Paris unless your plane is very late. That is a risk but the price difference makes the risk worth while.

I do hope you're buying tickets from the Frankfurt airport and that you know there are two towns called Frankfurt (possibly more) and you want the one that has an (M) after the name Frankfurt to identify it as Frankfurt am Main.

The 7:06 train from Paris gets you to the Frankfurt airport at 11:06. What time is your train?

Do you have a back up plan in case there is a train strike? I would travel back the evening before your flight and not take the chance of missing the plane.

janisj

adrienne: It looks like the flight out of Frankfurt is at 1640.

>>our plain departing from Frankfurt at 4:40pm<<

Travelforbeer

If there is a train strike you could always rent a car and drive back to FRA- Or drive to Strasbourg ,drop the car in Strasbourg (to save drop fees), catch the Ortenau Sbahn to Kehl (or a taxi if everything is on strike), and catch the train (or rent another car if the German trains are also on strike) and proceed to FRA. I hope you don't have this complication...