idTGV from CDG?
May 28th, 2006, 09:46 PM
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idTGV from CDG?
Yep. Another train question. I know that I cannot book TGV more than 90 days out -- if I follow Morgan B's instructions for our dates in September I am informed that I am trying to book too far out.
But idTGV tickets are available more than 90 days out and when clicking on idTGV on the voyages-sncf.com page I was able to find a great fare -- just over 200E for the four of us r/t Montpellier in September.
HOWEVER, I see that the train departs from Gare de Lyon, not CDG. The fares are excellent, but now I'm wondering about the logistics of getting from CDG to G de Lyon.
Is there an easy way to do this? If I wait for the 90 window and follow Morgan B's directions, plugging in Roissy as start point, will idTGV fares to Montpellier show up? Any other thoughts on how to work this one?
Our flight arrives at 8:20 am (AA, Terminal 2) and, thanks to all the good feedback I got here about schedules, I was planning to leave at least two hours between arrival and TGV departure. The idTGV time is 13:24, but as I mention it is out of Gare de Lyon. I would think this is enough time, but I certainly will appreciate any suggestions on the easiest way to manage this. Thanks in advance.
But idTGV tickets are available more than 90 days out and when clicking on idTGV on the voyages-sncf.com page I was able to find a great fare -- just over 200E for the four of us r/t Montpellier in September.
HOWEVER, I see that the train departs from Gare de Lyon, not CDG. The fares are excellent, but now I'm wondering about the logistics of getting from CDG to G de Lyon.
Is there an easy way to do this? If I wait for the 90 window and follow Morgan B's directions, plugging in Roissy as start point, will idTGV fares to Montpellier show up? Any other thoughts on how to work this one?
Our flight arrives at 8:20 am (AA, Terminal 2) and, thanks to all the good feedback I got here about schedules, I was planning to leave at least two hours between arrival and TGV departure. The idTGV time is 13:24, but as I mention it is out of Gare de Lyon. I would think this is enough time, but I certainly will appreciate any suggestions on the easiest way to manage this. Thanks in advance.
May 29th, 2006, 03:07 AM
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Have you searched for the tickets originating from CDG? Look for Roissy. Otherwise, a 50€ cab ride to Gare de Lyon will do it, and you should have plenty of time. Might just do it right now.
May 29th, 2006, 05:27 AM
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Take the Air France bus from CDG to Gare de Lyon. If I remember correctly they have busses going every half hour.
The Air France Bus is an express shuttle which runs between Roissy/CDG and the Arc de Triomphe (Place de l'Etoile, 17e arrondissement) or the nearby Porte Maillot. Hours of operation are 5:45 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., with departures every 15 minutes, and travel time is about 45 minutes. A one-way ticket costs €12 for adults, €6 for children (ages 2-11); round-trip tickets are €18. Groups of four or more enjoy a 15% discount. You can catch the bus at the following airport locations:
Aérogare/Terminal 1: exit door #34 on the arrivals level
Aérogare/Terminal 2: exit doors #A6, B6, C5, D6 on the arrivals level
Aérogare/Terminal 2F: exit door 0.07 on the arrivals level
The Air France Bus is an express shuttle which runs between Roissy/CDG and the Arc de Triomphe (Place de l'Etoile, 17e arrondissement) or the nearby Porte Maillot. Hours of operation are 5:45 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., with departures every 15 minutes, and travel time is about 45 minutes. A one-way ticket costs €12 for adults, €6 for children (ages 2-11); round-trip tickets are €18. Groups of four or more enjoy a 15% discount. You can catch the bus at the following airport locations:
Aérogare/Terminal 1: exit door #34 on the arrivals level
Aérogare/Terminal 2: exit doors #A6, B6, C5, D6 on the arrivals level
Aérogare/Terminal 2F: exit door 0.07 on the arrivals level
May 29th, 2006, 05:29 AM
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Sorry for the above post. The following is the information for the Air France bus to Gare de Lyon.
Another express shuttle runs from Roissy/CDG to the Gare de Lyon (20 bis, boulevard Diderot, Paris 12e) and the Gare Montparnasse (rue du Commandant R. Mouchotte, Paris 14e). Hours of operation are 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with departures every 30 minutes, and travel time is about 50 minutes. A one-way ticket costs €12 for adults, €6 for children (ages 2-11); round-trip tickets are €18. Groups enjoy a 15% discount. You can catch the bus at the following airport locations:
Aérogare/Terminal 1: exit door #34 on the arrivals level
Aérogare/Terminal 2F: exit doors #B2, C2, 0.07 on the arrivals level
Another express shuttle runs from Roissy/CDG to the Gare de Lyon (20 bis, boulevard Diderot, Paris 12e) and the Gare Montparnasse (rue du Commandant R. Mouchotte, Paris 14e). Hours of operation are 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with departures every 30 minutes, and travel time is about 50 minutes. A one-way ticket costs €12 for adults, €6 for children (ages 2-11); round-trip tickets are €18. Groups enjoy a 15% discount. You can catch the bus at the following airport locations:
Aérogare/Terminal 1: exit door #34 on the arrivals level
Aérogare/Terminal 2F: exit doors #B2, C2, 0.07 on the arrivals level
May 29th, 2006, 08:34 AM
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iDTGV does not serve Roissy. If you book 90 days out you will get a cheap PREMS fare as Ira suggested. iDTGV can be cheaper than PREMs but you have the added trip into Paris proper.
iDTGV fares are now available for purchase up to 6 months in advance.
iDTGV fares are now available for purchase up to 6 months in advance.
May 29th, 2006, 09:41 AM
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The cheapest alternative for transport from CDG to Gare de Lyon is the city bus - but no one but strapped students should even consider that.
Next comes the suburban train. You can take the RER B to Châtelet and transfer to either RER A or D to Gare de Lyon. Cost: 8€.
Next comes the suburban train. You can take the RER B to Châtelet and transfer to either RER A or D to Gare de Lyon. Cost: 8€.
May 30th, 2006, 07:12 AM
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As always, thanks to all for your knowledgeable responses.
The very helpful information I have learned:
1. Most importantly, there is no idTGV from CDG (thanks Morgan),
2. Cab or Air France bus is best connection to Gare de Lyon, since we will be travelling with luggage and two kids -- cab might be the best as it would cost only a bit more than the Air France shuttle.
3. PREMS from CDG to Montpellier are going for 55E, subject to availability.
(I'm assuming that 55E is one way based on my search for fares, for informational purposes, within the 90 day window but not the days we will need. Please correct me if this is wrong.)
The idTGV fares are half that -- 50E p/p RT. And actually less if we spend the first night in Paris and wait to leave until Monday.
Which leads to my next question -- about the feasibility, when traveling with two kids, of the overnight flight arriving early morning, transfer to G de Lyon for a 1:30 train to Montp that gets in at 5p, renting a car and driving 45min to an hour to our rental house. That's a big, big day. Even if we take the TGV from CDG, given the amount of time we need to allow to get to the TGV station, the earliest we would get in to M would be 4:30, so virtually same scenario.
I've given some thought to spending the first night in Montpellier after the train ride down, but we know Paris and not Montp. so it might just be easier after that flight to march the kids around the city a bit and go to bed early in Paris.
It's not lost on me that either way we pay for a hotel in Paris or Montp. and lose a night of our (very affordable) rental house, but for the sake of some sanity and actually feeling like we are on vacation and not hampters in a habitrail of transportation, it might be worth it.
Or are we better off just getting to our destination the first day, chilling out on the train and relaxing once we're there.
Words of wisdom anyone?
The very helpful information I have learned:
1. Most importantly, there is no idTGV from CDG (thanks Morgan),
2. Cab or Air France bus is best connection to Gare de Lyon, since we will be travelling with luggage and two kids -- cab might be the best as it would cost only a bit more than the Air France shuttle.
3. PREMS from CDG to Montpellier are going for 55E, subject to availability.
(I'm assuming that 55E is one way based on my search for fares, for informational purposes, within the 90 day window but not the days we will need. Please correct me if this is wrong.)
The idTGV fares are half that -- 50E p/p RT. And actually less if we spend the first night in Paris and wait to leave until Monday.
Which leads to my next question -- about the feasibility, when traveling with two kids, of the overnight flight arriving early morning, transfer to G de Lyon for a 1:30 train to Montp that gets in at 5p, renting a car and driving 45min to an hour to our rental house. That's a big, big day. Even if we take the TGV from CDG, given the amount of time we need to allow to get to the TGV station, the earliest we would get in to M would be 4:30, so virtually same scenario.
I've given some thought to spending the first night in Montpellier after the train ride down, but we know Paris and not Montp. so it might just be easier after that flight to march the kids around the city a bit and go to bed early in Paris.
It's not lost on me that either way we pay for a hotel in Paris or Montp. and lose a night of our (very affordable) rental house, but for the sake of some sanity and actually feeling like we are on vacation and not hampters in a habitrail of transportation, it might be worth it.
Or are we better off just getting to our destination the first day, chilling out on the train and relaxing once we're there.
Words of wisdom anyone?
May 30th, 2006, 08:50 AM
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How about flying to Montpellier? There are some very reasonable Air France fares out there due to the TGV so you could fly from CDG to MPL and rent a car there. This might be out of your budget but would not that the transfer expense into the city nor a night in a hotel.
Montpellier is a very easy town to get around in if you chose to spend the night there. It has a lovely historic downtown that is fairly compact and easy to walk about. However, you really arent saving much effort when you are almost to your home anyway. If you stay in Montpellier I would suggest you do so because you would like to see the city. Paris seems like a more logical place to stay if you want to break up your trip.
Montpellier is a very easy town to get around in if you chose to spend the night there. It has a lovely historic downtown that is fairly compact and easy to walk about. However, you really arent saving much effort when you are almost to your home anyway. If you stay in Montpellier I would suggest you do so because you would like to see the city. Paris seems like a more logical place to stay if you want to break up your trip.
May 30th, 2006, 09:21 AM
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I like that "hamsters in a Habitrail" 
To avoid that feeling and still not have to spring for an extra night's lodging, I'd say go for a PREM on the TGV out of CDG even though it's not an iD. Once you've eliminated the cost of the transfer, it comes out too close to matter.
1. Fly in to CDG
2. Get on the train with no transfer hassle
3. Relax and regroup on the train
4. Drive to the <i>gite</i>
To avoid that feeling and still not have to spring for an extra night's lodging, I'd say go for a PREM on the TGV out of CDG even though it's not an iD. Once you've eliminated the cost of the transfer, it comes out too close to matter.
1. Fly in to CDG
2. Get on the train with no transfer hassle
3. Relax and regroup on the train
4. Drive to the <i>gite</i>
May 30th, 2006, 09:52 AM
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For the past 15 years I have flown all night over the Atlantic, taken a cab to a train station, taken a 5-hour train ride, then driven 45 minutes to my house in St-Cirq - with two kids in tow (who got increasingly easy to travel with of course as they got older).
It's a helluva long day, but I never wished I'd broken it up into two days - we seemed to gain momentum as the day wore on. We always slept incredibly well that first night, though.
It's a helluva long day, but I never wished I'd broken it up into two days - we seemed to gain momentum as the day wore on. We always slept incredibly well that first night, though.
May 30th, 2006, 09:56 AM
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Thanks for the input. I think for now what I will do is wait for the 90 days (only a few short days away!) and see what fares/times I pull on PREMS. Then I will have all the info in front of me and can make a rational decision. I'm just picturing my husband driving and me "nagivating" at the end of that long first day. I suppose if we made it through the spaghetti of interstates around Barcelona and remained married we can do Montpellier to Pezenas.
In the meantime I will check into airfare for comparision, with the added benefit of putting off my dreaded afternoon project at work.
Re: Habitrail (thanks Robesp -- I nearly made a Planes Trains and Automoblies reference but Habitrail popped into my head -- maybe I was picturing the Centre Pompidou
In the meantime I will check into airfare for comparision, with the added benefit of putting off my dreaded afternoon project at work.
Re: Habitrail (thanks Robesp
-- I nearly made a Planes Trains and Automoblies reference but Habitrail popped into my head -- maybe I was picturing the Centre Pompidou
May 30th, 2006, 10:16 AM
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The 55 euro PREM for Roissy to Montpellier is for one-way. Regular fare is around 75 euro.
I couldn't advise on your plans, as I would likely just move on to Montpellier (and I have done that from Roissy), but haven't done it with kids so am not sure how that would be. The AF bus to Gare de Lyon would add on to the fare, although they do have discounts for families or kids, as I recall. I think you'd have to leave more than 2 hours time if you planned all that (to go from Roissy to Gare de Lyon, and take the AF bus, if that time includes your arrival issues, baggage retrieval, immigration, etc, as well as figuring out where to go and catch the bus).
So, I guess you are talking 35 euro difference per person for that trip -- although I am not sure how that works out for the kids, it can be different -- a total of 140 euro. There aren't any RT tickets, so you can still book a return to Paris, if you need, any way you want. Your arrival plans don't affect that.
Maybe I'm not following this, but it seems like a large fare difference to me (20 vs. 55 euro).
I couldn't advise on your plans, as I would likely just move on to Montpellier (and I have done that from Roissy), but haven't done it with kids so am not sure how that would be. The AF bus to Gare de Lyon would add on to the fare, although they do have discounts for families or kids, as I recall. I think you'd have to leave more than 2 hours time if you planned all that (to go from Roissy to Gare de Lyon, and take the AF bus, if that time includes your arrival issues, baggage retrieval, immigration, etc, as well as figuring out where to go and catch the bus).
So, I guess you are talking 35 euro difference per person for that trip -- although I am not sure how that works out for the kids, it can be different -- a total of 140 euro. There aren't any RT tickets, so you can still book a return to Paris, if you need, any way you want. Your arrival plans don't affect that.
Maybe I'm not following this, but it seems like a large fare difference to me (20 vs. 55 euro).
May 30th, 2006, 12:44 PM
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Well, Christina, you're exactly right. There IS a big fare difference. I checked the numbers again on the idTGV site.
If we take the idTGV on Sunday (13:24, same day we arrive from US) our total RT for four is 206. Assuming we could get PREM fares for all of us both ways, our total would be 440E, so that's a savings of 234E which equals nearly $300. The only additional outlay of money would be for the taxi (~50E) or shuttle (36E) to Gare de Lyon. We either spend our time waiting around the airport for a TGV that has a stop in Valence and takes 5 hours, or we spend our time getting to Gare de Lyon, finding a place to have a coffee and taking a direct 3.5 hour train to Montpellier.
The savings jumps to $400 if we wait until Monday. That, of course, gets eaten up by hotel etc.
Oh, St.Cirq -- I just saw your post! That gives me a good deal of encouragement to just go on Sunday, whether from CDG or GdeLyon. I'm thinking about all the food and wine, and sand pails and shovels, we could buy with that $300 . . . Two years ago my kids survived an overnight to Dublin and a drive with friends all the way west to Clifden. I was the one who was miserably falling asleep in the car. I guess I should make sure a car rental facility is open after 5 on a Sunday at the Montp. station. . . Next research project!
If we take the idTGV on Sunday (13:24, same day we arrive from US) our total RT for four is 206. Assuming we could get PREM fares for all of us both ways, our total would be 440E, so that's a savings of 234E which equals nearly $300. The only additional outlay of money would be for the taxi (~50E) or shuttle (36E) to Gare de Lyon. We either spend our time waiting around the airport for a TGV that has a stop in Valence and takes 5 hours, or we spend our time getting to Gare de Lyon, finding a place to have a coffee and taking a direct 3.5 hour train to Montpellier.
The savings jumps to $400 if we wait until Monday. That, of course, gets eaten up by hotel etc.
Oh, St.Cirq -- I just saw your post! That gives me a good deal of encouragement to just go on Sunday, whether from CDG or GdeLyon. I'm thinking about all the food and wine, and sand pails and shovels, we could buy with that $300 . . . Two years ago my kids survived an overnight to Dublin and a drive with friends all the way west to Clifden. I was the one who was miserably falling asleep in the car
. I guess I should make sure a car rental facility is open after 5 on a Sunday at the Montp. station. . . Next research project!
May 30th, 2006, 05:53 PM
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Not exactly sure where the 40 is coming from -- idTGV total is 206E (so basically 25E or so one way. Unless we go on Monday when it's 19E per person) The 55E PREM appears to be one way. Total RT saving for the four of us is still 234E. If we take a taxi, we'll spend about 50E to get to the train station, right? Maybe more? If we take the Air France shuttle, it's 36E (two kids). We want to end up in the city (not CDG) upon our return to Paris anyway b/c we'll spend four days there with friends before we head back. So really, it's roughly 180-200E difference to take the idTGV instead of the TGV out of CDG. That still buys a lot of food and wine in Languedoc . Of course by the time I end up hashing it all over and asking all you good Fodorites for your wise input, the great idTGV fares may be gone!
. Of course by the time I end up hashing it all over and asking all you good Fodorites for your wise input, the great idTGV fares may be gone!
May 30th, 2006, 06:39 PM
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I think some people were assuming your 40 euro fare was one-way, not RT. I looked at the SNCF website so saw you can get iDTGVs for about 20 euro one-way for that route. I think you understand the costs well enough and can decide based on whether it's worth it to you. 55 euro is not the cost of a one-way idTGV fare plus part of the taxi cost per person. It would be about right for a single who was covering the entire cost of the taxi alone.
May 31st, 2006, 03:41 AM
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My bad. Your fare per person is about 50E, RT, from Gare de Lyon (not 40). You have 4 people to ride in a cab to Gare de Lyon from CDG-cost about 50E total=12-15E each. Therefore, the fare/person RT is about 62-65E.
Prem fares are one way and about the same as your idTGV RT fare. Unless I have really missed something, I still think this is a no-brainer to take the idTGV.
Total cost 266E app. vs. 440E assuming you can get the same Prem fare back to Paris (110x4x2), not a given I would think.
Prem fares are one way and about the same as your idTGV RT fare. Unless I have really missed something, I still think this is a no-brainer to take the idTGV.
Total cost 266E app. vs. 440E assuming you can get the same Prem fare back to Paris (110x4x2), not a given I would think.
May 31st, 2006, 07:07 AM
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Who would have thought we'd have to do so much math!! I guess I got all that adding and dividing started . . . .
Yeah, it looks like a no-brainer to me too when you consider how much we'll save by getting ourselves to Gare de Lyon for the idTGV. I just wondered if I was missing something.
Thanks to everyone for the input in helping me think through this -- both the numbers and the logistics. (And Avis is open at the Montpellier Gare until 8pm on Sunday, so that works out too.) You guys are the best!
I guess I got all that adding and dividing started . . . .Yeah, it looks like a no-brainer to me too when you consider how much we'll save by getting ourselves to Gare de Lyon for the idTGV. I just wondered if I was missing something.
Thanks to everyone for the input in helping me think through this -- both the numbers and the logistics. (And Avis is open at the Montpellier Gare until 8pm on Sunday, so that works out too.) You guys are the best!
