Dap05

Hello all, I am new to this forum and thoroughly enjoying it! I will be taking my first trip abroad and I am excited and nervous. I will be traveling in Germany with a group for work. My Germany part of the trip will end in Mainz on Oct 28 and I have decided to travel to Paris solo for a few days Oct 29 to Nov 1. I went to the bahn train site and felt overwhelmed. I only need a one way train ticket to Paris and was wondering if it is better to get the train from Frankfurt to Paris or Mainz to Paris? It seems there are train changes from Mainz and that scares me. Any advice is greatly appreciated to my inexperienced self. Also I tried to determine the cost of a train ticket and I just couldn't get it. Thanks!

Michael

If you are in Mainz and need to catch the train to Paris from Frankfurt, you will have to change trains even if your tickets are two separate transactions (Mainz-Frankfurt and Frankfurt-Paris). I do not see the advantage of separating the trips. You will be sold a ticket that gives you enough time to change trains if you buy your ticket to go from Mainz to Paris.

Dap05

Thanks for your reply. Can you tell me the difference between ic and ice train?

adrienne

Exactly what Michael said. If you travel from Frankfurt you will have to take a train from Mainz to Frankfurt which will necessitate a change.

I'm not sure why you're nervous about changing trains? What's to be nervous about?

I see 2 discounted rates of E69 and E89 for Oct 29 from Mainz to Paris, leaving at 8:40 and 10:40. The other rates will be higher since the discounted boxes are gray. The 8:40 train has 1 change with a 22 minute transfer. The 10:40 train takes almost 2 hours longer with one long transfer.

Grab some food and water for your train trip either at the Mainz or Frankfurt stations.

Michael

<i>Thanks for your reply. Can you tell me the difference between ic and ice train?</i>

I do not know. When I look at the official web site for a train schedule, I look at the length of time for the journey and the price. How the railroad organizes and identifies the type of train is of no interest to me. Of course, by the time I buy the ticket I will know if I am taking a TGV in France, or a Regionale in Italy or whatever type in Germany.

BTW, the transfer time of 22 minutes given by Adrienne is more than enough time.

adrienne

You can get the answer from google.

http://www.railgermany.net/deutsche-...y-ec-eurocity/

http://europeforvisitors.com/germany...ice-trains.htm

I agree with Michael - what does it matter what type the train is. Look for price or duration - that's what matters to me.

quokka

There are commuter trains from Mainz to Frankfurt at least every 20 minutes. If you are nervous about changing trains in Frankfurt, simply catch an earlier train from Mainz so you arrive earlier at Frankfurt central station and have more time to find your way. The train ticket allows this.

adrienne

quokka - do you live in the Frankfurt area?

klondike

IMPORTANT INFO: Just so you are aware, Nov. 1 (All Saints Day) is a legal holiday and many, if not most, museums etc. will be closed so you might want to research and plan accordingly to see what is open that day.

re quokka above: 'simply catch an earlier train from Mainz'

To do this you want to make that decision BEFORE purchasing reduced fare and would have two tickets (one to Frankfurt, one to Paris) Most advanced purchase,reduced fares cannot be changed once they are bought so you can't just suddenly decide to take an earlier train at the last minute. Read the terms of the particular ticket carefuly.

Happy Travels!

mamcalice

No advice but If you can possibly squeeze a couple extra days for Paris you will have no regrets. There is so much to see and do there.

quokka

>you can't just suddenly decide to take an earlier train at the last minute.

You can! The fixed connection is the long-distance train. But you are allowed to take a different local train to reach the starting point even with the discounted tickets.

adrienne: I live in Karlsruhe now but used to live in Hessen for 13 years.

PalenQ

To do this you want to make that decision BEFORE purchasing reduced fare and would have two tickets (one to Frankfurt, one to Paris) Most advanced purchase,reduced fares cannot be changed once they are bought so you can't just suddenly decide to take an earlier train at the last minute.>

even if the discounted tickets are changeable just buying a regular S-Bahn ticket Mainz to Frankfurt can't cost more then several euros I would think so how much savings can the discounted ticket offer? But if the discount tickets on regional trains lets you take any train then I guess save the few euros - but there are so so many Mainz to Frankfurt trains - both S-Bahns and IC trains and regional trains, etc just yes build some extra change time in - Frankfurt Hbs is a huge station with zillions of tracks and even though the signage is excellent it may flummox a first-time traveler a bit.

and S-bahn trains may arrive in the lower level, even more flummoxing perhaps for a novice.

some great sites for figuring out German and French trains - www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com. And do not fret a change of trains - there are usually free luggage carts everywhere - keep some small change to use them - you get the coins back when you re-engage the carts trackside by your train.

capxxx

The point, Dap, is that the fast inter-city trains go between Frankfurt and Paris, both big transit centers. Mainz is on a smaller branch line just outside of Frankfurt, so you pretty much will have to go via Frankfurt.

I agree with quokka and PalenQ: buy the IC/ICE ticket between Frankfurt and Paris, and take a commuter train from Mainz to Frankfurt Hbf (HauptBanhof = central station) giving yourself enough time to feel comfortable about getting oriented.

klondiketoo

Thanks for the clarification re: local/commuter trains...good to know.

Dap05

Wow, thank you all for your replies. This is helpful info. I think I will go from Mainz to Frankfurt to Paris as suggested. Thanks again!