Munich to Paris: Plane or Train?
 

We need to get from Munich to Paris as part of a fall vacation. Should we take a train or fly? I looked for an economy flight on Easy Jet but apparently, from Munich, it only goes to London. Any suggestions, comparing cost, etc? I thought someone might know of some other "cheap" airlines that would offer a good deal on one-way tickets.

Thanks!

Try checking flights at www.airberlin.com

enjoy the trip
dilly

Thanks demelo1 -- what do you know about DBA airlines? Their flights are so cheap...

If you input your itinerary at www.skyscanner.net you'll get a few more options.

Input to "all" Paris airports.

Hi J,

Also see www.whichbudget.com

((I))

Thanks so much! Skyscanner shows a great rate for DBA as well. whichbudget doesnt' link me to that airline. Has anyone flown DBA?

I flew Air Berlin last summer. Excellent, Excellent, Excellent. From Zurich to Berlin, free non-alcohol beverages and a ham or cheese sandwich and cute flight attendants. Great leg room, too.

I would say that as long as you book early and can get the non-refundable Spar Tarif of €56 (€15 plus TF), flying DBA looks pretty good. MUC and Orly are pretty accessible airports; transportation to/from downtowns adds about €14 for a €70 total. Total time downtown to downtown is probably 5 1/2 - 6 hours. If they enforce the 6 kg hand luggage limit, most people will have to pick up checked luggage on arrival.

If you can't find a good airfare, there are two rail alternatives. There is a night train that leaves Munich at 9 PM and gets into Paris at 7 AM. That way actually uses less productive time than flying and saves the cost of a hotel room. I know of someone who just found €120 pP tickets for a double compartment on that train by calling DB at +49 1805 99 66 33. There are also SparNight tickets available on that train for 4 or 6 person couchettes for €49 or €39 respectively.

Alternatively, you can get a SparPreis ticket on the 8:40 EC from Munich to Strasbourg online for €29. To continue on the same train to Paris (17:12) would probably require getting a ticket from RailEurope for $45 (€38). The following train gets into Paris at 18:40 and there can be PREMS tickets for that train available online for selfprint at €26-€34.

I got a flight on Air Berlin from Rome to Zurich for $71.43 per person. Seems very reasonable to me.

Wally34949: Great to hear you had a positive experience. Now I am looking forward to it. Bet my husband will be too when I tell him what you said about the stewardesses.

I'll be flying the reverse next month -- from Paris Orly to Munich on DBA (which was spun off from British Airways, hence Deutsche British Airways). I vaguely remember reading somewhere that they are quite highly rated as far as service goes.