Orleans to Amboise on a Sunday
 

My wife and I are arriving in gare des Aubrais-Orléans on Sunday, October 2nd on our way to our accommodations in Amboise. I didn't anticipate that car rental agencies would be be closed. I am looking for suggestions on how we can get transportation on a Sunday by bus or train, etc.in the mid-afternoon. Thank you in advance.

Have you called the car rental agency to see if they will open Sunday just for you? They often will for a fee - usually about 25€. But I do wonder what car rental agency rented to you for a Sunday pickup, because it's pretty much standard in Europe for rental outfits to be closed on Sundays.

If you take a train or bus won't you have to return to Orléans the next day to pick up the car?

There are trains at 12:42, 14:42, and 16:42

Thanks for your reply. I have not yet made the car reservation but I have spoken to the agency and their location at gare des Aubrais-Orléans is closed but the downtown location will open for a fee combined with the cost and hassle to get there. The train schedule that you posted is very helpful and I assume is available at that station. Do you know the name of the train company as I am quite sure it is not Rail Europe. Also, is the train to Amboise also at gare des Aubrais-Orléans?

The "company" is the French National Railway (SNCF). You can get schedules and pricing on www.voyages-sncf.com, but if you are planning to use an American credit card, or don't want to be re-directed to Rail Europe when you try to use it in English, use www.capitainetrain.com, an official SNCF affiliate that has the exact same schedules and pricing as SNCF.

The hours I gave you were from Orléans Centrale. Can't you just arrive at that station?

to the agency and their location at gare des Aubrais-Orléans is closed but the downtown location will open for a fee combined with the cost and hassle to get there>

easy to get there from Aubrais - a suburban mainline station - not all trains go into the dead-end Gare d' Orleans (or simply Orleans station) but most car rentals are located opposite that station - very few near Aubrais- there is a shuttle train that meets all trains to go from Aubrais to Orleans Centre station or the tram out front the station will take you right to the car rental offices near the station.

Trains to Avignon leave from Aubrais and some leave from both but all will serve Aubrais first.

Why not take the TGV from Paris to St-Pierre-des-Corps -lots of car rentals there - not sure of Sunday hours but a busier station than Aubrais or Orleans- and it's a shorter train ride or drive to Amboise from there.

If you have to take the train back to the car rental the next day Amboise to St-Pierre-des-Corps is shorter than Orleans to Amboise.

Or on a Sunday as traffic in Paris is pretty calm just rent the car in Paris and drive on the autoroute to Amboise- an easy drive.

That's not a bad idea but most car rental companies at St Pierre des Corps are closed on Sunday, also. One is open (Avis) from 3 pm to 7 pm on Sunday so that would limit your company (although most rates seem fairly competitive nowadays) but seems to work timewise for what the OP wants.

How about staying in Orleans that night - there are many hotels near the Orleans station and car rentals - Orleans is a pleasant town though on Sundays like most sizable French cities it is rather dead in the center of town. But a great great (underrated cathedral) and restaurants - a non-touristy town quite the opposite of
Amboise.

I have lived off and on in Orleans over the years as my son grew up there and I would never recommend a visit here over many other IMO nicer towns (like Tours) but it is a pleasant place - stay the night - leave in morning by car - save a day on a car rental cost.

You can get a train to Amboise from either Les- Aubrais or Orleans. Most trains for Amboise depart from Orleans. Not sure why you're considering train if you need to return to pick- up rental. Your best option may be to pay extra fee to get car on a Sunday. May be cheaper and certainly more of a time saver than several train tickets to/ from Orleans/ Les-Aubrais.

St. Pierre- des-Corps may work, all depends are where you're coming from.

Try this website for train schedules. www.thetrainline-europe.com

Thank you all for your responses. Great suggestions. Fortunately, I did purchase the rail protection plan and with all of your suggestions I am now better prepared to fine tune our October 2nd travel plans.