Paris CDG airport transportation & other train travel in France
Oct 28th, 2003, 07:53 AM
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Paris CDG airport transportation & other train travel in France
Hi,
[Please note that I have been unable to use the search function on this forum for the last couple of weeks, so forgive me if my topic was already been addressed in an earlier thread.]
First: My boyfriend and I will be arriving at the Paris CDG Airport on United Airlines at around 8:00 am on a Thursday. What would be the easiest way for us to get to our hotel--taxi or one of the airport shuttles (and if shuttle, which one)? We don't mind paying up to about 35 Euros each; however if the shuttle is way cheaper, and not too much of a hassle (i.e., if they have to drop off a few passengers first, but they're kind of on the way to our hotel), we'd do that. Do they tend to group passengers who are staying in the same general area on the same shuttle, or is it pretty random? We're staying at the Hotel de Lutece on the Ile St. Louis (4th Arr.) Also, we speak very little French, if that makes a difference.
Second: After being in Paris for 6 days, we plan to take the train to Lyon, stay there for a couple of days, then rent a car and drive around the nearby contryside, probably ending up in Beaune. Then we plan to drop the car off in Beaune or somewhere near there, and take the train back to Paris for our final night. My question is, should we try to reserve/purchase our train tickets before we leave for France, or just do it once we get to France (and how far in advance should we do it?) For some reason, I couldn't seem to find info on this nor on the locations of the various train stations on the TGV/SCNF website.
Thanks!
[Please note that I have been unable to use the search function on this forum for the last couple of weeks, so forgive me if my topic was already been addressed in an earlier thread.]
First: My boyfriend and I will be arriving at the Paris CDG Airport on United Airlines at around 8:00 am on a Thursday. What would be the easiest way for us to get to our hotel--taxi or one of the airport shuttles (and if shuttle, which one)? We don't mind paying up to about 35 Euros each; however if the shuttle is way cheaper, and not too much of a hassle (i.e., if they have to drop off a few passengers first, but they're kind of on the way to our hotel), we'd do that. Do they tend to group passengers who are staying in the same general area on the same shuttle, or is it pretty random? We're staying at the Hotel de Lutece on the Ile St. Louis (4th Arr.) Also, we speak very little French, if that makes a difference.
Second: After being in Paris for 6 days, we plan to take the train to Lyon, stay there for a couple of days, then rent a car and drive around the nearby contryside, probably ending up in Beaune. Then we plan to drop the car off in Beaune or somewhere near there, and take the train back to Paris for our final night. My question is, should we try to reserve/purchase our train tickets before we leave for France, or just do it once we get to France (and how far in advance should we do it?) For some reason, I couldn't seem to find info on this nor on the locations of the various train stations on the TGV/SCNF website.
Thanks!
Oct 28th, 2003, 08:41 AM
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A taxi will cost about 45E for the two of you and take you door to door with no waiting. A shuttle will be about 29E for two and you may (or may not) have to wait for another passenger at CDG and may (or may not) have to let others off before arriving at your hotel.
Since you will be in Paris for a number of days I would think you could just purchase your tickets at that point. Who knows, your plans might change. Be sure to reserve your car in advance, however.
Since you will be in Paris for a number of days I would think you could just purchase your tickets at that point. Who knows, your plans might change. Be sure to reserve your car in advance, however.
Oct 28th, 2003, 08:53 AM
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Rick Steves (Europe Through the Back Door) recommends Airport Connection (www.airport-connection.com). The price for two people is 35E. As Gretchen says, for maximum flexibility you could wait until you get to France to buy your train tickets. However, you can buy them on the sncf site, but no more than 60 days in advance.
Oct 28th, 2003, 08:54 AM
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Hi rmmr
Suggestions for shuttle from CDG to your hotel: Paris Shuttle (parishuttle.com), and the Bee shuttle (bee-shuttle.com) about 15 E each.
French train schedules and reservations can be found at http://www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/
You can book online up to 60 days in advance. There are discounts, but I think that they are only for RT.
Suggestions for shuttle from CDG to your hotel: Paris Shuttle (parishuttle.com), and the Bee shuttle (bee-shuttle.com) about 15 E each.
French train schedules and reservations can be found at http://www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/
You can book online up to 60 days in advance. There are discounts, but I think that they are only for RT.
Oct 28th, 2003, 08:54 AM
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Hi,
If you know the dates you want to travel on, then certainly, book your train tickets in advance. For high-speed TGV trains you can book up to 2 months in advance, and on the SNCF web site you can usually find cheap advanced ticket deals called "Prem's" fares. The Paris-Lyon Prem fare is 35 euros per person, each way. The best thing about these tickets is that you can print them out at home (a PDF file is generated with the passenger's name, DOB and seat allocation), and you can keep a computerised copy of your ticket stored in your email inbox in case you lose your printed copy. The tickets are only valid on the train if you have valid ID proving that you are the person named on the ticket. The big disadvantage is that the tickets are non-refundable, non-exchangeable.
The later you leave it, the more expensive your train tickets are likely to be. I'm a compulsive planner and hate not knowing when I'm going to be travelling (down to the last half hour!) so I prefer to have everything booked well in advance, but if flexibility is more of a concern to you than prices, then there's no reason why you shouldn't wait till you're in Paris to get the tix.
If you know the dates you want to travel on, then certainly, book your train tickets in advance. For high-speed TGV trains you can book up to 2 months in advance, and on the SNCF web site you can usually find cheap advanced ticket deals called "Prem's" fares. The Paris-Lyon Prem fare is 35 euros per person, each way. The best thing about these tickets is that you can print them out at home (a PDF file is generated with the passenger's name, DOB and seat allocation), and you can keep a computerised copy of your ticket stored in your email inbox in case you lose your printed copy. The tickets are only valid on the train if you have valid ID proving that you are the person named on the ticket. The big disadvantage is that the tickets are non-refundable, non-exchangeable.
The later you leave it, the more expensive your train tickets are likely to be. I'm a compulsive planner and hate not knowing when I'm going to be travelling (down to the last half hour!) so I prefer to have everything booked well in advance, but if flexibility is more of a concern to you than prices, then there's no reason why you shouldn't wait till you're in Paris to get the tix.
Oct 28th, 2003, 09:16 AM
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Hi,
For door to door, you have been given good suggestions. There are two "lesser" ways of getting to your hotel, meaning cheaper but walking involved.
Roissybus is a shuttle bus that runs from the airport to Opera. Cost is 8.2E From there you would walk over to the Metro and go 5 stops to Sully Morland, cross over the bridge to Ile St Louis.
Or...take the RER train from CDG to St Michel. From there, you could walk across to Notre Dame, then over to Ile St Louis. Cost is 7.7E (also included Metro access if you wanted to loop over to Sully Morland).
Metro cost is 1.3E per ticket, or a "carnet" of 10 for 9.6E
You will love Ile St Louis! I've stayed at a hotel on the island, and that area is one of my favourites. Do go to Reine Blanche for dinner!
Enjoy!
MIke
For door to door, you have been given good suggestions. There are two "lesser" ways of getting to your hotel, meaning cheaper but walking involved.
Roissybus is a shuttle bus that runs from the airport to Opera. Cost is 8.2E From there you would walk over to the Metro and go 5 stops to Sully Morland, cross over the bridge to Ile St Louis.
Or...take the RER train from CDG to St Michel. From there, you could walk across to Notre Dame, then over to Ile St Louis. Cost is 7.7E (also included Metro access if you wanted to loop over to Sully Morland).
Metro cost is 1.3E per ticket, or a "carnet" of 10 for 9.6E
You will love Ile St Louis! I've stayed at a hotel on the island, and that area is one of my favourites. Do go to Reine Blanche for dinner!
Enjoy!
MIke
