Paris>Strasbourg: private driver?
 

Hi All,
Can anyone recommend private driver companies/services for getting from CDG to Strasbourg? Normally we would drive, but after the flight/jetlag etc, standing in line at a pharmacy, thinking our driving not such a good idea. I believe it's about a 4 hour drive, though my husband is hung-ho, I would appreciate all suggestions. Yes the train is direct from Paris but the times aren't working for us (nor the 2 stop options that require a mad dash to another station within 18").
Many thanks!
Peppermint

Why not catch the direct TGV 61 or 5, takes 2 hours. No changes and twice as fast as a car (if you are lucky, even more if you are not)

I've not done this exact journey with this company but this website works well as a consolidator https://mydaytrip.com/

I should think closer to 5 hours a more realistic timeframe to drive from CDG to Strasbourg, considering traffic and the eventual stops for fuel and other necessities. You will of course pay for the driver's time and expense to return to Paris. I can give you a list of potential companies which may meet your requirements, but the overall cost may be sizeable:

https://www.bestoffrancetours.com/
- Welcome in Paris
Online Car Rental Services avec chauffeur | Paris Major Limousines international
Services - Maison MASSEY

Here's a company for only 730 euros.

Chauffeur VTC Aéroport Paris Charles De Gaulle - Strasbourg | Clic-VTC™ (clic-vtc-strasbourg.com)

just a question, I don't understand hung-ho, but I don't get a lot of US idioms, so what did you mean?

if just a typo then Gung ho is an English term, with the current meaning of "overly enthusiastic or energetic", I'm not sure what that would mean in this context, does that mean he wants to race from train to train or you are concerned that he feels that attitude would do well on a motorway after an 8 hour flight?

I took it to mean that the husband really wants to drive and the spouse is looking for more reasonable options.

thanks kerouac, the spouse is very sensible

Yes I know about the train (as noted in my post) but it won't work with our timing. Did you find the "mydaytrip.org" reliable, safe and legitimate?

Wow that's alot of dough....didn't realize it. Might just ditch Alsace.

yes, but, before covid and not in France

Hmmmm perhaps we drive...$800 is too much...not particularly wedded to Strasbourg (unless you all say its wonderful). We could take in a rest stop or if a wonderful village (Nancy?) perhaps stay overnight. Ideas? Haven't gotten our itinerary nailed down yet.

If you think Nancy is a village, perhaps you need to study guidebooks a bit more. In any case, the A4 autoroute to Strasbourg goes through Metz instead of Nancy.

I still don't understand why you think the train wouldn't work. Even if you take a taxi from CDG to Gare de l'Est, the train trip to Strasbourg from there takes less than two hours; and there are plenty of trains.

I'm with kerouac on this, driving is just not as pleasant as taking the train and if you have to kill an hour, then kill an hour, eat a meal, grab a shower or just people watch. You are on holiday.

I'd suggest searching trainline.com for Paris to Strasbourg tickets. They have trains (non stop) running about one each hour from Gare de l'Est to Strasbourg for under 100 for First Class. You'd have to get to Gare de l'Est first, but 55 euros gets you both there.

Do not drive after a transatlantic flight. The equivalent of driving whilst drunk, which I hope neither you or your Gung Ho other half do at home. Combined with a strange car, strange roads and different rules and signs it is a recipe for disaster.
If the trains don't work for you, though it is hard to see why they don't, take a day from the end of you trip, and stay in Paris or near CDG to get over your flight before any driving. West to east jet lag can be awful.

Definitely do not drive yourself!

Please explain why you think that the trains don't work. There are direct trains from CDG, what is wrong with them? Where are you looking for train times?

Hi Kerouac,
The train schedule doesn't fit with our arrival at CDG. After we land, we plan to go to a pharmacy there (which could be a 2 hour task) for the passe sanitaire. (not so keen on searching pharmacies in Paris or in the countryside where there are fewer).
The only CDG departure time that would work requires TWO transfers, one of which allows only TEN MINUTES to get to the departing station (predicted to be an 8" walk).
The other later departures would require us to wait at CDG until 5:30 pm for the next train.
Hope you understand now.

And please forgive me for calling Nancy a village-have no idea, just heard it was pretty there. I would like to know of a layover (village or town) where we could go for the night and thus would not require a 5 hour drive after a very long flight from SF-CDG, when we are likely jet lagged.

Make sense?

But getting to Gare L'Est & getting a train there is an idea...I will check. Obviously I don't want to drive unless there is public transit option that works. Seriously check the train schedule from CDG you will see that the most trains require at least one transfer: not ideal.

Sorry, still don't understand the problem. Picking a random date this month and next, I see direct trains from CDG at 15:20 and 16:07 as well as 17:25. If you think you would just miss the 16:07 you have time for a leisurely afternoon coffee, and you would still save time, not to mention a lot of money, over driving. This is on the SNCF site.

Trust me. We arrive at CDG at 10:30 am...hanging out til 15:07 is not our cup of tea. 13:00 would be ideal, non-stop. Yes we looked at the SNCF site. My guess is that the train from CDG goes to Gare L'est after CDG, so it wouldn't help.
Let's move on: we will figure it out. Would appreciate your help on a layover between CDG & Alsace (Strasbourg definitely not our first choice as a final destination). We've got plenty of time, in France for a month.
Cheers!

TGVs from CDG to not stop in any station in Paris since they are all terminus stations. They go around Paris. Meanwhile, there are 12 trains a day from Paris-Est to Strasbourg.

"Trust me. We arrive at CDG at 10:30 am...hanging out til 15:07 is not our cup of tea. "

It would be a much better cup of tea than driving with jet lag after an over night flight. Just. Don't. Drive.

Either -- take one of the several trains a day . . . or spend the night and take a train or drive the next day.

Strasbourg is a major city. Your hotel can tell you where you can get a passe sanitaire, or do you need it to take the train?

Not to mention the big pharmacy right inside Gare de l'Est. (Yes, you need it to take a long distance train.)

Eat lunch.

Reims, just get off the train and you are in the centre of Champagne or
Metz or Nancy, just get off the train and a short taxi takes you to two lovely towns

"Trust me. We arrive at CDG at 10:30 am...hanging out til 15:07 is not our cup of tea. 13:00 would be ideal, non-stop. Yes we looked at the SNCF site. My guess is that the train from CDG goes to Gare L'est after CDG, so it wouldn't help."

Just looking at your times . . . You really wouldn't have much 'hanging out' time. You likely will not be out of CDG until 12:30 or even 1PM - so 15:07 is not a long wait at all. CDG can be a total zoo at the best of times and and with a morning arrival, lines tend to be long (looooong/slow).

Nancy is a major city of about 100K population, not a village.

Strasbourg is to the east of Paris so it would make no sense for trains to go from CDG into Paris and then to Strasbourg. I suspect you are referring to itineraries that tell you to take the RER into Paris and then a train.

I suppose it depends on your dates but I admit I don't see some of these trains other mention, but I finally figured out they were referring to trains from Paris, not CDG. And there aren't that many direct, I agree, which surprised me, from CDG.

What I do see is one that leaves around noon from CDG (12:04) and then you transfer at Marne-la-Vallee-Chessy, which is fairly common for that route. But the changeover time is 15 minutes, which should be fine. That is TGV 5026 then 5440.
That gets into Strasbourg at 14:31. If you arrive at 10:30, you may not be really until around 11:30 anyway.

The one from Paris at 15:20 doesn't get there until about 5 pm anyway. But if you drove, driving alone takes about 5 hours, and that doesn't include the time to get the car or to get to a hotel/park etc at Strasbourg. So all in all, you probably wouldn't get there until at least 5 pm or later if you drove. And if you don't think you can make the noon train, that means you would be even later.

"What I do see is one that leaves around noon from CDG (12:04) . . ."

They ain't gonna make that train with a 10:30 arrival at CDG.

I have driven plenty of times after a transatlantic flight. For me, I am completely energized upon arriving in Europe, so it depends on the individual.

Doesn't really. It isn't just jet lag it is the documented micro sleeps. One usually doesn't even know they are happening. You may feel OK doing this, but please don't suggest others do it.

Hi ALL,
Mea Culpa! Wow you were right about the train. I can take a train from Paris EST to Strasbourg (non-stop) for 92€ very nice: So Questions:
1. Is Paris EST the same as Gare EST?
2. Is Paris EST the most convenient from CDG?
3. TGV site says there are only 2 tickets first class left? Really? For May 2022? Should I grab them???
4. I assume there would be no refund if for some reason I can't use.

Thank you for haranguing me about taking the train: I was assuming (incorrectly) that it would be best to leave from CDG.

Peppermint

Paris-Est and Gare de l'Est are the same station and the only station in Paris from which you can take a train to Strasbourg.

Not to worry -- 'Gare' is just 'Station' in French so Paris EST is the same thing. Its actual name is Gare de l'Est ('from the east')

(Paris train stations are laid out sort of like in London where each station/gare has trains in one general direction, so gare's Nord, Est, Lyon, Montparnasse, etc each have trains to different regions in France. Paris EST is what you want for heading east from Paris.

What is far more dangerous is walking in London. American pedestrians are hit in London because they are not used to looking for cars coming from the right. Even if you're quite vigilant. But you wouldn't tell people not to walk in London. Same thing for driving in England. One wrong turn and BAM! It's so easy to make one little mistake.

I am not saying that everyone should do it, but after a couple of trips to Europe, I realized I could get sleep on the plane and feel energized after arrival. I wouldn't do this at night, but starting off early in the morning was fine for me. If someone has been to Europe and sees this as not being a problem, then I am happy to relate my experiences which I will continue to do.

"If someone has been to Europe and sees this as not being a problem," sorry, you lost me here, can you break out what you are asking.

Anecdotes don't make data. You've done it -- great -- does not man anything at all re the next time you try it.

1st Class
 

Peppermint,

Don't stress over lack of 1st class tickets. 2nd class on a TGV is just fine.

Especially for a trip of less than 2 hours. But it is totally certain that the train is not totally sold out yet. The situation changes every day and it is the computer that releases the seats as per mysterious algorithms.