kerouac

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.

janisj

"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.

Michael

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?

kerouac

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

thursdaysd

Eat lunch.

bilboburgler

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

janisj

"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).

Christina

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.

janisj

"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.

shelemm

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.

janisj

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.

pepperment

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

kerouac

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.

janisj

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.

shelemm

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.

bilboburgler

"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.

janisj

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

ParisAmsterdam

Peppermint,

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

kerouac

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.