Paris to Marseille
 

We are a family of 4 and we will be spending 17 days in the South of France (7/2 - 7/17). When I booked our flights we had anticipated spending time in Paris - but our plans changed and now we need to be in Marseille on July 2nd. We will be flying into Paris and arriving on 7/2 at 7:30 am. To get a flight to Marseille at 9:30am will cost $233.00 ea ticket which I do not want to pay. I could take the TGV which would cost $159 ea or get to Orly and fly to Marseille at 10:35 which would cost $68.00 ea. Does anyone know if I landed on time would I make it to Orly in time to board a 10:30 flight. I would consider taking a taxi from CDG to Orly. I would appreciate any ideas. Marie

Another possibility would be the TGV train from CDG to Marne-la-Vallée, connecting to the Ouigo train from there to Marseille.
Checking July 2, there is a train from CDG (TGV5202) leaving at 10h16, arriving MLV at 10h28. The Ouigo train (6257) leaves there at 12H22, arriving Marseille 15h34. As of today, the adult fare would be €33 per person. Children under 12 would pay a lower fare on the Ouigo train.

The Ouigo service is recent and I have no personal experience with it, but could be something to look into since the price is certainly better than your other options and the times look doable.

Where did you get train prices in dollars? Please don't say Rail Europe:)

And what are the ages of the people traveling?

Even if you are all adults, there are fares as low as 57 euros per person direct from CDG to Marseille on July 2.

If you did in fact use RailEurope or Eurorail, that isn't the best way to buy tickets, it is costly.

To learn how to use the best websites, check this out and read a bit and learn how to buy train tickets.

http://www.seat61.com/France-trains.htm

first, no, if your flight lands at 7:30 you cannot get to Orly in time to make a 10:30 flight. The only exception would be if you have no checked baggage and get lucky at the immmigration control, and there is very light traffic and no delays at security at Orly. Conceivably, you could get to Orly by 9 or 9:15 then -- maybe. If it's a local flight, I don't know there standards. I'd count at least a half hour to get through security, and if you can show up at the gate only 30 minutes in advance, maybe.

I think that scenario is pretty impossible, of course. What airline are you getting a one-way ticket to MRS for $68 on from Orly, by the way? You can get one-way tickets on AF for $193 if you wait until the 1:10 pm out of CDG, also. I see their earlier flight is about $234, so I guess that's the one you are referring to. However, AF also has flights out of ORY for only about $68 at 11:40 and 12:50 and 3:30, and the flight at 1:20 pm is only $98. That may be Hop airline, their cheap subsidiary, I've flown them and they were fine.

I'd suggest you just book one of those later flights, that's all. I just checked, they are all available. I'd book the 12:50 probably, to be safe, but you sure don't need to book the 10:35 one.

The train is probably also an option, you probably don't have direct fares (meaning from SNCF). You can take a noon TGV for only about 57 euro each (US$79). The earlier trains are more like 100 euro each. The Hop fare at US$68 is actually a good deal if you want to do that, it's just easier to stay at CDG.

These days, I'd say the best place to check French train fares is www.capitainetrain.com, better even that SNCF's own website voyages-sncf.com (as this keeps trying to divert you to Rail Europe).

- all the correct cheap fares shown
- no booking fee, so what you see is what you pay
- sells the cheaper iDTGV trains as well as regular TGV
- gives a choice of deck on TGV Duplex, you want upper deck for the best views
- Gives a choice of seat options including forward facing seats on some but not all TGV routes.

US-based resellers generally add a booking fee, can't sell iDTGV, allocate your seat with no choices (you could end up on the lower deck of a Duplex with restricted views). Worse, I've known some sellers try to suppress the cheapest fares for the US market. So better to book direct.

If you're not seeing French train fares in euros, you're in the wrong place!