We are going to Paris in a couple of weeks and we still need to book travel from Paris to Nice. We are staying in Paris for 3 nignts and Nice for 3 nights. We have never taken the train before. Should we take the TGV train(6 hr trip) or Plane (1.5 hr trip) It does cost more to take the plane but is it worth it? Is it easier to take the plane or train. We only went to Europe once and that was to Italy 6 years ago. Not alot of experience. Any suggestions?

thanks, krystin

Well if you want to see what France the country looks like then this TGV route is splendid - bucolic Burgundy, the Rhone Valley and Provence via Avignon then along the coast to Nice

see more than airports this way

and the air flight can always be longer than thought - getting to airport - checking in - de-planing, getting then to nice from airport, etc. could make the time savings a lot less than expected.

planes can be cheaper than train, depending on what kind of fare you get on either - both have advance online discounts and very high full fare walk up rates. www.voyages-sncf.com for best train prices. www.easyjet.com one of the cheap discount carriers

Act now for possible cheaper train tickets - two weeks many cheaper ones may be gone. Compare prices at www.voyages-sncf.com (if you cannot get one of the deep discounted PREM fares - with Raileurope.com prices - this is the French Railways in U.S. and generally higher but not always - i always recommend www.budgeteuropetravel.com for any Raileurope product as you can talk to someone knowledgeable IME and service is tops (and the one-day France Railpass may well be cheaper than paying full fare!). But voyages-sncf.com is often the best rates BUT be warned the site causes many folks to go into conniptions actually booking. thankfully we have some folks like Ira and TimS that help people navigate and succeed in using the site. In any case have a reservation before going to France as the Paris-Nice trains are very popular.

My travel agent has a deal on the TGV Train - 1st class roundtrip $310 US each. It was $500 a couple of months ago. Is this a good rate now?

I would have taken the plane, if it were a connecting flight. However, since it's not, it's more a tossup. I hate airports and flying, so I'd probably take the train, but it is a long trip. With travel, and getting there early, etc., you probably would still save an hour or two by flying.

I don't understand that train fare, there are no special RT train fares in France, and you don't need a RT ticket, anyway, do you? Are you going all the way back to Paris to go home? yikes... well I would not take the train both ways, that's for sure, takes too long. Book a flight home from Nice. You will no doubt go through Paris, but it should be straightforward.

$310 is around 190 euro or only 95 each way . For first class, that is a good rate if those are regular tickets (refundable and exchangeable), it's a very long trip. Regular first class fare on that route is around 160 euro one-way. Even a PREM or advance purchase fare is around 60 euro, and that isn't changeable.

You're way too late to get the best discount fares on either a budget airline like easyJet or the train.

However, I entered some arbitrary dates for mid-May at www.voyages-sncf.com and found 1st class iDTGV fares as low as $109 each way ($218 roundtrip).

What date do you wish to go Paris-Nice and what date do you wish to go Nice-Paris?

We didn't purchase anything yet. I need to by Monday. Are their different trains. My American Express agent said we should take the TGV High-Speed Train. Is an RT train different? It is almost 6 hrs each way 1st class. I was surprised the drop in price over the last 2 months. I hate airports too, but I also don't like sitting for 6 hours either. Either way, we need to figure out the best option for us. The train did sound interesting but maybe not both ways... Thanks. Any other imput would be much appreciated for us 1st timers. We are just winging it.

Krystin

I just looked at train fares for later this month, and for an 8:30am trip on the date I checked, non-PREM 2nd class is 80E, & 1st class is 100E one-way.

I would take the plane - much better on-time rate, less hassle, and most of the route is scenic. The approach by plane into the Cote D'Azure is also quite scenic. Second class on a train is about the same as buisness class on a plane, IMO.

Hotel to hotel, I bet you're looking at a 7 train trip, vs a 5 1/4 hr trip by plane. Add about 30 mins to the plane trip if you'll be going to the Paris airport during commute hours. Add 30 mins to the plane time if you're staying in the 16th or other northwest arr.

Are you aware that the TGV can take you directly to CDG airport?

Stu Dudley

I am leaving Paris to Nice on 5/20 and returning to Paris on 5/23. I went to the Voyages-sncf website but I couldn't understand all of it. I also couldn't see an English translation.?

>>Add 30 mins to the plane time if you're staying in the 16th or other northwest arr.<<

Oops - should be "Add 30 mins to the train time"

Stu Dudley

krystin,

When Christina uses "RT" she means roundtrip, not a type of train.

The fares have NOT come down as time has gone by. The standard fare, either 1st or 2nd class is always the same. Lower fares simply means that some discount seats are still available for certain trains on certain dates. Booked far enough in advance, the fare can be as low as 19€ for a 2nd class ticket and 39€ for a 1st class ticket.

I'll ask again. What dates you wish to travel Paris-Nice and Nice-Paris?

We are going to travel 5/20 from Paris to Nice. and 5/23 travel from Nice back to Paris.

Oops! I didn't scroll down far enough to see that you had already posted your dates. On 20 May you can still get a 1st class fare of 49.90€ on the 08:04 Paris-Nice iDTGV and on 23 May you can still get a 1sl class fare of 70.90€ on the 17:35 iDTGV.

This may not appeal to you, but there is also a direct night rain between Paris and Nice.

Depending upon the time of day, easyJet still has fares around 60€ for either CDG-Nice or Orly-Nice. Same for the return. See www.easyjet.com.

Thanks, Tim and everyone else.

I think we will fly with Easy Jet. I found a early morning flight for $256 Euro total for both of us round trip. As far as the voyages-sncf.com, I couldn't begin to figure it out. I guess we already have a long flight from the US to France, so maybe we don't want to sit on a train for 6 hrs. Thanks for all of your help! I appreciate it. I am going to get the Speedy Boarding pass. The website made it look like I needed it. I didn't get the insurance. Hopefully we don't need it.

Thanks,
Krystin

kyrstin,

IMO, so long as you check in well before the deadline you won't need to buy the Speedy Boarding pass. Those with passes will board first and everyone else will board according to the time they checked in. If you check in early, even with open seating you and your husband should be able to sit together. But it's your call.

Be sure to observe the luggage weight and size limits. It will cost you if you don't.

Hi K,

>My travel agent has a deal on the TGV Train - 1st class roundtrip $310 US each. It was $500 a couple of months ago. Is this a good rate now?

www.voyages-sncf.com will sell you 1cl RT PREMS tickets for $190 each.

2cl PRMS, which is perfectly OK, if you are under 45, are $125 ea.

You can print your tickets online.

I strongly suggest that, with such a short time, you consider staying in Paris this trip and visit France another time.

Enjoy your visit.

My travel agent has a deal on the TGV Train - 1st class roundtrip $310 US each. It was $500 a couple of months ago. Is this a good rate now?

Get another travel agent who knows what they are doing as

for $278 p.p. you could get a 3-day/1 month France Flexipass for three days unlimited train travel in France of your choice over a one-month period - one to go to Nice and one back and one other one - even if just train to airport in Paris

and you can buy a 4th or 5th day on the pass, up to 10 at just $40 a day in 1st class - or 25 euros - now that's a steal - so Ira's voyages-sncf.com is better than the pass but what you travel agent proposed was rather incompetent IMO

Passes are not sold in France and even though in the example above Ira's findings on sncf.com would be better as the pass offers subsequent days at just $40/day in 1st class or 25 euros or so folks doing more railing than you may find them a good deal. For pass info and lots of train travel in France i always recommend www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com as these two sites offer much more than just a pass price list and a Buy button. Prices are universal and are set by raileurope.com it seems, largely owned by the French Railways, or SNCF

Since your trip is pretty short ( 6 days), I'd say take the plane. It's a short ride, only an hour and a half. If you really want to see the beautiful French countryside, take a day trip from Nice to Provence or Eze or St. Paul. You'll probably see a lot more of it than you would from a train window.

<You'll probably see a lot more of it than you would from a train window>

i have to disagree - train windows are clear and you can see for miles and miles over the signature French countryside of rolling hills, villages punctuated by church steeples, Burgundy vineyards, etc.

Just don't fathom why i can't see the countryside from a train window - huge windows.

The countryside of the Riviera area is starkly different IME - more arid and not at all like most of France.

And you can also take a night train to Nice from Paris - if you don't care to see countryside, wake up in Nice and save a hotel night's cost to boot.

If you haven't yet bought airplane tickets, try to get a window seat on the right side of the plane. That way you get an amazing overview of the area as you fly in to the Nice airport. If the weather is clear, you will see Monaco, Nice and the Côte d'Azur as the plane circles around the bay and touches down.