Paris Train to Loire:Questions
Apr 21st, 2010, 08:07 AM
#1
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Paris Train to Loire:Questions
Family of 4 to take train from Paris to Loire where we will rent a car.
I see some schedule options that only give 5 minutes to change train at St Pierre des Corps to go on to Tours. Is that enough time, esp. if we each have a large bag? Where are the bags kept on train---are they quickly retrievable or must I allow some time? Can I rent an automatic car in St Pierre or must I go on to TOurs? Is it cheaper for my Paris based daughter to purchase tix? What is best website to order tix through?
Thank you.
I see some schedule options that only give 5 minutes to change train at St Pierre des Corps to go on to Tours. Is that enough time, esp. if we each have a large bag? Where are the bags kept on train---are they quickly retrievable or must I allow some time? Can I rent an automatic car in St Pierre or must I go on to TOurs? Is it cheaper for my Paris based daughter to purchase tix? What is best website to order tix through?
Thank you.
Apr 21st, 2010, 08:22 AM
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St Pierre des Corps is a on the outskirts of Tours. There is no reason to then go into Tours unless that's where you are staying or it is the only place where you can pick up an automatic (call www.autoeurope.com or kemwel).
Purchase your tickets here:
http://voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/_SvH...mepageUK&WB=HP
or have your daughter purchase them at a train station or SNCF boutique. Cheap PREMS can be purchased 3 months in advance - but they sell out fast.
Stu Dudley
Purchase your tickets here:
http://voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/_SvH...mepageUK&WB=HP
or have your daughter purchase them at a train station or SNCF boutique. Cheap PREMS can be purchased 3 months in advance - but they sell out fast.
Stu Dudley
Apr 21st, 2010, 08:41 AM
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What is "PREMS" in regard to train tix? Just cheaper cost? And what do you think about first vs second class of tix, esp. for such a short trip? If I DID have to transfer, is 5 minutes adequate? Sure sounds stressful to me!
Thank you.
Thank you.
Apr 21st, 2010, 08:41 AM
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I see some schedule options that only give 5 minutes to change train at St Pierre des Corps to go on to Tours. Is that enough time>
Yes because these shuttle trains - 'navettes' only go from St Pierre-des-Corps (Tours' mainline station two miles from the dead-end Tours station in the town center - many trains only stop at Sp-des-Corps and do not go into Tours itself. But the navettes are not timed really but always connect with mainline trains that stop at SP-dCorps so they will wait till everyone is aboard and should be right on the opposite track - off one train and on another.
that said yes there are several car rental agencies around the SP-dCorps station and AVIS is actually inside the station, being the favored station rental agency for the SNCF - French Railways and their Train + Car scheme.
It is often cheaper to take a train from Austerlitz in Paris to a place like Blois where there are many car rentals in and around the station - flat fare trains - no need to advance purchase, etc. Blois is well situated to easily drive to Amboise - my favorite Loire base for those wishing to see more than one castle.
Yes because these shuttle trains - 'navettes' only go from St Pierre-des-Corps (Tours' mainline station two miles from the dead-end Tours station in the town center - many trains only stop at Sp-des-Corps and do not go into Tours itself. But the navettes are not timed really but always connect with mainline trains that stop at SP-dCorps so they will wait till everyone is aboard and should be right on the opposite track - off one train and on another.
that said yes there are several car rental agencies around the SP-dCorps station and AVIS is actually inside the station, being the favored station rental agency for the SNCF - French Railways and their Train + Car scheme.
It is often cheaper to take a train from Austerlitz in Paris to a place like Blois where there are many car rentals in and around the station - flat fare trains - no need to advance purchase, etc. Blois is well situated to easily drive to Amboise - my favorite Loire base for those wishing to see more than one castle.
Apr 21st, 2010, 08:50 AM
#7
We took the slower train to Tours(which was less expensive) and picked up a car for a stay near Amboise.
The next time we took the TGV to St. Pierre-des-Corps to stay near Chinon.
The TGV was far better as was St. Pierre-des-Corps. The Tours station was a little harder to drive from (much busier area). Both had car pick upright there, but be aware that they both close for lunch so watch your arrival time.
In Tours we arrived just as the gal at Avis was locking up for lunch. She did open again for us, but was not happy about it.
I'm not sure about the availability of an automatic car, but given the choice, I'd pay a bit more and take the TGV to St. Pierre-des-Corps.
The next time we took the TGV to St. Pierre-des-Corps to stay near Chinon.
The TGV was far better as was St. Pierre-des-Corps. The Tours station was a little harder to drive from (much busier area). Both had car pick upright there, but be aware that they both close for lunch so watch your arrival time.
In Tours we arrived just as the gal at Avis was locking up for lunch. She did open again for us, but was not happy about it.
I'm not sure about the availability of an automatic car, but given the choice, I'd pay a bit more and take the TGV to St. Pierre-des-Corps.
Apr 21st, 2010, 10:50 AM
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A Prem's fare is an online, advance purchase, discount fare. The ticket is good for a specific departure date and time and is non-exchangeable and non-refundable.
If you can handle French, go ahead and book on voyages-sncf.com. If you want to book in English and get the same full range of fares, go to tgv-europe.com. It's a multi-language SNCF site. To keep the site in English and to avoid being bumped to the Rail Europe site which doesn't offer discount fares, choose Great Britain as your country of residence. You can book up to three full months in advance.
If you can handle French, go ahead and book on voyages-sncf.com. If you want to book in English and get the same full range of fares, go to tgv-europe.com. It's a multi-language SNCF site. To keep the site in English and to avoid being bumped to the Rail Europe site which doesn't offer discount fares, choose Great Britain as your country of residence. You can book up to three full months in advance.
Apr 21st, 2010, 01:59 PM
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We used the Avis office that isn't actually *inside* the station but is attached to the station. Walk out the front and look to your right. From there we drove to Amboise.. did some trips to Chambord / Cheverny, then moved over to Chinon for Azay-le-Rideau and Fontrevaud.
Apr 21st, 2010, 05:56 PM
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How easy is it to reserve and actually GET a car w automatic transmission ?
What size car do you recommend for 4 adults w 4 large suitcaes? (We will drop bags at hotel asap so will not be doing long drives with them in car around Loire.)
Any problem picking up a car, say in St Pierre, and returning it elsewhere, like TOurs?
Thank you.
What size car do you recommend for 4 adults w 4 large suitcaes? (We will drop bags at hotel asap so will not be doing long drives with them in car around Loire.)
Any problem picking up a car, say in St Pierre, and returning it elsewhere, like TOurs?
Thank you.
Apr 21st, 2010, 08:37 PM
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>>How easy is it to reserve and actually GET a car w automatic transmission ?>>
My wife does all the driving, and she has no problems with manual transmissions. However, in '08 I said I would do some driving - but I'm lazy & I only use 1 arm & 1 leg to drive. So we reserved 2 automatics (more than 31 days rental, which is the max that a CC will cover CDW, so we had to to a switch, which we've done many times in the past). The automatics were "waiting" for us when we arrive to pick them up. This year, my wife has some hand problems, so we reserved automatics again for pick up in Nimes (Provence). We reserved Renault Senics - which are mini-SUVs. We've rented them many times in the past. We rented the car from Kemwel/AutoEurope. We've rented cars from Kemwel/AutoEurope for over 25 years - so we have some experience with them. They have told us that if the actual rental company (AutoEurope/Kemwel is a broker - they don't acutally own cars - they set us up with Europcar) does not have the car we reserved available for us when we show up to pick it up - that we should give Kemwel/AutoEurope a call & they will make sure that the actual rental company does whatever is necessary to get us the car we reserved. We'll be in Nimes a day before we actually pick up the car, so I'll call the actual rental office (not AutoEurope/Kemwel) to verify that the car is on their lot & "reserved" for us - if not - I'll call Kemwel/AutoEurope.
>>What size car do you recommend for 4 adults w 4 large suitcaes? (We will drop bags at hotel asap so will not be doing long drives with them in car around Loire.)>Any problem picking up a car, say in St Pierre, and returning it elsewhere, like TOurs?
My wife does all the driving, and she has no problems with manual transmissions. However, in '08 I said I would do some driving - but I'm lazy & I only use 1 arm & 1 leg to drive. So we reserved 2 automatics (more than 31 days rental, which is the max that a CC will cover CDW, so we had to to a switch, which we've done many times in the past). The automatics were "waiting" for us when we arrive to pick them up. This year, my wife has some hand problems, so we reserved automatics again for pick up in Nimes (Provence). We reserved Renault Senics - which are mini-SUVs. We've rented them many times in the past. We rented the car from Kemwel/AutoEurope. We've rented cars from Kemwel/AutoEurope for over 25 years - so we have some experience with them. They have told us that if the actual rental company (AutoEurope/Kemwel is a broker - they don't acutally own cars - they set us up with Europcar) does not have the car we reserved available for us when we show up to pick it up - that we should give Kemwel/AutoEurope a call & they will make sure that the actual rental company does whatever is necessary to get us the car we reserved. We'll be in Nimes a day before we actually pick up the car, so I'll call the actual rental office (not AutoEurope/Kemwel) to verify that the car is on their lot & "reserved" for us - if not - I'll call Kemwel/AutoEurope.
>>What size car do you recommend for 4 adults w 4 large suitcaes? (We will drop bags at hotel asap so will not be doing long drives with them in car around Loire.)>Any problem picking up a car, say in St Pierre, and returning it elsewhere, like TOurs?
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