kathleen

We’ll be arriving at CDG airport and have a question about the amount of time required, without rushing, before boarding the TGV to Avignon. How much time do we need assuming that the plane arrives on time?

travelhorizons

It would be a lot more helpful if you'd phrase your question this way:

My flight from XXX arrives CDG at (give us the specific time). I see the following trains from CDG to Avignon (time 1, time 2, time 3). Which one would you choose?


In general, you assume a risk when you purchase discounted tickets on the TGV, as these are typically non-refundable ... and if you miss the train, you lose the entire value of your tickets and will have to purchase new full fare tickets at the airport train station.

What you're really dealing with is your risk tolerance. If you want to avoid risk, purchase full-fare tickets. If you want to minimize time in the immigration lines and the need to rush through the airport, arrange for a VIP airport reception at CDG — you'll be met at the plane door by a hostess, fast-tracked through immigration, and shepherded to the TGV station. Any of the limousine companies in Paris should be able to arrange this for you.

StCirq

I have done this a bazillion times and I always allow 3 hours from the purported landing time of the plane to the moment of boarding the train. You may have an hour to spare if you're lucky (grab a coffee and a croissant at the train station), or you may just make it.

kathleen

Thank you both. That gives us a general idea of the time needed. Kathy

StuDudley

Three hours.

>> If you want to avoid risk, purchase full-fare tickets <<

That has some considerations:

A Prem fare will be about 54E if purchased 3 months in advance. A full fare is 102E if purchased 3 months in advance (for April travel). So if you purchase a 54E Prem for the 13:48 departure and another 54E Prem for the 16:55 departure - it will cost you 108E. Only 6 E more than the full fare. I don't know what you would have to do to get the new ticket for the full fare price if you missed the 13:48 departure - but for only 6E I would not want to stand in a line and get a new ticket.

Has anyone done this (I have not)?? Also, is anyone who is more familiar with TGV tickets, see any "holes" in my scenario??

Stu Dudley

PalenQ

On another thread someone quoted SNCF's policy that evenwith full-fare TGV tickets - no refund nor changes if you miss train. So may as well buy discounted ticket. Or wait until CDG to buy tickets - first class would rarely be sold out I think. Worst case scenario would be you'd have to go into Gare de Lyon in Paris and catch about hourly TGVs to Avignon. But full-fare tickets can be changed to earlier train for nominal fee - buy one for much later train and if arrive on time change ticket for 3 euros I think. www/voyages-sncf.com has the rules- www.seat61.com has great advice on discounted tickets - general train info- BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

StuDudley

I see a "hole" in my scenario. This happened to me. My flight from SFO was cancelled just minutes before departure & we re-booked for the next day. I could obviously not use the Prem tickets for the "day after". Only a full fare non-restricted or a "somewhat restricted" 68E ticket would work without additional cost. We've taken perhaps 15-20 TGVs from CDG, & this was the only train we have missed. On my previous scenario above, a "somewhat restricted" 68E ticket would not work if the "missed" train had already departed by the time you are able to purchase a new train ticket.

Stu Dudley

StuDudley

PalenQ

This is what the Full Fare conditions are:

" Fully exchangeable and refundable before departure and up to 2 hours after departure time, in the departure station in France only. For E-ticket, exchangeable without fee up to 1 hour after departure time, by mobile app. ""

So - assuming the OP has an e-ticket, if the train departed less than 1 hr ago and she has a mobile app & knows how to use it - she is OK. If she missed the flight entirely (like I did) - she has to exchange it "at home" on a mobile app.

My missed flight was about 10-15 years ago - and I do not know what we paid for a new ticket.

Stu Dudley

PalenQ

See current thread Loire Valley Chaeau by myer as near the end of long thread St-Cirq has copied from SNCF site refund conditions for tickets and if I read right if you miss you train even with a full-fare ticket you will get no refund nor can change trains. This conflicts with what StuDudley says but is a very important point. Full-fare tickets are changeable until the train for a few euros - discounted tickets maybe no changes at all or hefty charge.

StuDudley

I copied the conditions from the SNCF site too. That's why they are in quotes. Go there & click on a fare to determine the "today" conditions.

Stu Dudley

PalenQ

I don't know didilly about refunds just alerting OP to know them and how to cancel if going to miss train. Personally can't see why full-fare ticket can't be refunded in part of full or transferred - that's not fully-flexible.

Still suggest going into Paris and hotel by Gare de Lyon and be fresh next day for rather sweet train ride - not wiped out and maybe sleeping. Leisurely all around.

kerouac

Why not buy your plane ticket all the way to Avignon? If you are arriving on a long distance flight, it generally costs little or nothing more than the ticket to Paris. If there is an "add-on" fare, in any case it will be cheaper than the cost of the train ticket. On top of that, nearly every connection between CDG and Avignon is by train anyway, using the airline code for Avignon-TGV (XZN). If you have a "plane" ticket for the train to Avignon, you don't have to worry about connection times at all -- if your flight is delayed, your transfer is guaranteed no matter what.

PalenQ

Stu- I see that link from other article was from 2012 SNCF conditions so may have changed.

kerouac has the best solution I think.

StuDudley

kerouac

I was able to find AF flights/train to XZN from SFO. But I could not get United to list any connections to XZN - although it was on their pull-down list of available destinations.

kerouac

You're not supposed to ask for XZN. You just ask for "Avignon (all stations)" and the Air France website will give you the possibilities. I looked at Expedia, too, and it does the same.

Christina

That's an interesting option, to book the addon through Air France but it is really a train.

It seems to me the problem with a fullfare ticket is that if you miss the one you want, it is possible there will be no seats on the next one. If there were seats, you'd be in the same situation if you just buy a fullfare ticket on site, anyway. Okay, if trains are full, if you are pretty sure you'll make that train, I can see it as then you get the seat you want. And if you do miss the one you want, if it IS within 2 hrs, you can at least buy another ticket even if it's not the next train, but the next available train. So same as you'd do on-site. The real downside would be if you were more than 2 hrs late.

In fact, I bought a fullfare ticket to Lyon from CDG last July at the time that was "safe". Problem was, I got through immigration and had my bags within about 45 minutes of landing and was down in the TGV station before an earlier had even left, there was about 30 minutes before departure. But I could NOT change to that train because it was completely full. The TGV station at CDG is absolutely the worst for sitting around for 2 hrs, also, it doesn't have enough seats and it is designed so sunlight shines on you a lot and makes it hot/glaring. Really bad design. I think the train I had a ticket for was completely booked also, though, so at least I had a ticket. But don't count absolutely on being able to easily switch trains.

kerouac

I just checked United and it does not have the multimodal option. So it is important to know which airlines will do it. I imagine that Delta will, since it is part of the Skyteam alliance.

Depending on the time of year, all trains to Avignon are often sold out -- for example in July. So don't just think you can take the next train if you are buying a ticket at the ticket desk.

kathleen

Really interesting conversation! I’ve been following it and plugged in our original April 16 date of flying on Delta and getting into Paris CDG around 6:00am the following morning. We haven’t booked the flights yet. Then did the same flight date again but going to Avignon and it did show the add on train option to Avignon. The additional cost would be $61.78 pp. with the airlines now being Delta and AirFrance. But while you all were discussing it, we thought maybe we’d just go as far as Lyon for a few nights. Curiously, we ran through the airfares again and it showed that it would be the same exact cost with train add on to Lyon as to Avignon. Same price. We were warming up to the Lyon stopover because it appears to be a fascinating city which we did have on our list, then took it off, but began to reconsider it over again. We had thought, based our original arrival time of 6am, that the TGV at 9:58 am from CDG would be a good length of time to get through immigration and proceed to terminal 2 TGV train and be on our way without wasting too much time. Now we’re back to thinking Avignon. If any of you have strong suggestions on which route -- Lyon, then 2 days later to Avignon, or directly to Avignon, I’d love to hear them. Thank for all the answers and new suggestions.

PalenQ

But trains from Paris itself less likely to be fully booked? especially in 1st class and RER airport to Gare de Lyon is pretty easy.

StuDudley

Kathleen. Why don't you let us know how may days you have for this trip. If it's 3 weeks and not much else is planned - Lyon + Avignon is fine. If it is a 7 day trip and several other destinations are in your plans - just pick one of the two. Do you also plan to visit Provence while in Avignon??? Where else are you going on this trip. We spent 5 nights in Lyon last year (not our first trip there). We really enjoyed it. Friends who went there later in the year didn't like it very much.

Stu Dudley