TGV from Paris (or Orleans) to Barcelona
Mar 26th, 2014, 12:11 PM
#22
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We are now staying in Blois for a night, seeing Chambord and then driving to Gare du Lyon and staying at the Mistral.
We will then take the morning train from Gare du Lyon to Barcelona.
- TGV tickets are not on sale as of yet for June 16 travel.
- we ended up driving back to train station in Paris because we want to return rental car on Sunday (limited options).
Anyone know when the ticket window opens up for TGV? Web sites say 90 days, but not open yet.
Blois looks much better option than Orleans, which is why we changed. Thanks for the tip.
Mark
We will then take the morning train from Gare du Lyon to Barcelona.
- TGV tickets are not on sale as of yet for June 16 travel.
- we ended up driving back to train station in Paris because we want to return rental car on Sunday (limited options).
Anyone know when the ticket window opens up for TGV? Web sites say 90 days, but not open yet.
Blois looks much better option than Orleans, which is why we changed. Thanks for the tip.
Mark
Mar 26th, 2014, 12:52 PM
#23
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You will enjoy Blois better - has its own gret chateau overlooking the Loire right in town.
Sunday driving into Paris is a snap - take the peage - toll road to the Paris-Sud exits and go via Place d'Orleans on broad boulevard right to Gare de Lyon. Very little traffic on Sundays in Paris though the freeway may always be busy - especially on Sunday with folks returning to paris.
Sunday driving into Paris is a snap - take the peage - toll road to the Paris-Sud exits and go via Place d'Orleans on broad boulevard right to Gare de Lyon. Very little traffic on Sundays in Paris though the freeway may always be busy - especially on Sunday with folks returning to paris.
Mar 27th, 2014, 11:57 AM
#24
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If you return your car in Blois, if possible, you save one day's car rental and the steep STEEP tolls on the autoroute to Paris and $8-9/gal petro charges and the train from Blois will take you to Austerlitz a five-minute walk from Garae de Lyon with a dedicated walkway over the newish Pont Charles DeGaulle. No waiting on Sunday to return car - could you return the car in Blois on Saturday?
Mar 27th, 2014, 01:08 PM
#25
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It's about a 2 hour drive from Blois to Paris and if you'll have a car anyway you might as well take advantage of it and make a visit or two on your way from Blois to Paris. Chartres would be a possibility and if you find a car rental place open there on Sunday you could take the train to Paris from there. Other stops on your route you could consider would be Dourdan, Rambouillet or Maintenon. Or you could take a nice drive through the Vallée de Chevreuse and see some pleasant landscapes, quaint towns and villages and nice châteaux.
Mar 28th, 2014, 07:18 AM
#26
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PalenQ, how much is a STEEP toll? I could turn the car in on Saturday, but then we're kinda stuck hanging around Blois. Since we've never been there, I'm not sure if this is an easy town to site see on foot or public transport.
FMT, thanks for the suggestions on what to see if we choose to make the drive. We would leave Blois in the morning so we will have some time to make some stops.
FMT, thanks for the suggestions on what to see if we choose to make the drive. We would leave Blois in the morning so we will have some time to make some stops.
Mar 28th, 2014, 07:51 AM
#27
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Well Blois itself if very compact but not to much to see - but Chambord one of the top top castles of the Loire is a short drive away - visit it during the day, bring car back return sleep in Blois et voila.
Mar 28th, 2014, 09:54 AM
#28
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http://www.autoroutes.fr/fr/itinerai...aris%2C+France
Wel tolls seems a little less than I thought and Blois really isn't that far from Paris
Tolls about 14 euros and gas they say about 19 euros so 33 euros in operating expenses I guess is not that great but add to one day of car rental I don't know - train will cost about 30 euros each I'd say so it may be a wash in which case driving may be the way.
You could go to Paris Saturday return the car too.
Wel tolls seems a little less than I thought and Blois really isn't that far from Paris
Tolls about 14 euros and gas they say about 19 euros so 33 euros in operating expenses I guess is not that great but add to one day of car rental I don't know - train will cost about 30 euros each I'd say so it may be a wash in which case driving may be the way.
You could go to Paris Saturday return the car too.
Mar 28th, 2014, 02:50 PM
#29
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Blois does however have its own great chateau - hovering high above the Loire. Too bad the local chocolate plant has close or at least no longer giving tours. A smell of chocolate being made always hung over town - no longer I guess.
Blois has a nice town center with lots of shops, supermarkets, etc - everything is walkable - kind of a hill town.
In any case I would prefer it over Orelans in just about every way - and I love Orleans, my 2nd home for years now due to my son growing up and living there.
Blois has a nice town center with lots of shops, supermarkets, etc - everything is walkable - kind of a hill town.
In any case I would prefer it over Orelans in just about every way - and I love Orleans, my 2nd home for years now due to my son growing up and living there.
May 9th, 2014, 08:15 AM
#30
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Just finished booking on sncf for Paris to Barcelona - capitainetrain.com couldn't offer me the number of seats I wanted, sncf did. I got upper deck automatically (woo hoo) but yes my Amex was rejected and after the second attempt I succeeded with a bank-issued MasterCard. Now to make sure I get to the station in time from the 7th Arr at that hour!
May 9th, 2014, 10:11 AM
#31
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tongsa - interesting - Man in Seat 61, train guru today said on another post that there was not one difference between the offerings on capitainetrain.com and www.voyages-sncf.com - appears the guru has some learning to do?
