Train help from Dijon to Paris then Charles de Gaulle
#1
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Train help from Dijon to Paris then Charles de Gaulle
We need to leave Dijon on July 23rd in the am and make our way to Charles de Gaulle for our 3:15pm flight. Looking at train schedules the times are not in our favour to buy one ticket straight through from Dijon to the airport so we will break it up and buy two separate tickets. My question is: Dijon to which station in Paris is best? Nord, Gare de Lyon or Bercy. Does it matter much? Which is better/closer to get to airport from? From the station you recommend we will grab a quick snack in the area if we have time then get on another train to the airport.
Thanks! appreciate the guidance as its been a long time since I was in Paris.
Thanks! appreciate the guidance as its been a long time since I was in Paris.
#2
You don't really get a choice -- trains to CDG leave from Gare du Nord. You'd take the train to Gare de Lyon then the metro or a taxi to Gare du Nord for the train to CDG.
But this is 100% not something I would do. If it is a Transatlantic flight you need to be at CDG and in the queue by noon at the very latest. Anything goes pear shaped and you don't have a flight home. Go up to Paris the night before. Stay either in the city or at/near CDG
But this is 100% not something I would do. If it is a Transatlantic flight you need to be at CDG and in the queue by noon at the very latest. Anything goes pear shaped and you don't have a flight home. Go up to Paris the night before. Stay either in the city or at/near CDG
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Ditto janisj.
We're also leaving from Dijon, training to the Gare de Lyon, dining at Train Bleu at the Gare https://www.le-train-bleu.com/en/ & staying overnight at the Novotel next to the Gare. In the morning - taxi to CDG (I think the taxi fare is less than 45E). We've done a similar "return home" about 5-7 times. We will do the exact same thing next year - returning from Provence twice to the Gare de Lyon and dining at Train Bleu twice, and probably the same hotel also.
PS. We have taken the TGV directly from Dijon to CDG twice on the day of our flight home. But that was before 9/11 and Covid. I would not do it now. I'm actually staying at the Novotel 2 nights in case new Covid rules are imposed between now & then.
Stu Dudley
We're also leaving from Dijon, training to the Gare de Lyon, dining at Train Bleu at the Gare https://www.le-train-bleu.com/en/ & staying overnight at the Novotel next to the Gare. In the morning - taxi to CDG (I think the taxi fare is less than 45E). We've done a similar "return home" about 5-7 times. We will do the exact same thing next year - returning from Provence twice to the Gare de Lyon and dining at Train Bleu twice, and probably the same hotel also.
PS. We have taken the TGV directly from Dijon to CDG twice on the day of our flight home. But that was before 9/11 and Covid. I would not do it now. I'm actually staying at the Novotel 2 nights in case new Covid rules are imposed between now & then.
Stu Dudley
Last edited by StuDudley; Jun 25th, 2022 at 01:05 PM.
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Thank for this info! I now understand we need to travel from Dijon to Gare de Lyon station. There are two choices that day: 9:00am-10:38 arrival or 9:30am-11:05 arrival. Both of those should give us enough time to then taxi or train to CDG for sufficient time to drop baggage for our flight don't you think? We will check-in of flight the night before. I know post covid travel and airports can be chaotic- maybe I am being naive to think this plan is do-able?
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StuDudley
This will be our first visit to Dijon. We are there for 5 nights. Can you give us some of your favourite restaurant/bakery recommendations? Day trips? We love to bike so are looking into a self guided wine tour along the routes des vins. Also want to visit Beaune. Beyond that we haven't planned anything yet...
This will be our first visit to Dijon. We are there for 5 nights. Can you give us some of your favourite restaurant/bakery recommendations? Day trips? We love to bike so are looking into a self guided wine tour along the routes des vins. Also want to visit Beaune. Beyond that we haven't planned anything yet...
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I read a horror story yesterday about 4-5 hr waits at the Amsterdam airport due to lots of travelers, and not-yet-staffed security personnel. We flew back from CDG in Dec & AF was recommending arriving 4 hrs before flight time. We did - but it was not necessary. Now it seems more people are traveling, so anything that happened in Dec is not worthwhile.
I would get to CDG no later than 11:30. Baggage check in December was chaos at AF. That means you need to get off the train at the confusing Gare about 10-10:15 to take a taxi to CDG (no train will get you there in time, IMO). So none of the trains you mentioned from Dijon will get you there in time. You'll need to take one of the trains that departs at 7:02 or 7:38.
See attached
We're splurging for dinners in Dijon.
I would get to CDG no later than 11:30. Baggage check in December was chaos at AF. That means you need to get off the train at the confusing Gare about 10-10:15 to take a taxi to CDG (no train will get you there in time, IMO). So none of the trains you mentioned from Dijon will get you there in time. You'll need to take one of the trains that departs at 7:02 or 7:38.
See attached
We're splurging for dinners in Dijon.
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The "France Today" magazine which just came in the mail has an article about Dijon. Also the food reviewer declared Cibo in Dijon tho be the best meal he's had so far this year. It was on my list of places to dine - but I'll be there in very late September & it is not open for booking yet for my dates. Should be by July 4. They are fully booked for July 22 & 23 for dinner - but has a few lunch hours available.
Stu Dudley
Stu Dudley
#10
Thank for this info! I now understand we need to travel from Dijon to Gare de Lyon station. There are two choices that day: 9:00am-10:38 arrival or 9:30am-11:05 arrival. Both of those should give us enough time to then taxi or train to CDG for sufficient time to drop baggage for our flight don't you think? We will check-in of flight the night before. I know post covid travel and airports can be chaotic- maybe I am being naive to think this plan is do-able?
Depending on your airline's rules - there will be a firm cut off for document checks typically around 45 minutes but could be more or less.
Not trying to rain on your parade -- but IMO/IME it is almost never a good idea to be out of town the night before a long haul flight -- especially at CDG/LHR/AMS.
. . . Now, everything could work out for you and you'd wonder what on earth we were warning about. But I personally would not risk losing my flight home for an extra night in Dijon.
#11
Oh -- Now I see from you other thread that you have four full days in Dijon . . . I definitely recommend you stay in Dijon until after dinner that last day then take the train to Paris and stay the last night in the city. You wouldn't lose any usable 'Dijon time'. Better to lose a last sleep in Dijon than than lose your flight.
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Thanks JanisJ,
I will consider this advice and may have to juggle hotel bookings. but honestly even if we do stay in Paris overnight before our flight on the 23rd we would not get to CDG until noon earliest for our 3:15pm flight (back to Canada) so I still think (maybe naively) that we can arrive in Paris from Dijon that morning by 10:38 and get to CDG with enough time..(we do have nexus cards but not sure if they have any relevance in that airport to get through the quicker security check line). I appreciate your input on my post!
I will consider this advice and may have to juggle hotel bookings. but honestly even if we do stay in Paris overnight before our flight on the 23rd we would not get to CDG until noon earliest for our 3:15pm flight (back to Canada) so I still think (maybe naively) that we can arrive in Paris from Dijon that morning by 10:38 and get to CDG with enough time..(we do have nexus cards but not sure if they have any relevance in that airport to get through the quicker security check line). I appreciate your input on my post!
#13
Ah, now I see you are flying to Canada. That really doesn't change much -- CDG is still a zoo. (Nexus has nothing at all to do with CDG -- that is for entering the US.)
"but honestly even if we do stay in Paris overnight before our flight on the 23rd we would not get to CDG until noon earliest for our 3:15pm flight"
I don't understand this bit at all. Of course you could get to CDG easier/earlier if you were merely traveling in from central Paris - or better yet, staying near CDG. As I mentioned noon is the very latest one should arrive at CDG for a 3PM Transatlantic flight. Probably you haven't been flying a lot in the last 2+ years -- things are really really difficult. It may be years before we get back to semi-normal where one can turn up a couple of hours before departure, breeze through security, and spend an hour in the Lounge.
"but honestly even if we do stay in Paris overnight before our flight on the 23rd we would not get to CDG until noon earliest for our 3:15pm flight"
I don't understand this bit at all. Of course you could get to CDG easier/earlier if you were merely traveling in from central Paris - or better yet, staying near CDG. As I mentioned noon is the very latest one should arrive at CDG for a 3PM Transatlantic flight. Probably you haven't been flying a lot in the last 2+ years -- things are really really difficult. It may be years before we get back to semi-normal where one can turn up a couple of hours before departure, breeze through security, and spend an hour in the Lounge.
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"""we can arrive in Paris from Dijon that morning by 10:38 and get to CDG with enough time.""
NO WAY!!!!!!! We have waited 45 mins or so to catch a taxi at a Paris train station (worst case - within the last 6 years). You will most likely miss your flight. Then what????? Flights are booked solid. It may take you 3-4 days to get home. You are being quite naive. If you are flying Air France - pre-printed boarding passes will gain you no time at all. In December, we had to spend time at a kiosk to enter data and print our luggage claim strips - plus a new boarding pass. There were almost zero agents to help us.
Life at airports has changed. Spend some time doing research about recent airport congestion. Check Amsterdam to get a hint of what the situation might be like at the peak of air travel time.
Stu Dudley
NO WAY!!!!!!! We have waited 45 mins or so to catch a taxi at a Paris train station (worst case - within the last 6 years). You will most likely miss your flight. Then what????? Flights are booked solid. It may take you 3-4 days to get home. You are being quite naive. If you are flying Air France - pre-printed boarding passes will gain you no time at all. In December, we had to spend time at a kiosk to enter data and print our luggage claim strips - plus a new boarding pass. There were almost zero agents to help us.
Life at airports has changed. Spend some time doing research about recent airport congestion. Check Amsterdam to get a hint of what the situation might be like at the peak of air travel time.
Stu Dudley
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Yes - you are missing something. There is a 20% chance you will get there by noon, IMO. And a 60% chance you will arrive at 1 PM or later and experience long lines to get checked in.
Stu Dudley
Last edited by StuDudley; Jun 25th, 2022 at 08:55 PM.
#17
But it sounds like your mind is set - so good luck.
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janise and stududley...i have slept on it and considered your advice- will be changing our itinerary today to accommodate for a last night in paris before departure the next day! therefore should eliminate some potential stress. thanks appreciate the input.
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