Travel within France: Train or Plane?
 

I am traveling from Paris to Nice next month and i'm wondering what your thoughts on are flying vs. taking the train. There are some very inexpensive flights from Paris to Nice (cheaper than the train!) and it seems like since it's over a 5 hour journey by train, I would maximize my time by flying. Although, I hear that sometimes taking the train can be beautiful and worth while. Any thoughts on this? I only have 10 days total in France so I want to use every minute to the best I can!

Hi M,

When you fly you have to add time to airport, about 1 hr for security and check in and time from airport to Nice.

This might make the train just as fast as the plane.

Also add fare from cities to airports. This could make the train the same price as the plane.

www.voyages-sncf.com has 50E PREMS fare.

((I))

marisdak. I believe the train time from Paris to Nice is over seven hours.
Something to think about.

According to bahn.de you can do Paris to Nice by train in 5 hours 41 minutes, 09:42 to 15:23. Leave later and you can get it down a little.

I would fly if you were making some connection to/from a flight at the airport. However, if you are making a special trip to/from the airports just for that flight, you won't be saving that much time. A little, sure, but there is a much bigger chance of a flight being delayed than a train, also.

I hate flying and would never choose that over a train unless I really saved a lot of time, not just an hour or two. I hate airports, I hate the waiting, the chance of delays, the checking bags or not being able to carry-on very much, the security, etc. It isn't an issue about the flying itself that bothers me (I have no fear of flying, and comfort isn't a factor on a short flight), it's really just the hassles.

However, if you have to change trains, that will add something, but I think that train route is usually around 6 hours now. I always get to the airport early as I never want to miss a flight, so for me, a 1.5 hour flight would take up at least 4 hours or more (get there 1 hour early minimum, I know I'd get there sooner probably, and counting on one hour travel time from Paris to the airport). Arrival isn't much issue on the time as the Nice airport is right near the main center of town.

I wouldn't count on the trip itself being beautiful, exactly. The scenery isn't that much, although better along the coast, of course, for that bit of the trip. I do like looking at the countryside, though.

It's up to you, as I said, I'd take the train unless I were already at the airport.

I'll ditto everything Cristina said.

Also, train seats are more comfortable than airline seats.

Stu Dudley

do you come to France just to see Paris and Nice and airports

or to see the lovely fabric of the signature church-steepled French countryside - the me the most pleasant of any country in europe -punctuated small villages capping practically every hill

flying would make sense if you travel the route all the time but IMO the train ride could be as worthwhile as anything else in your trip