I arrive with my family from the US into CDG aprox 9:40am on a Friday. I%26#39;d like to take the TGV to Avignon that departs at 11:49am. Is ths enough time in between ? Any logistics I should consider?
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You should have no problem *provided* that your flight is on time. The TGV station is an easy 10 minute walk from T2E where your flight will probably arrive. In any case it is between T2E/F and T2C/D.
You should pre-book your train tickets at the SNCF (French rail) site, www.voyages-sncf.com
This %26quot;how to%26quot; page by MorganB will guide you through the booking process: http://tinyurl.com/qpdef
Normally non-refundable advance purchase %26quot;PREMS%26quot; fares will save you quite a bit of money, but with the possibility of a late arrival perhaps it would be better to just pay full fare to have the benefit of being able to exchange the tickets. Ideally you want to take the option of printing your tickets as the printed ticket will allow you to go straight to your train after you have cleared customs.
if you have time you might want to see if you can grab something to eat on the train. There is a café car with some food options but they are somewhat limited and expensive.
Good luck!
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Yes. It should be enough time.
TGV requires reserved seats. Give yourself a few minutes to get those tickets.
The train station is in the CDG airport terminal 2.
Do you know into which terminal you%26#39;ll land?
If you arrive in another terminal, you need to get over to terminal 2.
The CDG airport terminals occasionally turn into roadblocks when some piece of unattended luggage is discovered. If you%26#39;re already in terminal 2, and your terminal route has been blockaded, find the nearest stairwell and go down to the basement to go outside, crossing the taxi parking lot on foot to get to the train station.
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If you don%26#39;t prebook the tickets, but get them on French soil, you%26#39;ll also need to put them through the little orange compositeur machines to date stamp them. If you don%26#39;t, the conductor may lecture you but they usually show a little leniency for confused tourists.
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Lines at the ticket counters at the CDG TGV station can often be long and move with all the speed of a glacier. That is why I would suggest pre-booking your tickets. If you have to go to the ticket desk to pick them up (assuming you cannot print them) do not waste any time between baggage claim and getting to the station. And if you *must* pick them up you MUST have the exact same credir=t card with you along with the confirmation nuimber you will receive by email.
Don%26#39;t count on the good nature of SNCF ticket inspectors. Even the French get heartburn occasionally...
PS: Most of the people clogging thr SNCF ticket lines at CDG tend to be American tourists having a hard ime figuring out where they want to go, mostly because they didn%26#39;t use the TAPF to help them plan their trips. That being the case, if time is short don%26#39;t hesitate to explain your predicament to the people in front of you.
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Thank you all for most excellent advice. I will plan to purchase tickets on-line. The insider logistical info is fantastic.
Parker
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If I understand this correctly, if I purchase my TGV tickets on line and am able print the tickets at home, then I can just go straight to the train and board (i.e., present the paper tickets with ID), without checking in or validating (composting) the ticket beforehand?
Is that right?
But if for some reason I am unable to print the tickets at home and instead need to pick them up when I arrive there, where is that done - Is that where the potential long lines are?
One other question - if I buy a PREMS first class ticket, would I take my luggage right into the same car I would be on or is luggage checked in?
Thanks very much.
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The simple answer is yes to all three questions.
Specifically, a paper ticket is a ticket and does not have to be composté. You will be asked for ID when your ticket is checked.
If you need to pick your ticket up you will have to go to the SNCF ticket window at the TGV station at CDG. Yes, that is where the sometimes slow-moving lines and possibly long lines are to be found.
Your luggage travels with you. There are racks at the end of the car and overhead storage for small items.
If you do book PREMS fares be sure to allow ample time to make the transfer. If your flight is late and you miss the train your ticket will be worthless.
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