My family of five is traveling from Paris to Frankfurt in August. It should take about 2.5 hours to fly but tickets are about $600.00 each (AHHHH!). The train takes almost 7 hours and will cost somewhere between $750-$900 total for the five of us to travel first class. Obviously, cost-wise, it is a no brainer, but is there a bettter way? I hate to waste 7 precious hours! I have looked at flying back to London then onto Frankfurt: it%26#39;s cheap but with having to switch planes, claim luggage and go through customs , it takes almost as long as the train (it will be much more difficult with the three kids in tow).
I would welcome any ideas!
PS I looked into Ryan air and they don%26#39;t fly from Paris to Frankfurt.
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Well, since I consider the use of CDG to be cruel and unusual punishment, I would always opt for the train. What better way would you think there might be? If you take the train, you%26#39;ll go from downtown to downtown, and waste just about the same amount of time that it will take to go from downtown to downtown by air, but you%26#39;ll save a ton of money. Additionally, on the train your small ones will have lots to look at out the windows, and you can take one at a time to the club car for a snack - that%26#39;s a big treat for a small child.
Bon voyage.
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When I%26#39;ve taken the Thalys high speed train to or from Paris/Frankfurt, the time is more like 5 1/2 hours. I believe you would change trains at Cologne if you take the Thalys. The train would then traverse the lovely Rhein Valley on the way to Frankfurt. Even if 7 hours, when you include time waiting before the plane departs, and travel time to CDG (nightmare sometimes), the train is the best option IMHO.
The Thalys train is very nice in first class or second class, and you could reserve seats facing each other with a table inbetween--great with kids. Everyone brings snacks and drinks aboard, or you can purchase them at your seat or in the club car.
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Please stop looking at RailEurope. They will only fill your head full of bogus information AND overcharge you for train tickets.
Currently the best routings from Paris to Frankfurt are via Thalys through Cologne and take 5-5.5 hours as linnmac stated. In June a new TGV line, the TGV Est will be inaugurated. Thereafter travel will take less than 4 hours to Frankfurt via Reims and Metz.
I just checked fares on the SNCF (French rail) for a family of 5, two kids aged between 4 and 11, one kid age 14, for a random date in June. The total fare in second class with some restrictions on refundability was 310€ (!$430). Fully refundable second class tickets were 443€ (~$580) and the lowest first class fares 463€ (~$610). IMO second class is adequately comfortable on European trains — better than most airlines%26#39; economy class — but if the premium for first class is small I will take it happily! (If your childrens%26#39; age are different the fares may be slightly higher or lower.)
I do not know at this point what the fares to Frankfurt will be like after the full introduction of the new service but i doubt if they will be much different. In any case there is no need to do anything about booking train tickets until some time in May as you can only book up to 90 days ahead. RailEurope will happily take your money in the meantime, but they can%26#39;t actually make a booking until that 90 day wiindow opens either...
Take a look at voyages-sncf.com but read this %26quot;how to%26quot; guide by MorganB first: http://tinyurl.com/qpdef
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Can I say how much I love this forum! Thre will be a new high speed train from Paris to Frankfurt- only 4.5 hours - which will start in June. Thank you so much for the info!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; 310€ (!$430) %26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
Make that 310€ (~$400)
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Thank you, thank you! What is the best way to book this train? ( I realize that I can%26#39;t do it right now) . It looks like they are having some sort of promotion starting April 10th but I can%26#39;t understand the (French) website.
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See the last paragraph of my initial response re booking. There is an English language option on the SNCF site. Just find the British flag (lower left?) and click it.
And it isn%26#39;t 4.5 hours. It *should* be less than 4 hours\ to Frankfurt.
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Thank you- I had gone to the web site but did not see the flag. I was so excited by the prospect of this train that I forgot to follow the directions of reading the article first.
Thank you again. You have been very helpful (I think I am going to fire my travel agent)!
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hello, i%26#39;ve not posted before so im not sure if i%26#39;m allowed to put another question in as a reply but here goes.
I am wanting to book a train from paris to frankfurt. ive looked at the voages-sncf.com and followed the %26#39;how to%26#39; but when i hit search it simply returns me to the french version of the main page and doesnt give me any options at all. very frustrating. does anyone know how to get it to work properly or what my problem might be?
thanks
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Look at Kayak.com. You can get tickets much less than $600 flying on lufthansa. We bought round trip frankfurt to rome and venice to frankfurt for $300 each. If you don%26#39;t need roundtrip don%26#39;t try to buy just one way as the prices will be really high, just don%26#39;t use the return half of the ticket.
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