France - United to TGV at CDG

I'm arriving on United (terminal 1 I believe) from US on a Monday morning, scheduled arrival UA at 6.55 am. Never been to CDG.

Then traveling immediately to Bordeaux via train from CDG. How long should I typically allow for a transfer? I'm looking at taking a train that leaves at 8.19 am. Am I asking too much here? I'll be checking a bag as well.

Also, does anyone have experience with SNCF if your flight is delayed? If you have purchased a non-changeable ticket and miss your train due to an airliner delay, will they allow you to use your ticket for a later train?

Any help would be much appreciated.

If your incoming flight is ontime, this is doable, but personally I would not cut it that close. Once you clear immigration and customs in T1, you have to take the CDGVAL (automated shuttle train) to Terminal 2 TGV station. This journey takes about 10 minutes (CDGVAL runs every 3 minutes).

AFAIK, SNCF does not rebook you for free if your flight is delayed. I would in fact be very surprised, as they are among the least flexible companies I know. Even if your ticket is flexible, the next train might already be full and they will not rebook you on that train. Anyway, make sure, you have a (preprinted) E-ticket as the queue at their counters may be long.

Having made air to TGV connections at CDG myself, I suggest a later train. If any element of your arrival goes wrong, you could be in trouble. Being unfamiliar with CDG makes it even more iffy for you. Too bad CDG is such a crappy place to hang out, but maybe there is another train before too long.

If you have a flexible ticket and you want to take an earlier train, you just walk up to the train manager and ask. 100% of the time, IME, he will be fine with that.

However many flex tickets do not work that way if you want to take a later train.

Personally I just buy tickets on the spot when I arrive. Or perhaps from my Iphone if it's last minute. That way there are no worries. Assuming it's not holiday time, or school vacation time when the seats are often sold out in advance.

After reading the replies - which I'm very thankful for - I think I'll forgo the 8.19am train. I'll instead get a round-trip Air France bus ticket to Montparnasse (since I'm returning to Paris for a few days and will depart from there back to CDG) and take the 10.30am TGV to Bordeaux from there. First class is only 40 Euro PREM from there to Bordeaux.

Should probably be able to catch the 8ish bus to the Montparnasse and be there no later than 9.30 am.

Thanks for the help!!

BTW, is it fairly easy to get from Terminal one to the Air France bus stop?

A morning rush hour traffic jam could ruin your plans. You could take the metro to Montparnasse which would be a lot faster, assuming you can lug your bags around. But in either case you ought to be able to make that train.

I think the AF bus stops at T1, unless things have changed. Check the website to be sure.

A morning rush hour traffic jam could ruin your plans. You could take the metro to Montparnasse which would be a lot faster, assuming you can lug your bags around. But in either case you ought to be able to make that train.

I think the AF bus stops at T1, unless things have changed. Check the website to be sure.

Take the Metro to Montparnasse from where?

Take the Metro to Montparnasse from where?

The OP said CDG, right? So you take the RER B to Chatelet and change to line 4 to Montparnasse.

A morning rush hour traffic jam could ruin your plans. You could take the metro to Montparnasse which would be a lot faster, assuming you can lug your bags around. But in either case you ought to be able to make that train.

I think the AF bus stops at T1, unless things have changed. Check the website to be sure.

+1 taking the metro on a Monday morning. RER/metro from CDG to Montparnasse train platform takes 60 minutes with or without traffic (except if there is a strike or a mechanical breakdown), while the AF bus incl wait time can easily take 2 hours at rush hour (it stops first at Gare de Lyon before reaching Montparnasse).

The OP said CDG, right? So you take the RER B to Chatelet and change to line 4 to Montparnasse.

Good to clarify that he can't take the Metro from CDG to Montparnasse, which many first timers find confusing.

I agree that taking the AF bus here is adding a big risk of traffic, and unless I missed some other compelling factor, adds a needless trip into Paris as well.

Thanks for all the replies..

I'm taking the consensus advice here. RER/Metro to Montparnasse and should arrive with 90 minutes to spare for TGV to Bordeaux.

I like the AF bus since it would be curb to curb but sounds like it could be risky if there were to be a major traffic snafu.

This is one of the reasons FT is so great. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.

Double check the Monday in question as we have a lot of Monday holidays here. If it's a day off for everyone, there won't be any traffic jams.

and if you buy a CDG - BOD flight on AF? could be much more convenient and you can even check your luggage thru.

The OP said CDG, right? So you take the RER B to Chatelet and change to line 4 to Montparnasse.

One other thing-While changing trains at Chatalet will work, left to me, I'd take the RER B to Denfert and switch to the Metro line 4 there, thus avoiding the circus at Chatalet.

There's a great website that goes thru all this, with pictures to help newcomers:

http://parisbytrain.com/

There's a great website that goes thru all this, with pictures to help newcomers:

http://parisbytrain.com/

Pictures for newcomers? Hey that's me. Thanks for the site!

Also, arriving July 16 which is two days after Bastille Day. Couldn't find anything on the web that Monday the 16th would be a holiday, so I'm guessing it's not. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Pictures for newcomers? Hey that's me. Thanks for the site!

Also, arriving July 16 which is two days after Bastille Day. Couldn't find anything on the web that Monday the 16th would be a holiday, so I'm guessing it's not. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Nothing special about Monday the 16th.