Tight connection at Gare de Lyon
Mar 10, 2009, 6:42 am
#1
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Posts: 209
Tight connection at Gare de Lyon
I will be visiting France for the first time. I have two questions:
We arrive at CDG (AA) at 0730 4 May. I'd like to get a 1028 TGV at Gare de Lyon for Dijon.
The last possible RER would be 0925 (connecting to RER A) which would arrive GdeL 1015. Is it feasible for me to get from the RER onboard the TGV in 13 minutes?
As an alternative, the AF bus leaves on the half hour so if I just miss the RER, I can take it. toandfromtheairport.com says it takes 45-55 minutes to Gare de Lyon, but it would need to deal with rush hour traffic and 55 minutes would be too late. Comments?
Somewhat related: I have a US credit card. That means I cannot use the yellow kiosks to obtain my tickets. Is there an alternative to the queue, either for the RER or TGV, preferably both?
Thanks
We arrive at CDG (AA) at 0730 4 May. I'd like to get a 1028 TGV at Gare de Lyon for Dijon.
The last possible RER would be 0925 (connecting to RER A) which would arrive GdeL 1015. Is it feasible for me to get from the RER onboard the TGV in 13 minutes?
As an alternative, the AF bus leaves on the half hour so if I just miss the RER, I can take it. toandfromtheairport.com says it takes 45-55 minutes to Gare de Lyon, but it would need to deal with rush hour traffic and 55 minutes would be too late. Comments?
Somewhat related: I have a US credit card. That means I cannot use the yellow kiosks to obtain my tickets. Is there an alternative to the queue, either for the RER or TGV, preferably both?
Thanks
Last edited by DennyO; Mar 10, 2009 at 7:06 am
Mar 11, 2009, 6:01 am
#2
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At that hour traffic is hell. Unless May 4th is a holiday?
Your biggest problem will be buying tickets as there are always long lines at CDG and the machines don't take US credit cards, at least not reliably. Since there are trains almost every hour to Dijon, I would wait til I got to the Gare de Lyon and then queue up to the counter and buy a ticket for the next train. I go to Dijon very often and I always buy on the spot.
Your biggest problem will be buying tickets as there are always long lines at CDG and the machines don't take US credit cards, at least not reliably. Since there are trains almost every hour to Dijon, I would wait til I got to the Gare de Lyon and then queue up to the counter and buy a ticket for the next train. I go to Dijon very often and I always buy on the spot.
Mar 22, 2009, 9:55 am
#3
Join Date: May 2006
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" I have a US credit card. "
My advise here is to purchase anywhere from Euro 50.00 to 100.00 here in the States, and that at smaller denominations, just for emergencies like this.
My advise here is to purchase anywhere from Euro 50.00 to 100.00 here in the States, and that at smaller denominations, just for emergencies like this.
Last edited by chrissxb; Mar 29, 2009 at 4:26 am Reason: commercial link removed
Mar 28, 2009, 12:10 pm
#4
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Also I understand there are ATMs all over that don't charge as much as that website, although I could be wrong.
Last edited by chrissxb; Mar 29, 2009 at 4:27 am Reason: removed link in quoted text
Mar 28, 2009, 2:58 pm
#5
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Yes, an ATM is the best way to get cash most anywhere in the world.
The queues can be quite long at Gare de Lyon, especially at peak hours. There are several ticket windows on the main floor and downstairs if you are in a rush. Unfortunately you can stand in line for 30 minutes or more most of the time.
The queues can be quite long at Gare de Lyon, especially at peak hours. There are several ticket windows on the main floor and downstairs if you are in a rush. Unfortunately you can stand in line for 30 minutes or more most of the time.
Mar 29, 2009, 12:37 am
#6
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Yes, an ATM is the best way to get cash most anywhere in the world.
The queues can be quite long at Gare de Lyon, especially at peak hours. There are several ticket windows on the main floor and downstairs if you are in a rush. Unfortunately you can stand in line for 30 minutes or more most of the time.
The queues can be quite long at Gare de Lyon, especially at peak hours. There are several ticket windows on the main floor and downstairs if you are in a rush. Unfortunately you can stand in line for 30 minutes or more most of the time.
I was at Gare de Lyon on a Tuesday morning in December--IIRC, I arrived at about 9am and was there until my train's 11:30am departure, and there was never more than one or two people in line at the main bank of ticket windows (in the east hall)...
Mar 29, 2009, 1:57 am
#7
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Now that I think about it, I've only gone to the ticket windows in the afternoon. I pretty much always use the machines. Perhaps the mornings are OK as not too many people commute to the south! It's usually in the afternoons, Friday being the worst, when you see the huge queues.
Apr 13, 2009, 1:27 am
#8
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 5
This post is a bit old, but I wonder if our OP ever sorted things out with his TGV tickets. DennyO, did you know that there's a TGV station right in Terminal 2 (where the AA gates are) at CDG? I'm certain they have trains to Dijon from that station. When searching for tickets on the SNCF website, try searching under "Roissy" to get the right departure point.
Give yourself 2-3 hours between your arrival time and your train boarding time. This should give you plenty of time to gather your bags, get some coffee or food, and wait in life to claim your tickets. Couldn't be easier, and no reason to go through all of the stress of Parisian public transport or traffic.
Hope this advice hasn't come too late. Safe travels
Give yourself 2-3 hours between your arrival time and your train boarding time. This should give you plenty of time to gather your bags, get some coffee or food, and wait in life to claim your tickets. Couldn't be easier, and no reason to go through all of the stress of Parisian public transport or traffic.
Hope this advice hasn't come too late. Safe travels
Apr 13, 2009, 1:32 am
#9
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This post is a bit old, but I wonder if our OP ever sorted things out with his TGV tickets. DennyO, did you know that there's a TGV station right in Terminal 2 (where the AA gates are) at CDG? I'm certain they have trains to Dijon from that station. When searching for tickets on the SNCF website, try searching under "Roissy" to get the right departure point.
Give yourself 2-3 hours between your arrival time and your train boarding time. This should give you plenty of time to gather your bags, get some coffee or food, and wait in life to claim your tickets. Couldn't be easier, and no reason to go through all of the stress of Parisian public transport or traffic.
Hope this advice hasn't come too late. Safe travels
Give yourself 2-3 hours between your arrival time and your train boarding time. This should give you plenty of time to gather your bags, get some coffee or food, and wait in life to claim your tickets. Couldn't be easier, and no reason to go through all of the stress of Parisian public transport or traffic.
Hope this advice hasn't come too late. Safe travels
I had suggested that to the OP (perhaps in a PM discussion or another thread), but I believe he looked into that and found that there were only a very limited number of CDG-Dijon trains, and to do that route would require spending something like half the day at the airport waiting for the departure.
Perhaps Dijon simply isn't a super-popular destination from CDG (surprising, given how many people you'd think would be going there for wine tours, etc.)...
Apr 13, 2009, 4:08 am
#11
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Yep, only one train per day going, then one coming. I take the Dijon morning train to CDG sometimes. It leaves around 6:30am. Then one comes back leaving CDG after 7pm. Not the most convenient hours.
So if I want to go mid-day, I have to go to Gare de Lyon in Paris, then switch to the RER to get to CDG. Where I live it's easier to just go to the airport in Lyon and fly out of there in most cases.
So if I want to go mid-day, I have to go to Gare de Lyon in Paris, then switch to the RER to get to CDG. Where I live it's easier to just go to the airport in Lyon and fly out of there in most cases.
Apr 13, 2009, 4:08 am
#12
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speaking of CDG, if I have a new (unvalidated) France RailPass and want to ride the RER into the city, do I need to go to the window at CDG to get this validated in order to ride the RER 'B' train without an additional paid ticket?
I'm thinking I can take the 'B' from CDG as far as Chatelet-les-Halles using my France Rail Pass and then use a leftover 'T' metro ticket to Gare de Lyon where I start my SNCF travel.
merci
I'm thinking I can take the 'B' from CDG as far as Chatelet-les-Halles using my France Rail Pass and then use a leftover 'T' metro ticket to Gare de Lyon where I start my SNCF travel.
merci
Apr 13, 2009, 4:13 am
#13
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speaking of CDG, if I have a new (unvalidated) France RailPass and want to ride the RER into the city, do I need to go to the window at CDG to get this validated in order to ride the RER 'B' train without an additional paid ticket?
I'm thinking I can take the 'B' from CDG as far as Chatelet-les-Halles using my France Rail Pass and then use a leftover 'T' metro ticket to Gare de Lyon where I start my SNCF travel.
merci
I'm thinking I can take the 'B' from CDG as far as Chatelet-les-Halles using my France Rail Pass and then use a leftover 'T' metro ticket to Gare de Lyon where I start my SNCF travel.
merci
Once you are in the system, you can go anywhere in central Paris. You don't have to stop at Chatelet, but you do have to switch trains either at Gare de Nord or Chatelet to get to Gare de Lyon. But inside the system, you won't have to buy a new ticket. Just reuse the same one if you come to another turnstile.
Apr 13, 2009, 4:23 am
#14
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You need a special tiny metro ticket to pass through the electronic turnstiles. So if you are entitled to this with your Railpass, I suppose you would get it at the ticket window.
Once you are in the system, you can go anywhere in central Paris. You don't have to stop at Chatelet, but you do have to switch trains either at Gare de Nord or Chatelet to get to Gare de Lyon. But inside the system, you won't have to buy a new ticket. Just reuse the same one if you come to another turnstile.
Once you are in the system, you can go anywhere in central Paris. You don't have to stop at Chatelet, but you do have to switch trains either at Gare de Nord or Chatelet to get to Gare de Lyon. But inside the system, you won't have to buy a new ticket. Just reuse the same one if you come to another turnstile.
I'm hoping someone with experience with the France RailPass and this bonus of RER 'B' use will post. at that hour (8:45) on a Saturday morning I'm tempted to just take the AF coach but the cheapskate in me wants to see if I can get by with the RailPass and a leftover 'T' ticket.
I don't remember clearing turnstiles when changing between RER 'B' (Rive Gauche) and 'D' but it seems there were some upon exit. Don't know about 'B' to RER 'A', figure the same, but that may be wrong.
At some point this is probably more about RER and Metro than SNCF, so if the mods prefer we can move this to the France forum.
merci beacoup,
benzguy80
Apr 13, 2009, 4:28 am
#15
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Considering the normally very long lines at the RER ticket window to deal with your railpass on a Saturday morning, I would definitely take the bus. It is soooooo much easier with luggage. It is absolutely worth the money. You are dropped off right in front of the Gare de Lyon.