T2A -> TGV Station in 55mins?
 

Hi,

I am scheduled to arrive at CDG T2A from LHR on Sunday at 3:10pm, and would like catch a 4:04pm TGV train. Simple question... am I dreaming?

I am a NZ citizen (so not on a EU passport), will be flying business class (if that makes a difference?), and have one piece of checked baggage. But I can run fast...

If I book a train ticket it online and print it out, do I need to visit the ticket office at the train station, I can I literally just walk on-board the train?

Thanks in advance for your help...

Opinions may vary on this one. You might make it, but do it ten times, and I'd bet you miss 4 or 5 of those.

After baggage claim, it's probably only ten minutes to the SNCF station, less if you run. I believe you will need to convert your train schedule printout to a ticket, either at the ticket office or from a machine (which I have not done).

By my experience, the real open questions are the time for taxiing to the gate (which at CDG can take forever), and the time for checked luggage to arrive, which can be fast or very slow.

Many SNCF trains offer cheap fares for no change tickets or for tickets that can only be changed up to departure of the train. If you avoid these restrictions and have an exchangeable ticket, there is not much to lose on most routes by booking the earlier train and switching to a later one if you must.

Yep, agreed with Mountain Trader. I schedule as-quick connections all the time, assuming that I'm going to miss some of them (I'd say my miss rate is around 20-30%).

Since you've checked baggage, and since you're flying in from LHR where delays can be king, you're cutting it close. That said, BA is known for padding this flight considerably so as to allow for the common delays at LHR.

What I normally do:
If you have a chip+pin credit/debit card, purchase a "refundable until depart" ticket from voyages-sncf.com or a travel agency, but don't print it out. This way

1. if you get to the train station in time, you can use the machine to print out the ticket;
2. if you don't get there in time, you can use the machine to change the ticket;
3. and if you're heavily delayed out of LHR, you can cancel/change the ticket via the Internet.

Having the ticket in hand would make the situation 1 go just a bit faster, but would not let you do anything in the situation 3 - that's for you to gamble on.

Peace.

In thinking further, I wondered if SNCF has an option to print at home a document usable as a ticket on the train. I know they offer the macine at the station, in person at the station and mail to your ome or office. Is printing at home a choice?

Yes, but currently only on Prem's fares, those that are completely non-refundable and non-exchangeable. With this type of ticket, the OP would be SOL if s/he didn't make his/her train.

Peace.