May 23 2023 need to get from SdC to Paris

[Perambulating Griffin]

Ecstatic to have field-work approved for 3 weeks in Spain prior to a conference in Paris. I need to be in Paris on the morning of the 24th and while I've had a look on Rome2Rio/Omio, I'm not seeing the easy train I used to get form SdC to Irun that would allow me to walk to Hendaye and then train from there.
Anyone with current info able to tell me if I could get an overnight train (I'd rather not try to find a hotel in Paris on the 23rd before the conference booking starts on the 24th) to Irun and then a morning train from Hendaye to Paris?
Alternatively, I *could* fly (but even that seems less a simple matter than I had thought it would be AND I'd rather avoid flying).
Thoughts? Recommendations?
I'll be in SdC for several days prior to leaving. What is the feasibility of just leaving it until then and getting in-person help at the ticket office?
Thanks in advance for any help!
PG

 

[alexwalker]

www.rome2rio.com

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

www.rome2rio.com

Tried that before I posted. Was not useful. Train to Madrid, then north. Train to Barcelona, then north.

 

[DirtAmy]

There's currently no overnight trains in Spain. So you would need to stay overnight in Hendaye if you wanted the 07:12 TGV to Paris on the 24th.

The direct daytime SdC to Irun train that you recall no longer exists. Changing in Madrid is the option you've come across.
An option that replicates the previously direct train leaves SdC on Tues/Weds/Fri/Sun and changes at Vitoria-Gasteiz and then again at San Sebastian where you walk to the euskotren station to hop to Irun/Hendaye. On Mon/Thurs/Sat you can connect to the same train by travelling first to Ourense from SdC. You might need to split your searches down to get this option that avoids Madrid, splitting it down will also show a few other options from Vitoria-Gasteiz that go straight to Irun but miss the established Vitoria-Gasteiz connection that seemingly everyone on the train uses.

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

There's currently no overnight trains in Spain. So you would need to stay overnight in Hendaye if you wanted the 07:12 TGV to Paris on the 24th.

The direct daytime SdC to Irun train that you recall no longer exists. Changing in Madrid is the option you've come across.
An option that replicates the previously direct train leaves SdC on Tues/Weds/Fri/Sun and changes at Vitoria-Gasteiz and then again at San Sebastian where you walk to the euskotren station to hop to Irun/Hendaye. On Mon/Thurs/Sat you can connect to the same train by travelling first to Ourense from SdC. You might need to split your searches down to get this option that avoids Madrid, splitting it down will also show a few other options from Vitoria-Gasteiz that go straight to Irun but miss the established Vitoria-Gasteiz connection that seemingly everyone on the train uses.

This is fantastic information! Thank you! I'll try the Tuesday itinerary you suggest with the TVG train next morning to Paris. As you are obviously very familiar... what do you think of merits of pre-booking vs waiting until I arrive in SDC (which should be 17th May)??

 

[DirtAmy]

I'm a massive pre-booking fan! I love being able to choose my seat, especially on the TGV because that route has double-deckers. Pre-booking means my ticket is already safely saved on my phone (and email) and pre-payment means I can spread my costs and even consider splashing out on 1st class.
If you're looking for a hotel in Hendaye then I love the Hotel Restaurant Santiago, very close to the station with beautiful views from the balconies (although the hotels in Irun are cheaper).

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

I'm a massive pre-booking fan! I love being able to choose my seat, especially on the TGV because that route has double-deckers. Pre-booking means my ticket is already safely saved on my phone (and email) and pre-payment means I can spread my costs and even consider splashing out on 1st class.
If you're looking for a hotel in Hendaye then I love the Hotel Restaurant Santiago, very close to the station with beautiful views from the balconies (although the hotels in Irun are cheaper).

Thanks! I love the recommendations! I'll keep checking on Renfe as we are still far enough out that nothing is showing for Vitoria/Gasteiz, and so nothing from there to Irun yet. It's been a while for me since I made a trip from SdC that included flying home from France and saw me getting off in Irun, walking to Hendaye, sleeping over there and then hopping my train to my airport destination the next morning. Mostly I remember sailboats that I could see in the harbour.... and the bridge I had to cross... vague memories of Irun station and none (!) of Hendaye.

 

[Sidknee]

Hi @permabulating griffin, might be quicker to catch the fast train SdC to Madrid then fly to Paris. Have done this run a couple of times. Have found getting a direct flight from SdC to Paris be patchy. You could also fly to Biarritz then train it north if that takes your fancy. Those border towns are some of the best.

A night in Paris versus a night on a train….hmmm not sure that is a fair comparison.

Careful with who you fly with. I wouldn’t recommend the “el cheapo” airlines like Vueling if you have a fixed commitment at the other end. They change flight times on a whim.

The trains to Madrid run regularly, and you can link your timing to the flight (albeit you need to give yourself time to transit to the airport).

Buen Camino

 

[Former member 102963]

Hi @permabulating griffin, might be quicker to catch the fast train SdC to Madrid then fly to Paris. Have done this run a couple of times. Have found getting a direct flight from SdC to Paris be patchy. You could also fly to Biarritz then train it north if that takes your fancy. Those border towns are some of the best.

A night in Paris versus a night on a train….hmmm not sure that is a fair comparison.

Careful with who you fly with. I wouldn’t recommend the “el cheapo” airlines like Vueling if you have a fixed commitment at the other end. They change flight times on a whim.

The trains to Madrid run regularly, and you can link your timing to the flight (albeit you need to give yourself time to transit to the airport).

Buen Camino

Vueling tend to have very strong punctuality performance and very strong regularity (flights operated as a %age of flights scheduled to operate).

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

Vueling tend to have very strong punctuality performance and very strong regularity (flights operated as a %age of flights scheduled to operate).

But they land something like 100 km or more outside of Paris... no? Like the airport was so obscure to me that I didn't recognise it at all. Not sure how I'd get into the city efficiently.

 

[Former member 102963]

But they land something like 100 km or more outside of Paris... no? Like the airport was so obscure to me that I didn't recognise it at all. Not sure how I'd get into the city efficiently.

Yes, but I was was specifically talking about punctuality and regularity with respect to Vueling. You need to pick your airports carefully pretty much all all major Europeans cities -London, Milan, Frankfurt and so on.

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

Yes, but I was was specifically talking about punctuality and regularity with respect to Vueling. You need to pick your airports carefully pretty much all all major Europeans cities -London, Milan, Frankfurt and so on.

Very good.
I think I will stick with train if possible as I need to hit meetings in Paris as soon as possible on arrival to the city so not having to travel from outside it...

 

[Former member 102963]

Very good.
I think I will stick with train if possible as I need to hit meetings in Paris as soon as possible on arrival to the city so not having to travel from outside it...

Sure I am a big train advocate and I think it pretty much always the way to roll across western Europe!

 

[Sidknee]

Vueling tend to have very strong punctuality performance and very strong regularity (flights operated as a %age of flights scheduled to operate).

The problem is Vueling change their flights times (by up to 5 hours) from the originally scheduled time (on the sold ticket). Their SdC to CDG flights are regularly impacted by these changes. The changed departure times do leave on (the rescheduled) time, which are then reported as leaving on time.

The challenge for non-European flyers is that you can’t be certain that your flight will leave as originally ticketed. Then you’re faced with the nightmare of trying to obtain a refund, the best you’ll be offered is a flight credit that needs to be used within 12 months. Unrealistic for most who travel from outside Europe.

As an aside, Vueling fly direct SdC to CDG.

As I said, if you don’t have any fixed commitments or plenty of time to play with by all means take a punt on the LCCs (e.g. Vueling and others).

Getting yourself to a major flight hub (Madrid and Barcelona) gives you a lot more options.