Changing trains at Bordeaux

[JanMary]

Hi there,
I leave New Zealand on Sunday 4 June to start my Camino, arriving at Paris CDG airport on Monday 5 June.

I have booked a train from Paris CDG to Bayonne where I am staying overnight before heading to St Jean Pied de Port.

I have to change trains at Bordeaux and I have only 11 minutes - I'm getting a bit freaked out now that I won't be able to figure out how to do this or where my new train goes from.

Does anyone have any advice?

Many thanks,
Jan

 

[Rick M]

11 minutes is tight but doable in Bordeaux. As I recall, there are two sides to the station connected by a short "tunnel". Each side has about six or eight (?) tracks. There are monitors that show the train number and the corresponding track number. Find your track number on the monitor and head for it. The track numbers are very clearly marked. If its not obvious where your track is, head for the station part, and find the tunnel heading for the other tracks. Its less than a two minute walk if I recall. Hopefully someone who travels through Bordeaux often can provide more detail than my hazy memory can.
Buen Camino!

 

[JanMary]

11 minutes is tight but doable in Bordeaux. As I recall, there are two sides to the station connected by a short "tunnel". Each side has about six or eight (?) tracks. There are monitors that show the train number and the corresponding track number. Find your track number on the monitor and head for it. The track numbers are very clearly marked. If its not obvious where your track is, head for the station part, and find the tunnel heading for the other tracks. Its less than a two minute walk if I recall. Hopefully someone who travels through Bordeaux often can provide more detail than my hazy memory can.
Buen Camino!

Thank you! This information makes me feel more comfortable - I will make sure I know my train number well in advance so I can go straight to a monitor and find the track number

 

[naplesdon]

I would not worry, the SNCF knows there are limited times to connect and as long as you get from point A to point B without much delay there will be no problems.

 

[tomnorth]

Hi there,
I leave New Zealand on Sunday 4 June to start my Camino, arriving at Paris CDG airport on Monday 5 June.

I have booked a train from Paris CDG to Bayonne where I am staying overnight before heading to St Jean Pied de Port.

I have to change trains at Bordeaux and I have only 11 minutes - I'm getting a bit freaked out now that I won't be able to figure out how to do this or where my new train goes from.

Does anyone have any advice?

Many thanks,
Jan

I wouldn't worry about it. Just make sure you're ready to exit the train the moment you arrive. The train station is not big. It doesn't take long to make it to the next track.

 

[Mark McCarthy]

You can change platforms in under 5 minutes. All the platforms are connected by a tunnel. SNCF also have an app which will tell you which platform you are arriving at and which platform your connecting train is leaving from.

 

[Neiljacobson]

Hello my partner and I also have a very short turnaround in Bordeaux. We are coming from Paris and switching trains in Bordeaux and on to Hendaye. We only have ten minutes if trains are on time and I am trying to get as much information as possible so that we do not miss our connection. Any further information other than what's already been posted on this blog would be greatly appreciated.

 

[efdoucette]

I did that exact same route in 2011. Platform info is not normally posted until 15 minutes before departure time anyway so you are not far off. Don't linger, head for the info screen, determine your platform, down the tunnel, up at the right platform, a matter of minutes. If you feel unsure you are at the right platform, ask one of the train attendants.

 

[TMcA]

As others have noted, the French trains are scheduled so that passengers can make connections, but some connections are doable but tight.

You can rely on the signage, but I would do a little something extra...

On the first leg of your trip, from Paris to Bordeaux, ask your fellow passengers for the slight bit of assistance that you will need. You can even bring your request for help in French, translated by Google translator. But please don't just shove a note in someone's face, that's not polite. Instead query the people near you on the first leg, starting politely with "Hello" if you know no French and continuing with "can anyone help me with my connection in Bordeaux?" I am almost certain you will find an English speaker who can assist you at the time you ask your question and also at the time you deboard in Bordeaux. By asking on the train well before arrival when everyone starts rushing, you'll be requesting help from a pre-screened population and it's very improbable that you will wind up with misleading information.

For me personally, admitting my ignorance and asking others for help is an act of humility which I would contend is always a good thing especially on the way to Santiago.

Tom

 

[Neiljacobson]

Thank you so much Efdoucette and Tom.
You supplied very good and helpful information. Early this morning I monitored the SNCF app which was very helpful to see in real time and was able to identify platform numbers in Bordeaux. I will monitor to them again more times. Today the train number 5202 which is the one we're on arrived on the 04 platform. 10 minutes later train number 8541 departed on the 01 platform. I also have found some detailed information on the tunnel system at Bordeaux and how that works and what platforms it goes to. Over the next few days I will try to get a better understanding on that.
Thanks for your replies, Neil

 

[Kathar1na]

Early this morning I monitored the SNCF app which was very helpful to see in real time and was able to identify platform numbers in Bordeaux. I will monitor to them again more times. Today the train number 5202 which is the one we're on arrived on the 04 platform. 10 minutes later train number 8541 departed on the 01 platform. I also have found some detailed information on the tunnel system at Bordeaux and how that works and what platforms it goes to. Over the next few days I will try to get a better understanding on that.

Excellent! You will be fine, the time for changing between these two trains is meant to be short so that travellers don't loose too much time. Dozens of passengers do this every day and the train staff are aware that some of them are visitors from abroad . The Bordeaux train station is small and the distances between platforms are short.

Here is a photo. You see (marked in purple) the entry of the short stairs leading down to the connecting path and then to the stairs leading up to other platforms. There are also electronic information screens (marked in purple) on the platforms themselves so there is no need to go to the main hall to find out from which platform your train departs but you won't need it anyway if you monitor the SNCF app. And you know already that voie means platform . Bon voyage!

 

[Neiljacobson]

Thank you so much Kathar1na..
I am so pleased with the help that's available on this site. I love you posting the pictures with the circles of the areas that identify both the board and the tunnel. I am much more relaxed about our 10-minute turn around in Bordeaux

 

[Neiljacobson]

Hi there,
I leave New Zealand on Sunday 4 June to start my Camino, arriving at Paris CDG airport on Monday 5 June.

I have booked a train from Paris CDG to Bayonne where I am staying overnight before heading to St Jean Pied de Port.

I have to change trains at Bordeaux and I have only 11 minutes - I'm getting a bit freaked out now that I won't be able to figure out how to do this or where my new train goes from.

Does anyone have any advice?

Many thanks,
Jan,
Yes I had the same issue a few weeks ago and and acquired the same question. I am very comfortable that we'll be able to do it as long as the trains are on time. We have the same time span of 10 minutes. My advice if you have internet access on your phone is to download the sncf app on your phone. You will be able to monitor the platforms of the trains for both arrival and departure. The platform numbers will only be posted about 10 to 15 minutes prior to their scheduled times. If you can do this you will know what platform to go to before exiting you train and maybe buy you a few minutes. I have spent early mornings monitoring platforms and it's never the same platform number. You will likely have to use the tunnel system to get to the another platform. I was advised also that there may be somebody on the train that will be going to your same train that is traveled it daily for work and would guide you along the way as a backup.
Neil

 

[Bansi Malavia]

Hello , if possible can you share your experience about turnover at bordeaux train station,how did you manage it ,i am in the same situation.