Connection time in Paris CDG

[efdoucette]

Hi all, this forum is a wealth of information and I am hoping to get a little more. I'm planning my first Camino in Sept, coming from Canada and flying into Paris. The flight I'm looking at arrives Paris CDG at 06: 40. There is a train to Bayonne departing CDG2 at 07:40. My question, is it possible to make this connection in 1 hour?

Thanks

 

[Ange]

No doubt other people will also write in reply with their actual experiences. But just as reassurance if you google a plan of the airport you can see the layout. If your flight arrives on time and you only have hand luggage you should manage it. There is a shuttle from each of the terminals, so its tight but I think its doable especially if you don't need to buy a ticket. If you do and have a card with you the ticket machines are easy to use - not sure if they have flags for the language, but they should do, as this will avoid the queue to buy one. Keep an eye on the strikes called 'greve'. The French love to have a go and strike all the time in the various sectors. Air traffic controllers this week, trains last week and so on, so google 'Greves France 2011' If it comes up with Google.fr then click the translate this page. Good luck and Buen Camino!

 

[Kitsambler]

Only one hour is a tight connection to be sure. In your favor, the line for clearing immigration/customs will be very short. Also having no checked baggage to collect. Working against you is the very confusing layout and signage at CDG. It took me about 15 minutes and four tries to escape the terminal building and reach the transit tram (and I'm an experienced international traveler). You will be jet-lagged, tired, and hungry (no food until you reach the train station, and you'll want to pick up a sandwich or two for your train travel).

Why start off your trip with so much stress? If you could target the next train, and give yourself another hour for all of the connecting activities, you would be in much more peaceful shape.

 

[skilsaw]

I'm with Kitsampler on this.
Go for the connection, but don't stress out if you don't make it.
Good thing about trains... There is always another one coming.

Buen Camino,
David, Victoria, Canada.

 

[efdoucette]

Thanks for your help. Wouldn't one need a reservation for a particular departure?

 

[Kitsambler]

Unless you have a large group or are travelling on a holiday, there is no real necessity to book in advance. It is faster (no waiting in queue at the ticket office), and you can generally get discounted fares, however. The Europeans are able to use the automated ticket machines, since their credit cards use the technology the machines require. We non-Euros must use the "live person" ticketseller with our old-tech credit cards.

I don't know how difficult it is to change a ticket, once you have bought a pre-ticket and missed the connection. Maybe someone else can answer?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

From the TGV website:

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EXCHANGE, REFUND AND CANCELLATION OF TRAIN TICKETS

During periods of traffic disruption (strikes, bad weather, etc.), special conditions may apply. Please check the links on the TGV-europe.com home page regularly.

Do you want to change your booking? Click here

Do you want to cancel your booking? Click here

Conditions of exchange and cancellation for TGV, Teoz, Lunea

Prem's fares and other promotions: Tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable.

Loisirs fares: your tickets are exchangeable and refundable without charge until the day before departure. If changed on the day of departure, a €10 charge per person per journey is made. After departure your tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable.

Carte 12-25, Carte Senior, Carte Escapades, Carte Enfant+, Carte Enfant Famille, Carte Familles nombreuses, Congés annuels and famille militaire fares: Your tickets are exchangeable and refundable without charge until the day before departure. If changed on the day of departure, a €3 charge per person per journey is made. Tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable after departure.

Pro and Fréquence season card fares: Your tickets can be exchanged without charge up to 30 minutes after your train has left and 2 hours if you exchange them in your station of departure in France for the same journey. Your tickets can be cancelled without charge up to 2 hours after departure.

Disabled and escort, carte militaire fares: Your tickets can be exchanged without charge up to 30 minutes after your train has left and 2 hours if you exchange them in your station of departure in France for the same journey. Your tickets may be cancelled without charge up to 2 hours after departure.

iDTGV conditions of exchange and cancellation

iDTGV tickets are non-refundable. They can be exchanged but a charge of €10 will apply.

Corail and TER conditions of exchange and cancellation

Découverte Senior, Enfant+, 12-25, Sejour, Carte 12-25, Carte Senior, Carte Escapades, Carte Enfant+, Carte Enfant Famille, Carte Familles nombreuses, Congés annuels and famille militaire fares:

Tickets with booking:

Your tickets are exchangeable or refundable without charge until departure of the train.
Tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable after departure.

Open tickets without journey date (not for sale on the site):

These tickets are exchangeable and refundable, subject to a charge of 10% of the ticket value.

Standard and Fréquence season ticket fares:

Tickets with booking:

Your tickets are exchangeable and refundable without charge prior to departure
and up to one hour after departure at your station of departure in France.
After departure, tickets are exchangeable and refundable within 60 days, subject to a 50% charge.

Open tickets without journey date (not for sale on the site):

These tickets are exchangeable and refundable, subject to a charge of 10% of the ticket value.

EXCHANGING A TRAIN TICKET

The exchange procedure is as follows:

1. Check availability and fares for the journey you wish to make
2. Cancel the booking you no longer want:

Click on “Your orders” on the home page
Enter your booking reference.
Select “Cancel” and follow the instructions.

If you don't have the tickets in your possession

A cancellation quote will be displayed together with any relevant charges.

Once validated, confirmation of your cancellation will be sent to the e-mail address you entered.

Your refund will be recredited to the account of the bank card you used to make the on-line payment within 48 hours. If you used a deferred debit card, the refund will be credited at the end of the month.

If you do have the tickets in your possession

Send your refund application within 60 days to the following address:

TGV-europe.com
Service Clients
BP 10012
B-1060 Bruxelles 6
Belgium

Including the following:

your original tickets

You can also take your tickets to a ticket office at an SNCF station in France to obtain a refund.

3. Now order your new tickets.

You can also exchange your train tickets:

At a Boutique Rail Europe
At the 24-hour self-service terminals, stations and SNCF boutiques in France.

IDTGV TICKETS

iDTGV tickets are non-refundable.

Do you want to change your seat or on-board services? To do this free of charge, click here

Do you want to change your time/date of departure? This will incur a €10 charge per iDTGV ticket changed.

You will also have to pay any difference in price between the new ticket and the original ticket. Contact IDTGV customer services

 

[Kitsambler]

Thanks Falcon ... but if he's already at CDG when he's missed the train, then he'll be dealing with the ticket office and not the online site. Falcon's info says no exchanges or refunds after the train has departed, which means buying a new ticket.

Perhaps your best approach is to buy your ticket from the ticketseller when you have arrived at the CDG station. No pre-pay, no stress!

 

[mawani]

Hi everybody,

I’ll be soon starting my Camino. I’d like some clarification on the matter that which platform I should take my train to Bayonne from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport train station. Would it be 2A, 2B, 2C etc. I’d appreciate any help on this.

 

[efdoucette]

Thanks Falcon ... but if he's already at CDG when he's missed the train, then he'll be dealing with the ticket office and not the online site. Falcon's info says no exchanges or refunds after the train has departed, which means buying a new ticket.

Perhaps your best approach is to buy your ticket from the ticketseller when you have arrived at the CDG station. No pre-pay, no stress!

Many thanks for your help. Would it be safe to assume that the trains don't sell out? and that tickets are available prior to departure?

 

[KiwiNomad06]

My experience of CDG in 2008 was really long queues to get through customs/ immigration. They only had a couple of immigration booths and it took well over an hour, even for EU and French citizens. So unless there have been some major changes, I wouldn't expect to make a train connection within an hour. Having only hand luggage couldn't shorten these queues.
Margaret

 

[OldDad]

If you miss the TGV from CDG to Bayonne you can take the Air France Bus #4 to Gare Montparnasse (station in Paris) and get to Bayonne by TGV from there. If you do that you can get to Saint Jean by train from Bayonne) by about 16:30. If you are not familiar with CDG, then give your self some options. I missed the train from CDG, bought my TGV ticket right there at CDG, hopped on the AF Bus #4 to Montparnasse, got on the TGV to Bayonne and then one more train to SJ. Main thing is don't worry. You'll enjoy yourself more. Buen Camino.

 

[Icacos]

Hi, I'm picking up on an old thread, but hoping to get some information and reassurance.

Because my airline recently cancelled one of my flights, I've had to re-jig my plans and, in the process, I've made some mistakes, all stupid and costly. I am flying from Canada, via Amsterdam to CDG. I am due to arrive at CDG, Terminal 2F, on a Tuesday at 1:45 p.m. and, since I am not booked straight through to Biarritz (my final destination) I have to retrieve one item of checked baggage in Terminal 2F, then get to Terminal 2B for an EasyJet flight (booked separately) to Biarritz leaving at 6:25 p.m. If all goes well, I think I would have enough time to make this transfer. Do you seasoned travelers agree with me? Another concern is, what about customs and immigration? Should I expect to deal with that both in Amsterdam and CDG, or just Amsterdam? If I have to deal with that at CDG then I think I have reason to be concerned.

I know the simplest thing would be to re-book my tickets so that I go straight through from Amsterdam to Biarritz, but that would mean another expenditure to correct an already expensive mistake. I'm in need of some support and reassurance. Thank you very much.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

From Amsterdam to CDG your flight will be like a 'domestic' one within Europe. You won't have to clear customs and immigration a second time.
Margaret

 

[julie]

You will only have to deal with customs and immigration once. If you are just transiting through Amsterdam, then maybe you'll have to deal with them in Paris.

However, you should have plenty of time. I've flown into CDG heaps of times now and have never had a long delay dealing with the formalities.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Oh yes, sorry, I assumed that Amsterdam was the end of the international part of your journey. But if it's at CDG, they have made huge improvements in passenger movement through the terminal there recently. I have queued for more than two hours in the past to get through customs and immigration, but now they separate off the EU citizens, and last year as a non-EU citizen it didn't take me more than 30 minutes to clear the terminal, if that.
Margaret

 

[Kitsambler]

So you are arriving CDG at 1:45 pm and departing 6:45 pm. That should be plenty of time to do everything you need to do, and a generous margin for the unexpected as well. Please look up a map for the terminal layout for CDG beforehand, as Terminal 2 is huge (at least several postal codes, I swear!). Although I found many customer services (food, shops) closed for my early morning departure, by your time of day everything should be open.

 

[mspath]

Here is a link to a handy English guide to CDG airport >> http://www.easycdg.com/1/home/.

Click Airport Guide/ Terminal Maps for how to move throughout the area.

Bon Voyage and Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[Icacos]

Thank you everyone for your extremely helpful and most welcome information. I feel a tremendous weight off my shoulders. Bless you all. Charleen

 

[efdoucette]

Hi Charleen,

When I travelled through Paris CDG in Sept 2011 I didn't find it bad at all. I did find the airport layout on the net and gained a general understanding of it. It's big (I'm from Halifax Nova Scotia which is relatively small) but certainly manageable and I did find it signed okay. What I found real convenient was the train station just downstairs. That is where I hoped on to head south to Bordeaux / Bayonne / St Jean Pied de Port. No troubles.

Buen Camino
It's an awesome experience
Eric