How to book a CDG to Biarritz train?

[Echidnatow]

Hola. I arrive at CDG at 16:35pm on 8 September 2016. I'm hoping to catch the latest train to Biarritz.

I cannot find the site to buy a train ticket from CDG? It appears the train station is right there, at the airport.

If I have to stay overnight in Paris, is the Montparnasse train station, very far from the CDG?

I was hoping to catch a train, rather than fly as it seems to be part of the Camino experience.

Many thanks

 

[mspath]

The train schedule in France is usually determined 3 months in advance. Use www.voyages-SNCF.com to see what is available. There may be a direct connection from CDG via Bordeaux to Bayonne and Biarritz late in the afternoon. If not go into Paris on an Air France bus to the Gare Montparnasse. You can catch a TGV train from there to Bayonne or Biarritz. Bayonne, not Biarritz, is the station for getting the local TER line 62 train to Saint Jean Pied de Port.

Good luck and Bon voyage!

 

[Echidnatow]

Thanks mspath - appreciate your quick assistance - I'll concentrate on Bayonne now.
Where there's a will there's a way!

 

[Castilian]

Hi Echidnatow! Welcome to the forum!

I arrive at CDG at 16:35pm on 8 September 2016. I'm hoping to catch the latest train to Biarritz.

That's late to make it to Bayonne by train on the same day. However, if you don't want to stay overnight in Paris, you could avoid it by taking the last train from CDG airport to Bordeaux. Stay overnight in Bordeaux and continue next day by train to Bayonne. Once in Bayonne, take another train to SJPP. For info about trains in France (where to look for schedules, where to buy them...), take a look at www.seat61.com/France-trains.htm

 

[whariwharangi]

SNCF is the service provider
http://www.sncf.com/en/passengers

Paris has 6 trains stations plus CDG 2 and Massy.

There are TGV trains to Bayonne (terminating in Irun/Hendaye and usually with a transfer at Bordeaux and sometimes at Dax) from CDG 2, Montparnasse, and Massy.

Note you will want to get off the train at Bayonne and not at Biarritz. The TER train to SJPdP leaves from Bayonne.

Allow at least two hours after flight arrival to board a train from CDG.

It takes about 1:15 to travel from CDG to Montparnasse.

The last trains leave too early for you to catch. You might consider taking the 1928 from Montparnasse and spending the night in Bordeaux. If I were you ... after a long flight ... find a place to stay in Roissy, Paris, or Massy.

 

[Echidnatow]

Hi Echidnatow! Welcome to the forum!



That's late to make it to Bayonne by train on the same day. However, if you don't want to stay overnight in Paris, you could avoid it by taking the last train from CDG airport to Bordeaux. Stay overnight in Bordeaux and continue next day by train to Bayonne. Once in Bayonne, take another train to SJPP. For info about trains in France (where to look for schedules, where to buy them...), take a look at www.seat61.com/France-trains.htm

Hi Echidnatow! Welcome to the forum!



That's late to make it to Bayonne by train on the same day. However, if you don't want to stay overnight in Paris, you could avoid it by taking the last train from CDG airport to Bordeaux. Stay overnight in Bordeaux and continue next day by train to Bayonne. Once in Bayonne, take another train to SJPP. For info about trains in France (where to look for schedules, where to buy them...), take a look at www.seat61.com/France-trains.htm

Gracias - you've given me more options of where to buy tickets. I'm considering staying in Paris overnight and then enjoying the train to SJPP the next day, without the rush.

 

[Echidnatow]

SNCF is the service provider
http://www.sncf.com/en/passengers

Paris has 6 trains stations plus CDG 2 and Massy.

There are TGV trains to Bayonne (terminating in Irun/Hendaye and usually with a transfer at Bordeaux and sometimes at Dax) from CDG 2, Montparnasse, and Massy.

Note you will want to get off the train at Bayonne and not at Biarritz. The TER train to SJPdP leaves from Bayonne.

Allow at least two hours after flight arrival to board a train from CDG.

It takes about 1:15 to travel from CDG to Montparnasse.

The last trains leave too early for you to catch. You might consider taking the 1928 from Montparnasse and spending the night in Bordeaux. If I were you ... after a long flight ... find a place to stay in Roissy, Paris, or Massy.

Gracias - it's all starting to make some sense. Thanks for the advice - makes sense now, to rest up in Paris overnight and continue by train the next day.

 

[gerardcarey]

Another option. I always use Captaintrain.

https://www.captaintrain.com/search/

A good hotel/hostel option in Paris is the OOPS Budget Hotel. Easy to get to on the metro and only 2 stops from Montparnasse Station where the vast majority of trains towards Bayonne leave from.

Regards
Gerard

 

[Echidnatow]

Another option. I always use Captaintrain.

https://www.captaintrain.com/search/

A good hotel/hostel option in Paris is the OOPS Budget Hotel. Easy to get to on the metro and only 2 stops from Montparnasse Station where the vast majority of trains towards Bayonne leave from.

Regards
Gerard

Gracias Gerard - I checked out the OOPS but I ended up booking a night with a hotel near the CDG - with a shuttle bus, to and from the CDG. At this time, I'm assuming I'll return to the CDG the next morning and either make my way by train or bus (as suggested by mspath above) to Montparnasse Station, to catch the train to Bayonne. Yes, captaintrain had some ticket info, I'll check that next. Thanks again.

 

[Echidnatow]

SNCF is the service provider
http://www.sncf.com/en/passengers

Paris has 6 trains stations plus CDG 2 and Massy.

There are TGV trains to Bayonne (terminating in Irun/Hendaye and usually with a transfer at Bordeaux and sometimes at Dax) from CDG 2, Montparnasse, and Massy.

Note you will want to get off the train at Bayonne and not at Biarritz. The TER train to SJPdP leaves from Bayonne.

Allow at least two hours after flight arrival to board a train from CDG.

It takes about 1:15 to travel from CDG to Montparnasse.

The last trains leave too early for you to catch. You might consider taking the 1928 from Montparnasse and spending the night in Bordeaux. If I were you ... after a long flight ... find a place to stay in Roissy, Paris, or Massy.

Quick question please - when you say it takes 1:15 hours from CDG to Montparnasse - did you mean by local train (metro)? or bus?

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

I found that French train stations and ticket machines would not accept my Australian credit card, so be prepared to pay cash!

 

[mspath]

I found that French train stations and ticket machines would not accept my Australian credit card, so be prepared to pay cash!

Was your's a chip enabled card with a 4 digit pin code?
See more re the necessity of possessing/using these in Europe in this earlier Forum thread.

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

Mspath, yes I believe my credit card is chip enabled (with the gold square on it) and a 4-digit pin. I used it all over France and Northern Spain this year. It was just French trains that were the problem!

 

[mspath]

Thanks for your update! Were both live SNCF clerks and machines unwilling to use it or just the machines? I ask because our many Australian guests should forewarned by me of any potencial problem.

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

From memory, a live person in Lyon wouldn't accept it for the train to Le Puy. The ticket machine for the replacement bus from Bayonne to SJPP wouldn't either. A kind man bought my ticket there on his card and I paid him the €11 in cash for it. This could have been a problem as the bus was about to depart during the train strike.

 

[mspath]

Thanks again Margaret! I'll be sure to forewarn any Aussie guests planning to travel by train.

 

[whariwharangi]

Quick question please - when you say it takes 1:15 hours from CDG to Montparnasse - did you mean by local train (metro)? or bus?

1. RER B train from CDG to St Michel Notre Dame. There is a 3 min walk from RER to Metro. Metro line 4 from St Michel to Bienvenue Montparnasse. 5 minute walk from Metro to TGV Platform. Approx 1:00 minimum but varies depending on schedule at time of day. RER runs every 6 - 12 minutes. Note there are three places where RER B meets Line 4. St Michel is suggested as being less of an orientation problem than Gare du Nord and is faster than the third alternative (which name escapes at the moment)

RATP interactive map
http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/

2. Le Bus Direct (formerly Air France) shuttle bus from CDG to Montparnasse. Advertised as 1:15 (anecdotally is faster so lots of slush in the schedule but it depends on traffic) Runs every half hour.

 

[GettingThere]

Gracias Gerard - I checked out the OOPS but I ended up booking a night with a hotel near the CDG - with a shuttle bus, to and from the CDG. At this time, I'm assuming I'll return to the CDG the next morning and either make my way by train or bus (as suggested by mspath above) to Montparnasse Station, to catch the train to Bayonne. Yes, captaintrain had some ticket info, I'll check that next. Thanks again.

If you're staying near CDG airport and heading back there in the morning, there's no need to make your way into Paris (to Montparnasse) unless you're planning on staying there too - you can catch the train direct from the airport to Bordeaux, and change there for Bayonne - very easy, just a platform change and avoids battling with city crowds and multiple stops. There are several trains a day, and they are high-speed ones with minimal stops. You can buy a ticket for Bayonne at the TGV station at CDG (either in the ticket office or at one of the self-service machines) which will include the change at Bordeaux. Much, much easier than going into central Paris if you don't need to.

 

[Echidnatow]

If you're staying near CDG airport and heading back there in the morning, there's no need to make your way into Paris (to Montparnasse) unless you're planning on staying there too - you can catch the train direct from the airport to Bordeaux, and change there for Bayonne - very easy, just a platform change and avoids battling with city crowds and multiple stops. There are several trains a day, and they are high-speed ones with minimal stops. You can buy a ticket for Bayonne at the TGV station at CDG (either in the ticket office or at one of the self-service machines) which will include the change at Bordeaux. Much, much easier than going into central Paris if you don't need to.

Love, love, this option. If you can buy a ticket at the CDG, there must always be seats available (even if you have to wait for a certain train). I would love a window seat on all legs - do you get allocated seats when you buy your ticket?

 

[mspath]

TGV (fast train) seats are all reserved/ assigned. Usually you can choose either an aisle or by a window. On TGV trains there is often a bar car. You can thus order a coffee, sit and watch the world go by.

 

[Echidnatow]

TGV (fast train) seats are all reserved/ assigned. Usually you can choose either an aisle or by a window. On TGV trains there is often a bar car. You can thus order a coffee, sit and watch the world go by.

Thanks again - your information is greatly appreciated.

 

[GettingThere]

Love, love, this option. If you can buy a ticket at the CDG, there must always be seats available (even if you have to wait for a certain train). I would love a window seat on all legs - do you get allocated seats when you buy your ticket?

If you want to be sure of getting the seat you want on a specific train then you can also book online in advance and pick your ticket up at the station. I've done that many times and find it quite easy. With those trains you always get a specific seat number, so you can't just sit anywhere, but then it does mean you're guaranteed a seat. If you don't want to book online another option would be to head over to the station before going to your hotel, get a ticket for the next day.

 

[Echidnatow]

If you want to be sure of getting the seat you want on a specific train then you can also book online in advance and pick your ticket up at the station. I've done that many times and find it quite easy. With those trains you always get a specific seat number, so you can't just sit anywhere, but then it does mean you're guaranteed a seat. If you don't want to book online another option would be to head over to the station before going to your hotel, get a ticket for the next day.

Excellent advice, Gracias.