Hello folks?
Not sure there is a group for the up coming trip, if so point me the way :)
What the best way to get from Paris to Reims. I know there is a CVG train but perhaps a good link and some common ways of doing it would be good to plan. Maybe would be good to start chatting with those on our trip ;)
Thanks in advance
John
Hi, John. I’m on the May 29 tour. Will be spending some time in Paris and taking the TGV to Reims to meet the tour. With your final tour documents you will get info about trains to Reims. There are a good nimber of trains per day from Gare de l’Est to Reims Central station. The station is really close to the tour hotel and you will get walking directions. You can see train schedule on a number of websites. Try trainline.com or rome2rio,com. They are easier to navigate than the SNCF site. I plan to buy tickets at the station on my day of travel.
Have a wonderful trip!
To the poster above: do not plan on buying tickets at the station on the day of travel on 29th May; it will be one of the busiest travel days of the year, and tickets are cheaper in advance. Since you know you will make this journey, buy it now, online. Either through SNCF Connect or through Trainline if you do not mind the small fee they charge.
To John: when you say "from Paris", do you mean the city or CDG airport? Besides the trains from Gare de l'Est in Paris to Reims, there are a few direct trains from CDG to "Champagne Ardenne" station, in the outskirts of Reims (accessible by tram).
I love this question. We are going on the Best of Eastern France tour which starts September 24, landing at CDG on September 25. Getting the train tickets has been a concern of mine. I am glad to know info on this (which train and to which station in Reims) will be forthcoming.
I hope we all have a great trip.
Cathy
Thanks for the local knowledge, @balso. I'm actually planning to go to Reims on Friday the 27th, but will take your advice and buy ahead of time.
To @balso
We will be staying at a hotel near the Arc de Triomphe and probably want to go to the Gare de l’ Est to catch a bullet train to Reims and meet the group on Sunday, June 19, 2022. So probably mean the city not the airport, if that helps.
We went on this tour in May and had an absolutely lovely time. Our guide, Chris Coleman, was fabulous.
The Paris to Reims TGV train connection is easy. I bought our tickets in advance via Rail Europe. We got printable tickets with a QR code and date/time/seat #s. We're all about no-stress travel days so we taxied from our Paris hotel, allowing lots of time for traffic, and had fun people watching at Paris Est. The station had places to buy good food to eat on the train (and you can practice your French when ordering.) Train stations are well marked. They don't post which track you'll depart from until about 20 min before you leave, so watch those monitors. Have fun!
Getting the train tickets has been a concern of mine
As posted above, use either SNCF or trainline. Rail Europe often has higher markups and they also do not show all the trains.
We are going on the Best of Eastern France tour which starts September 24, landing at CDG on September 25
Hopefully this is a typo, but you are arriving a day after the tour starts? It's best to arrive a day or preferably two earlier. Stay in Paris, get over a bit of the jetlag, and then take the train which you're sure to catch because you're already in Paris. It is more challenging to go from CDG to Reims directly because you don't know if your flight will be late, how long the immigration check will take, how long it takes to get to the Paris station for the train to Reims.
We did this tour several years ago and really enjoyed it! One tip I'd add is that if you have a small lightweight pair of binoculars they're worth bringing. Makes it easier to see the detail on the Cathedral windows in Reims and also the views in Chamonix.
Yes, sort of a typo. We are leaving on 9/24, landing on 9/25 which is the date the tour begins.
