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Best train and site to book Strasbourg, France to Lyon, France? Please Help.

Posted by (Atlanta, GA, USA) on

I have booked my SNCF train from Paris CDG to Strasbourg, France through the Voyages-SNCF.com site and got a flexible 2nd class ticket and arriving on November 2nd.

I am staying in Strasbourg for 3 nights and then a bus/train to Baden Baden, Germany for 2 or 3 nights.

I need to train to Lyon, France the next day.

My question is what is the best train to book to get to Lyon from Baden Baden and what site do I use if I want to buy in advance?

Or is there a better place for me to go to the day before to explore and there is a better train, meaning faster? I have looked at going to Colmar, France but that is a smaller city and don't know if it is a better train connection site or if there are other cities. And if it is better to depart from France vs Germany?

Your help will be so appreciated as I want to maximize my time in this beautiful area of Alsace and the Black Forest and don't know technically if Baden Baden is in the Black Forest or just at the southern border.

Thank You!!

Kathy

Posted by
21155 posts

There are frequent trains from Colmar to Lyon. If going from Baden-Baden, you can buy tickets at www.bahn.com.
If you want to visit the Black Forest, don't go to Baden-Baden, which is on the northern edge of the Black Forest. Take a local train across the river to Offenburg, then a regional train southeast into the actual Black Forest.

Posted by
33840 posts

Baden Baden is pretty much northwest of the Black Forest, but not far.

Use the DBahn website and put in Baden Baden to Lyon and you will get the fastest connections regardless of route.

You don't give a date so I can't be more precise.

On the 21st of October there is a good connection leaving Baden-Baden at 7:41, change at Karlsruhe and Strasbourg, arriving Lyon Part Dieu just before 1pm. Just in time for lunch. Time of travel 5:15.

An hour later there is a similar routing but slower. 8:54 to 15:26. Both run in at €83 pp for the whole journey at this moment for a saving ticket. If you are using a railpass you will need a reservation (rationed) for the segment from Strasbourg to Lyon. If you buy the ticket the reservation is included.

Posted by
7161 posts

I know this is unasked for advice but I might consider just staying the add'l nights in Strasbourg and doing day trips from there to Baden Baden (if you really want to go there for the spa), Triberg (in the Black Forest) and maybe Colmar (because it's so nice and has the wonderful Unterlinden museum). Then just take the fast train from Strasbourg to Lyon.

Posted by
215 posts

Thank you everyone and because of this feedback I have even adjusted my plans:

Nov 2nd Land at Paris CDG and train to Strasbough. Can do day trip to lovely Colmar as mentioned. Stay 3 nights and check out on Nov 5th

Nov 5th DB train from Strasbourg to Baden Baden for 1 night now and enjoy the thermal baths/spa

Nov 6th DB train from Baden Baden back to Strasbough and connect with a SNCF train to Dijon for 2 nights. We have been to Beaune but always wanted to go to Dijon just for the little town.

Nov 8th SNCF train from Dijon to Lyon and the other person goes from Dijon to Paris.

Do I have the right train sites to buy the tickets above?

Thank you for the advice but now I have to figure out best train options.

Kathy

Posted by
2466 posts

I wouldn't exactly call Dijon a "little town", unless you mean just the old quarter. There's lots to do here - history, museums, and of course food and wine...
http://www.notrefrance.com/tourisme/que-visiter/bourgogne/cote-d-or/dijon?gclid=Cj0KEQjw9vi-BRCx1_GZgN7N4voBEiQAaACKVjiNWNZwnjRleui2c2Yreez-9PRxACwTO2F2lJCmj04aAuy68P8HAQ

Mulhouse is also a nice visit, a short train trip from Colmar.

SNCF is the website for travel within France. If you check the calendar and times of day the trains run, you can often travel much cheaper during weekdays and off-peak hours.

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