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Buy TGV from CDG to Strausburg/Colmar before or after?

Posted by (NC) on

Happy to be planning a trip again after so long, but I want to make sure it gets off on the right foot. We'll be flying into CDG from JFK, early morning arrival. Our plan is to TGV from the airport to Strasbourg and onward to Colmar, where we expect to check in early to mid afternoon.

The question is, whether I should pre-buy the train tickets ahead of time, with departure from the airport about 3-3.5 hours after landing, or should I just wait and buy upon arrival, in case the flight is delayed?

I've run trial reservations and reserving in advance would net the 3 of us tickets for about $220-250, while buying the day of is $400 or so. Probably better to buy tickets upon arrival is my thought, even if it costs more- save the stress of wondering if we're going to make it in time- kind of along the same lines of the questions we see about buffers for connecting flights.

Anyone have any opinions or experience with this? Especially with on-site purchases at the T2 train station? Thanks in advance.

Posted by
2703 posts

The ticket line at terminal 2 can be very long.

This question has been posed for years and is always a trade-off of risk vs. money. If I had 3 plus hours connect time at CDG, I would purchase the tickets as ticket prices only rise, but there is no correct answer.

Posted by
1441 posts

I pre-purchased my tickets about 3 - 4 months out for CDG - Strasbourg for a departure time of 3 hours after landing. During that time while waiting in the Terminal 2 station I was able to recharge my Navigo-Decouverte. The line for purchasing same day tickets was very long at the ticket windows, however there were also kiosks available in the station for purchasing tickets.

At the time the TousAntiCovid App was being utilized to prove vaccination, which I already had. However now a new system is being utilized which you would have to set up at one of the Pharmacies in the Terminals at 36 Euros each. If this is still in place during your time.

Posted by
2703 posts

Just for clarification - the TousAntiCovid apt has not changed with the pass vaccinal requirement. The essential difference is that the apt must be updated with the required booster shot information, which should be from a mRNA vaccine. A pharmacist will issue a new QR code, showing your updated status, and that QR code is scanned into the app, updating it.

Posted by
4853 posts

And Gare de l'Est is a nice sized little station easy to navigate, with a FNAC!

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