Good Morning... beautiful stormy weather here in central Florida.
My flight and gang of friends arrives in Paris 11:10AM and we need to catch a train to Brugge from Nord. How much time should I allow to make our way to Nord. Trains leave: 2:23PM, 3:23PM, 3:53PM, 4:23PM and 5:24PM.
I'm leaning 3:53. That gives us four hours and forty minutes to make the train. Seeing as we're not checking luggage, this should be more than enough time right?
Thanks in advance.. love this forum!
I take you want to buy advance nonrefundable tickets. What is the date and how much is the discount?
You could take a train from CDG to Brussels with a connection to Brugge at 1:07 PM. That would certainly be makeable if you plane lands on time, and that is really the crux of the matter. The "walk up" fare from CDG is about 80 EUR, from Nord it is about 115 EUR using the Thalys, plus the 10.50 EUR for the train from CDG to Nord.
September 2nd arrival at 11:10AM...a Sunday. I assumed I would have to connect from CDG to Nord, but I'll check CDG direct to Brussels.
Checked the times..much better plan. Do we risk it and book the 1:17PM with a connection or just book the 4:00PM train?
Feedback? What are the chances we would miss a 1:17PM train at CDG if our plane lands at 11:20AM. Do we sit around and take the 4:00PM train?
"Feedback? What are the chances we would miss a 1:17PM train at CDG if our plane lands at 11:20AM. Do we sit around and take the 4:00PM train?"
Chances are good, IMO that you make that train if you have no checked luggage. I am assuming you are arriving directly from Florida. If you are in business class or otherwise have access to the Access No. 1 lane, you will make it because your problem other than a flight delay will be the passport control line and that can be an issue at CDG but the Access No 1. lanes help you bypass that. Even without the lanes, I have not heard of a wait of more than 60 minutes at passport control so unless you are very unlucky, I think you have a good shot. If you already landed somewhere in the Schengen Zone and have gone through passport control, I think the odds are very much with you making it. Again this is ignoring the possibility of flight delays.
I'm more conservative than JHK, I'd say hold off till the 4:00. You'll be buying nonrefundable train tickets -- right? -- so even an hour's delay in takeoff or landing could mess you up for that earlier train. But congratulations on not checking baggage. That will help whatever you do.
I've seen some public lounge areas at the end of one of the CDG terminals with big chaise lounge type chairs (that's French) for people to nap, or maybe you can spring for some other lounge access, or just find a remote gate where it's relatively quiet. Or visit the Louvre exhibit, or enjoy your first French lunch, or do some shopping. You can also nap on the train.
