My Rick Steves Tour begins in Reims I April 2027. I would like to travel there directly from CDG. Looks like there are two options: which is best?
Take high speed train from CDG to Reims, looks like few trains per day.
or, go to Paris and then from Paris to Reims. If this one, how to get from CDG to Paris, and then from which train station to go to Reims?
Thanks for any advice you can give me.
If you put Paris in the origin spot in SNCF or Trainline.eu, and the station your want in Reims it will automatically show you which station in Paris services Reims. It is Est. So you would take a cab from CDG to Gare de l'Est. or take the RER B to Gare du Nord and then walk or take the metro 4 or 5 to Est. The two stations are close together.
Or take the train from CDG if it fits your timing
the rule of thumb is leave 3 hours after ETA at CDG or 4 hours in Paris is arriving at CDG.
The TGV from Paris to Reims takes only 45 minutes.
Take high speed train from CDG to Reims, looks like few trains per day.
Last year I arrived at CDG at about 730am. There was a train to Reims at about 9:00am, and I could have made it, but I already had tickets for the train around 11:00am.
Definitely go directly from CDG if the timing works out. You will be jet lagged so limiting your transfers, etc, will make your life easier. If you have to kill a few hours at CDG, you can go to the lounge at the Sheraton in Terminal 2 and get something to eat and drink in the meantime.
I have taken the train directly from CDG to elsewhere in France several times and I usually give myself less time than suggested between flight arrival and train departure because if I can limit my time waiting around in the airport, I accept the risk that I could miss my train. It has always worked out for me thus far (obviously, this may not always be the case) and I rationalize the risk because usually, I have bought my ticket early and have gotten a really good price that I am willing to lose (this is when I am travelling without my family - I will eat the cost of 1 ticket but would be less excited about the cost of 4). I am also at the stage in my life where I can afford to buy another ticket, at the last minute, if necessary. When I was younger, I likely would have thought twice about the same scenario.
Enjoy Reims (lovely place!) and the rest of your tour next year!
FYI to Marco’s comment about being in time to take the CDG train but he already had tickets from Gare de l’Est.
If he had the SNCF app, he could have opened it and exchanged his tickets. There’s a small charge for the exchange and you may have a price difference to pay, or maybe no seats will be available. But it’s worth trying to change. You save the expense of going into Paris and you save time.
