My first European train trip is coming up this fall and I am a bit intimidated about transferring trains to get to Paris from Arles. I’m looking for any advise to help make this a smooth trip as I am traveling with a friend who will look to me for guidance, and unfortunately I am not bilingual. The transfer times appear short as I am studying the route. Thank you so much for the opportunity to ask.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
7051 posts
It's not at all unusual to be a bit nervous about train travel, especially in a different country, if you haven't done it before. But fear not; it's not really difficult, and there are all kinds of resources available. The main one, IMO, is the Man in Seat 61. What he doesn't know about European train services isn't worth knowing. You might start with this: https://www.seat61.com/european-train-travel.htm
Followed by: https://www.seat61.com/France.htm
There's also a series of articles on trains on this site in the Travel Tips section:
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains
And then there are ALL the videos on train travel on YouTube.
PS: being bilingual is definitely not a prerequisite.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6732 posts
Good advice above. There are some trains directly from Arles to Paris (Gare de Lyon), with no need to change. See the SNCF (French rail system) website for schedules and prices. It's a little clunky to use, but accurate. The station at Arles is small and quite manageable. The one in Paris is large, but all you have to do there is leave.
Posted by
Chicagoland
1996 posts
CJean has given you some good information.
Don't worry too much about language. The stations usually have signage in both French and English. Just remember to greet everyone with Bonjour before asking for help.
My biggest tip is to pack as light as possible. There are sometimes steps getting onto trains and anything larger than a carry-on size bag can be difficult to handle, especially when others are also trying to board,
Posted by
Paris
7779 posts
There are two daily direct trains from Paris to Arles: one around 7.15 AM and one around 5.15 PM. I recommend you take one of those, as some of the faster connections during the day involve two connections in Avignon TGV and Avignon Centre with lots of waiting.
Alternatively, you could budget for a car transfer from Avignon TGV to Arles. You'd save about 45 minutes of travel time, an Uber is about 70€ right now (it's not a very long drive).
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
2987 posts
Vikki,
Be sure you are making plans to leave from the correct station in Paris. You want the Gare de Lyon.
Posted by
Middletown, RI
1547 posts
Please not the OP asked about: "trains to get to Paris from Arles..." (emphasis added).