We finish a tour with Viking and will get transfers to Charles de Gaulle airport at the end of April. I'm having difficulty figuring out how to get from there to Loire valley, hopefully ending up in Ambois. I checked the train schedule but can't find many, if any , options.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by
Chicago
8166 posts
If it is at the end of April 2020 then you may be searching too far in advance. I would check back 90 days in advance or sign up to let SNCF notify when the trains are open for purchase.
https://en.oui.sncf/en/
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
To get an idea of what your options will be, check train schedules for January or February.
Posted by
New York, NY
1586 posts
tkwallen - There are about a half dozen direct TGVs daily from CDG to St Pierre des Corps. Travel time is about 1hr 45m. From St Pierre des Corps, there are fairly frequent trains to Amboise taking about 15 minutes to make the trip.
The SNCF site will give you full timetables. When looking for trains from CDG. use Roissy as your departure station, that being SNCF shorthand for the CDG TGV station.
If none of the direct TGVs are at a convenient time for you, you may have to transfer from CDG to the Montparnasse station in Paris to take a TGV to St. Pierre des Corps and then change for the train to Amboise. There are also direct non -TGV trains from Gare d'Austerlitz in Paris to Amboise. The SNCF timetable should show both if you just search for timetables from Paris to Amboise.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14741 posts
Might it be easier to skip the Viking transfer to the airport and do your own transfer to one of the rail stations in Paris (probably Gare Montparnasse, I think)? I have not done a river cruise but I think, according to CruiseCritic website, Viking might dock at Le Pecq which is a bit outside Paris. It's to the west, CDG is to the NE so you'd be going in the opposite direction you need to head to for the Loire Valley.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
5435 posts
You didn't ask about this, but I'll add my 2¢. If you will be exploring the Chateaux and vineyards while in Amboise, I'd highly recommend taking the train to St Pierre des Corps and renting a car there. It will make getting around the valley much easier and faster. There are several car rental companies at the station. Rentals are harder to find in Amboise.
Posted by
Paris
10205 posts
I am not sure what you are trying to do, but I think you are saying this:
You finish a Viking cruise, which ends in Paris, and then you want to spend a few days in the Loire Valley on your own. Viking will be taking cruise members to cDG airport.
Is that right?
If so, you don’t want to take the provided transportation out to the airport — that is going way out in the wrong way.
If for example your boat finishes by docking at Le Pecq, you should just take a taxi to Gare du Montparnasse and take a TGV (fast) train from there to St Pierre de Corps station in Tours.
From there you can either rent a car to go the short distance to Amboise and to be able to do your sightseeing (preferable), or you could take a local train to Amboise.
When you are done with your time in the Loire, return to Tours and the St Pierre de Corps train station and take one of the TGVs that goes directly to CDG airport.