Paris to Zurich---Train or Fly??

Jenn, Train is quicker city centre to city centre, more comfortable and a lot less stress.
No getting to an airport, no check-in, no 2 hour wait. Just go to Gare-de-Lyon and get on the train; at Zürich HB just walk off. Bring your own refreshments.
Look up prices and book tickets here (this is the company that runs the trains): http://www.tgv-lyria.com/en-CH
The earlier you book the cheaper. When you buy and book it is for a specific train, you cannot change your mind afterwards (same as an air ticket). Get a "print-at-home" ticket.
There is one train every 2 hours. Full timetable here: http://www.tgv-lyria.com/sites/default/files/pdf/BROCHURES_CO/frequencies-timetable-2017s1-ch_fr-tgv-lyria-en.pdf

By all means train. A high speed train will take you put from Paris to Zurich in just four hours, city to city without time consuming airport transportation. The seats will be more comfortable, and the fasten seatbelts sign will never be on. Flight times may be shorter, but with travel to the airports and security, the train will be faster, cheaper, and more comfortable.

If you don't want to commit to a specific train, how are you going to commit to a specific flight? Just decide on a convenient time for you and book train tickets as soon as they are available for sale to get the best price. Same applies to airline tickets. Given all the hassle of flying, (pay to go to the airport, check in, go through security, wait for the flight to board, fly, land, wait to get off the plane, wait to get luggage if you check any), I'd take the train any day. Looks like tickets could be as low as 50 EUR per person when you book 3 months out.

Yes, that's pretty funny. You prefer flexibility so you'd rather take a plane?? Surely I'm reading that incorrectly.

Thanks Chris and Jen. No need to be snarky Tim. Most of our trips have been road trips as my husband prefers just to hop in the car and drive. He hates having to be on a timetable on holiday, but know a bit of pre-planning needs to go in to Europe at peak season.

We are Europe first timers so don't know what airports/train stations are like. We live in Australia and flying within Oz is so easy---so much better than flying within the US. Just wasnt sure if airports in Europe would be more like US or Oz, but it seems like trains are the way to go.

Thanks Sam

Planes are pretty much set in stone once you have the ticket, trains can be but don't need to be.

I don't know how long you need to be at the airport before your flight in Oz but for an intra-EU flight in Europe you should plan on at least 2 hours, more if you have hold (check in) luggage. At CDG the airport is huge and cumbersome, and about an hour to get to the airport from central Paris. With recent events in Paris there may be additional checks.

Figure around half an hour from wheels down to seeing your friends.

So 1 + 2 + 1 + 0.5 = around 4.5 hours.

The train is at Gare de Lyon, walkable from many parts or a trivial Métro ride or RER from anywhere in Paris in a few minutes. If you don't know Gare de Lyon you might want to be there a few (15-20) minutes ahead to be sure you are not stressed and allow you to grab some on-train refreshments before you board.

So train is 4 to 4 and half hours, all in.

You can plan ahead with the train and get nice cheap tickets, but you can also swap money for convenience and get your tickets for the TGV the night before or even the same day. If one train is full the next won't be.

Once it gets to be a journey time of over 5-6 hours by train, then I will start to consider the flight alternatives. Even then it's case by case as to how it fits into my wider travel plans, or the desirability of the train experience, or the undesirability of the flight experience. In this case there is no need for alternative considerations, take a train.

Most Americans are in the Oz camp, jump in the car and go when you please. Flying, on the other hand has gotten to the point of being a despised necessity. Just not very practical to drive across 3 time zones without taking a few days, so we have suck it up and get on an airplane every once in a while. But Europe has these marvelous trains that can travel at up to 280 kph and go quite frequently. Most big city pairs, like Paris-Zurich, every 2 hours, and some every hour. Just board, take your seat, and show your ticket when the conductor stops by. 2nd class seats are like to the old business class seats in airliners. Get up and go to the toilet whenever you want, or walk to the bar car and have a drink or a snack and chat with other travelers.

It is not really much of an inconvenience to stick to a schedule. After all, hotels and apartments want you out by 10 or 11 when you check out, and you normally can't check in to new digs until after 3 pm, so it is perfect for travelling to take a late morning train. These trains are less crowded because the road warriors took the early trains and are already in their meetings with their power-point shows.

With services departing Paris at
07:23
10:23
11:23
16:23
18:23
a major point of difference is that you actually do have an amount of choice/flexibity if you decide on the train.