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Time between CDG and Eurostar station?

If we arrive at CDG at 6:50 am on a Friday morning, would we have enough time to catch the 10:13 Eurostar train to London from Gare du Nord? Or should we take the 11:13? Or even the 12:13?

Posted by
7175 posts

Given recent posts re the long processing time for Eurostar passengers (at either end) I would be careful here.
You will have security screening and immigration check for UK before boarding your train, so allow 90 mins once at Gare du Nord.
Add to that possible delays with your arrival flight (2-3 hours in case),
disembarking (30 mins),
baggage collection (30 mins),
customs and immigration (30 mins).
Then you have to get CDG to GDN. by RER B line train (60 mins).
I am being very conservative I know. It's a tough call, and may be better to spend the night in Paris to avoid the stress.

Posted by
9550 posts

i would never dream of trying for the 10:13 or 11:13. If your flight arrives into the airport on time, and if there are no particular issues with getting through immigration or picking up your bags, if you're not arriving at Terminal 1 and don't have to traverse half the airport just to make it to the RER station, if there are no issues with the RERB that morning, and if it's a day when the lines to check in for Eurostar aren't enormous, you might be able to make the 11:13, but I would never buy a ticket on that basis. Because it's just as likely at least one of those elements isn't going to go just right, and then you're stuck buying a very expensive new ticket on the day of because you missed the train you had hoped to catch . . .

Remember that you have to be CHECKED IN for the Eurostar 30 minutes before the train's departure time. if you're still in the line, no good.

Posted by
15576 posts

Does this mean you've abandoned the (very good) idea of staying the night in Paris?

Posted by
5326 posts

I am always puzzled by itineraries from people that want to go to France/UK, but choose to fly to the other country, go into the capital, and then take the Eurostar immediately as though this all is a trivial journey. Seems like piling a lot of unnecessary hassle on the journey, doubling immigration queues, connection worries etc to me, but maybe others are more tolerant of all of this. Usually this is into London to Paris though ...

You haven't said which airline you are travelling to Paris on, but investigate whether you can add on a flight from CDG to London - or somewhere else ; your original itinerary seemed to end in Scotland, although that like planning to arrive in London may have changed. Mind you if you have to start changing terminals at CDG you might almost be better off going into Paris.

Posted by
14 posts

I really appreciate everyone's advice! And, yes, some of you have noticed our travel plans keep changing! Marco, we are flying into Paris because we found an incredible price on business class plane tickets JFK-CDG that makes the hassle worth it. We are trying to add an unexpected short Parisian experience to our London trip. Although I'm again realizing, like I did when we were first trying to cram both Scotland and London into one 9-day holiday, that less is more. As excited as I am to see and do EVERYTHING while we are there in September I'm trying to be realistic.

We are taking Eurostar rather than flying CDG-LHR because I adore train travel. This is a bucket list item.

Chani, our overnight in Paris plans have been abandoned because we just found out our daughter-in-law is leaving for Mexico less than 36 hours after we arrive. Since the number one reason for our trip to London is to visit her and our son, we want to get to London speedily. But we still might spend a day and a night in Paris at the end of the week before we fly home. (And, no, she's not leaving the country because we are coming!! 😉 Her brother changed his wedding date, but only after we had already purchased our plane tickets!!!)

Again, thank you all for the advice. I'm an over-planner, so you will probably be hearing from me again as we solidify our itinerary. And if anyone has any questions about traveling to my part of the world I would be happy to help!

Posted by
3948 posts

You have stated your reasons for wanting to go on the Eurostar and getting to London as quickly as possible in September. Would something like the following work for you? I checked skyscanner.com this morning for flights from CDG to LON and I got lots of flights for $51. I picked September 16 because I don't know when you are arriving but since you will already be at CDG this could be relatively easy if you give yourselves enough time. On your way back to Paris to catch your return flight you could go by train and cross the Eurostar off of your bucket list.

Posted by
9550 posts

Yes, I just think that's a lot of hassle to go through just because you like to ride trains. I didn't realize you were arriving from London, I thought you were arriving from the States.

anyway the idea of making the effort to get into town and go to a train station when one is already at the airport seems completely upside down with me (unless perhaps you're trying to make your spouse crazy). Trains are such a wonder when you're in town, so you don't have to make the schlep out to the airport, but why you would specifically add a schlep into town to the train station when you're at the airport is totally beyond my ability to reason. Check out Mona's advice.