Can someone help with how much time I should allow for clearing customs at CDG and then taking the Air France bus to Gare DeLyon? I have to make reservations on the TGV train and am concerned about missing the train if there is a delay. I will have a France Train pass, but as I understand it, if I miss my train with the reservation , I can't simply board a later one. Is that correct? Thanks
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Where are you going from Gare de Lyon?
Posted by
OP
Colorado Springs, CO, USA
7 posts
We're headed for Chamonix
Posted by
Chicago
8097 posts
There will always be a risk with a same day onward trip. In the last 10 flights into Europe I have taken the majority have come in late -- one by 5 hours. It will take an hour through immigration and an hour from there into Paris on average. I would not book a train with fewer than 4 hours between ETA and departure of the train. That isn't a guarantee and it may leave you with an hour to kill at the train station, but your odds of missing the train will be fairly low. Plan on getting coffee at the train station and be happy if you have extra time.
Posted by
Paris
9681 posts
Just a note to chime in in support of Janet's analysis and suggested approach.
Posted by
OP
Colorado Springs, CO, USA
7 posts
Sounds like good advice. Thanks Janet and Kim
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
My initial response wasn't based on idle curiosity.
There is absolutely no way a newbie could walk out of the arrivals hall at Roissy and crack the front door of the SNCF side of Gare de Lyon in an hour. Plus there's the issue of giving out which set of non-collocated platforms to use once you're in the station. I couldn't do it and the chances of my making a misstep are exactly zero. Figure an hour and a half, at best, if you go that route.
Have you looked at the timing and duration of (instead of chasing your tail all the way into Paris) leaving directly from the airport on the trains that head to Lyon Part-Dieu thence onward?