Trying to book a train from Paris to Amboise in April.....looked on Deutsche Bahn, as they seemed to be one that would leave Gare du Nord near where we will be staying before we leave. Could not book online......need some help as to what train line to use and how to get the ticket online and the return ticket back from Amboise to Paris. Any suggestions? We will be picking up a car in Amboise......thank you for your help!
Posted by
752 posts
Here is a link to the French SNCF booking site: https://www.oui.sncf/canvas/proposals
Most departures to Amboise are from Gare Montparnasse, with a change in St Pierre des Corps. There are a few direct departures from Gare d’Austerlitz. I put in a random date in April and saw many good fares available. By the way, you can also rent a car at St Pierre des Corps, lots of rental agencies there.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
4842 posts
Re car rental. I agree with renting the car at the St. Pierre des Corps station. I think there are 4 different rental agencies there. There are none at the Amboise station. It's an easy 30 min drive to Amboise.
As stated, use the SNCF website to book your tickets. You will find that most of the TGV (high speed) trains to St Pierre des Corps leave from Gate Montparnasse. Each train station in Paris tends to handle trains going to specific areas of France (and beyond). Trying to depart from a different station usually means a much longer trip with multiple connections.
Posted by
Paris
9562 posts
I don’t know of any trains between Amboise and Gare du Nord — just Montparnasse or Austerlitz, as mentioned above.
Posted by
Loire Valley
754 posts
The trains direct to Amboise leave from Gare Austerlitz, but there are very few of them each day - normally they require a change in Orleans. Not that Amboise will be a useful place to get to - the car hire place is about 40 minutes walk from the station, and they usually dont have cars, just light commercial vehicles. Amboise is only a small town - think Nolensville (according to google maps)
Instead you nead a train from Montparnasse to Saint Pierre des Corps, and hire a car there.
One of the problems with the RS guides is they give a completely wrong image of Amboise and it's importance. It's mainly a tourist town, where the tourists arrive on bus tours.