We will arrive in Paris from Boston Sunday May 15th at 8:00 am and will take a train to Bayeux for 2 nights.
It looks like we would need to take a taxi to to Gare Saint Lazare station to catch a train?
Do the trains allow luggage and do the tickets need to be booked in advance and are they flexible in case of delays with our flights. How much time do you think we should allot to get out of the airport and to the train?
Thank you for any help
JP
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
4896 posts
It looks like we would need to take a taxi to to Gare Saint Lazare station to catch a train?
Yes, that's the quickest and easiest way.
Do the trains allow luggage
Yes. Smaller pieces can fit overhead. Larger pieces go into the floor racks at the end or middle of the car (depending on type of car).
do the tickets need to be booked in advance and are they flexible in case of delays with our flights.
That's where you get into the yes/no/maybe areas. You don't HAVE to book in advance, but the discounted tickets are often only available in advance. And they are for a specific train and date. Miss it and you have to buy a new one. Refundable tickets can be purchased at a higher price. You can check the sncf website and check the prices of those tickets for a train tomorrow and one 3 months out to see how the costs compare. You might also want to look at the man in seat 61 website to see what he has to say about sncf ticket options.
How much time do you think we should allot to get out of the airport and to the train?
I'd allow 4 hours from deplaning to boarding the train.
Posted by
Paris
6919 posts
For Paris to Bayeux, I typically would not bother with advance purchase because it would only save you about 20€ compared to the full same-day fare which is 40-45€ per person.
This being said, I see there are tickets available for 27€ on the 12:51 train, which would leave you time for a quick lunch/snack at St Lazare station before departure (no catering in the train to Bayeux).
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7337 posts
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains
Note that this link has a bias towards rail passes, which are not suitable for your needs. But plenty of the content will start you towards individual tickets.
Have you been to Europe before? You may want to explore those Travel Tips pages more, about jet lag and belt pouches, for instance.
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips
Also consider
https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=2y&filter=Travel+Forum&query=Cdg+bayeux&utf8=✓
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Thank you all for your suggestions. They are very helpful. We have travelled to Spain and Italy but probably 10 years ago so are aware to be careful but appreciative of the reminder.