My wife and I will be in Hamburg the night of May 12 and all day May 13 and we're scheduled to depart Paris (CDG) around 10:30 am May 14 for the US. My original plan was to get an evening nonstop flight Hamburg to CDG on a budget airline (assuming such a flight would be easy to get at the "last minute"), stay in a hotel in Paris near CDG the evening of May 13 and be near CDG for the morning flight. My first search for flights from Hamburg to Paris surprised me4-6 hours including an intermediate stop in Vienna or elsewhere. My wife is not eager (to put it mildly) to take a night train, but this is looking more appealing to me. We've previously traveled by train in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Italysometime late in the eveningbut not on a "night train". It is the up close view into the night trains that has made the indelible image my wife has of this mode of travel. We could get a train in Hamburg later in the evening 21:00-23:00 and arrive in Paris the next morning with ample time to get to CDG for the 10:30 flight home. What are the nuances of making a reservation on a night train that will minimize my wife being "creeped-out"? I'm not expecting much of a restful sleep for either of us, but I'd like to get a cabin that is private (for the two of us) and if possible has a toilet and washbasin. This is possible? We have the two country-six day "saver pass", but the two countries are Switzerland and Germany (no France). Does this mean we would pay full fare for a "private cabin", at first glance this looks pricey $400+ pp, and what exactly does "private cabin" mean?
Posted by
Texan in CA
4415 posts
If you're talking about the N/T that arrives at Paris Est at 7:49...I personally wouldn't be comfortable with that. I get to CDG 3 hours before my flight, and you still have to get to the airport... Yes, those hideous N/T are expensive...that's the correct amount of $$$. Private is for 1 or 2 people...(singles pay a supplement to use a private cabin). I don't know why she'd be "creeped out" by a night train; I'd just be exhausted, and have a looooong flight ahead of me (shudders). I'd REALLY try to stay in Paris that last night - perhaps even at the airport. Can you juggle your itinerary around to make that happen? (and I hear ya on the flights; the only routes I've ever tried to fly in Europe turned out to be The Grand Tour of European Airports LOL and NOT the cheap - and QUICK - little puddle-jumpers everyone talks about!)
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
Since I can sleep on them, I like night trains. So I disagree with Eileen on their "comfort level." However, I strongly agree with her that if you take the night train, you will not be able to get to CDG as early as you need to (three hours before a flight across the Atlantic). If I were you, I'd leave Hamburg at 14:01, connect in Karlsruhe, and arrive at Paris Est at 22:34. If you book well in advance (up to 92 days allowed) on the German Rail site, you can get a Europa-Spezial Frankreich fare as low as €39.00. Either spend the night in Paris (my preference) or take the RER B to CDG and stay in the Ibis Charles de Gaulle Aeroport/Terminal Hotel. It is located next to Terminal 3, the CDG 1 RER station, and a stop on the free 24/7 CDGVAL driverless shuttle train that connects all the terminals.
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Jon, I have no problems with the night train option since sleeping upright in a compartment doesn't bother me. But there is a more satisfactory day option, which is what I would do. Take the 0901 Hamburg-Frankfurt ICE train, since you have Germany on the Saver Pass, arriving at 1300. No need to go as far southwest as Karlsruhe. The next direct train from Frankfurt-Paris Est departs at 1657 on the TGV...this gives you a few hours to relax in the Hbf or nearby. The Pass covers from Frankfurt to the German border and you buy a ticket and reservation for the French portion. You get to Paris Est at 2053, still not too late. Cross over to Gare du Nord, a 10 mins walk, where you take the next RER to CGD to spend the last night before flying out the next morning. The hotel at CGD where I've stayed a few times, the last time in 2005, is Campanille, a 2-star hotel. They have a free shuttle to the airport. Even though you spend most of the day, 13 May, on the move, minus a few lay over hours in Frankfurt, this day option is less hectic. The Hamburg-Frankfurt ICE leg you can just hop on without reserving.
Posted by
OP
Cincinnati, OH, USA
768 posts
Okay, it's unanimous; we travel to Paris the afternoon-evening of May 13. I had hoped to stay in Hamburg until 17:00-18:00 (my wife and I are doing family genealogical research) but in re-checking the DB Bahn web site, the schedule Tim posted is about all there isHamburg to Paris Est departing 14.01 arriving 22.34 with 1 change. I also checked P2P and found pretty much the same schedule (Hamburg to Frankfurt depart 14.01 arrive 18:00 direct ICE, then Frankfurt to Paris Est depart 19.01 arrive 22.51direct ICE). I noticed on the Frankfurt to Paris leg that reservations are required; since I've pre-purchased the Switzerland-Germany Six Day Saver Pass, what is the procedure for making a reservation after purchasing the pass? Thanks to all. Incidentally, since you folks are savvy train travelers, will I have to pay a supplemental fare with the Switzerland-Germany pass when we take a day trip Munich to Salzburg and back?
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
You can buy seat reservations in most train stations for any trains that require them (like the Karlsruhe-Paris TGV). Salzburg is a border city so any pass that includes Germany will cover your ride from Munich to Salzburg and return. No seat reservations are required on trains that follow that route. If you decide to spend the night at CDG, you can get there from Gare du Nord on the RER B. Be aware that the line divides northeast of Paris so be sure to get on a train that is going to CDG. You can walk from Gare de l'Est to Gare du Nord in less than ten minutes. Or you can take the Metro (one stop) and transfer to the RER B.