Happy New Year RS Travelers!
We are scheduled to take this tour in September. Will someone who recently took this tour please provide the instructions the office sent on getting from CDG to Chartres. We have been to Paris a few times, so we are going directly to Chartres the day before and tagging on days at the end in Nice.
Thank you in advance!
I took this tour in 2022, but no longer have access to the travel information from RS. It is an easy direct train ride from Paris Montparnasse station to Chartres which is what we did. I suggest you take taxi or RER/Metro from CDG to Montparnasse then train to Chartres.
I took this wonderful tour in late Sept/early Oct 2023. I took RER from CDG & train from Montparnasse. I spent a couple nights in Paris in between those 2 trips though. Regional train to Chartres runs several times each day and I did not get a ticket in advance. Study Montparnasse station online though as I found it a little confusing & I had to go to 3 ticket machines before I found one that worked. Chartres is lovely; especially at night when they do the illuminations.
Did you want to try this with public transit or are you OK with a taxi?
Option 1: Taxi from the taxi rank at CDG to Gare Montparnasse. Train from Montparnasse to Chartres. No need to buy this ticket ahead of time but I would download the SNCF Connect app so you can purchase your tickets when you get there. To me, this is easier than the machines.
Option 2: Take the RER B from CDG to Denfert Rochereau station. Change to either Metro line 4 or 6 to Gare Montparnasse. I have not done this change but I would expect there to be steps.
The taxi is a fixed rate from CDG in to Paris. For the Left Bank, where Gare Montparnasse is located the rate is 65E. I usually hold up my CC while the driver is loading my bag and ask OK? I also hand them a 3x5 index card with the name of my destination on it and 65E written out beside so they know I know they know...blah blah, lol. No tip needed but if you do, just 2 or 3 E. You can say to the driver to add 2 or 3 to the total fare.
https://easycdg.com/taxi-shuttle-paris-cdg-airport-charlesdegaulle/
Thank you everyone for the replies. We'll probably taxi to Montparnasse, then take the train to Chartres. Looking forward to it!
Echoing what everyone else has said up to this point. I was on this tour October 2024 and stayed in Paris for 2 nights before the tour began. Upon arrival at CDG, I just took the RER B to my hotel in Montparnasse and then 2 days later boarded a SCNF train for Chartres. I didn't want to deal with ticket machines, so I actually purchased my ticket via the app before arrival in France (and while still in the US). Super easy and no stress whatsoever.
Thanks, we'll use the app to purchase our tickets. Using extra days in NIce (first time), as we have been in Paris a few times before so we aren't spending any extra time there.
Thanks to all responders - you're the best!
