I have a dilemma I hope you can help me with. I need to get from Nancy, France to CDG airport terminal 2 in time to catch a 10:40am Saturday flight. The earliest TGV out of Nancy gets me to CDG with a less than 2 hour window to clear customs, etc. (I have only a carryon though - but still perhaps cutting the time too close for comfort?). So, if I have to take the TGV from Nancy into CDG on Friday night, I prefer to stay in a hotel attached to the airport (but I see the cost is 305 euro a night for the Sheraton - too high). If I arrive friday night, can I go through the checkin process and wait the night in terminal 2 in a secure area? Not sure if customs will let a person through that much in advance of his/her flight? If I choose a nearby airport hotel, what do you suggest? Thanks for any help you can give me.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32213 posts
connie, in the same circumstances, I'd probably travel from Nancy to Paris on Friday afternoon, and find a Hotel near Gare du Nord or perhaps Chatelet Les-Halles. There should be listings in the Guidebook, but I haven't checked. ¶ Early on Saturday morning, take the RER "B" to the airport. As I recall, the station is in Terminal 2, between the "D" & "F" terminals. Which Terminal 2 location is your flight departing from?
Posted by
OP
US
3 posts
In that case, I would be taking the TGV on friday into CDG airport TGV station which is in Terminal 2. So, I wouldn't be coming in on the RER. I was hoping to figure out a way to get to Nancy early that Saturday morning between 7:30a and 8:00a and avoid a hotel stay in Paris. Or at least if I had to go in friday night, find a more secure and confortable location to wait it out (e.g. an airport club lounge). The information I've been seeing online about CDG though, seems to indicate there is no club lounge area outside of the check=in area? I'm not sure if they will allow me to check in for my flight and get through security and customs on friday night if my flight isn't scheduled to leave till Saturday a.m. Do you know?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Look at this:........... http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/booking/hotels-list.shtml..............The first ten or so are either in the terminal or within the grounds and served by a continuously circling shuttle bus. I'm not betting on anything in 'Villepinte' or further since I have no idea where that is.
Posted by
OP
US
3 posts
Thank you, that website for hotels was very helpful.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
Connie, According to the timetables on both the French Rail site and the German Rail site, there is no direct train service from Nancy to CDG. TGVs go from Nancy to Gare de l'Est in Paris. From there you would need to walk to Gare du Nord and take the RER B to CDG. Also, the Saturday schedule is not the same as the weekday schedule. On Saturdays the earliest TGV to Paris departs at 07:15 and arrives at Gare de l'Est at 08:45. You would need to add another hour for walking to Gare du Nord and taking the RER B to CDG. You'll definitely need to spend Friday night either in Paris or at CDG. If you're flying home from CDG, it's best to be at the airport a full three hours before your scheduled departure time. I'll add a few details about some of the Accor hotels. The cheapest hotel that is right at the airport is the Ibis Charles de Gaulle Airport/Terminal. It's next to Terminal 3, the CDG 1 RER station, and a stop on the 24/7 free CDGVAL driverless shuttle train that connects all the terminals. For a little less money your best choices that are closest to the airport are the Ibis Charles de Gaulle Paris Nord 2, the Etap Hotel Roissy CDG Paris Nord 2, and the Hotel F1 Roissy Aeroport CDG PN2. Those three hotels are located right next to each other and there is free shuttle bus service to and from the airport. The Formule 1 (F1) is the absolute cheapest, but you'll have to share a bathroom.