Help - Cant make up my mind!!

Charlotte,

Finishing your trip in Paris over New Year's sounds like a great idea! Although the rail schedules haven't been published that far in the future, it's possible to get an idea by using an "arbitrary" date.

The rail trip from Zurich to Paris is an easy one via TGV. You'll be able to get more accurate times closer to your travel date, but current schedules show (for example) a train departing Zurich HB at 07:02, arriving Paris Est at 11:34 (time 4H:32M, no changes, compulsory reservations, runs Mo-Sa).

I don't have any idea what Paris will be like at that time of the year, but I'd probably pre-book lodgings.

Happy travels!

Thank you so much, that isn't too long a ride at all...now am I pushing it to ask if you could give me a ball park price in what the train would cost??
Cheers
Charlotte

New Year's Eve in Paris sounds wonderful!

The standard 2nd class fare for the direct Zurich-Paris TGV is 169 CHF (111 EUR). If you book well in advance (up to 90 days allowed) on the Swiss Rail site, you can get a discount fare as low as 33 CHF (22 EUR). The discount fare ticket is non-exchangeable and non-refundable.

Thank you so much! Now Im really pushing it for questions but do you think if I have to travel from..
Geneva - Zermatt on the 22
Zermatt on the Glacier Express to St Moritz on the 23
Zermatt to Zurich on the 26
I should purchase a 3 days flex swiss pass and of course make my seat reservation the Glacier Express.
Then book 90 days in advance for the train from Zurich to Paris? Does the train leave fro the Zurich airport of is there a train station? sigh I have so much to learn! lol
Also in what area of Paris do you think would be the best to book for hotel? Im thinking around the tower somewhere??
Cheers
Charlotte

This may go against the grain, but have you considered keeping your original tickets as is and just buying a round trip flight between ZRH and CDG. I wonder how it will compare to the price of your ticket changes + the train ticket. This does involve backtracking but may be cheaper?

Thats the part I was trying to figure out! I didn't think of flying between the 2 though...just looking at the difference in cost and time between the 2, I thought the $312 wasn't too bad for a flight change then it would give me more time in Paris..see Im telling you all I can't make up my mind! lol

You can fly Zurich to Paris CDG for about 49 euros apiece at the moment on Air Berlin. Even with taxes that would come out better than your flight changes.

I think im willing to eat the coat of the flight change as it was my own fault for not planing properly! This will save travel time and leave more time avaliabale for seeing the sites. My next worry is...if i change mt ticket to fly out of Paris I cant book the train ticket yet will I be gaurnteed that I will be able to take the train from Zurich to Paris on the 28th of Dec?

Now I'm confused. Why won't you keep your original tickets and just buy air tickets between ZRH and CDG such as what Nancy found on Air Berlin. Wouldn't this be the cheaper, easier, and quicker option than spending time on a train and paying for ticket changes.

IMO, it would be worth it to eat the cost of a flight change to have more time in Paris. And not flying Zuerich-Paris and Paris-Zuerich will reduce your carbon footprint.

You will have no trouble booking a train from Zuerich to Paris on 28 December. Just do it a full 90 days in advance to get the lowest fare. Direct TGVs depart at 07:02 and 14:02, but there are other departure times throughout the day, some requiring only one connection. See the timetables at www.bahn.de. After you get summary timetables for Zuerich-Paris, click on the arrow to the left of each departure time to see the connecting points.

Arnold, wouldnt I be a nightmare to travel with? lol I think I am going to eat the cost and save the back treking and 'carbon foot print' and just change my ticket and fly out of Paris. Thank you to Tim I feel confident I'll beable to book my train. Okay so now we are onto hotels...if i was to book here... ZÜRICH Crown Plaza
420 BADENERSTRASSE
ZURICH, 8040
SWITZERLAND
Am i in a good location to get to the hotel from the train from St Moritz and to the train to head to Paris on the 28? and once i get to Paris if I stay here...
. PARIS-LE GRAND
2 RUE SCRIBE
PARIS, 75009
FRANCE
am I pretty cetrally located in the city and its easy to get from the train station to the hotel and hotel to the airport when its time to leave?

I really do appriciate the feed back from everyone, this holiday is a little different fromth regular all inclusive my husband and I usually take as they are easy and no planning is needed. So im just trying to dot all my i's and cross my t's so Im in for no surprises and we can just enjoy the time away! thank you all so much again for any input!
Cheers
Charlotte

Charlotte,

I definitely agree with Tim in that the one-way rail journey to Paris is preferable to flying back and forth from Zurich. Consider the $300 flight change charges as a "learning experience".

Keep in mind that travelling by air involves time to get to & from the airports, check-in, security, waiting for flights, and at that time of year possible waits for de-icing or storm delays. Your trip is very short, so travel by air would likely end up using one full travel day. I hadn't thought of the "carbon footprint" aspect (thanks, Tim!), but that's a good point.

Regarding the Hotels you mentioned, where are you getting these names? What type/class of Hotels do you normally prefer? If you have copies of either the France or Switzerland Guidebooks, there are lots of good listings there. If you don't have the Guidebooks, go to your local Chapters or Library and do some "research".

Cheers!

Hi Ken,
Thanks for the reply. Both the hotels are Crown plaza hotels that I am able to book with my priority point rewards. Nothing like cashing in points for free accomadation!! Its mainly the location Im concerned about that they are centrally located.
Cheers
Charlotte

Charlotte,

I'm not familiar with the Zurich location, but the Intercontinental Le-Grand Hotel in Paris looks good (nice neighborhood!). It appears to be within a block or so of the Opera Metro station, which will make it easy to get around.

Getting TO your Hotel should be easy. As you'll probably be arriving at Gare de l'Est, I'd use Metro Line 7 (direction Villejuif-Louis Aragon) to the Opera station. From there you should be able to walk to your Hotel (hope you believe in packing light!).

When it's time to travel to Paris / CDG, the route that I'd use is Metro Line 8 (direction Creteil-Prefecture) to Strasbourg St.-Denis and then Line 4 (direction Porte de Clignancourt) to Gare du Nord. From there you can transfer to the RER "B" which will take you directly to CDG (with no worries about traffic). You'll need to determine which Terminal at CDG your flight will be departing from. Check the parisbytrain.com website for details on the RER and the Terminal layouts.

An alternative would be to ask your Hotel to book a Shuttle for you the day before you'll be travelling.

Happy travels!

Ken has given you good directions. Be aware that the RER B line divides northeast of Paris. When you head for CDG, be sure to get on a train that is going there.