speed/bullet train from Karlsruhe or Basel to Paris

So far you have only asked about Karlsruhe or Basel to Paris Gare du Nord one way. What do you mean about "round-trip tickets". From where in Germany are you making the trip, near Basel?

Thank you, Lee and Ken, for your info. It's reassuring to know the train from Basel to Paris East is relatively easy. Good to know we should have francs for the restrooms! The video was also useful. Lee, you asked, "So far you have only asked about Karlsruhe or Basel to Paris Gare du Nord one way. What do you mean about "round-trip tickets". From where in Germany are you making the trip, near Basel?" We'll be needing to get from either Basel or Karlsruhe to Paris, and then back again to Basel or Karlsruhe a few days later. We're staying in a small town in Southern Germany 30 minutes from the Swiss border. It would be approximately 31 miles from Bad Saeckingen to Basel, a lot quicker than about 130 miles north to Karlsruhe. I do hope we are able to get a speed train in the morning to Paris on this particular Sunday (June 19th). Taking the Metro from Paris Est to as close as possible to our hotel in the Montmartre area (near the Eiffel Tower) is always an option. The hotel is already reserved. Thank you both!

The trip from Basel to Paris is very easy via TGV, however the trips on that route seem to terminate at Paris Est rather than Gare du Nord. The trip is about 3H:45M with no changes. From Paris Est, you can reach Gare du Nord via Metro. As I recall, the Basel station has two parts. One part handles the regional trains and the other the TGV, etc. The TGV part is accessed by going up stairs and then down to the appropriate platform. One other point to mention is that the WC's at the station (should you need them) are pay facilities operated by McLean and they ONLY accept Swiss Francs. As you're "new train travelers", I'd highly recommend checking your local Library for a copy of Europe Through The Back Door. Reading the "Rail Skills" chapter may be a good idea. You can also have a look at This Short Tutorial from Rick. I never bother pre-buying rail tickets, so can't offer any suggestions. I typically buy them at a local station a day or two before I'll be travelling. Happy travels!

How much is an hour worth to you? I see connections from Bad Säckingen to Paris at 8:56, 10:56. amd 12:56. The first and last one take 4:38. The one at 10:56, via Karlsruhe, takes an hour longer, 5:38. However, there is a Europe-Spezial fare available, on the 10:56 train, from Bad Säckingen to Paris for, at this time, €89. It looks like the full fare ticket is about €132. You might also find a similar discount fare from SNCF.

Good morning! Thanks, Lee, for the intriguing info you posted. I'm wondering, though...You said there's a connection from Bad Säckingen to Paris. This is just a small, local bus stop, I assume? There wouldn't be a long-term parking option available for our rental car at this station, would there?!? I'm loving the price you quoted for the Europe-Spezial. Those are round-trip prices? I had no clue train tickets could be so costly. If it comes down to having long-term parking available for the rental car, I'm thinking we'll have to drive to Basel, and go that route. I'll check prices on SNCF, too. Thanks kindly!

The train fare for Bad Säckingen to Basel SBB (with a connection at Basel Bad bf) is €10.80. Depart at 06:54 and arrive at 07:24, in time to catch the direct TGV to Paris that departs at 08:02 and arrives at 11:34. The standard 2nd class fare for that TGV is 124.00 CHF. You're too late to get the lowest advance purchase discount fare for 19 June, but if you book NOW on the Swiss Rail site, you still can get a discount fare of 107.00 CHF. A single ticket on the metro from Gare de l'Est to Gare du Nord costs €1.70. They're only one stop apart. You can walk between them in less than ten minutes.

URGENT: I am now about to book our tickets on sbb.cg, BUT...I have to first make sure the Basel train station has long-term (3 days) parking available for our rental car. It seems like any major train station would, but better safe than sorry. Thank you, in advance!

I'm in shock. I just looked at prices for our round-trip TGV ride from Basel to Paris, and back again for two adults, one teenager, in second class mid-June. This is the cheapest price sbb.ch offers, so no refunds, nor exchanges. Reservations are included. Am I missing something about pricing, or is this typical for Summer train travel? Oh my golly!

I neglected to include the actual price of $550 US on sbb.ch. I compared those to SNCF, where I was given $709 US. These are both for second class seats, no transfers. The Deutsche Bahn website won't even give me prices, unless I enter credit card info. Needless to say, I'm still shocked! I realize driving there would take ridiculously long, and gas prices are what...$7.00 US per gallon in Europe? Driving's out of the question, for multiple reasons.

Fares do not increase in the summer. The standard fare is the same year-round. As I said in my previous post, you've waited too long to get the lowest advance purchase discount fares. There is an allotted number of them at various prices for each departure date and time, and the lowest fare tickets are already sold.

"The Deutsche Bahn website won't even give me prices, unless I enter credit card info.". If you look up Bad Sächingen to Paris on the German Rail website, it will show you the available connections (e.g. lv Bad Sächingen at 8:56. ar Paris Est at 13:34). There, you have prices without ever entering your CC info. At the right hand side of the line will be the std fare. If there are any savings fares remaining for that connection, they will also be shown. Click the '>' symbol on the left on that line and it will show you the trains in that connection, the first one being an IRE (Interregio Express). So it has to be from a Bahnhof. Below the expanded schedule you will find a symbol saying "map". Unfortunately the Bahn does not have a station plan for Bad Sächingen, but it does list facilities, and it says it has a parking area. Whether it can be used for 3 days or not? Can you leave the car at the hotel and take a taxi to the station?

Thanks, Lee, but that would be a 45 minute taxi drive from our little village in Germany to Basel. It'll be ok to pay the 100 CHF for the three days the car is parked at the train station. (Peace of mind). They won't accept Euros, so we'll be exchanging Euros for Swiss Francs at the station right before we retrieve the car.

No, I meant take a taxi to the Bad Sächingen station (so you won't have to park). There are trains from Bad Sächingen Bahnhof (it's not a bus stop!) to Basel. If you book online from the Bahn, you can get that entire connection, Bad Sächingen to Paris for the same discounted price as Basel to Paris. BTW, you never told us the age of your teenager. If he is under 15, he would be free on German Rail when his parents purchase either a full fare or discounted (Sparpreis or Europa-Spezial) ticket. up date: assuming you are staying in Bad Sächingen at a public accommodation, not the home of friends, you should be getting Konus cards, which give you free transportation within the Konus district, which also includes the Basel Bad Bhf. You can travel by train free from Bad Sächingen to Basel Bad Bhf. All you will need to pay for is the transfer. There is a tram directly from Basel Bad to Basel SBB. The adult fare is 3,20 CHF. If your teenager is less than 17 yo, he qualifies for the child's fare of 2,20 CHF