Train: Frankfurt to Paris and back

I'm one of the people who responded to your previous thread, Here is what I wrote then: "Here are a few more train details. To get the lowest Europa-Spezial Frankreich fare, book ASAP (up to 92 days allowed) on the German Rail site. There is a limited number of discount fare seats at each price level. They start at €39.00 and go up in ten-euro increments. Depending upon your departure time, the ride takes 4-5 hours. You will arrive at Gare de l'Est." The URL you listed shows that you're using the German Rail site. The site won't show any fares, regular or discount, if you enter a date more than 92 days from today. To see all fares, enter a dummy date no farther in advance than that.

Hi, The normal full flexibility fare 2nd class Paris-Est to Frankfurt Hbf (day) is 114 Euro either on the TGV or ICE. I find the ICE much more preferable in 2nd class than the TGV. It's a route I always take on, in either direction, on every trip. I'll be back in Frankfurt in a few weeks. If you're staying in the area of the Eiffel Tower, it's Frankfurt Hbf to Paris Est for destination; you'll need to get from Gare de l'Est (Paris Est) by taxi, bus, or Metro. What's your Metro stop for the hotel ? If you're coming up with "Fares not available" on bahn.de, it's because you are trying to reserve too early. Don't go beyond 92 days. Put in a dummy date, say as if you were going on 21.06.12, the normal price would be 114 Euro 2nd class direct.

In my previous post I forgot to say that you can get a train from the Frankfurt airport to Paris. Enter Frankfurt(M)Flughafen as your departure point. You'll need to make a connection in either Karlsruhe or Mannheim. If you choose a route that takes you via Koeln (Cologne), you'll need to connect to a Thalys train there and you'll have to buy separate tickets (Frankfurt(M)Flughafen-Koeln and Koeln-Paris).

Tim's advice is accurate. Use "Frankfurt(M)Flughafen" and "Paris Est" as your station names (trains also go to Paris Nord, but the discount fares are to Paris Est.) No tickets are available more than 92 days in advance. If you want the cheapest tickets, jump on the DB site exactly 92 days out. Paris is a popular destination and cheap tickets go fast. The adv. sale prices are train specific. Miss your specified train and you lose the ticket. Make sure to leave the car and arrive at the correct airport station (there are 2 - Regionalbahnhof and Fernbahnhof) well before your train leaves.

I'm sure on your website you've seen the connections you want to book as soon as they're available. It's one of the 3:56 hrs or 4:00 hrs rides with 1 connection. What about that car rental: Is that car booked already, if so which company and what station? If you only have to drop off a rental car at the airport (just dropping it off there does not involve an extra charge) there are two drop-off locations: One is outside Terminal 1, one is in the basement of Terminal 2. You want to take the one outside of Terminal 1! Follow signs to Terminal 1 Arrivals (you'll see the signs to Rental Car Drop Off then). From there it's a short walk to the airport's Long Distance train station where the bullet trains to Paris (via Mannheim) depart.

Thanks all. Well, 92 days out for departure will be sometime next week. So I guess I'll look next week. I guess I have to check again 92 days out from the return as well? My rental is with Sixt.