I need to take the train from Paris to Hesse. I am picking up a boat from Leboat there, and plan to take a trip down the canal. Has anyone else tried this? I tried to look at the train times and am totally confused.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
What might be throwing you off is that there ain't no train tracks in Hesse. Sarrebourg is a couple of miles north and has a station which is probably served out of Paris Est. I've never used LeBoat, but most of those outfits will pick you up from the closest public transportation spot if you tell them what you need. I'm guessing it will be either their van or a taxi that they arrange. Here's the kicker: the grub and such is going to be out of sight and of limited choice at the marina - - load up before you head down there. Sarrebourg is big enough to have good grocery stores. On the other hand, I'm not familiar with the route, so there might be a spot to shop a few miles after you start down the canal.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33123 posts
I love it when we can a new question on the helpline. I had never heard of Hesse until you mentioned it. I did a google search, typing in "hesse+france" so I would have both words and not get sent to all the information about the very much larger and much more popular German area. When the search came back I scrolled down until I found http://www.cruisefrance.com/alsace/bases/hesse-alsace-boat-holidays.htm a few results down. I went to the bottom of the page and found: "By Rail: Sarrebourg - 5km from the base" so I knew I needed to find Sarrebourg rather than Hesse. (5km is only about 3 miles so I guess you could get a taxi, maybe the base would pick you up, maybe you could walk - I'm sure you clarified this when you made the reservation). We're a few miles west of Strasbourg so I bet the best way is TGV to Strasbourg then try for a local train to Sarrebourg. You didn't give a date or time so I assumed next Wednesday morning. So I fired up my trusty DBahn screen (directions in the sticky at the top of the Helpline) and found: You can take a TGV from Paris Gare de L'Est to Metz, Nancy or Strasbourg. Depending on the time of day you will have a medium or long connection at the connection point then a local train to Sarrebourg. Its about 90 minutes to Metz or Nancy, half an hour further to Strasbourg. The local train is about 45 minutes from Nancy or Strasbourg, 15 longer from Metz. The killer is the 23 minute to 1:40 layover time. Then again, if you are going slow on a canal boat you won't mind stopping and smelling the flowers. Ed - are you out there? Have you done this base?
(If so, Ed from Pensacola is your man)
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33123 posts
ah thought so.... the man from Pensacola ponied up while I was writing...