Any recent experiences/recommendations? Looking at next spring and wanted to see if anyone has had some experiences that were good or not so good.
Thanks!
I generally like traveling by train, but if you can book all the way through on the same ticket and the layover time and cost aren’t bad, I’d probably go plane. A few years ago my wife and I bought separate plane and train tickets. We had a flight delay, missed the train, and found the next two trains were booked solid. We ending up having to train to one of the Paris stations and go from there, instead of CDG, and ended up missing a dinner we had planned.
Edited to add…if you are starting in Paris and have flexibility, I’d go train and avoid the airport headache, especially if it’s CDG.
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Train, book as soon as the window opens (3 months usually) book a TGV not a Ouigo if you have a few bags.
Edit - yes unless connecting directly then it’s a different story.
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Great info…really appreciate. Already leaning towards the train based on the feedback. Much appreciated!
Train without hesitation, been a while but did that exact route in the past and it was way easier and relaxing than flying.
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Another vote for train. I suppose if you fly out of Orly you could be door to door a little faster but not much and the train is pretty much guaranteed to be on time unless there is a strike.
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Without question train if you are in Paris. The fast trains are only two hours, which is amazing and faster than flying when you consider transfers, etc, especially since the train puts you right inside the city. The tram stops right in front of the train station and will take you to pretty much anywhere in the city of Bordeaux. You should be at the train station 30 minutes prior (note, some of the metros are tricky as they let you out on the other side of Gare Montparnasse and so you have a 10 minute walk, so take that into consideration). I always arrive 40 minutes early and use the time to grab a snack for the train ride. Also, I find it worthwhile to buy first class tickets for the extra space, but YMMV.
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Depending on itinerary. If Bordeaux is last stop, Paris first, then train out and plane back, assuming you can do the return on one ticket (i.e Check bags through).
Every time. The extra cost is minimal.
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We’ve done both. It depends. If you are already at an airport and there’s a reasonable connection, then fly.
But the TGV is super easy and comfortable.
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Different route but we took TGV Paris to Aix a while back. Excellent experience , we had luggage (Gail had to pack for a week of business and two of vacation…) the porter helping us board the train asked if we’d need a porter and a cab in Aix, got on her cell phone , and guess what , Porter was ready at our door on arrival in Aix and the cab was waiting. Short of first class and airline limo airlines can’t match.
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Easy one; train.
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