Can anyone give me recommendations on the best way to get from Paris (probably CDG) to Burgundy by train? My wife and I will be there already, with a car, but need to advise another couple on the easiest way to get down to the region. It can be to Beaune, or Dijon, whichever is the easiest/fastest connection. I’ve looked on the web site for train travel in France, and both look possible, just looking for first hand experience. Thanks for any help!
there’s at least 1 direct TGV from CDG to Dijon - under 2 hours. 30 minute drive to Bone (there’s a car rental at the station) or take the slow train from Dijon to Bone.
From Paris, Gare Lyon constantly to Dijon.
Yaacov, thanks. I guess I didn’t make it clear, we’ll be picking them up in our car, so they just need to Dijon. I think I saw routings to Beaune as well, is that a slower train on a different line, or the fast through Dijon then regular train to Beaune?
Alan,
You have to change lines at Dijon to get the connection to Beaune which if you have a lot of luggage means up stairs and down some stairs which could be a problem. There are not many trains that make that connection. Much easier to meet first time travellers at Dijon. Going back it is possible to go directly from Beaune to the station near CDG and take a free airport shuttle direct to your airport terminal.
Anthony.
Thanks Anthony! Dijon works fine.
oh yeah, just pick them up. pretty fast on the highway. don’t make them change trains.
Cab or bus from CDG to Gare Lyon. TGV from Gare Lyon to Dijon.
There are a few direct TGVs from CDG to Dijon. No need to cab into town.
There’s a TGV from CDG to Dijon. No need to fly.
There is a direct TGV to Beaune from Gare de Lyon and I think from CDG (check though). No need to change trains if you take that.
The last time I took the TGV from Gare de Lyon, it went direct to Dijon. Then had to transfer to a local train for a 25 minute ride to Beaune.
That’s one of the options, but I’ve taken the TGV straight to Beaune on almost all my trips from Paris.
Michel,
Is that from Gare Lyon, or from CDG? Are there a restricted number of trains that go to Beaune? If Gare Lyon, I think I’ll have them go from CDG to Dijon, where we’ll just pick up them by car. But thanks for the useful info!
Hi Alan, I usually go from Gare de Lyon to Beaune. There are TGVs from CdG to Beaune but they’re not direct, you need to transfer trains, usually in Dijon.
Reviving this thread for a quick question. We are taking the train from Paris to Dijon and continuing on to Beaune, and I think we will want a car once in Beaune. Would it be advisable to rent a car in Dijon and drive to Beaune, or is it easier to take the train to Beaune and then rent a car there? Thanks in advance? Also should we booking TGV trains in advance or is that something easy to do that day (if we’re not sure exactly what time we want to leave Paris that morning).
I don’t know how easy it is to rent a car in Dijon.
But it was very easy for me to rent a car in Beaune a couple years ago.
About a 15-minute walk from the Beaune station is a small Hertz shop located in a gas station. That’s where I rented a car. They don’t have many choices, if I recall, but it was quite simple and convenient.
TGV reservation site only comes up with trains departing CDG for Dijon in the early evening (6PM or later). Does anyone know if this is correct? Doesn’t make much sense that they’d only have trains late in the day, none in the morning?
I just did a quick search and there are numerous trains leaving CDG for Dijon, however you need to change in Lyon or somewhere else to a put-put train (which really isn’t that bad, I use the TERs all the time without too many issues). The only direct TGV I can see is the one at 8pm.
As for the car rental, what Doug said. There are a few rental places in and around Beaune, all within walking distance of the center of town (where I usually stay). Just make sure you rent in the US to get the unlimited kilometers/miles, or you’ll be restricted on a European website.
Micheal, I want to make sure I’m not confusing Lyon (the city) with Gare Lyon in Paris. Are you saying you would take TGV from CDG to Lyon then backtrack to Dijon? or are you saying you would just take the hop from CDG to Gare Lyon, and get TGV there? That makes a lot more sense to me.
Thanks
Nope, Lyon Part Dieu is the TGV station in Lyon the city. Lyon is a major TGV hub, so not shocking that it would go there first before having you heading north to Dijon.