This thread discusses travel from Paris to Saint Jean Pied de Port.
Caveat. I do not have first hand knowledge of most of the information presented here. The material in this thread was researched using web resources that may be out of date. Information may be incomplete or incorrect. The information presented here is not exhaustive. You are advised to confirm your own travel details.
2100 Paris
2101 This section discusses transportation services in Paris.
Index 2100
2102 Paris Airports
2103 Getting around in Paris
2104 Charles de Gaulle Airport to Orly Airport
2105 Charles de Gaulle Airport to Gare d'Austerlitz
2106 Charles de Gaulle Airport to TGV Massy
2107 Charles de Gaulle Airport to Gare Montparnasse
2120 Trains in France
2121 Paris Train Stations
2125 Paris to London by Eurostar
2135 Paris to Barcelona by train
2150 Paris to Saint Jean Pied de Port
2102 Paris Airports
Paris has two major airports. Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is known as Roissy and is located NE of Paris. Orly Airport (ORY) is located to the South of Paris.
CDG and Orly:
http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-gb/passagers/home/
2103 Getting around in Paris
Paris Transit Network
http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/carteidf.php?lang=uk
Paris RER/Metro route planner - SNCF Transilien
http://www.transilien.com/itineraire/rechercheitineraire/init
Air France Shuttle Bus with service from CDG to Orly airport (#3) and to Gare Montparnasse (#4)
http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/...97348c-aerolis_deplianttakeoneBD_Mars2013.pdf
2104 Charles de Gaulle Airport to Orly Airport
There are two transit options from CDG Airport to Orly Airport.
a. RER Line B (destination B4 Saint Remy les Chevreuse) from CDG airport to Station Antony. Take Orly Val (name of train) from Station Antony to Orly airport Terminal Sud and Terminal Ouest. Allow 1:30 hours.
b. Air France bus from CDG airport direct to Paris Orly airport. Allow 1:15 hours.
2105 CDG Airport to Gare d'Austerlitz
RER Line B (destination B4 Saint Remy les Chevreuse) from CDG airport to Saint Michel Notre Dame RER station. Walk from RER station to Metro. Take Metro line 10 from Cluny la Sorbonne to Gare Austerlitz. Allow 1 hour.
2106 CDG Airport to TGV Massy
RER Line B (destination B4 Saint Remy les Chevreuse) from CDG airport to Massy-Palaiseau RER station. The Massy TGV station is located next to the RER station.
2107 CDG Airport to Gare Montparnasse
There are two transit options from CDG airport to Gare Montparnasse:
a. RER Line B (destination B2 Robinson or B4 Saint Remy les Chevreuse) from CDG airport to Gare du Nord. Paris Metro Line 4 from Gare du Nord to Metro Station Montparnasse Bienvenue. Allow 1:00 hour. Allow an additional 15 minutes to walk from the Metro station to Gare Montparnasse.
~Note there are 3 points where it is possible to transfer from RER B to Metro line 4. A transfer at St Michel may be preferable as Gare du Nord is a large station and will require orientation time.
b. Air France operates a bus service from CDG direct to Gare Montparnasse. Allow 1:15 hours.
2120 Trains in France
SNCF
http://www.sncf.com/
SNCF - train schedule and tickets:
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/billet-train/horaires
SNCF TER
http://www.ter-sncf.com/
SNCF Railway Map
http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/france-map/sncf-map-large.htm
2121 Paris Train Stations
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Terminal 2 train station
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frmlw/accueil/
Gare de Massy TGV
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frdju/accueil/
Note in additon to CDG 2 and Massy there are 6 major train stations in Paris:
Paris Gare d'Austerlitz
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frpaz/accueil/
Gare Paris Bercy
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frpbe/accueil/
Gare Paris Est
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frpst/accueil/
Paris Gare de Lyon
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frply/accueil/
Paris Gare Montparnasse
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frpmo/accueil/
Paris Gare Montparnasse Map
http://www.railteam.eu/en/files/2011/11/MAP_Paris-Montparnasse_En.pdf
Paris Gare du Nord.
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frpno/accueil/
Map of TGV train network in Paris:
http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/france-trains/images/tgv-map-paris.jpg
2125. Paris to London by Eurostar
Eurostar trains operate between Paris Gare du Nord and London St Pancras International Station
http://www.eurostar.com
2135 Paris to Barcelona by Train
SNCF and Renfe operate high speed trains between Paris Gare de Lyon and Barcelona Sants.
SNCF - train schedule and tickets:
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/billet-train/horaires
2150 Paris to Saint Jean Pied de Port
2151 This section discusses how to get from Paris to Saint Jean Pied de Port.
Index 2150
2152 Executive Summary
2153 Fly from Paris to Biarritz and train to SJPdP
2154 Train from Paris to SJPdP
2155 Train stations between Paris and Bayonne
2156 Saint Jean Pied de Port
2157 Author's Pick
2152 Executive Summary
There are at least two viable options for getting from Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport to Saint Jean Pied de Port (SJPdP):
a. Fly from Paris to Biarritz and take the train from Bayonne to SJPdP.
b. Take the train from Paris to Bayonne and transfer to another train from Bayonne to SJPdP. Stations in Paris with trains to Bayonne include: CDG 2, Gare d'Austerlitz, Gare Montparnasse, and Gare Massy.
Note: The tracks between Bayonne and SJPdP got washed out in Spring 2014. At time of edit (July 2014) the train goes from Bayonne to Cambo les Bains. Passengers to SJPdP transfer to an SNCF operated bus at Cambo les Bains. There is no information as to when the tracks will be repaired. The schedule is changing often.
2153 ~Option 1 Fly from Paris to Biarritz and train to SJPdP
a. Fly from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Biarritz Airport (BIQ). Easy Jet provides service; or,
b. Fly from Paris Orly Airport (ORY) to Biarritz Airport (BIQ) Air France provides service.
The Chronoplus urban bus #14 leaves from the doors of Biarritz Airport and goes to Gare de Bayonne. Allow 40 minutes.
The SNCF TER train #62 travels from Bayonne to terminus at SJPdP.
Biarritz Airport (BIQ)
http://en.biarritz.aeroport.fr/
Chronoplus
http://www.chronoplus.eu/
SNCF TER Aquitaine
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/Aquitaine/fr/Default.aspx
2154 ~Option 2 - Train from Paris to SJPdP
TGV trains travel towards Bayonne from three train stations in Paris:
a. There is a TGV station located at Charles de Gaulle Airport Terminal 2.
b. There is a TGV station located at Gare Montparnasse in central Paris. There is greater frequency of service from Gare Montparnasse than from CDG 2.
c. The tracks from CDG 2 and Gare Montparnasse converge and TGV trains from both stations stop at Gare Massy.
SNCF TGV trains leave from Paris enroute to Bordeaux or Irun. Often there is a transfer required at Bordeaux. TGV trains from Bordeaux terminate in Irun. TER trains from Bordeaux terminate in Pau or Hendaye. If your train is bound for Pau another transfer is required at Dax. Trains bound for Hendaye or Irun stop in Bayonne.
SNCF Intercites night trains travel from Paris Gare d'Austerlitz to Hendaye and stop in Bayonne.
SNCF TER train #62 travels from Gare Bayonne to terminus at SJPdP.
You will get limited results if you try to find a schedule for a train from Paris to SJPdP. I'd suggest planning your trip from Paris to Bayonne then Bayonne to SJPdP.
SNCF
http://www.sncf.com/
SNCF - train schedule and tickets:
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/billet-train/horaires
SNCF TER Aquitaine
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/Aquitaine/fr/Default.aspx
2155 Train Stations between Paris and Bayonne
Gare Bordeaux - Saint Jean (Saint Jean is name of main station in Bordeaux)
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/en/frboj/accueil/
Gare Bordeaux - Saint Jean according to Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gare_de_Bordeaux-Saint-Jean
Gare de Dax
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/fracg/accueil/
Gare de Bayonne
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frxby/accueil/
2156 Saint Jean Pied de Port
Saint Jean Pied de Port
http://www.st-jean-pied-de-port.fr/default.aspx
2157 Author's pick
If I were traveling to SJPdP by way of Paris I would:
a. Determine if it was cost effective and time effective to fly from Paris to Biarritz. Time effective means arriving in time to catch a train from Bayonne to SJPdP on the same day.
b. If arriving at CDG and taking the train is the better option ... take the train from CDG 2 if the schedule is viable.
c. If CDG 2 schedule doesn't work ... Take the RER train from CDG to Massy and catch the TGV train originating from Montparnasse ... Massy is easier to access than Montparnasse because there are no transit transfers required.
d. If arriving at Orly ... take the Orly Val to station Antony and RER train to Massy. Trains from CDG2 and Montparnasse converge before Massy.