Flying into Paris at 3pm - any tips on how to get to SJPP without losing days?

[reneeavril]

Hello fellow Peregrinos,

I'm flying into Paris from Washington, DC on Saturday at 3pm and trying to figure out how to get to SJPP as quickly, cheaply and easily as possible. Any chance I could get there on the same day or do I need to factor in a rest day in Bordeaux or Bayonne? Want to start my trip off right but also want to get to Muxia for my birthday which means I want to start ASAP.

Buen Camino!
Renee

 

[reneeavril]

And just in case someone has similar timing, I fly in on Saturday, July 12th.

 

[whariwharangi]

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 Massey
2107 Charles de Gaulle Airport to Gare Montparnasse
2120 Trains in France
2121 Paris Train Stations

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

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 Not Assigned
2156 Train stations between Paris and Bayonne
2157 Saint Jean Pied de Port

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.

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 Massey.

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 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

2156 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/

2157 Saint Jean Pied de Port

Saint Jean Pied de Port
http://www.st-jean-pied-de-port.fr/default.aspx

 

[whariwharangi]

Your options are:

1620 12 July 2014 TGV CDG airport to Bayonne (TGV)

1728 12 July 2014 Gare Montparnasse to Bayonne (TGV)

Otherwise you can catch overnight Intercites trains. 2154 12 July 2014 Gare d'Austerlitz to Bayonne

With a 1500 arrival time I don't think you will be able to make either TGV departure unless the planets are aligned and your flight actually arrives on time.

 

[NicoZ]

And just in case someone has similar timing, I fly in on Saturday, July 12th.

If that's this year AKA two weeks. The weekend just before bastile day.

My guess is all the cheap tickets (train or plane) have been long sold.

 

[Harington]

Hello fellow Peregrinos,

I'm flying into Paris from Washington, DC on Saturday at 3pm and trying to figure out how to get to SJPP as quickly, cheaply and easily as possible. Any chance I could get there on the same day or do I need to factor in a rest day in Bordeaux or Bayonne? Want to start my trip off right but also want to get to Muxia for my birthday which means I want to start ASAP.

Buen Camino!
Renee

The french ATC strike is not due to end till Sunday, so you may encounter some difficulties.

 

[reneeavril]

If that's this year AKA two weeks. The weekend just before bastile day.

My guess is all the cheap tickets (train or plane) have been long sold.

Thanks! What is AKA? A lot of posts say they bought tickets on the same day they traveled, so thank you for the warning!

 

[reneeavril]

Your options are:

1620 12 July 2014 TGV CDG airport to Bayonne (TGV)

1728 12 July 2014 Gare Montparnasse to Bayonne (TGV)

Otherwise you can catch overnight Intercites trains. 2154 12 July 2014 Gare d'Austerlitz to Bayonne

With a 1500 arrival time I don't think you will be able to make either TGV departure unless the planets are aligned and your flight actually arrives on time.

Thanks for the great information! Does anyone know how long it takes to get from Paris to Bayonne to SJPP? If I left early in the am on Sunday, could I get there by Sunday night?

Buen Camino!
Renee

 

[Tia Valeria]

Renee, as Sir John H says there is a strike in France which is affecting flights, certainly from the UK. It might be wise to check with your airline before making other plans. You might find the flight is cancelled, delayed or diverted. I do hope not, but be aware of the situation.
Buen Camino

 

[whariwharangi]

Thanks for the great information! Does anyone know how long it takes to get from Paris to Bayonne to SJPP? If I left early in the am on Sunday, could I get there by Sunday night?

Buen Camino!
Renee

If you leave early Sunday you can catch the last SNCF TER train/bus to SJPdP.

Here are the websites for the various service providers:

SNCF - trains Paris to Bayonne
http://www.sncf.com/

SNCF TER Aquitaine - TER 62 from Bayonne to SJPdP
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/Aquitaine/fr/Default.aspx

EasyJet - flights from CDG to Biarritz
http://www.easyjet.com/en/

Air France - flights from Orly to Biarritz
http://www.airfrance.com/indexCOM.html

 

[curtc757]

I flew from there to bayonne then shared a cab with other pilgrims. That worked fairly well and is pretty easy if they don't loose your luggage (don't check it if you're not prepared to loose it). They lost my checked bag tent and hiking poles. Thank God I carried the pack aboard.

 

[NicoZ]

Thanks! What is AKA? A lot of posts say they bought tickets on the same day they traveled, so thank you for the warning!

AKA is also know as.

Normally you can get tickets but the cheaper tickets almost always require advance purchase.

But you aren't arriving on a normal day. It's the start of the summer holiday season. The major national holiday. It's even a long weekend. All forms of transport are going to be full. I'd see what train tickets you can get now.

 

[Charlotte Skov Thomsen]

If you need transport for the last part of your journey, you could tjek out http://www.expressbourricot.com. Maybe it is possible to share a cheap taxi a part of the way.