hi i am planning my honeymoon and 1st holiday in Europe. We will be taking a trafalgar tour which we will end in Paris. I need to get from Paris to Nice and i%26#39;m not sure of the best way to get there. Should we Rail it?? or fly???
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Hi Dodger
Not sure what the experts on this site would think, but we are doing the opposite Nice-Paris via TGV after considering the same question.
I decided on the TGV mainly because it is a %26quot;fast train%26quot; so that is something I cant experience here at home, hence the attraction. Time wise it seemed to me that by the time you added transit times to and from the airports, the inevitable security waits and the actual flight time there was not too much difference.
The other advantage for us was an opportunity to view some more of the French scenery which the flight option would not hae given us.
Maybe after being in a coach on your trafalger tour you may want to not be seated for as long as the train though?
Our tickets have cost us NZD$700 for two in first class, which apparently has slightly less people per carriage.
Hope this is of some help
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We took the TGV from Paris to Nice in May 2007 and it was great. Do it, you will enjoy!
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The TGV is quite the experience to ride and it only takes a few hours from Paris to Nice. Splurge on a first class seat and enjoy!
On the other hand, flying will take only 45 minutes or so and might actually be similar in price or cheaper.
I prefer the train - - - by the time you drive to the airport, get to the airport an hour in advance, fly, get your bags and get to your destination, there may not really be that much time difference.
I personally think the train is less stressful and more romantic! The countryside is beautiful as well.
Enjoy your trip!
Anita
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Whenever I can, I always take the train when travelling in Europe. The scenery is nothing like what we have in Aust, and regarldess of the weather, it%26#39;s a real treat.
Also, 2nd class train travel in Europe is leaps and bounds better than what we are used to here, so it%26#39;s more than comfortable - don%26#39;t feel the need to pay for 1st class if money is the issue.
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Taking the train will give you a more authentic and memorable European experience. You will also see more of France, unless you take a night train. If you take a night train, splurge for the private compartment, you don%26#39;t want to be sleeping on %26quot;couchettes%26quot; like we did on our honeymoon in France.
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I%26#39;d definitely recommend the TGV for the trip, compared to getting to the airport early enough to clear security, etc.... Taking the TGV is more convenient.
Unless you%26#39;re tall and need the legroom or really want the airline-style meal tray they serve in Premiere Class, I would not recommend the additional expense. Save the money, travel 2nd Class, stop at a local market before you board and buy a picnic of wine, bread, cheese, meat, fruit, etc. You%26#39;ll eat better.
Oh, make sure you validate your tickets before you board! Look for the little yellow boxes posted as you walk to your platform. Also make sure you get into the right car....
As for the scenery.... I%26#39;ve taken the A-dam/Paris Thalys and the London/Paris Eurostar and the TGV from Montparnasse to the Loire. It was my impression that much of the TGV lines are actually trenched down into the ground - perhaps to negate the effect of any crosswinds on the train while traveling at such high speed - Anyway, I did not find that there was much in the way of scenery on any of these 3 lines.
We did take a regular train from Beaune to Lyon though, that line did have much more in the way of scenery.
Congratulations! I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll have a memorable honeymoon!
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sdjeff -
I have a question you might be able to answer about TGV. We will be taking it this summer - have printed my tix on-line. Do I still need to validate in the yellow box? My tix have assigned seating - 1st class, car 3, salle haute. Will it be easy for us to find car 3? Do you know if salle haute means the upper deck/upstairs of the car?
Just want to make sure we end up in the right place!
Thanks.
khutson
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You do need to stamp (compost!) your ticket. I always feel very proud of myself when I remember this.
Flight from Paris to Nice may only be 45 minutes but you have to check in about 90 minutes beforehand and then wrestle your luggage from the grasp of the conveyor belt at the end, and get from town to or from the airport at each end. TGV is the smart way to travel.
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Sorry forgot to say Khutson, there is usually a plan of the train on the platform and little signs with letters from A to about K or something, telling you which bit of the train stops where so you know where to get on.
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Knut, Chic is right! Always have your tickets (in whatever form) validated - the boxes (yellow if I recall) are easy to spot on your way to your platform, Also, as I understand it, the fines for traveling w/ an unvalidated ticket are steep, and on the spot!
Also, to confirm Chic, every TGV I%26#39;ve taken included a diagram of that particular train. Normally each car (voiture) has it%26#39;s number and destination posted at the front and back. Any other concerns about getting on the right car can probably be resolved by approaching an attendant on the platform.
My french is probably horrendous, but %26quot;Pardon moi/Bonjour Monsiuer/Madame, J%26#39;ai un problem, ou est mon voiture?%26quot;
%26quot;Excuse me/Good day Monsiuer/Madame, I have a problem, where is my car?%26quot;
Terrible French or not, this will most likely get you pointed in the right direction and as frequently posted, even a little French (even horrible French) will get a much better response almost everywhere you go.
Bon Chance!
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