petitepois

Oh dear. After a year of planning our trip to (and vacation rental in) Provence this August, my husband has been waylaid and will not be able to travel with me. He will join me two days later - but this means I now need to navigate the TGV and car rental by myself - and I'm nervous! I've done some research on this board, but have some specific questions.

1. I'm flying American from Boston to CDG. I've read that American flies into the same terminal (is it terminal 1?) as the TGV - but that the TGV is far and difficult to find. I understand I need to take a shuttle to the station. Is this clearly marked? Any advice on getting from the terminal to the TGV station?

2. The tickets have been prebooked, two tickets in my husband's name. We do not have the same last name. We are trying to change the tickets to my name. But - can anyone describe what the procedure is to pick up pre-booked TGV tickets? Do I need the credit card they were booked under? Do you print them out from a machine?

3. We are meeting friends who will share the house with us. They are traveling from Paris to Avignon via TGV and would like to meet me on the train. Is this possible? Does the TGV from Roissy CDG also go through Gare de Lyon?

4. Failing meeting on the train, we will meet at the car rental desk at TGV Avignon. We are using National. I've read that the signs are clearly marked to get to the car rental desks - is this still the case?

Thank you so much for any advice offered and apologies if these questions overlap with any previous posts.

delvino

Petitepois,

This past May we took American from Chicago to CDG and the train to Avignon.

From our experience, the train station was at the opposite end of the terminal from where our plane came in. Its a bit of a walk, but not too bad.

I don't recall taking any shuttle to the station; I'm thinking we went "downstairs" to the TGV.

Not sure about mechanics of picking up tickets, but you should be able to meet your friends, presuming your taking the same train. You should be able to see the stops based on the TGV schedule. If you are on the same train, and you've both selected your seats, then communicate this to each other. Knowing what car and seat your in will assist in the navigation.

The car rental offices are directly across from the Avignon station. Leave the station and walk ahead; you should be able to see them.

I was pretty concerned about finding all of these locations, but it turned out that it was pretty straightforward.

Good Luck and have a great time!

bilboburgler

At CDG its is a way but well sign posted. Try www.SNCF.com click the ENGLISH?USA flag and check how to pick up the ticket. From memory its a credit card in a particualar machine but i forget

Gretchen

It will not be the same TGV train.

ira

Hi P,

A map of CDG is at
http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/Adp/en-GB/Passagers/

The TGV station is in CDG2 between C/D and E/F.

You must bring the same credit card that you used to buy the tickets to get them. You can use the machines (they have instructions in English) or a ticket agent.

>Does the TGV from Roissy CDG also go through Gare de Lyon? <

No.

How much time do you have between your scheduled arrival and the TGV departure?

flsd

bttt

petitepois

Thank you so much for all your responses. I have two and a half hours between landing and the train - I hope that is enough time. I will bring my husband's credit card and try to print out from the machine. (And in the meantime am still trying to change the name on the tickets.) It looks like meeting our friends on the train will not work - does anyone know of a clearly marked spot at the Avignon TGV station?

I appreciate all your advice! Thank you!

norween

You will have to go to a manned ticket booth since the US credit cards wont't work in european automats (this would need them to have a chip)

TimS

If you arrive at CDG on time, you should be able to catch the TGV without too much trouble. Be prepared, however, to stand in line to get through immigration and to pick up your train ticket.

MorganB

1. Odds are American will come into 2A. The TGV station is not directly attached to 2A. You can either walk to the TGV station via 2C or go outside and take a shuttle. I find the easiest option is to load my luggage onto a luggage cart and walk. Here is a handy map of terminal 2 :

http://www.airchive.com/Timetables%2...CDGmap0204.jpg

2. Names on a ticket dont matter unless they are tickets you print at home or are PREMS. What time of fare do you have? Discovery Stay? Full fare? Only deep discount tickets are nomative and once the name is done on those you cannot change it period.

You will need to take the credit card used to pay the booking and the reservation number to the ticket window to pick up your tickets. Without these two items you will NOT be given your tickets. As another poster mentioned, the automatic machines do not work with US credit cards.

3. The TGV from Roissy does not go via Gare de Lyon so you will not be on the same train. Keep in mind there are 2 train stations in Avignon, if you plan to meet them there make sure you are arriving in the same station.

4. Its very easy to find the rental locations and they are within view of the exit of the train station. When you walk out you will walk down a hill and the rental locations are in small freestanding buildings. The station is very small so you dont need to worry about getting lost.

petitepois

Thank you so much for all your help. You all are making me feel much more at ease. I will to try pick up the tickets using the credit card and reservation number. They are not special fare tickets. In an absolute worst-case scenario, I will buy another ticket.

Also, I will meet my friends at the Avignon TGV station. Does anyone know of a good meeting point there?

I understand that there are two stations in Avignon - does the TGV stop at both? I want to get off at Avignon TGV (where the car rentals are). What is the name of that station?

Thank you again!

Christina

There is only one Avignon TGV station, and that is what it's called on the SNCF schedules. I think a few TGVs may stop at Avignon Centre (the name of the regular train station in Avignon).

I don't know a special place to meet, but it's not that big a station. If you are renting a car, why not meet at the car rental office? There are car rental s at lots of places in Avignon, so that doesn't distinguish it. There are car rentals in-town at the regular rail station, also (they may have that address, but they are usually really over on a side street, I think).

kismetchimera

petitepois, there is a small snack bar near the central main door of the station.
The TGV stop upstair ,you must descend the stairs and turn right toward the main door, the snack bar is on the left.
Is very easy, the TGV station is not very big.

chrisvez

this is easy so don't worry. I am a single 50plus woman who did this a couple of days ago. when you fly in and get your luggage just find the "GARE" sign overhead. Head that way it is in terminal 2 ( think c, but not sure) It is well marked. you need to buy a ticket in the ticket office on that level, you can not use an american credit card in the machines. there is a high speed express to avignon. I got off the plane and got baggage by 8:40. walked 10 minutes to train/terminal. there are lots of trains but I was able to get the high speed to Avignon at 10:20. got to avignon by 1:20.

EZ
chrisvez

PBProvence

The TGV trains from CDG only stop at the Avignon TGV station. Your friends, if they're coming in on a train from Gare de Lyon, should just double check to make sure they arrive at the same station. If not, there is a shuttle bus from the central station to the TGV station - it only takes about ten minutes.

The rental car offices are just outside the southside doors and down a flight of steps in the parking lot.
Each rental car company has its own little house-like office.


kismet's idea to meet at the snack bar is a good one - and there's also a ticket office where you can wait. There are seats there along the glass wall so you can be comfortable while you wait.


Patricia