Fly or train?

[boatmike]

Lets assume then as a follow on from my last post that I end up somewhere like La Grande Motte next year and have Apella hauled out for the winter, how do we get home to Portsmouth in October/November? There appears to be an airport at Nimes but the only flights I can see are silly prices. What do the rest of you guys do?

 

[michael_w]

If you want to go by train here are a few links I've found very useful.

http://www.seat61.com/

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?newrequest=yes&protocol=http:&

https://loco2.com/

European train travel is very fast and wonderfully low stress. A few months ago I left Barcelona at 8:30 and arrived back in Ipswich at 22:30. Sitting in First Class, on the top deck of a TGV smoking along at 300 km, sneering at the cars stuck in traffic ...

I had enough gear with me that would have entailed 2 extra seats with CheapoAir.

 

[sailaboutvic]

U

If you want to go by train here are a few links I've found very useful.

http://www.seat61.com/

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?newrequest=yes&protocol=http:&

https://loco2.com/

European train travel is very fast and wonderfully low stress. A few months ago I left Barcelona at 8:30 and arrived back in Ipswich at 22:30. Sitting in First Class, on the top deck of a TGV smoking along at 300 km, sneering at the cars stuck in traffic ...

I had enough gear with me that would have entailed 2 extra seats with CheapoAir.

Hi Micheal
If I may ask , at what cost ?
I was just looking at trains from Luton to Birmingham and just that small trip is any thing from 60 to 120 unless you want to travel over night .

 

[michael_w]

I had to get to Palma in bit of a rush. The costs of going by car, train or plane were pretty similar when travelling at no notice. As I had a load of tools to take with me and the chance of seeing old friends in France on the way home I chose the car option. Alas, she blew a head gasket just south of Calais. My travel insurers could not find a car hire company that would allow me to take their car on the Palma ferry, so I went by train, which I should have done in the first place!

AA European cover coughed up without a murmur on my claim for train tickets and accommodation. Plus they repatriated my car.

 

[colind3782]

I've often considered the train to Figueres as the TGV (AVE) now stops there but I've always found the cost to be prohibitive. However, friends have reported finding cheap deals online.

 

[[3889]]

I've read somewhere (on here?) that the French sncf site offers cheaper fares than the UK version to which Brits are directed. Maybe UKIP propoganda, though.

 

[Hadenough]

Sell the "home" :encouragement:

 

[blampied]

Check prices for trains and air every time.
As a rule of thumb train tends to be cheaper until half way down france
Air becomes the cheaper the further south you go but not always, and depends on luggage distance from air port ans train stations etc.

 

[charles_reed]

I've read somewhere (on here?) that the French sncf site offers cheaper fares than the UK version to which Brits are directed. Maybe UKIP propoganda, though.

Absolutely true - and with a Carte Senior you can have even larger (50%) discounts.
Train travel in France should not be compared with the UK - it works out at about 20% of the silly prices in the UK.

 

[blampied]

Absolutely true - and with a Carte Senior you can have even larger (50%) discounts.
Train travel in France should not be compared with the UK - it works out at about 20% of the silly prices in the UK.

Yes totally agree French trains are great and I'd forgotten Carte senior, anyone over 60 can get one, gives 50% off, absolute bargain, I'm annoyed you can't get it at 55, (I'm still too young) that will mike train travel the cheaper option until your well into Spain.