French trains - Paris to Orleans

[Bill]

I need to get to Orleans as early as possible on Tuesday next week. I'm struggling to get to a flight for the night before, so a 6am Eurostar seems like the best plan. But then I'm struggling.

The afternoon trains take a bit over an hour from Paris Austerlitz, but the morning ones seem to take 3 or 4 hours and involve a stop. Am I missing something?

[N Dentressangle]

Looks like the morning trains go via Tours:

https://www.raileurope.com/en/journey/paris-orlean...

Might be some more info on https://www.seat61.com/international-trains/trains...

eta having looked at the SNCF site, there's a direct RER from Austerlitz - Orleans at 0926, takes 68min, but that might be too early leaving Paris for you. There's a bus that takes just over 2hrs. Have a play about with:
https://www.sncf.com/en/booking-itinerary/book-tic...

Google thinks you should be there by 1250 if you leave London at 0600:
https://goo.gl/maps/rxDcuHi3Uho1vaMu7

Edited by N Dentressangle on Friday 10th June 17:00

[Magooagain]

The 9.26 will get you into Orleons at 10.34am.

After that it takes an age.

Some metro stations are closed,so if it's a dash across from Gare nord then it's worth checking out the metro route you will need on the website. Check for closures.

The 10.06 will get you in at 12.50. Don't get on the 9.39!

Edited by Magooagain on Friday 10th June 17:04

Cheap hotel around austerlitz station the night before maybe? Then early train down.

Edited by Magooagain on Friday 10th June 17:08

[Bill]

The Eurostar gets in at 9.20, so I'd have 6 minutes to get across Paris to get the 9.26

Collecting a car from a garage that shuts between 12.30 and 2, so really keen to get there before then as it's 9 hours to get home on a clear run.

Now looking at how I can get to Heathrow in time for the 8.35 flight the night before.

[Magooagain]

I'm 3 hours south of Orleans so not much help really.

[Bill]

[Bill]

As you're there, could you sort the stupid trains out??

[Magooagain]

You could get it delivered to me,then fly into Limoges where we could have a mini PH meet and lunch then you could wend you're way home!

[omniflow]

You could always take an overnight ferry back to the UK. St.Malo -> Portsmouth is overnight on Tuesdays. Or Caen -> Portsmouth.

That way you can collect the car after lunch, have a relaxing drive to the port and arrive in Portsmouth fresh as a daisy on Wednesday morning.

[Bill]

I had looked at the overnight ferry return but it's a pita getting to work in time.

So I've booked the overnight ferry out as a foot passenger tomorrow. Which gives enough time for a pain au chocolat and coffee in Caen before picking up a hire car and should get me to Orleans before 12. And then a leisurely drive home via a supermarket and the Chunnel...