Nous visiterons la France pour 2 semaines, en septembre 2013.
Sont prévus à notre itinéraire de voyages, bien sur Paris, pour la plus grande partie du voyage, mais nous souhaitons également visiter une 2e région de la France. Nous avons pensé faire 3 jours-2 nuits en Alsace (Colmar, premier choix, Strassbourg, peut-être).
Pour se faire, nous aimerions prendre le train, au départ de Paris.
Quelqu'un peut nous indiquer: un site internet où nous pouvons acheter nos billets de trainsAvec qui est-il plus sur de faire affaire? SNCF, rail Europe, ou ??Y-a -t-il une façon économique de faire ce voyage en train ou autre moyen de transport?Devrions nous visiter seulement Colmar ou Alsace, si nous visitons 3 jours - 2 nuits cette région?Quelqu'un a-t-il un site internet à nous recommander pour savoir quoi "ne pas manquer" ou bien tout simplement, que nous suggérez vous comme visite à ne pas manquer?Dans quel région, ou quartier de la ville devons nous loger?Pour l'itinéraire de ce voyage, depuis Paris, quelle gare devons nous partir et arriver à Colmar ?Est-il plus facile de faire Paris Strassbourg que Paris Colmar?Y-a-t il plus à voir à Colmar ou Strassbourg?Bref, que nous recommander vous de faire? Nous sommes 4 adultes, agés en moyenne de 50 ans.
Je ne pourrai malheureusement pas vous aider concernant le transport en train car nous nous déplaçons toujours en voiture.
Par contre je me demandais si vous avez pensé à la location d'une voiture pour votre petit circuit en Alsace. Étant donné que vous êtes quatre, le prix des billets de train versus une location d'auto pour 3 jours? A voir.
Une location d'auto vous permettrait de prendre une journée pour faire la route des vins entre Strasbourg et Colmar et visiter entre autre Obernai, Riquewhir, Ribeauvillé. À mon avis il vous manquerait quelque chose si vous ne visitiez que Strasbourg et Colmar. De plus en septembre les vendanges seront surement commencées.
À Strasbourg il faut voir le quartier de la petite France et la cathédrale. Colmar est à ne pas manquer non plus.
En voiture , pour faire Paris <-> Strasbourg , il faut un très grosse 1/2 journée par l'Autoroute A4 (voir viamichelin.com)
Pour le train : mon site de référence est celui de la SNCF sncf.com .
Tout y est indiqué : les gares (depuis Paris je crois q'u'il y a un TGV depuis la Gare de l'Est ), les horaires , les disponibilités, les promos .
Une fois arrivé à Strasbourg, 1 journée peur être consacrée à la visite de la ville (visite à pied)
Puis , pourquoi ne pas louer un véhicule pour visiter le chateau de Haut-Koenigsbourg, boire un verre dans une cave proche de Riquewirh, se rendre par la route à Colmar, déjeuner dans une ferme auberge, dormir dans un petit village (hotel, gite ou chambre d'hote).
11 jours / 14 pour Paris , c' est peut-être un peu beaucoup ... 🤪
Je trouve aussi qu' un parcours alsacien doit inclure au moins une partie de la route des villages et petites villes viticoles , et alors la voiture s' impose naturellement . D' autant que la partie montagneuse des Vosges mérite aussi d' être parcourue , et que sur la route une halte à Nancy ou à Metz en vaut la peine .
Vous parlez de Strasbourg et Colmar qui sont en effet des villes ayant conservé un cachet alsacien dans leurs quartiers historiques . Mais il y a aussi Mulhouse qui est riche de musées prestigieux (pensez-y si le temps est pluvieux lors de votre voyage !) qui méritent un détour .
Au retour vous pouvez faire un crochet par la Bourgogne , voire visiter 1 ou 2 châteaux de la Loire . Pour ça l' idéal serait de faire 50/50 avec Paris et de louer la voiture 1 semaine .
Bonne réflexion 🙂
Vous pouvez acheter vos billets de train en ligne sur le site http://voyages-sncf.com, vous aurez alors le choix dans les horaires et les prix (si vous n'êtes pas trop rigides sur les dates, vous pourrez sûrement trouver des billets à des prix raisonnables).
Si les tarifs ne sont pas assez intéressants, essayer de voir pour louer une voiture pour plusieurs jours (pensez à prendre en compte le coût de l'essence et des péages d'autoroute), pour 4 adultes, cela peut être plus rentable.
Je ne connais pas assez l'Alsace pour vous conseiller un vrai parcours mais Strasbourg vaut qu'on s'y attarde un peu.
Vous avez fait un bon choix en venant en Alsace en septembre, car c'est certainement le meilleur mois pour découvrir cette région. Les touristes sont un peu moins nombreux qu'en août, les géraniums sont en fleurs et les vendanges en cours, ... La région sera magnifique !
Le Paris-Strasbourg en TGV se fait avec la SNCF (2h20min). Pour avoir des prix pas chers il faut réserver les billets 3 mois avant (pour le coup c'est loupé). Ensuite il y a de nombreux train qui vont de Strasbourg à Colmar (soit directement avec le TGV, soit sans réservation avec un train classique : environ 30min).
A part la voiture de location, il n'y a pas d'autre moyen pas cher pour venir depuis Paris.
En 3 jours de vous recommande de visiter :
- 1 jour pour Strasbourg (cathédrale, petite France, tour de la ville en bateau, manger dans une winstub, ...)
- 2 jours pour Colmar et surtout pour le secteur autour de Colmar (la route des vins d'Alsace, Riquewhir, Kaysersberg, Eguisheim, le château du Haut Koenigsbourg, le couvent du Mont Sainte Odile, ...)
Je vous recommande le site internet www.alsatourisme.fr qui vous recommande quoi visiter en fonction de la durée de votre séjour, afin de ne pas rater les immanquables. Ce site vous donnera plus de détails sur les visites que je vous recommande.
Pour savoir où dormir en Alsace, je vous recommande ce lien
Je partage les recommandations des messages précédents, à savoir :
- Une location de voiture en Alsace vous sera très pratique (surtout pour visiter la région de Colmar, pas pour Strasbourg) et vous fera gagner beaucoup de temps. Il existe des transports en commun (bus) mais pour se promener le long de la route du vin et dans les petits villages viticoles, un voiture est beaucoup plus pratique (le vélo c'est encore mieux)
- Plus d'une dizaine de jours à Paris ça fait beaucoup, n'hésitez pas à faire quelques jours de plus en Alsace
- Plus d'une dizaine de jours à Paris ça fait beaucoup, n'hésitez pas à faire quelques jours de plus en Alsace
Entièrement d'accord avec vous, une semaine à Paris me semblerait idéal pour augmenter le nombre de jours en Alsace. Nous avons adoré cette région et nous en gardons un excellent souvenir.
Comme nous n'envisagions pas louer de voiture, vous pouvez me dire s'il n'y a pas de "navette", bus qui peuvent nous amener sur la route des vins? Que ce soit au départ de Colmar ou de Strasbourg?
Bonjour, la bonne solution c'est Paris a Strasbourg en TGV, acheter les billets sur www.sncf.fr, il y a beaucoup plus a voir a Strasbourg qu'a Colmar, on visite ces villes a pieds sans problème, il vous suffira d'aller au syndicat d'initiative local pour avoir les cartes et savoir tout ce qu'il y a a voir.Par contre pour aller d'une ville a l'autre vous pouvez reprendre le train mais le plus agréable serait de louer une voiture pour profiter de la campagne et des petits villages Alsaciens typiques.
Si la location d' une voiture sur place est finalement envisagée , malgré l' a priori négatif de départ , pourquoi pas depuis Paris ?
A moins de trouver des tarifs Prem's , aux contraintes horaires souvent pas idéales et non remboursables ni échangeables , à 4 aller-retours ça peut facilement monter à 500 € ou plus ... 😛
Ça vaut le coup de faire les calculs , surtout à 4 🤪
Et la conduite routière en France n' est pas si risquée , probablement pas beaucoup + qu' au Québec en tous les cas 😉
Hi everyone,
First of all, thank you for all the valuable information you share—it’s really helpful.
My husband and I are heading to South Korea from September 19 to October 6. We know the timing might not be ideal because of Chuseok, but for various reasons, we didn’t have other date options. Plus, this period coincides with some festivals we’ve been eager to check out: the Andong Mask Dance Festival, the Jinju Lantern Festival, and the Hwaseong Festival in Suwon.
Here’s our tentative itinerary:
09/19: Arrival in Seoul
09/20: Bus to Sokcho – explore the city or short hike
09/21: Seoraksan Park
09/22: Return to Seoul
09/23–09/26: Seoul
09/27: Bus or train to Andong – explore the city
09/28: Hahoe
09/29–10/01: Gyeongju
10/01–10/03: Busan
10/03–10/04: Jinju
10/05: Bus/train to Suwon
10/06: Suwon
So here’s my question: Given that several of our trips fall during or around festivals, will it be possible to book bus/train tickets once we’re there, or is there a risk they’ll already be sold out? Specifically for Seoul-Andong, Busan-Jinju, and Jinju-Suwon.
I was thinking of booking everything on our first day in Seoul.
And if it’s better to plan ahead, how should we go about it? I can’t seem to access the Korail (letskorail) or Kobus websites.
Thanks in advance for your answers and help—and sorry for the long post! :)
I’m planning our very first trip to mainland France in January 2027. There’ll be 2 adults and 2 kids, and we’ll mostly be traveling by train.
Here’s our itinerary:
Paris
Rouen (Normandy)
Lyon
Aix-les-Bains (with day trips to Annecy and Geneva)
Saint-Gervais-les-Bains (with Chamonix and a day in Aosta)
Back to Paris
Do you think this itinerary is well-balanced? Any tips, must-see spots, or mistakes to avoid for a first-time visit?
Hi! I’d like to make stops across France, starting from Reims, and travel by train using the Intercités. I want to discover the landscapes and picturesque villages, and make some stops along the way. Could you give me some tips? Thanks!
I can’t seem to complete the payment for my trip on the IRCTC (Indian Railways) site. No matter which payment method I choose, my Visa card isn’t accepted.
Has anyone here managed to do it, and if so, could you share the method you used?
Thanks in advance!
Charlie
I’m planning a family trip in a year. Our goal: traveling to China (and maybe Hong Kong) by train.
I’m all set with the route up to eastern Turkey.
However, I’m just starting my research for the rest of the journey—namely the Caucasus (no trains as far as I know, so buses and/or ferries), then Central Asia and China.
So, I’d love to hear any info or tips (general and forward-looking at this stage) about the train route through Central Asia and China to reach the east coast.
I’m particularly interested in details on:
- How far in advance to book / any potential difficulties with reservations
- Whether there are PASS systems (or equivalent) between countries and/or if some tickets allow stopovers, meaning you can hop on and off as you please
- Day trains vs. night trains (the latter option lets you explore cities between two legs of the journey)
- A rough idea of ticket costs
...
A huge thank you to anyone who can share some info or experiences. It’s also a great opportunity to chat about adventure after (way too) many years away from this forum.
I’m planning a trip around Italy using only trains or public transport in October (hoping the weather stays nice!).
I’d obviously like to see some tourist destinations, but I also want to get off the beaten path a bit, and I’m hoping to find some help here? I don’t plan to linger too long in the cities.
Starting in the north, I’d like to visit Lake Como or Lake Orta, pass through the Cinque Terre for some hiking, spend a few days in Naples and Rome, then head down to Sicily.
Hi there,
I’ll be traveling to Japan this coming August. We’ve finalized our itinerary and booked our flight tickets. Now I’m at the stage of buying train tickets for the few segments we’ll need to cover:
Tokyo - Hakone
Hakone - Kyoto
Kyoto - Osaka
Osaka - Tokyo
Here are my questions:
a) Is it possible to buy train tickets for these segments from Canada?
b) If so, which website should I use to do this?
c) And if it is possible, will we be able to print our tickets from Canada?
d) If it’s not possible, where in Tokyo should I go to buy these tickets when I arrive?
Hi everyone, I wanted to take the Paris-Berlin overnight train with a sleeper berth, the new service operated by European Sleepers.
24/05/2026 17:45 Paris-Nord (actually 16:00 from Paris Bercy Seine) -> 25/05/2026 9:59 (actually 7:30 in Berlin)
05/06/2026 18:31 Berlin (actually 20:00) -> 06/06/2026 10:00 Paris Nord (actually 12:30)
Part of the journey was operated by bus instead of the promised overnight train.
For 2 people: 340 € round trip
A total disaster. Never again. I was really looking forward to taking the overnight train, but we faced last-minute changes and truly unpleasant travel conditions. Here are the details:
1) 2 days before departure: email announcing a change of departure station for the outbound trip—Bercy Seine bus station instead of Gare du Nord.
2) Change of schedule: 4:00 PM from Bercy instead of 5:45 PM from Gare du Nord.
3) Change of transport mode!! A bus from Paris to Brussels, then an overnight train from Brussels to Berlin. No functional toilets on the bus. No children under 4 allowed on the bus.
4) On the sleeper train at 9:30 PM: no functional toilets in our carriage, so we had to go to other carriages, even in the middle of the night, to find working ones.
5) The onboard staff, though very friendly, were as lost as we were. In particular, they didn’t know how to handle the lower berths, so people using them had less space (armrests and backrests). Berth numbers weren’t respected, so some passengers had to move. The staff also didn’t know who was supposed to join the compartment during the journey.
6) Arrival at 7:30 AM in Berlin instead of 10:00 AM. No arrival announcement. Passengers had to search for staff to get breakfast and ended up with just a coffee (breakfast = 15 €, not bad for just a coffee).
7) Return trip: drastic schedule change announced by email on 26/05/2026—departure at 7:30 PM instead of 6:30 PM, with arrival between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM in Paris instead of 10:00 AM. No change in transport mode announced.
8) Change in transport mode announced by email on the same day (05/06/2026)!! Overnight train from Brussels to Berlin, then a bus from Paris to Brussels. No functional toilets on the bus. Children under 4 banned from the bus, and families in this situation were asked to find another way—after being notified the same day.
9) The overnight train arrived at Berlin station with a 30-minute delay on top of its initial delay (scheduled for 6:31 PM, then 7:30 PM, finally arriving at 8:00 PM). The heating was blasting in the compartment with no way to turn it off. No functional toilets in the carriage. From that point on, customer service stopped responding to my messages.
10) Woken up at 5:00 AM with an announcement in all carriages about arrival in Liège.
11) Woken up again at 6:00 AM to be told we’d arrive in Brussels at 7:00 AM.
12) Arrival in Brussels at 7:00 AM and a one-hour wait for the bus to Paris. No functional toilets on the bus.
13) Arrival at Paris Nord at 12:30 PM, so 2.5 hours late compared to the originally scheduled time.
14) The overnight trains used are very old—I recognized the carriages from 20 years ago!! No functional power outlets, no Wi-Fi, no air conditioning. Five people per compartment is a bit cramped, but I consider these conditions expected (especially the air conditioning), so I’m not complaining about that. There’s already plenty to gripe about with the travel conditions.
I have little hope of getting even a partial refund. Customer service emails acknowledge the discomfort but only offer to reimburse the cost of a coffee on board if we send them the receipt... a bit weak.
I’m sharing this experience in the hope it might help others.
Hi there,
I’d like to take the Train of the Clouds from Lima to Huancayo.
I’ve heard it only runs during certain periods.
Does anyone have info on this?
Thanks!
HuancayoHuancayo
As part of my professional thesis, I’m conducting a study on the evolution of long-distance rail transport in France, particularly since it opened up to competition.
I’ve put together a very quick (about 5-minute) and completely anonymous questionnaire. Your answers will help me better understand users' expectations regarding pricing, frequency, and environmental impact.
We’re planning a 15-day trip to Uzbekistan in March—classic independent itinerary: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva. We’d like to take the train between each city, but I don’t want to lock down the whole trip before we leave.
So, my question is: is it absolutely necessary to book train tickets before departure, whether for the high-speed trains or the regional ones? Is booking really essential for the regional trains?
Hello,
We’re traveling as a family with two boys aged 10 and 12 to Cairo in February. During our trip, we’re planning to take an overnight train (with or without a sleeper) for the Cairo-Aswan route.
Do you know how I can book this remotely?
Also, I’m looking for:
- A local contact to sail the Nile by felucca for 3 days from Aswan
- A contact to guide us in Cairo
Looking forward to your tips, and thanks in advance!
Marie
Hi everyone,
I first traveled solo to Japan in 2019, exploring the Kyushu region (28 days), and I’m planning to return with my daughter (she’s an adult and it’ll be her first time in Asia) from April 25 to May 9.
I’m reaching out on this forum to ask for route ideas—this time north of Tokyo, but without heading to the Sapporo island (I’m saving that for a future trip).
I’d love to take advantage of the cherry blossom season and its festivities.
I’m looking to create a route that’s a little off the beaten path while staying within 5-6 hours by train from Tokyo to avoid spending too much time on transfers.
Thanks in advance for sharing your suggestions and experiences!
Michael
I'm heading to MEXICO IN NOVEMBER 2025. Since private guides and drivers are really expensive—over 300 € per day—I'm thinking of exploring the Yucatán by train. CAN YOU SHARE ANY INFO ON THIS? Thanks
Hi there!
We’re planning to visit Serbia (1 week) and then Montenegro (2nd week) with our kids from April 18 to May 4. We’d prefer to travel by train (overnight if possible), but we’re not sure which platform to book on or when to do it (is it too early?). If anyone has any tips, I’m all ears!!
I wanted to know if it’s possible to go from Tashkent to Almaty by train without passing through Kyrgyzstan. I’ve heard the border is often closed 😕 between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Thanks in advance!
Olivier
Hi there!
We’re planning to head back to Istanbul next year—obviously by plane—and then take the train from Istanbul to Antalya. Has anyone here already made this trip by train with TCDD?
I’d love any tips or info that could be useful for us!
I'd like to go to Montserrat on my own from Barcelona. Share your suggestions with me.
Which train should I take, where to get off, what to see once I arrive, etc.
I need to take a sleeper train from Bangkok to Vientiane in January.
I found some ticket options on 12Go Asia, but booking doesn’t seem possible at the moment. I’ve tried simulations for several dates, but no luck.
I’m wondering if it’s already fully booked, if they’ve stopped selling tickets… yet 12Go still features it every day 😕
Has anyone else run into this issue?
Can I find tickets on another site? (I tried Baolau, but no sleepers left for January 8th.)
Hi there,
I’m a bit late to be worrying about this, but hopefully someone can help me before I leave.
Tomorrow afternoon, I arrive at Lyon Part-Dieu on the TGV at 5:50 PM and take the TER to Mâcon at 6:16 PM. Is a 26-minute transfer doable? Are the TGV and TER on the same departure board? And are they on the same platforms too?
I’ve been to Lyon before but never had to make a connection after arriving.
Thanks
Starting November 15th, I’ll be arriving in Thailand, and during my stay, I plan to visit the north, around the Chiang Mai area, then head south to the Krabi region.
After Krabi, I’m planning to take an overnight train to Bangkok. I was wondering if there’s a train that leaves from Krabi or Trang, or if I absolutely have to go to Surat Thani?
Also, which official website can I use to book my ticket?
Next, since I’ll be arriving at dawn in Bangkok, I’ve planned to spend 2 days in Kanchanaburi. What’s the most convenient way to get there—bus or train? And if you know any companies or websites, that’d be great.
Hi there,
Does anyone know if there’s a bus from Luang Namtha to Boten to catch the train coming from China to Vientiane? If so, what’s the name of the company? Also, how long does the bus take to cover that distance? What’s the condition of the road like?
Thanks for your help!
Tom
I just realized there’s only one payment method accepted for booking the Mombasa-Nairobi express train ticket online: M-Pesa, a mobile money transfer service used in Africa. Would it be impossible to book as a European?
I’d love to know if any of you have recently eaten on the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
We’ve always ordered food on the train, and it was really good (and super convenient).
But in 2022, we ended up feeling like total idiots (with our 4-year-old daughter...) when we boarded the train only to find out that this service was no longer available... (It was the first time we’d traveled right after COVID.)
That’s also when we saw once again how kind Thai people are—they all offered to share their food with us, even though we were mortified. In the end, we managed to buy some instant noodles, which was better than nothing. Anyway, that’s the little story behind it.
In the following years, we’ve always brought our own meals.
I’ve read online that meal trays are back in service (could you confirm this, please?), but that the quality is really poor. I’ve also seen multiple reports that, even though you can eat well everywhere in Thailand, the train meal was the worst food travelers had during their trip...
Could you give me a recent opinion on this?
We’ll be departing from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station—do you know if there’s anywhere to buy a meal there before boarding the train?
Thanks so much for your help,
and have a great Sunday!
We’re heading to Thailand in February 2026 and we’d like to take the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Can we book two first-class tickets? I’m only seeing second-class options.
Hi everyone,
For traveling in Rajasthan by train and bus, could you give me some info: where to buy tickets, cost, purchase locations, websites, etc.?
Any tips you have would be super helpful.
Thanks
