Bus from Le Havre to Paris

Is there anyone who knows if there is a bus that I could take from the Le Havre cruise port to Paris city center (Eiffel Tower)? We want to see the ET real bad but the tours offered by the ship are outrageously expensive!!! I%26#39;m sure there is a more economical way... Responses are greatly appreciated!!! :-) Michelle

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Hi Michelle. Welcome to the forums!

Train. Direct trains take just over 2 hours. The problem is that there is not very frequent service on this route so I%26#39;m not sure how well the schedule will fit with your timing.

Fare is as low as 30€ RT with advance purchase non-refundable second class fares, about 55€ with fully refundable tix.

Timetables and fares at voyages-sncf.com where you can book up to 90 days ahead. The SNCF site is not the most user-friendly one out there. This page by MorganB will guide you through the booking process: http://tinyurl.com/qpdef

The alternative would be to rent a car. Driving time would be about the same as the train unless you hit any major traffic tie-ups. Fuel and tolls would probably cost around 100€ for the complete trip. Parking in Paris is a real pain. Altogether perhaps a bit too much of a risk to take just to see the ET. There are places near Le Havre that are worth seeing, e.g. Honfleur, an old fishing village that oozes charm from every cobblestone. That you could reach by bus I think.

Driving times and distances and other useful info at viamichelin.com

Good luck!

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Buses dont do intercity where a train line exists. What you think of as bus travel doesnt exist in France - the only buses are local ones that stop every 500metres or so if required.

Trains leave le Havre infrequently - 7.54, 8.44, and 10.09 in the morning, and the trip takes a shade over 2 hours. The returns are 16.50 18.05 and 18.45.

I wouldnt drive - too much of a hassle either end.

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Thanks to everyone that replied!! The train sounds good. The schedules sound doable. Our ship is supposed to dock at 7am and depart at 10pm, so I think I could catch one and be back in time. Is the train station like right in the cruise port?

One more question for all you Paris experts.... where would you have lunch near the ET? Somewhere where I can sample parisian coffee and exquisite pastries perhaps. Any suggestions?? Thanks!!!! -Michelle:-)

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Hi, I am actually considering trying a similar excursion. We are thinking about %26quot;hopping%26quot; a ride into Paris via the cruise line%26#39;s bus or train. Then we catch the metro to wherever. We are actually going to try to make it to Versailles. Let me know how things go for you and when you are traveling ( we are traveling in May).

Merci.

Rose

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The train takes you to Gare St. Lazarre which is one of several train stations in Paris. You would then have to make your way either by taxi or metro to the ET. I would guess it would take about half an hour to make that transfer. If you want to go to an atmospheric area, head to the Rue Cler near the tower which has a nifty street market and many nice little cafes/bistros. I think its nearest metro is Ecole Militare. You are then a 10 minute walk to the ET. Your chances of getting up the tower without a very long wait are slim. You might try to have lunch at one of the restaurants in the tower which allow you to bypass the lines: Altitude 95 is a nice cafe and Jules Verne is gourmet and pricey but quiet a fine experience. The train can be pricey so it might be worthwhile to see how much your ship charges for their %26#39;shuttle%26#39; and, as important, where it drops you off.

I don%26#39;t think you would have time to do a hop-on/hop-off tour but there are four routes in Paris, all very interesting. Then there is always the Seine and one of the boat rides on it. Have fun but do not drive into Paris = it will make you nuts!!!!

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Please, help!! I am concerned about the negative feedback I read on driving to Paris from Le Havre. Can anyone tell me why is this not a good idea? I need to make a decision pronto since I would have to cancel my rental car reservations. Thanks!!!

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Ditch the car. Take the train. Let SNCF do the driving.

You will not save any time with a car — probably the opposite. You probably won%26#39;t save any money either if you follow the suggestions you have already been given. Trains are safer than cars and don%26#39;t break down as often. Driving in Paris if you do not know the city is a major hassle; anything less like Tampa it would be hard to imagine. Parking is either ferociously difficult or ferociously expensive. Paris has perhaps tthe best public transport system taken all-in-all of any city of its size in the world.

Lastly — trains don%26#39;t get lost. Americans do...

Need any more reasons?

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Driving in Paris is like being in a bowl of spaghetti! Trust me.....I have been there many, many times (as recently as 9/06). It%26#39;s an old city with twists and turns and one-way streets. The trains are no-brainers. Your day is going to be really full even if things go slick. You can scarcely walk a block in Paris without finding a metro stop and they are dead easy to use.

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First off: To Michelle and anyone else who has arrived by cruise to Le Havre, we would very much appreciate any insights you might provide on navigating the trek to Paris.

To ALL:

We are disembarking our cruise ship in Le Havre on Jun 8, 2008 and choosing to stay in Paris. We would like to hire a minivan and driver to transport five people and luggage to Paris. Can anyone help me locate a reasonably-priced ride?

The reasons we are not trusting the train are outlined below:

1) The train websites won%26#39;t allow me to book a one-way train ticket from Le Havre to Paris on-line at this time for some reason. (it is suggested that they may not offer on-line tickets more than 60 days in advance?)

2) We don%26#39;t know how long it will take to get off the cruise ship and battle for two cabs to the train station that is ?? far away, so we don%26#39;t know if we can even get to the train in time to catch a morning departure to Paris.

We are open to adivce and suggestions.

Debbie

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We are also planning to disembark our cruise ship in Le Havre %26amp; head to Paris. I am looking for a mini van or two since we have 9 people %26amp; luggage. It%26#39;s unclear whether Princess will allow us to put luggage on the buses that go into Paris on the shore excursions. Last time we were in LeHavre we did the Normandy coast tour %26amp; it was fantastic.

We are also trying to decide where to stay 2 nights in Paris.

I%26#39;ll check back when I get more info.