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So airlines generally recommend you get there 1 hour for a EU internal flight before your flight for security/etc. Pre-covid you could usually get away with les
by Macha 5y ago
So airlines generally recommend you get there 1 hour for a EU internal flight before your flight for security/etc. Pre-covid you could usually get away with less at a lot of airports, but even if that didn't eat up your time, I think for up to almost two hours of extra travel time I'd rather avoid the airport and all the hassle associated with modern air travel.
- rad_gruchalski 5y agoIf you travel often, it makes sense to invest in fast track. You skip all the security theatre. Also, for example TGV requires you to be at the check in 20 minutes before. You’re a bit late, you’re screwed. Even if the train hasn’t arrived yet.
- progval 5y ago> Also, for example TGV requires you to be at the check in 20 minutes before. Where? For TGV Inoui (the main brand) you have to be in the train 2 minutes before (written on any ticket, also here: https://www.sncf.com/fr/offres-voyageurs/voyager-en-train/tgv-inoui/votre-voyage/votre-embarquement https://www.sncf.com/fr/offres-voyageurs/voyager-en-train/tg...), and that's all. People flow through the gate up to the last minute. It has been like this for at least a decade. For TGV Ouigo (low-cost brand), it seems to be 30 minutes according to https://www.ouigo.com/faq?question=ai-je-pense-a-tous-avant-partir https://www.ouigo.com/faq?question=ai-je-pense-a-tous-avant-... I never understood this constraint with Ouigo though; it's obviously possible to skip it as shown by Inoui trains... and both are operated by the same company from the same train stations.
- rad_gruchalski 5y ago> Where? In Brussels.
- kergonath 5y agoThe only case I have seen like this is the Eurostar, but that is because of customs checks, border controls, etc, which don’t exist within the Schengen area. This is a very specific case and is not representative of how most people travel by train in Europe. You don’t have to come particularly early for the Thalys in Paris, for example.
- deaddabe 5y agoThe constraint on OUIGO trains is because tickets have to be checked before onboarding. So you have hundreds of passengers to check in line. This takes time. So people are required to come earlier. However in practice most people respect the 30 minutes, so that you can arrive 10min before the train and get your ticket checked without waiting in line. This is not guaranteed. But often works. I take a lot of OUIGO and never respect the 30 min, because you often wait 10min in line. Once I arrived 5min before departure, had my ticket checked but had to run in front of the correct car. When train arrives nobody is allowed to pass the checkpoint. For the InOui you can always come 5min before departure, because tickets are checked on-board so there is no wait line.
- himinlomax 5y agoThat's not really required, I've recently boarded a train just a few minutes before departure.
- rad_gruchalski 5y agoSo I need to correct myself, thanks kergonath. This was about Thalys in Brussels, not TGV.
- reillyse 5y agoAirports are often an hour outside the city center and approx 30 euro (by cab) to get to where you need to go.
- lstodd 5y agoNot everyone lives in a city center. For me, the are two international airports ~20 euro by cab away, while the rail stations are like ~30-40 euro away through unpredictable traffic.
- reillyse 5y agoSure. But most visitors want to go to the city center. They probably aren’t that interested in visiting your house.
- sofixa 5y ago1h is really cutting it short and will be infeasible depending on the airport. For reference, two days ago i spent an hour just queuing for passport control at Charles de Gaulle, the bigger Parisian airport, for an inter-EU flight ( outside of Schengen though). Getting to my gate took another 15 minutes.