How do I get from Paris to the Alsace Wine Route by TGV?

Departure station and travel times

TGV trains for Alsace leave from Paris Gare de l'Est. The times below apply to the best connections; they vary by train, intermediate stops and work on the line.

• Paris to Strasbourg: about 1 hr 46 on the fastest trains.
• Paris to Colmar: around 2 hr 30. Some trains run direct, others require a change in Strasbourg onto a regional train of about 30 minutes: check the detail before you buy.
• Strasbourg to Colmar by regional train (TER): about 30 minutes, handy if you want to leave from the other city.

Booking and checking schedules

Book TGV tickets ahead on SNCF Connect, the official SNCF website and app, which also show delays and cancellations on the day of travel. The window in which sales open has changed in recent years, so look at the page for your own date rather than trusting a figure quoted elsewhere. Weekends, school vacations and the Christmas market season fill up first. We do not quote fares here because they depend on the date and when you buy. Keep your train number handy, since we will need it for your pickup.

A same-day round trip: realistic, but short

An early train from Gare de l'Est and an evening train back is doable, and many travelers do exactly that. It just takes arithmetic. With nearly 1 hr 46 on the train each way, you get a window of a few hours on the ground, and less if you choose Colmar. A 4-hour tour fits that window: two villages and one tasting, no more. On the way back the margin is thin, because a full or canceled train costs you your evening. One night changes the day: no train deadline, a full 6 or 8 hours in the vineyard, a dinner without watching the clock, and tastings you can enjoy without eyeing the last departure. To plan the pace, read our two-day itinerary.

Strasbourg or Colmar as a base

Strasbourg is the fastest station from Paris, with the cathedral and Petite France to visit before or after the vineyard. Marlenheim, the official start of the route, is 25 minutes by road, Obernai 30 minutes, Colmar 50 minutes. Colmar means more time on the train but puts Eguisheim, Kaysersberg and Riquewihr 15 to 20 minutes away. With two nights, you can sleep in one and spend a morning in the other. The departure pages go through each option: tours from Strasbourg and tours from Colmar.

Station pickup and luggage

Your private driver meets you at the station and the tour starts as you step off the train. Give us your TGV number when you book. Suitcases ride in the trunk all day: no left-luggage office to find, no mandatory hotel stop first. The sedan carries 1 to 3 passengers and 3 large suitcases, the van 4 to 7 passengers with a dedicated luggage area that also takes the wine cases you buy.

• Real-time train tracking: the driver adjusts the pickup at no charge if you are late.
• 30 minutes of free waiting for a train, then the hourly rate applies.
• If SNCF cancels your train and you gave us its number when you booked, we move your booking to another date at no charge, subject to availability.
• Free cancellation up to 72 hours before. For pricing details, see our article on costs.

Combining it with a stay in Paris

Alsace fits easily into a longer trip: two or three nights cover the essentials, and the train beats a rental car you could not drive after a tasting. A common pattern: Paris, TGV to Strasbourg, a night on site, the tour the next day, then onward from the same station, or from Strasbourg airport (Entzheim) if you fly out. To estimate your tour, use the trip builder.