For timetables and fares have a look at www.bahn.de --> Internat. Guests There you can also buy tickets with credit card, print them, and that's it!

It's absolutely not difficult to use the train and trains are very comfortable at all.

There's three direct trains daily from Paris Est (these continue to Frankfurt). Takes around 4 1/2 hours. (http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/ has timetables and speaks excellent Englsh, too :-) )

The last direct train leaves Paris at around 5pm. There's a later option that requires a change in Metz (onto a local train to Saarbruecken).

P.S. The departure boards at Paris and Metz will likely sho trains to "Sarrebruck", which is the french spelling.

Thanx for your feedback guys! I am yet to travel there but will let you know how I go :)

Another quick question. I looked up http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de, but it gave me a couple of options for Saarbrucken, I would like the main central train station in this town, so would it be "Saarbrucken Hbf". There are so many options but I wouldnt know which one to choose, I could always ask my cousin that lives there, but I would appreciate your feedback. Thanx again.

Saarbrucken Hbf is the main train station.

(the problem with reiseauskunft.bahn.de is that if there is a light rail system, the city's name will be added to the name of each stop of that system. In the case of Saarbrucken, the problem may be cured by submitting a query for "Saarbrücken" (with Umlaut) or "Saarbruecken" (note the extra "e")

Saarbrücken Hbf

is indeed the main railway station

You can use

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/e

From: Paris

To: SB (a shortcut for Saarbrücken Hbf)

or

To: Saarbrücken

or

To: Saarbruecken

ü -> ue

if ü (umlaut) is not available.

Thus the Saarbrücken homepage can be also found under

http://www.saarbruecken.de

The DB timetable knows about ALL public transport in Germany, thus any train/tram/bus stop. If the system is unsure about the spelling it will present you a (somtimes huge) list of stops to choose from. You can also go to the "Advanced search" folder and search by address. The system knows about 42 million adresses in Germany. But with any wrong spelling you'll have here the same problems.

The line from Paris to Frankfurt and Strasbourg is subject to possible delays and alterations due to the construction of the new high-speed line (TGV-Est)and you might want need to check with SNCF (French Railways)the current situation.

LGV Est construction is not interfering with scheduled train services. It's a new line that, for most of its 200 so so mile lenght, is not even near the current main line.

Planned engineering work (at the junctions) leading to delays or cancellation is reflected in the onlien timetables. Building a new high-speed rail link in France is quite different from upgrading the West Coast Mainline...