How to Navigate Paris Train Stations and Transfers

By
James Martin
james martin, writer, photographer, europe travel
James Martin
James Martin is a travel writer and photographer who writes, photographs, and edits stories about western Europe.
TripSavvy's editorial guidelines
Updated on 06/26/19
Train at Gare du Nord, Paris

TripSavvy / Leopoldine Bauer 

On the periphery of the Paris city core, there are six terminus rail stations, as you can see on the map. Each of them has specific destinations around France.

The Two Types of Train For Getting Around Paris and the Outskirts

These are the main types of train you'll find in Paris:

  • Metro: The Paris subway system, run by RATP. This is the network you will use most of the time for getting around Paris. 
  • RER: The suburban commuter rail, with some lines run by RATP and some by SNCP. You will mainly want to use the RER for reaching the airports, Versailles and Disneyland.

You can get unlimited travel on the Metro and the RER with the Paris Visite card. 

For National and International Rail Travel from Paris

  • National Rail: The inter-city rail network, run by SNCP. This is for getting around France. The fastest trains are the TGV. 
  • Eurostar: The train from Paris to London, via the Channel Tunnel. 
  • Thalys: The train from Paris to Brussels, Amsterdam and several cities in Germany. 
  • TGV Lyria: The train from Paris to Switzerland.
01 of 06

Paris North Train Station: Gare du Nord

Gare du Nord, Paris, France

TripSavvy / Leopoldine Bauer
Address
18 Rue de Dunkerque, 75010 Paris, France
Get directions
Web Visit website

If you're entering Paris by rail from London, you've probably taken the Eurostar to the Gare du Nord, Paris' busiest station on Rue de Dunkerque. Busses and the RER station are on the east side of the station (turn left when you exit), and taxis are on the west side of the station.​

You can easily (depending upon your luggage and health) walk to Gare de l'Est from the north station (turn left on Rue de Dunkerque and you'll see it). It's about a 10-minute walk.

02 of 06

Paris East Station: Gare de l'Est

Entrance to Gare de L'est

TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre
Address
75010 Paris, France
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Gare de l'Est is close to Gare du Nord in the northwest corner of the 10th arrondissement provides national service to Champagne-Ardenne, Lorraine, and Alsace, and International service to Luxembourg, Germany, and Central Europe.

Métro lines 4 and 5 provide service to the Gare du Nord. Line 7 is also available at the Gare de l'Est.

The LGV Est line, extending the TGV network, provides connections to Eastern France and Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland from Gare de l'Est.

03 of 06

Paris Lyon Train Station: Gare de Lyon

Gare de Lyon train station in Paris
Thierry Chesnot / Getty Images
Address
Pl. Louis Armand, 75012 Paris, France
Get directions
Phone +33 1 84 94 36 35
Web Visit website

Gare de Lyon, named after the city of Lyon, provides intercity service to the south and east of France and TGV service to the French regions of Bourgogne, Rhône-Alpes (Lyon), Franche-Comté, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Languedoc-Roussillon, as well as International TGV service to Switzerland and Italy.

RER Line A and Line D and Metro Lines 1 and 14 stop at Gare de Lyon.

You can get the Air France Coach to Charles de Gaulle airport from Gare de Lyon. To Roissy airport, you can take the Air France Bus from Gare de Lyon. Departures are every thirty minutes.

04 of 06

Paris Austerlitz Train Station: Gare d'Austerlitz

Austerlitz train station in Paris
JMN / Getty Images
Address
85 Quai d'Austerlitz, 75013 Paris, France
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Web Visit website

Trains from the Gare d'Austerlitz depart for central France, Nice, and Spain. Gare d'Austerlitz is in arrondissement 13, across the Seine from Gare de Lyon in the 12th.

Bus Access to Gare d'Austerlitz

  • Line 57 - Gare Lyon - Laplace
  • Line 91 - Montparnasse 2 -Gare TGV - Bastille
  • Line 63 - Gare Lyon - Porte la Muette

Subway: Lines 5 and 10

RER Line C

Continue to 5 of 6 below.
05 of 06

Paris Montparnasse Train Station: Gare Montparnasse

Montparnasse train station
EyesWideOpen / Getty Images
Address
17 Bd de Vaugirard, 75015 Paris, France
Get directions
Phone +33 890 17 75 98
Web Visit website

Gare Montparnasse, in the 14th arrondissement, serves western and south-western France with regular and TGV services.

Buses access to Gare Montparnasse

  • Air France Line 4 to Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
  • Air France Line 1 to Orly Airport​
  • Line 28 Gare Saint Lazare - Porte d'Orléans
  • Line 91 - Montparnasse 2 - Gare TGV - Bastille

Subway Lines 4, 6, 12, and 13

06 of 06

Paris Saint-Lazare Train Station: Gare Saint-Lazare

St Lazare train station in Paris
Thierry Chesnot / Getty Images
Address
13 Rue d'Amsterdam, 75008 Paris, France
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Saint-Lazare rail station, located at 3, Rue d'Amsterdam in Arrondissement 8, provides rail services to Paris' western suburbs as well as to northwestern France. It is Paris' second busiest rail station after the Gare du Nord. The Gare Saint-Lazare has been featured in a number of artworks and in movies and has recently been under restoration.

Metro Lines from Saint Lazare: lines 3, 12, 13 and 14

RER Line E

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How to Navigate Paris Train Stations and Transfers