Taking the metro or RER...
	1.  When your Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord, walk forwards off the end of the platform onto the main concourse and turn left, following the sign in the foreground for 'Metro & RER'.  You go down the steps into the metro.
	2.  Follow the signs.  You find your way on the metro with a line number and a diréction.  For example, from the Gare du Nord to the Gare d'Austerlitz, you'd follow the signs for metro line M5 diréction Place d'Italie.  See the recommended metro routes on this page.
	3.  Buy a metro ticket using these machines.  They can be used in English.
	4.  The metro runs every 2-3 minutes and calls at all stations.  Metro line M5 links the Gare du Nord with the Gare d'Austerlitz, metro line M4 links it with the Gare Montparnasse.  Metro map.
	5.  The RER (express metro) runs every 5-10 minutes on its own tracks from its own platforms, and consists of suburban trains running in tunnels under Paris.  They are usually double-deck as shown here, and have far fewer stops than the ordinary metro, so they're faster.  RER lines are identified with a letter, A B C or D, plus a 'direction'.  RER line D links the Gare du Nord with the Gare de Lyon in just 2 stops.  Metro & RER map

An easy guide to crossing Paris...

Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord in  Paris, 10 minutes' walk from the Gare de l'Est but a metro or taxi ride from the Gare de Lyon, Gare Montparnasse and other Paris stations.  Train journeys from London to Switzerland, Italy & Spain usually involve changing stations by metro or taxi.  It's easy enough, I've done it so many times, it's just a little daunting for first-timers.  Here's a quick guide to changing trains & stations in Paris by metro, taxi or RER (Réseau Express Régional = express metro).

Should you take a taxi or RER/metro?

The metro or RER (express metro) is cheap and quick.  On the other hand, a taxi is a painless way to cross Paris, especially if you have large amounts of luggage, although it costs more and actually takes a bit longer.  If I'm travelling alone, I simply hop on the metro or RER.  If I'm with wife, kids & lots of luggage, or with my wife and it's a special occasion, I take a taxi.  The extra cost can be a sound investment.

How to cross Paris by RER or metro

• For a Metro & RER map see www.ratp.fr

• See recommended metro routes from the Gare du Nord to other stations

• See recommended metro routes to the Gare du Nord from other stations

• For routes between other stations, just study the metro map.

• For a metro & RER map, see the Paris Metro site www.ratp.fr. click EN at the top for English, then Map.

• For plans of the layout of each Paris mainline station see www.gares-sncf.com.

How long should you allow? 

• Crossing Paris by metro or RER physically takes 30-35 minutes in total from mainline concourse to mainline concourse.  My own best time by RER from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon is 27 minutes.  But the Eurostar might be a few minutes late and you'll need some time in hand, so here's the rule of thumb:

• Outward from the UK, allow at least 60 minutes between the Eurostar arriving at the Gare du Nord and an onward train leaving from another Paris station, with these exceptions:

  (1)  If your onward train leaves from the Gare de l'Est, 45 minutes between trains is sufficient as the Gare de l'Est is just 10 minutes walk from the Gare du Nord.

  (2)  If you are catching a sleeper train that you can't afford to miss, allow at least 1h30 between trains for a sleeper leaving from Paris Austerlitz or Gare de Lyon.

  (3)  If your onward train leaves from Paris Montparnasse I'd allow perhaps 70 minutes or more as there's quite a walk from Montparnasse metro station to Paris Montparnasse TGV station through the pedestrian tunnels.

  Journey planners allow as little as 42 minutes between trains, which I consider too little, with no room for delay. If necessary, split the booking and ensure at least 60 minutes or longer.

• Returning to the UK, you should allow at least 90 minutes between arriving in Paris and your Eurostar departure from the Gare du Nord as you also need to include the 30 minute Eurostar check-in.  There are these two exceptions:

  (1)  If your train arrives at the Gare de l'Est, 60 minutes is sufficient as it's only a 10 minute walk to the Gare du Nord.

  (2)  If your train arrives at Paris Montparnasse, I'd allow at least 1h40 as it's a 10 minute walk from Paris Montparnasse TGV station to Montparnasse metro station through the pedestrian tunnels.

• Incidentally, if you ever miss a connection in Paris due to a delayed train, don't worry, see my advice here.

• See summary of how long to allow.

How much is a metro ticket?

• The metro fare is €1.90 per journey.

• Children under 4 travel free, no ticket needed.  Children under 10 travel for €0.95.

• It's cheaper to buy a carnet of 10 tickets for €14.50.  You can keep any spare tickets and use them later, even up to a year later.  Each ticket is valid for one journey in central Paris on either metro, RER (express metro) or bus.

• Update:  These €1.90 single tickets will be phased out in late 2020, when you will need to buy a Navigo Easy smartcard for €2 then load it with €1.90 of stored value, total cost €3.90 for a €1.90 trip, if all you want is one journey.  It can only be bought at staffed ticket windows, where there may be a long queue.  Isn't technology wonderful?  A family of four will find a taxi better value, and easier.

How do you buy tickets?

• The metro is not included in mainline tickets, so head downstairs to the metro and buy a ticket from the self-service ticket machines or at the metro ticket office.

  The self-service machines can be switched to English and accept € coins, notes & credit cards.   They also sell carnets of 10 tickets which can be used as & when you want over a year or so, by you or anyone else.

• Tip:  You want a basic metro ticket, often shown as 't+', good for one trip on metro or RER (express metro) anywhere in central Paris.  If you haven't any €, the ticket machines accept credit cards even for one ticket.

• Tip:  If you are making a return journey, buy two metro tickets to save time buying another one for your return trip.  Metro tickets can be used on any day once they have been bought.

• Tip:  Keep your metro tickets away from your mobile phone, the magnetic field may corrupt the magnetic stripe so it won't work the ticket gates.

• Tip:  Buy your metro tickets on board Eurostar!  You can buy Paris metro tickets for around £1.60 or €2 from the cafe-bar on board Eurostar.  The small mark-up is well worth the convenience.  You can also buy a carnet of 10 metro tickets for around £15.00.

Finding the right metro platform...

• Paris metro lines have a number and a diréction.  The diréction is the name of the station at the end of the line in the direction you want to go.

• So M5 diréction Place d'Italie, is Metro line 5 heading towards Place d'Italie station at that end of the line.

Metro routes from Paris Nord...

Gare du Nord ► Gare de l'Est

• It's an easy 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est, much easier than going just one stop on the metro.

• Walk out of the Gare du Nord onto the street in front of the station.

• Turn left along the front of the station, and keep going straight ahead of you up the Rue de Dunkerque until the tracks leading into the Gare de l'Est stop you going any further.

• Turn right into the Rue d'Alsace along the tracks, descending the long flight of pedestrian steps to the side entrance of the Gare de l'Est.

• This is the quickest and shortest route, but to avoid the long flight of steps, walk out of the Gare du Nord and across the road into the Boulevard de Denain straight ahead of you, turn left into the Boulevard de Magenta, then left again into the Rue du 8 Mai 1945.  This route is a bit longer, but gives level access from one station to the other.

• Map of Gare du Nord & Gare de l'Est neighbourhood

Gare du Nord ► Gare de Lyon  See video guide

• Walk off the end of the Eurostar platform, turn left, and follow the signs for RER line D.

• All RER line D trains stop at the Gare de Lyon, as long as you get on one going in the right direction.  So follow the signs for 'RER D direction Melun / Malesherbes'.  Trains may be shown as going to Melun, Malesherbes or Corbeil-Essonnes, these all stop at the Gare de Lyon.

• Take RER line D two stops direct to the Gare de Lyon.  The train ride only takes 7 minutes.  There's one stop on the way, if it's Châtelet-les-Halles you know you're on the right train!

• The whole trip from the Gare du Nord concourse to the Gare de Lyon concourse takes about 25 minutes including walking time, buying a ticket from the machines and waiting a few minutes for an RER train.

• At both the Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon there are escalators (and/or lifts) between the mainline station concourse, the RER concourse and the RER platforms, making it relatively easy even with luggage or a pushchair.  To access the RER, there are also special wide ticket gates for passengers with luggage or pushchairs.

• Tip:  If you've time for a meal, coffee or beer whilst waiting at the Gare de Lyon, try the famous Train Bleu restaurant on the main concourse.

• Alternative by Bus 91:  If you prefer to travel on the surface by bus, no problem.  It takes a while longer than the metro or RER, but costs the same.  Walk out of the front of Gare du Nord – the Brasserie Terminus Nord will be in front of you.  Turn left and walk around to the rue Faubourg-Saint Denis at the side of the Gare du Nord, looking for the stop for bus 91.  An electronic display will show the minutes remaining before the next bus is due.  The fare is 1 metro ticket – same as on metro/RER;   just push it into the machine near the driver to validate it. Keep an eye on the location indicator until the bus rounds the huge Bastille traffic circus and heads into Rue de Lyon.  The station's clock tower should now be just visible out the front of the bus.  Get off at the stop in Rue Diderot in front of the station.

Gare du Nord ► Gare de Bercy

• Walk off the end of the Eurostar platform, turn left and follow the signs for RER line D.

• Take RER line D two stops from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon (follow signs 'RER D direction Melun / Malesherbes').  Trains may be shown as going to Melun, Malesherbes or Corbeil-Essonnes.

• Take metro line 14 one stop from Gare de Lyon to Bercy (follow signs 'M14 direction Olympiades').  Or you can walk from Gare de Lyon to Gare de  Bercy, about 600 metres.

• The mainline Gare de  Bercy is a stone's throw from Bercy metro station.  Go up the steps to street level, then around the corner with the 'Cafe Chambertin', and you can see it ahead of you past the Hotel Claret.

Gare du Nord ► Gare d'Austerlitz

• Walk off the Eurostar platform, veer left, and follow the signs for metro line M5.

• Take metro line 5 direct to the Gare d'Austerlitz (follow signs 'M5 direction Place d'Italie').

• Line M5 climbs out above ground, crosses the Seine on a bridge and arrives at the Gare d'Austerlitz on a high-level station opposite the mainline station entrance.

Gare du Nord ► Gare Montparnasse

• Walk off the Eurostar platform, turn left, and follow the signs for Metro line M4.

• Take metro line M4 direct to Montparnasse Bienvenue (follow signs 'M4 direction Mairie de Montrouge').

• In contrast to other Paris mainline stations, where the metro platforms are more or less directly underneath the mainline platforms, at Montparnasse it's a 700 metre (750 yard) underground walk from the metro station to the mainline TGV platforms through broad well-lit well-signed subways, with moving walkways for the long bits, and several short flights of steps here and there.  Allow plenty of time for the transfer, and if you're not good with steps or longish walks with luggage (even with the moving walkways), consider taking a taxi from the Gare du Nord to the Gare Montparnasse.

Gare du Nord ► Gare Saint Lazare

• Walk off the Eurostar platform and follow the signs for RER line E direction Haussmann Saint-Lazare.

• Take RER line E one stop to Saint-Lazare.

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Metro routes to Paris Nord...

Gare de l'Est ► Gare du Nord

• It's an easy 10 minute walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord, far easier than taking the metro.

• Walk off the end of the platform, turn right along the concourse and walk out of the Gare de l'Est side entrance (marked "Sortie rue d'Alsace")

• Turn right and walk up the long flight of pedestrian steps, with the tracks into the Gare de l'Est on your right.

• Ignore the first left turn into the Rue des Deux Gares, but take the second left turn into Rue de Dunkerque.  You'll now see the magnificent facade of the Gare du Nord straight ahead of you.

• This is the quickest and shortest route, but to avoid the long flight of steps, walk out of the Gare de 'Est and turn right down the Rue du 8 Mai 1945.  Turn right into the Boulevard de Magenta then right again into the Boulevard de Denain.  The Gare du Nord is now straight ahead of you.  This route is a bit longer, but gives level access from one station to the other.

• Map of Gare du Nord & Gare de l'Est neighbourhood

Gare de Lyon ► Gare du Nord

• Follow signs to RER 'D'.  You want direction Creil, Goussainville or Orry la Ville which usually means RER D northbound platforms 2 & 4.  RER D platforms 1 & 3 are for trains in the southbound direction.

• Take RER line D two stops to the Gare du Nord.  The actual train ride only takes 7 minutes.  All northbound RER D trains call at the Gare du Nord.

• The whole trip from the Gare de Lyon concourse to the Gare du Nord concourse takes about 25 minutes including walking time, buying a ticket from the machines and waiting a few minutes for an RER train.

• At both the Gare de Lyon and Gare du Nord there are escalators (and/or lifts) between the mainline station concourse, the RER concourse and the RER platforms, making it relatively easy even with luggage or a pushchair.  To access the RER platforms, there are also special wide ticket gates for passengers with luggage or pushchairs.

• Alternative by bus:  If you prefer to travel on the surface by bus, no problem.  It takes a bit longer than the metro or RER, but costs the same - one metro ticket.  Head straight out the front of Gare de Lyon and there are several bus stops in the Boulevard Diderot in front of you, both to the right and left.  Look for the stop for bus 91.  When you board the bus, push your ticket into the machine near the driver to validate it.

Gare de Bercy ► Gare du Nord

• Walk out of Paris Bercy  mainline station onto the forecourt, go down the steps in the corner to your right and cross the road.  The metro station is just round the corner.

• Take metro line 14 from Bercy to Gare de Lyon (just one stop, follow signs 'M14 direction Saint Lazare').

• Take RER line D from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare du Nord (just two stops, follow signs 'RER D direction Orry la Ville').

• Alternatively, walk 600 metres to the Gare de Lyon and take the RER direct to the Gare du Nord.

Gare d'Austerlitz ► Gare du Nord

• Take metro line 5 direct from the Gare d'Austerlitz to the Gare du Nord (follow signs 'M5 direction Bobigny').

• The M5 metro station at the Gare d'Austerlitz is a high-level station opposite the mainline station entrance.  Line M5 crosses the Seine then dives underground for the rest of the journey.

Gare Montparnasse ► Gare du Nord

• Take metro line M4 direct to the Gare du Nord (follow signs 'M4 direction Porte Clignancourt').

• Note that in contrast to other Paris mainline stations where the metro is directly underneath the mainline station, at Montparnasse it's a 700 metre (750 yard) underground walk (with steps in places) from the mainline TGV platforms to the metro station, through broad well-lit well-signed subways, with moving walkways for the long bits.  Allow plenty of time for this particular transfer.

Gare Saint Lazare ► Gare du Nord

• At the Gare St Lazare, follow signs 'RER E direction Tournan & Chelles Gournay'.

• Take RER line E one stop to Magenta, which is connected to the Gare du Nord.

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Video guide:  Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon by RER...

If you still find crossing Paris daunting, this 2-minute video will show you exactly what it's like, where to go and what to do, step-by-step.  The whole journey takes as little as 25 minutes concourse-to-concourse, but always allow at least an hour between trains, preferably more.

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How to cross Paris by taxi

How much does it cost? 

• A taxi from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon or Gare d'Austerlitz for example costs between €17 & €23. 

• You can check this using a Paris taxi cost calculator:  www.worldtaximeter.com/paris.

• All Parisian taxis should now accept credit cards as well as cash.

How long does it take?

• Even if there's a longish queue at the taxi rank, it moves fast and you'll usually be in a taxi within 10 minutes of joining the queue.  The taxi ride from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon normally takes about 25 minutes in weekday traffic.

Taxi tips...

• At the Gare du Nord, walk off the Eurostar platform onto the main concourse, turn sharp right, walk out of the station side entrance and there's the taxi rank just outside and to your right.

• The queue for taxis may seem long, but it moves fast and you should be in a taxi within 10 minutes.  So you'll probably arrive at (for example) the Gare de Lyon by taxi 40 minutes after your train arrives at the Gare du Nord. 

• But always allow at least 60 minutes and preferably more between trains, see the advice above.

• Never accept taxis or private hire vehicles from touts as these often turn out to be €70+.  Always use the official taxi rank for a regular metered Parisian taxi.  Make sure the driver turns the meter on when you drive off.

The well-organised taxi rank at Paris Nord, outside the west side exit from the station, near platform 2.  The station exit is out of shot to the right.  Staff help organise the queue.  Travelling with small children, they've even directed us to the front of the queue!

How to pre-book a taxi...

• You don't need to pre-book, it's easy enough to pick up a taxi at the taxi rank when you get there.  However, there's often a queue for taxis at Paris stations, so one option is to pre-book one.  It'll cost more as there's waiting time, but it's still cheaper than arranging a private transfer, which can cost 3 times as much as a regular metered taxi.  Several companies offer pre-bookable taxis in Paris, including www.g7.fr.  To book a taxi from G7:

• Call the G7 Taxis English-speaking line on +33 1 41 27 66 99.  Lines open 24 hours.

• Bookings can be made from 7 days until 1 hour before you need the taxi.  You may want to call when your Eurostar is in France so you know it's on time.

• A credit card guarantee may be required at certain peak times.

• Book the taxi for at least 10 minutes after the scheduled arrival of your Eurostar.  They'll give you a  booking reference.  The taxi will wait up to 5 minutes if you don't turn up on time (you may be charged for the waiting time!). 

• For some reason, their taxis can't or won't use the official station taxi ranks, so at the Gare du Nord they will normally tell you that the taxi will wait at 12, Boulevard du Denain, across the road directly opposite the front of the station.  Similarly, if you're being picked up at the Gare de Lyon, ask to be picked up at number 2, Place Louis Arnand, which is outside the Hotel Mercure, just walk outside the station onto the forecourt and turn left.  The taxis have a 'G7' sticker inside the rear window (see the photo to the right).

• If you tell them you're arriving by train, some G7 staff will refuse to book a taxi for you and tell you to call back on the day of travel.  In fact, I suspect these staff are following their company policy, whereas other staff happily conspire with you to pre-book one, using an address that doesn't look like a station pick-up (which may explain the point above!).  So it's probably better to avoid mentioning that you're arriving by train, use the '12, Boulevard du Denain' address above instead of mentioning the Gare du Nord, and if the staff member refuses to book a taxi because they suspect you're arriving by train, either (a) politely insist on pre-booking a pick up from one of the above addresses instead of the 'Gare du Nord' or 'Gare de Lyon', as it may be the reluctance to pick up from stations that's the problem, or (b) put the phone down, re-dial and get a more helpful member of staff who will pre-book it for you.  Yes, you really can pre-book one of their taxis, but some G7 staff are more helpful than others in getting around their company's rather self-defeating and hazy rules about train-related taxi bookings...

• Of course, you could call G7 Taxis on the day of travel using your mobile once your Eurostar exits the Channel Tunnel, and then you'll be sure you've reached France running on time.  That might a good option!  +33 1 41 27 66 99.

• You just pay the taxi driver at the end of the journey in the normal way, based on what the meter says, around €17-€22 from Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon, Gare de Bercy or Gare d'Austerlitz, plus the €5 booking fee.  The drivers accept both cash (euro) and credit cards.  A recent Gare de Lyon to Gare du Nord trip cost €25 including the booking fee and a five minute wait as we were a bit late.

• If you use this service, feedback would be very welcome.  It's reported that they may not accept taxi bookings during the Paris rush-hour.

Wheelchair-accessible taxis...

• There's a pre-bookable wheelchair-accessible taxi service in Paris run by www.g7.fr.  To book, call +33 1 41 27 66 99 (English speaking line) or +33 1 47 39 00 91, making sure you ask for a wheelchair accessible taxi.  There may be a €5 booking fee, and bookings can be made from 7 days until 1 hour before you need the taxi.  Gare du Nord to Gare d'Austerlitz for example costs €17-€22 per taxi.  If you use this service, feedback would be very welcome!

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Private transfers

Private transfers in Paris, between stations or station & hotel...

• A private transfer that means someone is waiting for you, holding a card with your name on it, when you walk off the platform in Paris.  There's no need to spend 10 minutes in the taxi queue.  A private minivan also holds up to 8 passengers, with plenty of room for luggage, most taxis are ordinary saloon cars for up to 4 passengers.  On the other hand, a private transfer costs an extravagant €60+, significantly more than the €17-€22 you'd pay for a taxi.

• www.taxi-paris.net (+33 6 07 60 49 14, tim@taxi-paris.net) offers cross-Paris private transfers.  This service gets very good reports, with an English-speaking driver meeting you at the Eurostar arrival gate with his car parked right outside the station.  It costs around €60 per car plus €1 per luggage item, 4th & 5th passengers a few euro extra.  They may ask for a 50% deposit.  If you use this service, feedback would be very welcome.

• www.cabfrance.com is a similar agency, feedback appreciated.

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How long to allow to change trains in Paris

Here is a summary of how long to allow to make connections across Paris. 

Tip:  If there's a delay and you miss a connection, don't worry, see the advice here.

Recommended time across Paris...
Here is the minimum amount of time you should allow between the scheduled arrival of your train in Paris and the scheduled departure time of your connecting train from Paris.
Travelling FROM London	If your onwards train departs from the Gare de l'Est, only a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord, where Eurostar arrives...	At least 45 minutes, maybe longer if catching the last train of the day.
	If your onwards train departs from any other Paris station, typically a 30 minute RER or métro ride from the Gare du Nord...	At least 60 minutes, maybe longer if catching the last train of the day. 90 minutes perhaps, if catching the last train of the day or a long-distance sleeper train which you cannot afford to miss.
Travelling TO London	Arriving at the Gare de l'Est, only a 10-minute walk to Paris Nord from where Eurostar departs...	60 minutes minimum, which includes the compulsory 30-minute Eurostar check-in time.  if you miss the Eurostar because your train is significantly late, the Eurostar staff should let you catch the next one, assuming seats are available.
	Arriving at any other Paris station, typically a 30 minute métro or RER ride to Paris Nord...	1 hour 30 minutes minimum, which includes the compulsory 30-minute Eurostar check-in time.  if you miss the Eurostar because your train is significantly late, the Eurostar staff should let you catch the next one, assuming seats are available.

Since the opening of the new UK high speed line in 2007, around 90% of Eurostars normally arrive within 15 minutes of the advertised time, but it is not unknown for problems in the Channel Tunnel to delay a Eurostar by an hour.  If you're connecting with (say) a long distance sleeper train which you can't afford to miss, then better safe than sorry!  What to do if you miss a connection.

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Lunch in Paris between trains?

Why not book an earlier Eurostar and have a meal between trains in Paris?  Breakfast in London, Lunch in Paris, Dinner in Nice, Milan, Barcelona, Geneva...  It also means that if (heaven forbid) there's a delay to your Eurostar, you'll still make your onward connection.  Here are three good places to eat between trains:

• Gare de Lyon:  Opened in 1903, the celebrated Train Bleu restaurant is a classic place to eat, an experience in itself and a listed national monument.  It's located on the main concourse (Hall 1) at the Gare de Lyon itself.  Even if you don't eat here, at least have a coffee or beer in the bar!  See the Train Bleu Restaurant page for photos, info, and how to reserve a table online.

• Gare du Nord:  Brasserie Terminus Nord, directly across the road from the station.  There are other good choices, see the Gare du Nord station guide.

• Gare de l'Est:  Brasserie La Consigne, just inside the station's left-hand main entrance as you look at the station's classic facade.  It's located in what was once the left luggage office, hence the word Consigne in the stonework directly above the bar.  See www.brasserie-laconsigne.fr.

The wonderful Train Bleu restaurant (above right) & Big Ben bar (above left) at Paris Gare de Lyon, see the Train Bleu page.

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