Taking the metro or RER
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1. When your Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord, walk forwards off the end of the platform onto the main concourse and veer left, going down this escalator into the metro. |
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2. Go to the staffed counter a short distance from the bottom of the escalator, on the right, or look for a ticket machine marked Ici vente de passes Navigo Easy. |
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3. Buy a 2 Navigo Easy card from the staffed counter or designated ticket machine, asking for it to be loaded with one or more 2.50 Metro/Train tickets. Once you have a Navigo Easy card, you can top it up using machines or the RATP app as explained here. |
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4. Follow the signs. Metro lines have numbers, RER lines are lettered. From the Gare du Nord, you want RER D for the Gare de Lyon, Metro 5 for the Gare d'Austerlitz & Metro 4 for Gare Montparnasse, see the recommended metro routes on this page. |
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5. The metro runs every 2-3 minutes and calls at all stations. |
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6. 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. 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 trains arrive at the Gare du Nord in Paris, 7 minutes walk from the Gare de l'Est but a metro, bus or taxi ride from the Gare de Lyon, Gare Montparnasse and other Paris stations. Journeys from London, Brussels or Amsterdam to the south of France, Switzerland, Italy & Spain often involve changing trains & stations in Paris. It's easy enough, I've done it so many times, even if a little daunting for first-timers. Here's a quick guide to changing trains & stations in Paris by metro, taxi or RER (R้seau Express R้gional = express metro).
Metro, bus or taxi?
The metro (or RER) is quickest and it's cheap. A taxi costs more and actually takes longer, but it's a painless way to cross Paris with luggage & kids. If I'm travelling alone, I hop on the metro/RER. If I'm with wife, kids & luggage, or it's a special occasion with Mrs 61, I'll splurge on a taxi. Buses are cheapest, but take longer.
How to cross Paris by metro or RER
How
much time to allow between trains
Recommended metro routes from the
Gare du Nord to other stations
Recommended metro routes to the Gare du Nord
from other stations
Metro, RER & bus route
maps (please let me know if this
link stops working)
For routes between other stations, just study the metro map. For plans of the layout of each Paris mainline station see www.gares-sncf.com.
Metro or RER, what's the difference?
The RER (R้seau Express R้gional) is a network of suburban trains running in tunnels like the metro, but faster and with fewer stops. They're less frequent than the metro, every 4-8 minutes rather than every 2-4 minutes. Some RER trains are double-deck including Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon. Metro & RER lines are both shown on the Paris metro map, Metro/Train tickets are good for either metro or RER (but not bus, since January 2025). Some journeys are best done by metro, others by RER. The word metro is often used to mean both metro and RER.
How much time to allow?
Crossing Paris by metro or RER typically takes 25-35 minutes overall, from the concourse at the Gare du Nord to the concourse at the Gare de Lyon or Gare Montparnasse or Gare d'Austerlitz.
That assumes you have already bought a metro/RER ticket on your phone or manage to buy one quickly from a ticket machine. Allow longer if you insist on queuing at the staffed metro ticket office as this can take some time.
However, you need to allow wiggle room for delays. Journey planners allow as little as 42 minutes between arriving at the Gare du Nord and leaving from the Gare de Lyon which I consider far too little. If necessary, split the booking to make sure you have plenty of time between trains either side of Paris.
Incidentally, if you ever miss a connection in Paris due to a delayed train, don't worry, see my advice here.
Southbound from London, Brussels or Amsterdam
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Allow at least 60 minutes between a Eurostar arriving at the Gare du Nord and an onward train from the Gare de Lyon, Gare d'Austerlitz or Gare Montparnasse. Ideally 90 minutes for a relaxed connection.
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Allow at least 40 minutes between a Eurostar arriving at the Gare du Nord and an onward train from the Gare de l'Est, as it's just a 7 minute walk between stations. Ideally 60 minutes for a relaxed connection.
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However, if you're catching a sleeper or the afternoon train to Milan or Barcelona with no later back-up train if there's a delay, I'd allow at least 90 minutes between trains in Paris, ideally 120 minutes.
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And if you have connections right across Europe depending on this Paris connection, I'd allow 120 minutes. Building in time for lunch in Paris between trains is a useful insurance policy!
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Tip: When choosing a seat on Eurostar, car 1 is at the London end of the train, car 16 at the Paris end. If you book seats towards the car 16 end you'll have a significantly shorter walk and fewer passengers in your way.
Northbound to London, including the Eurostar check-in
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Allow at least 90 minutes between arriving at the Gare de Lyon, Gare d'Austerlitz or Gare Montparnasse and a Eurostar departure from the Gare du Nord. Ideally 120 minutes for a more relaxed connection.
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Allow at least 60 minutes between arriving at the Gare de l'Est and a Eurostar departure from the Gare du Nord to include the 7-minute walk between stations. Ideally 90 minutes for a relaxed connection.
Northbound to Brussels or Amsterdam
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Allow at least 60 minutes between arriving at the Gare de Lyon, Gare d'Austerlitz or Gare Montparnasse and a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) departure from the Gare du Nord. Ideally 90 minutes for a relaxed connection.
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Allow at least 40 minutes between arriving at the Gare de l'Est and a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) departure from the Gare du Nord to include the 7-minute walk between stations. Ideally 60 minutes for a relaxed connection.
How much is a metro ticket?
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A metro/RER ticket for the Paris area costs 2.50 as from 1 January 2025.
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Children under 10 travel for 1.25.
Children under 4 travel free, no ticket needed.
How to buy metro tickets
Option 1, buy on your iPhone - easiest!
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Step 1, since 2024 you can buy one or more metro/RER tickets on your phone:
Open your Apple Wallet and click the '+' symbol top right.
Click on Travel Card
Scroll down to France and click Navigo.
Click on Metro Train Ticket, click buy and pay with Apple Pay.
The ticket is now loaded in your Apple Wallet ready to use.
Each ticket gives you one journey by metro or RER (but not bus, as from 2025) in central Paris.
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Step 2, to enter the metro, hold your iPhone against the Navigo smartcard reader and the ticket gates will open.
This works even if your iPhone is locked, no need to unlock it or use Face ID or do anything. Simples!
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You can only use your phone to buy tickets for yourself. If you need to buy tickets for other people (for example, for your family or companions) you will need to use option 3, where each person without a phone has their own Navigo Easy smartcard.
Option 2, buy on your Android phone - almost as easy
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Download the Bonjour RATP app and follow the instructions to buy and use tickets on your Android phone without the need to get hold of a Navigo Easy card. It may ask you to download a subsidiary app (My Navigo App or Ticket sans Contact, the name seems to vary) so that the phone itself acts as the Navigo card. Get Bonjour RATP app for Android.
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This works on newer Android phones with an NFC capability, it may not work on older/cheaper phones or older versions of Android.
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You can only use your phone to buy tickets for yourself. If you need to buy tickets for multiple people (for example, for your family or companions) you will need to use option 3, where each person without a phone has their own Navigo Easy smartcard.
Option 3, use a Navigo Easy smartcard - easy once you've got hold of a card
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Navigo Easy is a contactless smartcard which can be loaded with metro/RER or bus/tram tickets. Once you've got hold of a Navigo Easy card you can top up the card with tickets using your phone or a metro ticket machine.
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Step 1, get hold of a Navigo Easy smartcard, one card for each person in your party.
This is the time-consuming bit, but once you've got one you're sorted for future trips to Paris. You first need to acquire a physical Navigo Easy card for 2 from any staffed metro ticket counter.
Or you can buy one from designated ticket machines at the Gare du Nord and other major metro stations. Look for a ticket machine marked Ici, vente de passes Navigo Easy. Load it with at least one ticket. You can pay by contactless bank card or cash.
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Step 2, once you have a Navigo Easy card, you can add tickets for future trips to Paris in 3 ways:
Option 1, download the Bonjour RATP app for iPhone or the Bonjour RATP app for Android) and set up an account. You can then buy tickets on your phone with a credit card or Apple Pay. After buying tickets, it will ask you to hold your Navigo Easy card against your phone's NFC reader to load the tickets onto it.
Option 2, if you have the SNCF-Connect app for iPhone or SNCF-Connect app for Android (useful for showing & managing SNCF mainline tickets bought at www.sncf-connect.com) this has a Paris and its region button which works in exactly the same way as the Bonjour RATP app. Click the Paris and its region button and hold your Navigo Easy card against the back of your phone to check what's already loaded on it. Buy more tickets using a credit card or Apple Pay then hold your Navigo Easy card against the back of your phone to load them onto it.
Option 3, you can add tickets at any self-service machine marked Navigo. These can be used in English and (depending on the machine) accept bank cards & cash. Hold your Navigo Easy card against the machine's card reader and add tickets to it using a contactless bank card.
Option 4, buy card tickets with a magnetic strip - old school!
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The traditional magstripe card tickets should have been phased out in 2020, they were still here in 2024, but have gone in 2025.
Option 5, buy your metro tickets on board Eurostar
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Paris Metro tickets are sold in the cafe-bar on Eurostar. Until mid-July 2024, they sold traditional magstripe tickets either individually or as a carnet of 10. From mid-July 2024 onwards, they sell Navigo Easy smartcards loaded with two metro tickets. You can then add more using your phone or a ticket machines, see option 3 above.
Option 6, buy at the metro/RER station
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You can of course buy at the station. But be warned, you sometimes have to wait a few minutes for a ticket machine to be free, and if you insist on using the staffed ticket office at a busy station you may have to queue for some time.
Finding the right platform
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Metro lines have a number and a direction. The direction is the name of the station at the end of the line in the direction you want to go.
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So M5 direction Place d'Italie, is Metro line 5 heading towards Place d'Italie station at that end of the line.
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RER lines have a letter and either Nord (northbound) or Sud (southbound), plus the endpoints are usually listed.
Metro routes from Paris Nord
Gare du Nord ► Gare de l'Est
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It's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est, easier than going one stop on the metro.
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Walk out of the Gare du Nord onto the street in front of the station and turn left, remaining on the station side of the road.
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Walk along the front of the station and keep going straight ahead for 300m, over two pedestrian crossings into the pedestrianised Rue de Dunkerque.
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At the end of the Rue de Dunquerque just past the Hotel Bristol is a T-junction, turn right & walk along the pedestrianised Rue d'Alsace.
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Look for the new escalator & lift on the left before you get to the end of the road, see the photo below. Or you can descend the steps at the end of the road. The steps, escalator and lift all lead to the side entrance of the Gare de l'Est.
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See map of this walking route. For even more reassurance, see my 2-minute video of how to walk from Paris Nord to Paris Est.
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Tip: If you've time to kill, why not stop for a coffee or beer at the Cafe des Deux Gares rue d'Alsace before tackling those steps? The typically French cafe has indoor & outdoor seating, in the traffic-free rue d'Alsace.
Alternative route, avoiding the steps: If you can't cope with those steps, here's a level-access route taking 9 minutes & 700m. Walk out of the Gare du Nord, cross the road and walk down 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. See map of this alternative walking route.
Gare du Nord ► Gare de Lyon See video guide
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Walk off the Eurostar platform, veer left, and go down the escalator marked RER, M.
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Follow the signs to RER line D.
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After going through the RER ticket gates, follow the signs for RER D Sud (= south) to Melun, Malesherbes or Corbeil-Essonnes, these all stop at the Gare de Lyon. The departure indicator on the platform will confirm at which stations the next train stops.
They usually all go from platform 44.
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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 Chโtelet-les-Halles you know you're on the right train!
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The whole trip from the Gare du Nord concourse to the Gare de Lyon concourse takes about 25 minutes including walking time and waiting a few minutes for an RER train.
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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.
Gare du Nord ► Gare de Bercy
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Walk off the Eurostar platform, veer left, and go down the escalator marked RER, M.
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Follow the signs for RER line D.
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After going through the RER ticket gates, follow the signs for RER D Sud (= south) to Melun, Malesherbes or Corbeil-Essonnes, these all stop at the Gare de Lyon. The departure indicator on the platform will confirm at which stations the next train stops.
They usually all go from platform 44.
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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 Chโtelet-les-Halles you know you're on the right train!
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Then 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.
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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
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Walk off the Eurostar platform, veer left, and go down the escalator marked RER, M.
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Follow the signs to Metro line M5.
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Take metro line 5 direct to the Gare d'Austerlitz (follow signs 'M5 direction Place d'Italie').
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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 See video guide
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Walk off the Eurostar platform, veer left, and go down the escalator marked RER, M.
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Follow the signs for metro line M4. You take a 90 degree right turn a short distance from the bottom of the escalator.
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Go through the M4 metro ticket gates and take metro line M4 direct to Montparnasse Bienvenue - follow signs M4 direction Bagneux Lucie Aubrac.
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Unlike other Paris mainline stations where the metro is more or less directly beneath the mainline station, at Montparnasse it's a 700 metre underground walk from the metro station to the mainline TGV station through well-lit well-signed pedestrian subways, with a moving walkway for the long bit 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.
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On exiting the metro at Montparnasse, go up the escalators marked Grandes Lignes to the mainline concourse above ground level.
Gare du Nord ► Gare Saint Lazare
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Walk off the Eurostar platform and follow the signs for RER line E, direction Nanterre-La Folie.
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Take RER line E one stop to Haussmann Saint-Lazare
Metro routes to Paris Nord
Gare de l'Est ► Gare du Nord
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It's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.
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Walk off your arrival platform onto the concourse and turn right to the Gare de l'Est side entrance marked Sortie rue d'Alsace.
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Turn right and either walk up the ornate flight of pedestrian steps or (much easier!) pass to the right of the steps and use the new escalator and lift, see the photo below. The lift and escalator are normally open all day apart from 01:00-05:00.
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Walk along the now-pedestrianised rue d'Alsace, ignoring the first left turn into the Rue des Deux Gares. 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, 300m ahead over two pedestrian crossings.
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This is the quickest and shortest route, see map of this walking route.
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Tip: If you've time to kill, why not stop for a coffee or beer at the Cafe des Deux Gares rue d'Alsace shortly after tackling those steps? The typically French cafe has indoor & outdoor seating, in the traffic-free rue d'Alsace.
Alternative route avoiding the flight of steps: If you can't cope with those steps, here's a level-access route taking 9 minutes & 700m. Walk out of the Gare de l'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. See map of this alternative walking route.
Gare de Lyon ► Gare du Nord
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Follow signs to RER D, direction nord (north) to Creil, Goussainville or Orry la Ville. Unless there's engineering work (unlikely, but not unknown) this means RER D northbound platforms 2 & 4. RER D platforms 1 & 3 are for southbound trains.
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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.
Tip: On arrival by RER at the Gare du Nord RER platforms (level -3), take any escalator up to the next level (level -2) and walk south - in the direction of the rear of your RER train - and go through the automatic ticket gates towards the Sortie rue de Dunkerque. Then follow the signs to Grandes lignes up the escalators/lift to the mainline station on level 0. If you mistakenly walk north to find escalators up from level -2 to level 0, you'll end up on the wrong end of the mainline station.
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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.
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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.
Gare de Bercy ► Gare du Nord
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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.
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Take metro line 14 from Bercy to Gare de Lyon (just one stop, follow signs 'M14 direction Saint Lazare').
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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').
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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
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Take metro line 5 direct from the Gare d'Austerlitz to the Gare du Nord (follow signs 'M5 direction Bobigny').
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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
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Take metro line M4 direct to the Gare du Nord (follow signs 'M4 direction Porte Clignancourt').
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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
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At the Gare St Lazare, follow signs 'RER E direction Tournan & Chelles Gournay'.
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Take RER line E one stop to Magenta, which is connected to the Gare du Nord.
Video guide: Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon
If you still find crossing Paris daunting, this short 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.
Video guide: Gare du Nord to Gare de l'Est
It's a 7-minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est, a new escalator and lift now mean this route is step-free. See walking route map.
Video guide: Gare du Nord to Gare Montparnasse
This 2-minute video shows the transfer by metro line 4 from the Gare du Nord to the Gare Montparnasse.
How to cross Paris by bus
Crossing Paris by bus takes a lot longer than by metro or RER, Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon takes around 40 minutes by bus versus 7 minutes on an RER train. But many people prefer to stay on the surface and see a bit of Parisian life. Bus 91 is also wheelchair-accessible. For more information see www.ratp.fr.
First, buy a Bus/Tram ticket on your phone in the same way as buying a Metro/Train ticket. Metro/Train tickets are no longer valid on buses or trams.
A bus/tram ticket costs 2.00 as from 1 January 2025.
Gare du Nord ► Gare de Lyon
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Bus 91 starts from the Gare du Nord, leaving every 4-7 minutes during the day, every 5-15 minutes evenings, journey time around 40 minutes. The bus's final destination is Montparnasse 2 - Gare TGV.
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The bus leaves from a bus bay on the east side of the Gare du Nord. To find the stop, walk past platform 19 and past the large Relay newsagents beyond it, then walk up the set of stairs marked BUS (or there's a lift). Bus stop location map.
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When you board the bus, touch your phone (or Navigo card) on the card reader inside the bus until it beeps.
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Information displays inside the bus clearly show the next stop. Get off at Gare de Lyon-Diderot, in the road next to the Gare de Lyon. Bus stop location map.
Gare du Nord ► Gare Montparnasse
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Bus 91 starts from the Gare du Nord, leaving every 4-7 minutes during the day, every 5-15 minutes evenings, journey time around 40 minutes. The bus's final destination is Montparnasse 2 - Gare TGV.
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The bus leaves from a bus bay on the east side of the Gare du Nord. To find the stop, walk past platform 19 and past the large Relay newsagents beyond it, then walk up the set of stairs marked BUS (or there's a lift). Bus stop location map.
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When you board the bus, touch your phone (or Navigo card) on the card reader inside the bus until it beeps. Information displays inside the bus clearly show the next stop. Get off at Montparnasse 2 - Gare TGV, on the top level of the station one level above the platforms. Bus stop location map.
Gare de Lyon ► Gare du Nord
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Bus 91 leaves every 4-7 minutes during the day, every 5-15 minutes evenings, the bus's destination will be shown as Gare du Nord.
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The bus stop is Gare de Lyon - Diderot. To find the stop, head straight out of the main exit from the Gare de Lyon, walk off the forecourt and veer left into the Boulevard Diderot. Look for the stop for bus 91. Bus stop location map.
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When you board the bus, touch your phone (or Navigo card) on the card reader inside the bus until it beeps. Information displays inside the bus clearly show the next stop. Get off at Gare du Nord where the bus terminates, in a bus area alongside the station.
Gare Montparnasse ► Gare du Nord
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Bus 91 leaves every 4-7 minutes during the day, every 5-15 minutes evenings, the bus's destination will be shown as Gare du Nord.
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To find the bus stop, take lifts or escalators from the concourse/platforms up one level to Hall 2 on level +3. Walk out of the station onto the Boulevard Pasteur and the stop is in front of you. Bus stop location map.
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When you board the bus, touch your phone (or Navigo card) on the card reader inside the bus. Information displays inside the bus clearly show the next stop. Get off at Gare du Nord where the bus terminates, in a bus area alongside the station.
Bus 91 at the Gare de Lyon - Diderot stop. The station is a behind me. Note the bus stop sign, clearly showing the stop name and bus numbers.
How to cross Paris by taxi
How much does it cost?
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A taxi from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon or Gare d'Austerlitz for example costs between 18 & 25.
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You can check this using a Paris taxi cost calculator: www.worldtaximeter.com/paris.
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All Parisian taxis should now accept credit cards as well as cash.
How long does it take?
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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
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When choosing your seat on Eurostar, car 1 is always at the London end of the train, car 14 at the Paris end. So in the London to Paris direction, car 14 will be at the front closest to the concourse when the train arrives in Paris. So if you book seats towards the car 14 end of the train, you will be closest to the taxi rank and can get there ahead of all the other passengers. Eurostar is a 14-car, 900-seat train so this is a worthwhile tip!
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When you arrive at the Gare du Nord you 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.
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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.
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But always allow at least 60 minutes and preferably more between trains, see the advice above.
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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
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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:
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Call the G7 Taxis English-speaking line on +33 1 41 27 66 99. Lines open 24 hours.
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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.
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A credit card guarantee may be required at certain peak times.
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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!).
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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!
Private transfers
Private transfers in Paris, between stations or station & hotel
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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 can cost as much as 60+, significantly more than the 18-25 you'd pay for a taxi.
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city-airport-taxis.com gets good reviews, although I've also had some not-so-good ones. Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon costs 42-68 and can be booked online. The driver will be waiting for you holding a card with your name when you walk off the Eurostar platform onto the station concourse. If you use this service, feedback would be welcome.
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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 welcome.
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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
