Changing from Eurostar to TGV at Lille

Lille Europe is a high-speed train hub in Northern France where you can change from Eurostar onto a direct TGV high-speed train to Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Brittany, Nimes or Montpelier.  It's an easy same-station change, avoiding the need to change trains & stations in Paris.  These TGVs bypass the French capital using the high-speed line through Charles de Gaulle Airport & Marne la Vallée (for Disneyland).  Lille Europe sits astride the London-Paris/Brussels high-speed line 550m from Lille's original station, Lille Flandres.  It is only served by high-speed trains, all regional & local trains use Lille Flandres.

Overview:  Location map  Station plan

Lille Europe is a strong contender for the Draughtiest Station in Europe!  Built in 1993, Lille Europe is a modern glass & concrete station with just 4 platforms, used solely by high-speed trains including Eurostar.

Platforms 43 & 45 are on the west side of the station (the side closest to the exit into the city centre), with escalators & lifts up to the concourse.

Platforms 44 & 46 are on the east side of the station hidden below the concourse, with escalators & lifts up to the concourse.

Two through tracks for non-stop trains run through the middle of the station below the concourse, sandwiched between tracks 44 & 45.

The concourse is at the upper level on top of the two through tracks and platforms 44 & 46.  The long, thin concourse is divided along its length into Halls 1, 2, 3 & 4, with Hall 1 at the southern (Paris) end of the station and Hall 4 at the northern (London) end. 

The Eurostar terminal is at the northern end of the station in Hall 4.  Check in here for Eurostar departures.  When arriving by Eurostar, you simply go up any escalator from the platform onto the concourse and can walk freely out of the station, there are no formalities on arrival.

A bridge runs from Hall 3 over platforms 43 & 45 to the main exit to the pedestrianised square outside the station & main road towards the city centre & Lille Flandres.

See station plan (please tell me if the link stops working)

Platforms 45 & 43, looking north towards London, the glass wall on the left faces the city centre.  That's the concourse at the upper level on the right, on top of the two through tracks for non-stop trains.  Platforms 44 & 46 are on the other side of the through tracks, also below the concourse.

Hall 2, looking south.  Platforms 43 & 45 are on the right, down escalators.  Platforms 44 & 46 are on the left, below the concourse down escalators.  The two through tracks for non-stop trains are directly below this concourse.  That glass wall on the right faces towards Lille city centre. Courtesy of Paul Macdermot.

Arriving & departing by Eurostar

• If you are changing trains at Lille Europe, allow at least 20 minutes between trains on the outward journey from London.  Allow at least 40 minutes (which includes the 30 minute Eurostar check-in) on the return journey back to London.

  It's usually a same-station change between Eurostar and an onward TGV at Lille Europe, but a handful of onward trains leave from Lille Flandres station 450m away, and then you need to allow time for the 6-minute walk, see Lille Flandres information here.

• When you arrive by Eurostar from London, you simply take the escalators or lifts from the platform directly up to the main concourse - there are no formalities on arrival as border control has already been done before boarding in London.  Check the indicator boards to see what platform your onward trains leaves from.  Changing trains is a simple process that can take as little as 5 minutes.

• When you leave Lille by Eurostar to London, you need to go to the Eurostar terminal at the north end of the central concourse in Hall 4.  It's clearly signed and you'll see the usual Eurostar check-in gates at the entrance to the small departure lounge.  Scan your ticket barcode to get through the check-in gates, go through the brief X-ray & metal detector security, have your passport checked then wait in the departure lounge.

  In theory check-in closes 30 minutes before each Eurostar departure, in practice they know when a connecting TGV is coming in late with passengers making connections, and you'll usually still get through even 15 minutes before your Eurostar departure, if that is necessary because of a delay.

  Inside the Eurostar departure lounge there is a small shop selling snacks & drinks and there are toilets.  There is no Eurostar business lounge at Lille Europe.  When the Eurostar approaches Lille, announcements are made, doors are opened on the far side of the departure lounge, and you go out of the lounge down escalators or lifts onto the platform, just before the London-bound Eurostar comes in. 

  Tip:  Remember to look at the Composition des trains indicator boards on the platform to see where to stand on the platform for your car number, to avoid running up and down like a headless chicken.

Hall 4 at the northern end of the station, the arrow marks the entrance to the Eurostar terminal.  Courtesy of Paul Macdermot.

Left luggage, ticket office, ATMs, WiFi, car hire

• If you need to leave your bags, there's a staffed left luggage office hidden away at the extreme south end of the concourse, see the luggage lockers page for prices & opening times.

• There's a ticket office in the centre of the central concourse.

• There is an ATM in Hall 3, between the bureau de change & toilets.

• There are car hire offices (Europcar, Hertz, Avis, Alamo) on the main concourse towards the southern end.

• There's free WiFi on the station.

A meal, coffee or beer between trains

• You'll find the usual range of shops and snack kiosks at Lille Europe station, including a Paul sandwich shop in Hall 4, see the photo above.

• Factory & Co is a 'New York coffee & diner' selling coffee, snacks, upmarket burgers and chips on the main concourse, www.factoryandco.com.

• There's a Burger King on the far side of the square opposite the station's main entrance in the EuraLille shopping centre, which has free WiFi and a children's soft play area.

• If you've more time, there are plenty of restaurants in the city centre where you'll find moules-frites to rival Brussels.

Factory & Co burger New York diner at Lille Europe.  Courtesy of Sonny Bennett.

Supermarkets & shops

• There is a small mini-market in the station.  There are larger supermarkets in the city centre.

Hotels at Lille Europe

• If you need an overnight hotel between trains, try Crowne Plaza EuroLille or Novotel Suites Lille Europe, both are at the station itself.

Lille city centre:  Walking, taxis, metro

• Lille is a very pleasant city, great for a short break.  The mayor insisted that the high speed line was built through central Lille, whilst mayors in other cities wanted to keep it out of town.  Lille's mayor was proved right, as over the last decade since the line was built it has transformed Lille's economy, from run-down mining town to vibrant city of northern France.  You can easily pop into the city centre if you have a long wait between trains.

• Walking:  The city centre is an 11-minute 800m walk from Lille Europe.  Lille Flandres station is a 6-minute 450m walk from Lille Europe.  Walk off the concourse via the main pedestrian exit, down the escalators to the arches underneath the road bridge, and walk straight ahead of you along the main Avenue le Corbusier.  See map of Lille showing stations.

• Taxis:  For a taxi fare calculator see www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=Lille-France.

• Metro:  Lille has a small metro network, with stations at both Lille Europe & Lille Flandres, see www.ilevia.fr.

Lille Flandres station

• Lille's original station is a terminus called Lille Flandres in the city centre, an easy 7-minute 550m walk from Lille Europe. 

• The station has 17 platforms, numbered 0 to 16 from right to left as you stand on the concourse inside the big arched trainshed.  Note that there are automatic ticket gates between concourse and platforms, scan your ticket barcode to open them.

• One or two TGVs to the south (notably the Lille-Bordeaux route) leave from Lille Flandres rather than Lille Europe.  Most TGVs to Paris leave from Lille Flandres, as do all regional TER trains including regional trains to Calais and Brussels.

• To walk from Lille Europe to Lille Flandres, walk off the main concourse via the main pedestrian exit, down the short escalators to the arches underneath the road bridge, and walk straight ahead of you along the main Avenue le Corbusier into town until you come to Lille Flandres station in the city centre.  You can't miss it!  See walking route map.

• A bit of history...   The station facade at Lille Flandres was the original Gare du Nord station building in Paris, built in 1869-1892.  It was dismantled & moved to Lille at the end of the 19th century when a new bigger Gare du Nord was built.  The clock and top storey were added when the station was rebuilt at Lille.

Lille Flandres station.

Lille Flandres interior.  Courtesy of Paul Macdermot.

Ticket gates, scan the barcode on your ticket and they will open.  Courtesy of Paul Macdermot.

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