Planning to travel by train in France? It’s important to know which Paris train stations you’ll be traveling to.
There are six major Paris train stations, called ‘gares’ in French. The different stations serve trains heading to various regions of France and into neighboring countries.
Paris is a hub for the French rail network, so it’s easy to travel throughout France from Paris. I love traveling by train in France — it’s so much less stressful than driving and is usually more efficient than flying.
Most train stations have interesting architecture. Be sure to take a few minutes to look around!
Here is a rundown of the train stations in Paris and the regions they serve.
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Gare du Nord
The Gare du Nord (train station of the north) is the busiest railway station in Europe. So, it comes as no surprise that this multi-level train station is huge. Don’t worry, it’s well marked, so just follow the signs to get to your destination.
Trains departing from the Gare du Nord head northwards to French cities such as Lille and Calais, as well as international destinations such Brussels and Amsterdam.
The Gare du Nord is the Paris train station used by the Eurostar (more on that later). So, if you’re heading to London from Paris, this is where you’ll start.
You’ll find metro stops servicing the Gare du Nord train station both inside and outside the station.
Gare de l’Est
The Gare de l’Est, or train station of the east, is also known as Paris-Est. It’s located just a short distance from the Gare du Nord. If you need to move between these train stations, you can certainly take the metro.
However, unless it’s raining, it might be faster (and more pleasant) just to walk. The two stations are only 500 meters from each other, so it’s less than a 10-minute walk.
The Gare de l’Est serves cities to the east of Paris, including many popular Paris day trip cities such as Reims, Metz, and Strasbourg.
Fun Fact: The Gare de l’Est was originally called the Gare de Strasbourg. If you look closely, you may be able to find the marker in the floor marking ‘kilometer 0’ for the Paris-Strasbourg railway.
Gare de Lyon
The Gare de Lyon, or train station of Lyon, is the third-busiest station in France.
As you might guess, this is where you board to take the train from Paris to Lyon. It’s also the starting point to travel to other cities in southeastern France such as Dijon and further on to Avignon, Marseille or Nice (or other cities of the French Riviera).
The Gare de Lyon is also where you’ll catch trains departing internationally for Switzerland and Italy.
Be sure to take a moment to view the classic architecture of the Gare de Lyon, including the iconic clock tower.
Tip: If you have time for a meal, the Train Bleu restaurant is a beautiful setting for your dining experience (or you can just pop in to check out the art, like I did!).
Gare d’Austerlitz
The Gare d’Austerlitz was originally called the Gare d Orléans. The name was changed to celebrate Napoleon’s victory at the 1805 Battle of Austerlitz.
Nowadays, the Gare d’Austerlitz services mostly regional trains to Orléans and the Loire Valley, as well as some overnight intercity trains.
The newer Gare Montparnasse services the high-speed TGV lines to destinations to Bordeaux and Southwestern France previously served by the Gare d’Austerlitz.
Gare Montparnasse
Gare Montparnasse trains serve cities towards the west of Paris, such as Bordeaux and Brittany using the high-speed TGV trains. You can also catch trains heading to Spain from Gare Montparnasse.
The Gare Montparnasse sits under an office building and is the least visually appealing of the Paris train stations.
Gare Saint-Lazare
Moonik, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Gare Saint-Lazare serves the Normandy region of France and cities such as Rouen, Caen, Le Havre, and Cherbourg.
This is the second-busiest station in Paris, as it handles a lot of the suburban traffic. The architecture of Gare Saint-Lazare features a classical façade and has that quintessential “Paris” style.
Fun Fact: Several impressionist paintings were inspired by the Gare Saint Lazare, including Monet’s Arrival of the Normandy Train, Gare Saint-Lazare and Manet’s The Railway (Gare Saint-Lazare).
Paris Train Station Map
Here’s a map of the train stations in Paris to help you get your bearings:
Types of trains in France
There are many different kinds of trains in France. Learn more about these types of trains and tips for traveling via train to ensure a stress-free trip:
TER (Transport Express Régional)
TER, or Transport Express Régional, trains, are trains with regional service.
These are slower trains that generally have more stops. So, a trip on a TER will take longer than a trip to the same destination on a TGV (high-speed train).
You’ll generally find these regional trains servicing more rural areas in France.
TER tickets can be purchased at the train station. You’ll generally be OK to purchase these tickets even on the same day as your travel, as there are no assigned seats.
A ticket on a regional train is generally good for travel from city A to city B on the date of the ticket, not for a specific time.
If you’re a planner, purchase your tickets in advance prior to your trip.
If you have a physical ticket, be sure to validate (composter) your ticket before boarding the train. (These machines seem to be getting phased out but check at your station to be sure.)
There are machines around the station for this purpose, they’re usually yellow (as shown above). Insert your ticket into the machine, wait for it to stamp it, and then take the ticket back.
If you don’t ‘composter’ your ticket and there is an inspection, you’ll be fined. (If you forget, seek out the train controller as soon as possible, before they start making their rounds.)
RER (Réseau Express Régional)
The RER, or Réseau Express Régional, trains connect the center of Paris with outlying areas in the suburbs.
Taking the RER is the easiest way to get to Versailles and Disneyland Paris. It’s also convenient to take the RER from Paris to the Charles de Gaulle airport (we do this on every trip).
RER tickets can be purchased at Paris metro stations.
Just be sure to select the correct final destination when purchasing your ticket. A ticket to an outlying destination costs more than a standard metro ticket for the standard city center.
Be sure to keep your metro/RER ticket until your journey is complete, as in some cases you’ll need to use your ticket to exit the station.
TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse)
The TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) trains are high-speed trains. (Ouigo and inOui are high speed trains in France.)
When you’re taking a day trip to one of the destinations that are further from Paris, you’ll especially want to look for TGV routes. This will help you minimize your travel time and maximize the time you have to explore your destination.
I highly recommend buying your TGV tickets in advance of your trip. (It’s one less thing to worry about.)
Seat reservations are required, so if you try to purchase a ticket on the day of travel, you may find that the train is sold out. And that wouldn’t be a fun way to start your day trip.
You can purchase train tickets in advance at any train station. Or, if you’re making plans while you’re still in the US, you can purchase your train tickets online.
Since you have a reserved seat, you don’t need to validate (composter) your ticket when traveling on the TGV. However, be prepared to show your ticket and your passport to the train controller when they make their rounds.
Eurostar
The Eurostar is the special form of high-speed train that connects London to Paris (and other cities of continental Europe). The Eurostar passes beneath the English Channel through the Eurotunnel.
After having to cancel our Paris-London trip in 2020, we finally rode the Eurostar last Fall!
Tickets for the Eurostar sell out, so you will *definitely* want to purchase your Eurostar tickets well in advance. The prices will generally be cheaper when initially released.
Since England is not part of the Schengen Zone, you will have to arrive at the Paris Gare du Nord station with sufficient time to get through border control and luggage checks. (Arriving about an hour early is recommended.)
After you get through the check-in area, there is plenty of seating as well as some cafes so you can grab a bite while you wait.
Final Thoughts:
It’s super easy to travel throughout France by train. I do sometimes rent a car, when we want to go somewhere that is not accessible by train (like the time we went to Guedelon).
I generally plan my France trips by seeing where I can get to by train in a couple of hours. Paris – Dijon – Colmar/Strasbourg – Paris, or Paris – Avignon/Arles – Lyon – Paris were some of our favorite 10-day France itineraries.
Now you’re ready to travel France by train… Bon voyage!
Check out some of my favorite places in France to inspire your next trip:
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Lisa Garrett
Lisa Garrett is the founder of Waves and Cobblestones. She has taken 35 cruises ranging from a multi-generational Caribbean cruise to solo Alaska cruises to fabulous Mediterranean cruises.
She lived in Ireland for 4 months and has taken over a dozen multi-city vacations in Europe (France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, and more!). Lisa helps people plan amazing vacations to Europe and popular cruise destinations.
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