Train service
SNCF
SNCF is France’s state-owned rail operator, running high-speed, regional, and international TGV services across Europe.
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Ouigo
Ouigo is SNCF’s low-cost train service offering affordable high-speed travel in France, Spain, and Belgium with simplified onboard amenities.
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Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn (DB) is Germany’s national railway company, operating long-distance, regional, and international train services across Europe.
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Eurostar
Eurostar is an international high-speed rail operator connecting the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.
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Omio
Omio connects you with over 1,000 transport providers - trains, buses, flights, and more - to simplify your travel planning.
Trainline
Trainline sells rail and coach tickets worldwide on behalf of major UK and European transport companies.
Raileurope
Rail Europe is a leading travel tech company specializing in European train bookings for over 15,000 travel professionals worldwide.
Paris sits near the top of Europe’s rail network. Eurostar runs direct trains from London in around 2 hours 16 minutes. High-speed TGV services reach the city from across France, and Eurostar also covers Brussels, Amsterdam, and Cologne. A direct train to Berlin has been running since December 2024. In almost every case, the train drops you in the middle of Paris, not at a remote airport.
Paris has six mainline stations, each serving a different set of routes. Booking at the right station is not optional. Getting this wrong adds hours to your journey.
Paris train stations guide
Which station you use depends entirely on your route.
Gare du Nord is where Eurostar trains arrive from London and where Eurostar services depart to Brussels, Amsterdam, and Cologne. It is the busiest international rail terminal in Europe. Most non-French visitors arrive here.
Gare de Lyon handles TGV trains south and east: Marseille, Lyon, Nice, and Avignon. International TGV Lyria services to Switzerland also depart from here. Arriving from a southern French city or from Switzerland? This is your station.
Gare de l'Est serves eastern routes. The direct TGV to Berlin and Frankfurt in partnership with Deutsche Bahn departs here, along with trains to Strasbourg.
Gare Montparnasse is the departure point for TGV trains west: Bordeaux, Rennes, Nantes, and the Atlantic coast.
Gare Saint-Lazare covers Normandy and the western suburbs.
Gare d'Austerlitz serves central France and the Pyrenees.
One practical issue worth knowing: if you arrive at Gare du Nord on Eurostar and then need a TGV south, your connecting train departs from Gare de Lyon. Transferring between the two by RER D takes around 7 minutes on the train, but allow 25 minutes total once you factor in the walk and platform time.
London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar is the only direct train between London and Paris. It runs from London St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord. Journey times range from around 2 hours 16 minutes to 2 hours 23 minutes depending on the departure.
Three fare classes are available:
| Class | What you get | Typical advance fare |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Reclining seat, cafe-bar, power sockets | From £39 one way |
| Plus | Wider seat, light meal included | Higher; check live |
| Premier | Lounge access, full meal, premium drinks | Higher; check live |
Standard advance fares start from around £39 one way, but prices climb quickly as trains fill. Book early for a popular travel date, especially around public holidays or in peak summer, because Eurostar capacity is limited and the gap between an early booking and a late one can be substantial.
Eurostar is not a walk-on train. You pass through UK and French passport control and security at St Pancras before boarding. Arrive at the check-in desk at least 30 to 45 minutes before departure. Miss the check-in cut-off and you miss the train.
Tickets open around 6 months ahead on eurostar.com.
Eurostar to Brussels, Amsterdam, and Cologne
The services that used to run under the Thalys brand are now Eurostar. Thalys was fully rebranded as Eurostar in October 2023. If you search for Thalys today, you will not find a ticket. Search for Eurostar instead.
From Paris Gare du Nord, Eurostar runs to:
- Brussels-Midi: around 1 hour 22 minutes fastest, with advance fares from around €29
- Amsterdam Centraal: around 3 hours 19 to 3 hours 25 minutes, advance fares from around €35
- Cologne: around 3 hours 20 to 3 hours 30 minutes
All three routes run multiple times daily and depart from Gare du Nord.
Paris to Berlin by train
A direct TGV between Paris and Berlin launched in December 2024, run jointly by SNCF and Deutsche Bahn. Trains leave from Paris Gare de l'Est and reach Berlin in around 7 hours. Advance fares can start from around €59 when booked early, but availability at that price is limited. Book well ahead if you want the cheaper end of the fare range.
Swiss routes from Paris
TGV Lyria runs high-speed trains from Paris Gare de Lyon to major Swiss cities. Typical journey times:
- Geneva: around 3 hours 10 minutes
- Lausanne: around 3 hours 40 minutes
- Zurich: around 4 hours 05 minutes
- Basel: around 3 hours
Book through SNCF Connect or the TGV Lyria site. Advance fares are cheaper, and some trains require a seat reservation.
Domestic TGV routes to Paris
France's TGV network runs at speeds of up to 300 km/h. Most high-speed trains into Paris arrive at Gare de Lyon for routes from the south and east; Gare Montparnasse handles the west and Atlantic coast.
Key routes and typical journey times:
| Destination | Journey time | Services |
|---|---|---|
| Marseille | 3h 05m to 3h 35m | TGV INOUI, OUIGO |
| Lyon | Around 2 hours | TGV INOUI |
| Nice | Around 5h 45m | TGV INOUI |
| Avignon | Around 2h 40m | TGV INOUI |
| Bordeaux | Around 2 hours | TGV INOUI |
| Rennes | Around 1h 25m | TGV INOUI |
OUIGO is SNCF's low-cost TGV brand. Promotional fares can start from around €10, though typical prices are higher. Before booking, note the restrictions: one small carry-on bag is included without extra payment, there are no refunds, and OUIGO trains on southern routes typically depart from Gare de Lyon, not Gare du Nord.
TGV INOUI is the full-service option. Tickets go on sale up to 4 months in advance. More luggage allowance, a cafe-bar, and flexible fare options are available.
Regional trains
TER regional trains connect Paris to smaller towns and cities not served by TGV. No advance reservation is needed on most routes, and fares are fixed. They run from various Paris stations depending on the region.
RER trains also link central Paris to closer destinations: Versailles (from Gare Saint-Lazare or Gare de Lyon), the airports, and suburban stops.
Buying tickets
Which platform to use
For TGV and domestic French trains, SNCF Connect (sncf-connect.com) is the official booking site. No booking fee, and it covers TGV INOUI, OUIGO, and INTERCITES.
For Eurostar, book at eurostar.com directly, or use Trainline, which aggregates both Eurostar and domestic rail. Trainline charges a service fee.
| Platform | Booking fee | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| SNCF Connect | None | TGV INOUI, OUIGO, INTERCITES |
| Eurostar.com | None | Eurostar routes only |
| Trainline | Service fee applies | Multi-operator, including Eurostar and TGV |
Booking windows
- TGV INOUI: up to 4 months (approximately 120 days) in advance
- Eurostar: tickets typically available around 6 months ahead
- OUIGO: usually between 2 and 9 months in advance
- TGV Lyria: up to 6 months in advance
Advance prices on all of these go up as trains fill. For Eurostar, booking several weeks ahead usually gets a meaningfully lower fare.
Rail passes and seat reservations
An Interrail or Eurail pass does not cover the full cost of a TGV or Eurostar journey. Pass holders must buy a separate seat reservation for each train. This is mandatory, not optional.
Typical pass-holder reservation fees:
- TGV INOUI domestic: around €10 to €25, depending on the train
- Eurostar (London-Paris): around €30 to €45
Eurostar reservation availability for pass holders is limited. Book your reservation early because the pass-holder allocation sells out before seats do.
If you travel frequently on French rail, an SNCF Carte Avantage gives up to 30% off TGV INOUI fares. Cards cost from around €49 per year for travellers under 27, or around €79 per year for adults.
Navigating Paris stations
Gare du Nord
Follow the signs for Grande Lignes for long-distance trains. Platforms are posted on electronic departure boards about 20 minutes before departure. Ticket validation queues run long during peak hours, so don't leave it to the last minute.
Eurostar travellers check in at the dedicated Eurostar terminal inside the station. Allow at least 30 to 45 minutes before your train departs for security and passport checks. Arriving with less than 10 minutes to spare means you will not be allowed to board.
Gare de Lyon
The station has two main halls: Hall 1 (tracks A to N) for most high-speed trains, and Hall 2 (tracks 5 to 23). Platforms are confirmed about 20 minutes before departure.
Luggage storage
Luggage lockers are available at Gare du Nord, Gare de Lyon, and Gare Montparnasse, operating between 06:00 and 23:00.
| Locker size | Daily fee | Maximum stay |
|---|---|---|
| Small | €5.50 | 72 hours |
| Medium | €8.50 | 72 hours |
| Large | €9.50 | 72 hours |
City Locker and Nannybag also operate near major stations and offer more flexible hours.
Getting around Paris
All mainline stations connect to the Metro and RER.
| Transport | Single ticket | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Metro | €2.50 | Central Paris |
| RER | €2.50 | Longer distances, airports |
| Taxi | €18-25 typically | Groups with luggage |
A Navigo Easy card (€2 deposit, available at station machines) lets you load travel credits for both Metro and RER. The Bonjour RATP app gives real-time routing.
For transfers between mainline stations, allow at least 25 to 30 minutes. The Metro journey between Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon is around 7 to 10 minutes, but the walk to/from platforms adds time.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Eurostar take from London to Paris?
Eurostar trains run from London St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord in around 2 hours 16 minutes to 2 hours 23 minutes depending on the departure. Standard advance fares start from around £39 one way, though prices rise quickly on busy dates. Arrive at the check-in desk at least 30 to 45 minutes before departure, as Eurostar requires passport checks and security before boarding.
Which Paris station do Eurostar trains arrive at?
Eurostar trains from London arrive at Paris Gare du Nord, in the 10th arrondissement. The same station is used for Eurostar services to Brussels, Amsterdam, and Cologne. If you need a TGV connection south, your onward train departs from Gare de Lyon, not Gare du Nord, so allow at least 25 minutes for the transfer.
What are the main TGV routes from French cities to Paris?
TGV services reach Paris from across France. Key journey times: Marseille around 3 hours 05 minutes to 3 hours 35 minutes, Lyon around 2 hours, Nice around 5 hours 45 minutes, Avignon around 2 hours 40 minutes, Bordeaux around 2 hours, and Rennes around 1 hour 25 minutes. Most trains from the south and east arrive at Paris Gare de Lyon; trains from the west arrive at Gare Montparnasse.
Is there a direct train from Paris to Berlin?
Yes. A direct TGV service between Paris and Berlin launched in December 2024, operated by SNCF and Deutsche Bahn. Trains depart from Paris Gare de l'Est and take around 7 hours. Advance fares can start from around €59 when booked early, though availability at that price is limited.
When should I book train tickets to Paris?
Booking windows vary by operator. TGV INOUI tickets go on sale up to 4 months in advance. Eurostar opens tickets around 6 months ahead. OUIGO typically opens between 2 and 9 months before departure. On all these services, the cheapest advance fares sell first, so booking well ahead gives you the best chance of a lower price.
Can I use an Interrail or Eurail pass on trains to Paris?
Yes, but a pass alone is not enough. On TGV INOUI services, pass holders must buy a separate mandatory seat reservation, which typically costs €10 to €25 depending on the train. On Eurostar (London-Paris), the mandatory reservation for pass holders costs around €30 to €45. Book Eurostar reservations early, as the pass-holder allocation is limited and can sell out before regular seats.
