--- title: "Trains from Basel to Paris | EveryRail" description: "Travel from Basel to Paris by train with TGV Lyria's direct service, in around 3 hours from Basel SBB to Paris Gare de Lyon." image: "https://everyrail.com/api/route-image/basel-to-paris/" --- [Home]()[Europe by train]()[Switzerland]()Basel to Paris by train [Home]()[Europe by train]()[Switzerland]()Basel to Paris by train **Share** - - [Share on WhatsApp]() - [Share on X]() - [Share on Facebook]() - [Share by email]() **On this page** - [About Basel to Paris by train]() - [Where to book]() - [Find places to stay in Paris]() - [Frequently asked questions]() - [More routes]() [Book now]() Last updated September 2026 # Basel to Paris by train Travel from Basel to Paris by train with TGV Lyria's direct service, in around 3 hours from Basel SBB to Paris Gare de Lyon. ![Gare du Nord train station in Paris]() Origin [Basel]() Destination [Paris]() Countries [Switzerland](), [France]() TGV Lyria runs direct trains from [Basel]() to [Paris]() in about 3 hours 4 minutes, with no change needed. Six services run each way, most days, roughly every two hours, between 08:34 and 18:34. ## Basel to Paris by train at a glance | Detail | What to expect | | --- | --- | | Direct service | Yes, on TGV Lyria, no change required | | Typical journey time | About 3 hours 4 minutes | | Frequency | 6 direct trains a day, roughly every 2 hours, 08:34 to 18:34 | | Departure station | Basel SBB, main platforms | | Arrival station | Paris Gare de Lyon | | Operator | TGV Lyria, a joint venture between SNCF and SBB | | Fare anchor (Swiss retail, CHF) | From around CHF 28 in Standard class, seat reservation included | | Fare anchor (TGV Lyria's own site, EUR/CHF) | From around EUR 49 / CHF 47 in Standard class | These are starting fares and indicative timings from current published timetables, not a guarantee for every departure. Treat them as orientation and check the exact train when you book. TGV Lyria's own timetable lists 18:34 as the last direct Basel to Paris departure, with six trains running two hours apart from 08:34. SBB's and SNCF Connect's own pages separately quote a later "last train" of 19:34. That figure is the last train of any kind between the two cities, including regional and connecting services that reach Paris only after a change, not the last direct TGV Lyria service. If you need the last direct, no-change train of the day, plan around 18:34, not 19:34. ## TGV Lyria: one train, two national railways The train itself is run by TGV Lyria, a joint venture set up by SNCF, the French national railway, and SBB, the Swiss national railway. It is not a separate company you will find as its own listing on a rail map. Think of it as a shared brand: French high-speed engineering, Swiss punctuality, and staff from both countries working the same train. That matters for booking, because you can buy a Basel to Paris ticket through either parent's own channel, sbb.ch on the Swiss side or sncf-connect.com on the French side, and the currency shown depends on which one you use. Neither is more "official" than the other. Compare both if your dates are flexible, since promotional fares differ by channel and by day. On board, TGV Lyria calls at Mulhouse, Belfort-Montbéliard TGV and Dijon, though not every service stops at all three. None of that affects your own journey time, since you stay on the same train throughout. Top speed on the French high-speed line is 320 km/h. ## Which Basel station to use Book to "Basel SBB", and leave from Basel SBB's ordinary main platforms, the same ones used by domestic Swiss trains. This is the one detail worth getting right before you travel. Basel's station complex is confusing because it also contains a separate set of platforms, numbered 30 to 35, historically known as "Basel SNCF" or the French sector. Those platforms sit in their own hall, cut off from the rest of the station by what used to be a passport and customs corridor, now occupied by a restaurant since Switzerland and France are both in the Schengen Area. It is easy to assume that a French-bound train leaves from there. It does not. Basel SNCF's platforms handle regional TER trains to Mulhouse, Colmar and [Strasbourg](), not TGV Lyria. Your Paris train boards from the main platforms, 4 to 17, reached from the ordinary station concourse. Basel also has a second, entirely different mainline station, Basel Bad Bahnhof, used by German trains toward Freiburg and beyond. It is a separate building on the other side of the Rhine. It has nothing to do with this route, but it is worth knowing it exists so you don't confuse it with either of Basel SBB's platform groups. ## Tickets, fares and reservations Fares are sold in two currencies on this route, and neither is a conversion of the other. SBB's own Swiss retail page quotes fares from around CHF 28 in Standard class, including the compulsory seat reservation, for a limited allocation of seats at that price. TGV Lyria's own site separately lists a Standard class fare from around EUR 49, shown alongside CHF 47 on the Swiss version of its site. All of these are real starting prices from real sellers, not currency conversions of one another: they reflect different retail channels, different seat allocations, and sometimes different available departures on the day you search. A seat reservation is compulsory on TGV Lyria, and it comes bundled into the ticket price rather than sold separately, so you don't need to hunt for a reservation add-on the way you might on some other high-speed services. Première Signature, Première and Standard are the three classes on offer, with Première Signature adding at-seat meal service and lounge access at both Gare de [Lyon]() and, where available, on the Swiss side. If you hold a Swiss Half Fare or GA Travelcard, you get a percentage discount on the cross-border fare when travelling from any TGV Lyria station, Basel included. Book as early as tickets go on sale, typically up to six months ahead, for the widest choice of the cheaper fare bands on either side. ## Rail passes on this route [Eurail Global Pass]() and [Interrail Global Pass]() holders can use TGV Lyria between Basel and Paris, provided the pass covers both France and Switzerland (a "Pass 1" combined pass on TGV Lyria's own documentation). As with almost every high-speed train in Europe, the pass itself only covers the travel day. You still need to book a separate, compulsory seat reservation before boarding, and that reservation is not included in the pass price. ## If you don't mind a change TGV Lyria is the only direct option, but it isn't the only train running between the two cities. Search results on SNCF Connect show around 23 trains a day covering Basel to Paris across several operators, including TGV INOUI, TER regional trains, OUIGO and Deutsche Bahn services run in cooperation with SNCF. Almost all of these involve at least one change, commonly at Strasbourg or Mulhouse, and take noticeably longer than the direct TGV Lyria journey. They can undercut TGV Lyria's fares on a good day, so they are worth a look if your schedule is flexible and price matters more than a single, unbroken journey. When you search, check whether a result is labelled "Direct" or "Connection" before you assume it matches the TGV Lyria timetable above. ## Where to book ### Train tickets - Omio Omio connects you with over 1,000 transport providers - trains, buses, flights, and more - to simplify your travel planning. [Check times & prices]() - Rail Europe Rail Europe is a leading travel tech company specializing in European train bookings for over 15,000 travel professionals worldwide. - Trainline Trainline sells rail and coach tickets worldwide on behalf of major UK and European transport companies. ### Train service - [SBB CFF FFS]() CFF is Switzerland’s national rail operator, known for punctual, fully electrified train services across the country and beyond. [Official website]() [Check times & prices]() - [SNCF Voyageurs]() SNCF is France’s state-owned rail operator, running high-speed, regional, and international TGV services across Europe. [Official website]() [Check times & prices]() ## Find places to stay in Paris [![Bright bedroom with white bedding and a breakfast tray on the bed]()**Browse stays in Paris**Hotels and apartments via Booking.com]() ## Frequently asked questions ### Is there a direct train from Basel to Paris? Yes. TGV Lyria runs six direct trains a day between Basel and Paris, from 08:34 to 18:34, taking about 3 hours 4 minutes with no change required. ### What time does the last direct train from Basel to Paris leave? 18:34, according to TGV Lyria's own timetable. A later "last train" of 19:34 is sometimes quoted by other sites; that figure covers the last train of any kind on this corridor, including services that involve a change, not the last direct TGV Lyria departure. ### Which Basel station do Basel to Paris trains leave from? Basel SBB's ordinary main platforms, the same ones used by domestic Swiss trains. Do not go to the separate "Basel SNCF" platforms (numbered 30 to 35), which serve regional TER trains to Mulhouse, Colmar and Strasbourg, not the TGV Lyria service to Paris. Basel Bad Bahnhof, the city's other mainline station, is a different building entirely and is not used by this route. ### Which Paris station does the Basel train arrive at? Paris Gare de Lyon, in the 12th arrondissement. TGV Lyria services do not use Gare du Nord or Gare de l'Est. ### How much does the Basel to Paris train cost? Fares start from around CHF 28 in Standard class on SBB's own site, or from around EUR 49 / CHF 47 in Standard class on TGV Lyria's own site, both including the compulsory seat reservation. These are separate starting prices, not currency conversions of one another: they vary by date, demand and which seller's channel you book through. ### Do Interrail and Eurail passes cover the Basel to Paris train? Yes. Eurail Global Pass and Interrail Global Pass holders can travel on TGV Lyria between Basel and Paris, as long as the pass covers both France and Switzerland. You still need to book a separate, compulsory seat reservation, which is not included in the pass. ## More routes [![Notre-Dame gargoyle overlooking Paris and the Eiffel Tower at sunset]()Amsterdam to ParisAmsterdam to Paris by Eurostar: direct trains in around 3 hours 15 to 3 hours 35 minutes. Around 10 direct departures daily, from Centraal to Gare du Nord. Advance Standard fares from €35.]()[![Notre-Dame gargoyle overlooking Paris and the Eiffel Tower at sunset]()Barcelona to ParisTGV inOui trains run directly from Barcelona Sants to Paris Gare de Lyon. The journey takes roughly 6 hours 44 to 50 minutes over 1,073 km. Advance second-class fares start from around €39 when booked early; first class from around €59. Two services run each way on most days. Interrail and Eurail passes are valid, but a mandatory seat reservation costing €35 per person is required.]()[![Notre-Dame gargoyle overlooking Paris and the Eiffel Tower at sunset]()Berlin to ParisHow to travel from Berlin to Paris by train. The daily direct ICE takes around 8 hours from Berlin Hbf to Paris Gare de l’Est. For an overnight option, the European Sleeper night train runs three times a week. Covers tickets, Interrail reservations, and which Paris station to aim for.]()[![Notre-Dame gargoyle overlooking Paris and the Eiffel Tower at sunset]()Bordeaux to ParisBordeaux to Paris by TGV INOUI in as little as 2h08m. OUIGO from €16. Around 29 direct trains daily. All tickets require a mandatory seat reservation.]()[![Notre-Dame gargoyle overlooking Paris and the Eiffel Tower at sunset]()Brussels to ParisBrussels to Paris by direct Eurostar in 1 hour 22 minutes. Up to 22 daily departures on the 264 km route. Advance Standard class fares from around €29.]()[![Gare du Nord train station in Paris]()Florence to Paris by Train: Route, Times and TicketsOne change gets you from Florence to Paris by train, in about 9 hours 19 minutes to 9 hours 41 minutes depending on whether you route via Milan or Turin.]()[![Notre-Dame gargoyle overlooking Paris and the Eiffel Tower at sunset]()Frankfurt to ParisFrankfurt to Paris: direct DB ICE trains in \~3h45m to 4h. Advance fares from €39 to 50 in 2nd class. No changes needed.]()[![Notre-Dame gargoyle overlooking Paris and the Eiffel Tower at sunset]()Geneva to Paris by Train: Times, Tickets and StationsTravel from Geneva to Paris in about 3 hours 13 minutes on direct TGV Lyria trains from Genève Cornavin to Paris Gare de Lyon.]() ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://everyrail.com/#organization", "name": "EveryRail", "url": "https://everyrail.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://everyrail.com/_astro/everyrail-logomark-2026.VJ4vNX1T.webp", "@id": "https://everyrail.com/#organization-logo-1" } }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://everyrail.com/#website", "name": "EveryRail", "url": "https://everyrail.com/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://everyrail.com/#organization" }, "inLanguage": "en" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://everyrail.com/trains/basel-to-paris/#webpage", "name": "Trains from Basel to Paris | EveryRail", "description": "Train travel information for Basel to Paris. 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