Guide to the
Paris Train Stations

From here you can
speed across Europe

There are six Paris train stations, or gares, taking passengers to destinations throughout Europe — Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Gare de Lyon, Gare d'Austerlitz, Gare Montparnasse, Gare Saint-Lazare.

France has one of the most developed railway systems in the world and it's easy to see why so many travelers choose to use trains over flying or car rentals.

The railway system is convenient, safe and economical. The six Paris train stations were built in the mid-to-late 1800s and early 1900s and have a wonderful period feeling to them. (Except Gare Montparnasse, which was rebuilt in the late 20th century.) They look like train stations should look.

Once you have booked your France train travel online, it's important to know which train station you'll need to be traveling from or arriving at.

Gare du Nord

Paris Train Stations

This is where you'll catch the Eurostar to London and other northern destinations: Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

It also connects with urban transportation, including the RER and the Metro. The RER from Charles de Gaulle Airport connects at Gare du Nord.

No wonder it's the busiest train station in the world!

Gare du Nord train destination highlights:

• TGV to Lille – London
• TGV to Brussels – Amsterdam
• TGV to Brussels – Cologne – Essen
• TGV to Brussels – Ostend

• Eurostar Booking Center »
• Book Other Gare du Nord Train Tickets Here »

Gare de l'Est

Gare de l'Est is located near to Gare du Nord, both in the 10th Arrondissement. It's one of the oldest train stations in Paris.

This is where you'll leave from if you want to spend the day in Champagne.

The trains from Gare de l'Est also head east towards Nancy, Strasbourg, Reims, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, with sleepers to Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and even Moscow.

Gare du Nord train destination highlights:

• Night train to Berlin
• Night train to Innsbruck
• TGV to Reims (Champagne)
• TGV to Luxembourg

Other destinations reached by Gare de Nord are Strasbourg, Zurich, Verdun, Metz, Frankfurt, Colmar and Stuttgart.

• Book Gare de l'Est Train Tickets Here »

Gare de Lyon

Paris Train Stations

Built for the World Expo of 1900, Gare de Lyon is the hub for many southern destinations of France as well as Switzerland and Italy.

In fact, it's the gateway to the Rhone Valley, Provence and Cote d'Azur.

Gare de Lyon is also known for the historic Le Train Bleu restaurant which has been serving customers since 1901. It's worth a visit just to see the ornate decorations.

Gare de Lyon train destination highlights:

• TGV to Lyon
• TGV to Avignon – Marseille
• TGV to Geneva
• TGV to Milan

• Book Gare de Lyon Train Tickets Here »

Gare d'Austerlitz

Gare d'Austerlitz is the gateway to the center of France as well as the Alps, and Cote d'Azur.

It also is where you'll take a night train to Spain!

Gare d'Austerlitz train destination highlights include:

• TGV to Orleans – Blois – Tours
• TGV to Vierzon – Limoges – Brive – Toulouse – Narbonne – Cerbere
• Night train to Orleans – Dax – Irun/Tarbes
• Night train to Limoges – Portbou/Latour-de-Carol/Luchon
• Night train to Orleans – Toulouse
• Night train to Toulon – Nice
• Night service to Chambery
• Night train to Barcelona – Madrid

Book Gare d'Austerlitz Train Tickets Here »

Gare Montparnasse

Paris Train Stations

Gare Montparnasse was originally built in 1840 and is the only train station in Paris to be torn down and rebuilt.

In 1969, the original was replaced with a complex of office buildings and the TGV Atlantique.

From here you'll access the west and southwest cities including Bordeaux, Tours, Nante and Rennes.

Gare Montparnasse train destination highlights:

• Normandy: Granville
• TGV to Brittany: Rennes, St. Malo, Brest
• TGV to the Loire Valley: Nantes, Angers
• Central France: Chartres, Tours
• TGV to Poitou-Charentes
• TGV to Aquitaine: Bordeaux, Bayonne, Biarritz
• TGV to Midi-Pyrenees: Toulouse, Lourdes
• Spain: San Sebastian and Madrid
• Portugal

• Book Gare Montparnasse Train Tickets Here »

Gare Saint-Lazare

The Impressionist painters seem to have had a soft spot for this train station – both Edouard Manet and Claude Monet chose this railway station as the focus of many of their paintings.

This is where you'll depart to get to Mont-St-Michel and Dieppe.

Gare Saint-Lazare train destination highlights:

• TGV Paris to Vernon – Le Havre
• TGV Paris to Normandie – Caen – Cherbourg
• TGV Paris to Trouville – Deauville
• TGV Paris to Rouen – Dieppe

• Book Gare Saint-Lazare Train Tickets Here »

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