Paris Train Station: Which of 6 to Use

1. Gare du Nord: the Paris train station for the airport line

Gare du Nord is the station for the RER B airport line to Charles de Gaulle and for the regional train to Beauvais. The RER B runs from the airport into the city every 6 to 15 minutes, from about 4:50 a.m. to midnight, according to Île-de-France Mobilités. The fare is the €14 airport ticket, and the ordinary €2.55 Métro-Train-RER ticket does not cover the airports. Paris Aéroport's RER B page gives about 25 minutes from Gare du Nord to the airport.

Beauvais is the third airport. A regional train runs to Beauvais station from Gare du Nord in about 1 hour 15 minutes, says Paris-Beauvais airport. You then need a bus or taxi to the terminal, so the airport's own shuttle from Porte Maillot is the simpler way.

Taxis are the other choice from Charles de Gaulle. The 2026 flat fare is €56 to the Right Bank and €65 to the Left Bank, according to Service-Public. Rides booked in an app such as Uber do not use that flat fare. The sources here do not say where the taxi rank is at Gare du Nord, so follow the signs when you arrive.

Gare du Nord is also the Eurostar station, so it is the one for London and Brussels. Eurostar lists trains from Gare du Nord to London St Pancras and to Brussels-Midi. Eurostar departures are on the first floor, in Hall 2.

None of the six stations is the closest to the Eiffel Tower. The nearest rail stop is the RER C station Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel, about 5 minutes on foot from entrance 1, according to the Eiffel Tower's official site. Metro line 6 also stops at Bir-Hakeim nearby.

Pro Tip At Charles de Gaulle, board any RER B train toward "Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2" when you head to the city, and buy the €14 airport ticket first, because the €2.55 ticket will not open the airport gates.

For the full airport routes, read the guides to Charles de Gaulle to Paris and Orly to Paris.

2. Gare de l'Est: the station for Reims

Gare de l'Est is the station for the fast TGV to Reims and Champagne. The TGV takes about 45 minutes from Paris, says the Reims tourist office, and Gare de l'Est is the Paris end of that line. The same page puts Reims 30 minutes by TGV from the airport at Roissy, so you do not need to cross Paris first.

Reims fits a day trip easily. Leave early if you want a cellar visit and lunch.

3. Gare Saint-Lazare: the station for Normandy and Giverny

Gare Saint-Lazare is the station for Giverny and for the trains to Normandy. Vernon-Giverny station is 50 minutes by train from Saint-Lazare, according to Normandie Tourisme. The village is about 5 km from Vernon, and an electric shuttle costs €10 return, usually from April to November. For Versailles, the Paris Aéroport travel site says the RER C runs to Versailles Château Rive Gauche. It gives the trip as about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on where you start. The Château de Versailles site names two more routes. Trains from Gare Montparnasse stop at Versailles Chantiers, an 18-minute walk from the palace. Trains from Gare Saint-Lazare stop at Versailles Rive Droite, about a 17 to 20 minute walk away. The RER C stop Versailles Château Rive Gauche is the closest, at 10 minutes on foot, and it starts from stops such as Saint-Michel and Champ de Mars.

The Giverny guided tour is from €59 per person, lasts 2 hours and is limited to 10 people. It meets at the restaurant Les Nymphéas in Giverny, not at the station. Its rating is 4.8 from 794 reviews, it has free cancellation and guide-giverny runs it. Prices and ratings are as shown on GetYourGuide on 24 October 2026.

For Normandy, Bayeux is about 2 hours 18 minutes by direct train from Saint-Lazare, from €16 per person, per Normandie Tourisme. Read the full guide to the train to Normandy from Paris before you go. If you want the beaches without changing to a bus, the Normandy D-Day day trip is from €189 per person and lasts 13 hours. Extime Travel runs it, and it has free cancellation. Its rating is 4.7 from 70 reviews. It meets at 18 Avenue de Suffren, 75015 Paris, not at Saint-Lazare. It is not suitable for children under 3 or for people with mobility impairments.

4. Gare Montparnasse: the station for Mont-Saint-Michel

Gare Montparnasse is the station for the long trip to Mont-Saint-Michel. A TGV takes you to Rennes in about 2 hours, and a bus then takes about 1 hour 10 minutes, according to the Mont-Saint-Michel site. Another option is a slower train from Montparnasse to Villedieu-les-Poêles, then a bus of about 45 minutes.

Mont-Saint-Michel is a very long day from Paris. Plan to stay overnight, or accept a late return.

5. Gare d'Austerlitz: the station for the Loire

Gare d'Austerlitz is the station for Blois-Chambord and the Loire châteaux. SNCF Connect lists direct trains from Austerlitz to Blois-Chambord in about 1 hour 30 minutes, but its page was only readable as a summary, so check the time when you book.

6. Gare de Lyon: the station without a confirmed trip here

Gare de Lyon is the busiest station for trains to the south and east, but this guide does not give train times from it. No official page for it could be read on 24 October 2026, so no time is printed here. Check SNCF Connect for your own train.

If your goal is Fontainebleau, you can skip the station. The Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte day tour is from €84 per person and lasts 9 hours. Extime Travel runs it, and the coach starts at the Pullman Paris Centre Bercy hotel, 1 Rue de Libourne, 75012. Audio guides are included, and lunch is not.

How to choose your station

Choose your station by where the train goes, and check the departure station on your ticket. The table sums up what this guide could confirm.

Key Takeaway Gare du Nord is the only one of the six with a direct RER B link to Charles de Gaulle, and Gare Saint-Lazare is the one for Giverny, 50 minutes away.

A good travel plan starts from the name on the train ticket.

For where each station can take you for a day, from Reims to Giverny, see Paris CDG to London and other day trips. Best Things to Do in Paris' count of GetYourGuide listings on 24 October 2026 found 19 of 658 listings located in towns outside Paris, such as Giverny and Reims.

A tour is worth it when the train plus a bus would eat most of your day, as with Normandy or Mont-Saint-Michel. Doing it on your own costs less and gives you freedom, as with Reims or Giverny. The facts above show why, though no Mont-Saint-Michel tour is listed here, so that rule rests on travel time alone. Bayeux is about 2 hours 18 minutes by train from €16, and the Normandy day trip is 13 hours from €189 with lunch and no bus change. The Giverny tour is only 2 hours and meets in the village, so you still pay for the 50-minute train and the €10 shuttle. The Fontainebleau tour is from €84 and starts in Paris, so you need no train ticket. It is rated 4.4 from 601 reviews and has free cancellation. It is not suitable for children under 3, people with mobility impairments or wheelchair users, and its group size is not stated. If you want a base near the stations, one option in the 9th arrondissement is WS Opéra - Milan, with studio apartments on rue de Milan, about 1 km from the Opéra Garnier, each with a kitchenette with a fridge, microwave and hob. The booking page shows the walking time to your station.

One honest limit applies. This guide covers the stations where its sources confirm a trip, and it skips Gare de Lyon details. Station crowds also bring thieves, since the UK government warns that thieves and pickpockets operate on the Paris Métro, on RER lines and at mainline stations. Keep your bag closed and in front of you.

Which stations are the main ones? All six are big Paris terminals, and each serves its own region. Gare du Nord is the main one for the airport line, Beauvais and the Eurostar. Gare de Lyon is the busiest for trains to the south and east. Saint-Lazare, Montparnasse, de l'Est and Austerlitz each cover one direction, as the table shows.

Which station serves London and Brussels? Gare du Nord, per Eurostar. Which is closest to the Eiffel Tower? None of the six. The RER C stop Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel is about 5 minutes on foot from entrance 1. Which station for Versailles? Saint-Lazare or Montparnasse by train, or the RER C. Your ticket always shows the exact station.

For how to get around once you leave the station, see how a Paris train fits with the metro, buses and taxis.