Coming to Paris for the first time, many travelers arrive via the train, whether from other parts of France or points beyond in Europe. Arriving by trains many visitors wonder how convenient it is to get to their hotels or apartments in Paris. Visitors will find that there are seven main train stations serving Paris, France making train travel in and out of the city very convenient.
The first major train station in Paris is the Gare’d Austerlitz. The train station is located in the southeastern region of Paris along the left side of the Seine. It has trains that travel to Toulouse, central France, and the Pyrenees. The Gare’d Austerlitz has limited long distance services, and focuses mainly on local areas.
The second major train station in Paris is the Gare Saint –Lazare. This train station is second in line as the busiest train station in Paris. It has train services to Normandy and serves the suburbs along the west and southwestern region. It serves approximately 274,000 people a day.
The third major train station in Paris is the Gare du Nord. This train station is the busiest station in Paris. This train station travels throughout Northern France as well as to a number of other countries including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. The Gare du Nord serves over 190 million people a year.
The fourth major train station in Paris is the Gare de l’Est. This train station is one of the oldest and largest train stations in the city of Paris. It has trains that serve the local population along the eastern suburbs of the city. It also has long distance trains that serve Germany and the entire eastern France region.
The fifth major train station in Paris is the Gare de Lyon. This train station is a major stopping area for those traveling long distance. Most travelers are headed to southern France. There are trains that serve the southeastern suburbs. In addition, the Gare de Lyon also has trains that travel to Italy and Switzerland. The Le Train Bleu restaurant is located in the train station.
The sixth major train station in Paris is the Gare Montparnasse. This train station is primarily used for local travel offering travel services to locations along the west and southwestern areas of France. Some of the locations include Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, and Tours. There are also trains to Madrid.
The seventh largest train station is Paris is the Gare de Bercy. This train station specializes in vehicle transportation services. In July of 2002, the train station went through a remodeling project and now has four sleeper trains that travel between Paris and Italy. These trains travel to a number of Italian cities including Rome, Venice, and Florence, Milan.
Travelers staying in one of the many Paris apartments or hotels will find a quick taxi or bus ride will get them to one of the 7 conveniently located train stations to get them to their next destination.
