Know Before You Go: France

Appropriate Attire

Many attractions and tours in France involve visiting religious sites or cathedrals. With this in mind, it’s important to plan while packing and on the day of your excursion. In general, wearing shorts or skirts above the knee, sleeveless tops, hats, and low-cut shirts is prohibited. Without following these guidelines, you may be turned away or suggested to buy a shawl to cover up. Many attractions also do not allow large backpacks, however, small-sized bags are permitted. For more details, you can visit the attractions' websites.

Onboard Dining

Most long-distance trains have a cafe-bar, serving tea, coffee, wine, beer & snacks, while regional and local trains do not. However, feel free to bring your own food and drink (even a bottle of wine, if you like) onto the train, there are no rules against that on the rails!

On your tickets, please note that Europe uses the date format of DD/MM/YYYY.

Some major cities have more than one main station, be sure to reference your train tickets for the correct departure station. Additionally, your station name may be in French, however, signs throughout the station are usually in English as well as French, along with easy-to-understand pictograms.

Charles de Gaulle Airport has its own station, and you can take the RER line B to the city centre from either Terminal 1 or 2. You can purchase tickets locally at the airport or opt to take a taxi if a private transfer is not already included in your itinerary.

Paris, in particular, has six main train stations. Please make note of the train stations on your tickets, as the station depends on the route. For example, if you are traveling to Paris on the Eurostar, you’ll arrive at Gare du Nord, but if you are then continuing to Zurich, you’ll be departing from Gare de Lyon station.

If you are traveling through Gare de Lyon station, consider dining at the famous Train Bleu restaurant, where you can treat yourself to some traditional French cuisine. Reservations in advance are recommended, or you can wait for your train in their bar section without a reservation.

If you are connecting to Paris Stations from Gare du Nord

To Gare de Lyon

At the end of the Eurostar platform look for signs to the RER line D direction Melun/Malesherbes. Note: Trains may be shown as going to Melun, Malesherbes or Corbeil-Essonnes, these all stop at the Gare de Lyon.

To Gare Montparnasse

At the end of the Eurostar platform, turn left and follow the signs for Metro line M4. Take metro line M4 direct to Montparnasse Bienvenue (follow signs 'M4 direction Mairie de Montrouge'). At Montparnasse, it's a 700-meter underground walk from the metro station to the mainline TGV platforms.

To Gare de l'Est

The station is an easy 10-minute walk from Gare du Nord to Gare de l'Est. Although one stop on lines M4 and M5 you'll walk as much going up and down the stairs to the Metro.

To Gare Saint Lazare

Follow signs for RER line E direction Haussmann Saint-Lazare for one stop.

If you are connecting from Paris Stations to Gare du Nord

From Gare de Lyon

Take RER line D in the direction of Creil (northbound). This is a direct train with just one intermediate stop - Chatelet-les-Halles.

From Gare Montparnasse

At Gare Montparnasse, walk around 700m through an underground subway to get from the main train station to the Metro at Montparnasse Bienvenue. From Montparnasse Bienvenue look for Metro line 6 northbound (direction Nation) and travel 3 stops to Denfert-Rochereau. There, transfer to RER line B in the direction of Charles de Gaulle. Travel 5 stops to Gare du Nord.

From Gare de l'Est

Walking between Gare de l'est and Gare du Nord is a simple route that takes less than ten minutes. Although one stop on lines M4 and M5 you'll walk as much going up and down the stairs to the Metro.

From Gare Saint Lazare

Follow signs RER line E direction Tournan & Chelles Gournay for one stop to Magenta, which is connected to Gare du Nord.