Getting to Paris

There are many ways to get to Paris. There are three airports near the city, each servicing different airline carriers. Paris is also very centrally located within Europe. For this reason there are six train stations. Each station hosts trains from different parts of France or Europe. Within just a few hours you can be in another country.

Charles de Gaulle International Airport

Charles de Gualle International Airport is one of the busiest airports in Europe, second only to Heathrow Airport in London. If you are flying directly from the United States it is likely that this is the airport you will fly into. The airport is about 15 miles from central Paris. The fastest way to the city is taking the suburban commuter train known as the RER. There are two main train stops at the airport. They are called Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1 and 2. Getting a taxi from the airport is very easy but will cost a lot more than a train. Taking the bus is also an option from Charles de Gualle, but it will take almost twice as long. Look for busses numbered 350 or 351 to get into the city.

Orly International Airport

Many European airlines use Orly International Airport. This airport is significantly less busy than Charles De Gaulle. Getting from Orly to Paris is easy. The airport is located about 10 miles from the city. Again, the fastest way from the airport to the city is to take the RER. You can also take the OrlyBus. This shuttle bus is direct and only takes 20-30 minutes. While the OrlyBus is the easiest bus to take there are also public busses servicing this airport.

Beauvais Airport

Beavais airport is much smaller than its counterparts. This airport mostly services low cost European airline companies. If you are flying from another European destination you may find yourself at this airport. Beavais runs shuttles to the city after every flight. The airport is far and the journey will take over an hour.

Paris Nord Train Station

Getting to Paris by Train is a great option for people visiting other parts of France or Europe. Paris Nord Train Station mostly handles trains from Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Taking the train from London via the train is a very popular and fast route. Read the full article on getting to Paris by train, or take quick look at these options.

Paris Lyon Train Station

This train station services many routes within different areas of France such as the French Rivera. It also has routes from some parts of Italy and Switzerland. The station is easily accessed by bus routes, two metro lines and the RER.

Paris Est Train Station

This historic train station has been an active station since the 1800s. You are likely to use the Est Train station if you are traveling to or from Germany, some parts of Switzerland, Austria and eastern France.

Paris Bercy Train Station

This train station specializes in overnight trains. If you want to go to sleep on a train and wake up in another country this is the place to do it. Italy is a popular destination from the Paris Bercy train station.

Paris Montparnasse Train Station

This train station is especially large so be prepared to give yourself plenty of time when catching a train at Monparnasse. This station services mostly trains that go to other regions of France such as Normandy as well as some parts of Spain. There are some train tours that leave from this station.

Paris Austerlitz Train Station

This busy station also serves trains that go mostly within the country of France. Like Bercy this station has night trains. The station can be easily accessed by bus or metro.