Changing stations in Paris

Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon are linked directly by the RER D. The train ride itself is only 7-8 minutes long and because all RER D trains stop at these two major stations, you generally will not have to wait more than 15 minutes for a train (and during peak periods it's normally a shorter wait) . If you have carry-on luggage that you can manage yourself, I would recommend this method of travel, as car travel times in Paris intra-muros can be highly unpredictable -- Google Maps predicts anywhere from 16 to 40 (!) minutes, which of course doesn't take into account the time searching and waiting for taxis.

There are elevators and escalators at both stations from the train platforms to the RER D platforms, and the trains are roll-on roll-off doors to the platforms, so it is fairly easy if you can handle your own luggage. You will have to buy tickets, 1.90 EUR per person. Scan your ticket to open the gate to the RER station and hold on to your ticket as you also have to scan it to exit the station at Gare de Lyon.

Agree - RER between stations is the best way to go, since vehicle traffic can be so unpredictable. The signage to find transportation from the train stations is easy to follow, or look for a RATP employee in a light blue vest to ask for help.

RER D for reasons mentioned above -- the line for taxis at Gare du Nord can be loooooooooooong, and that's before you're even dealing with the traffic between the two parts of town!!

So far as I know, there are no elevators on the RER at Gare du Nord - only escalators.

There is no legitimate quick way to find a taxi at Gare du Nord if there is a long wait at the taxi stand. I think you have plenty of time if you take the RER D. The trip takes about 10 minutes on the train and about 10 minutes of walking so 20 minutes all in.

I would suggest taking the RER. Depending when you are in line for a taxi at Nord, you might be waiting over 30 mins min. esp on a Friday night at rush hour in the summer, tons of people like you wanting a taxi.

Taxi stand out front (I think the front faces Southeast). I normally use metro/RER to get around, but that could be a pain with luggage.

The taxi stand is on the west side of the building -- very important because if you get into a cab that is not waiting in the designated area, the driver will know you do know what you are doing. Almost every story that I have read of an official taxi ripping off a passenger who boarded at Gare du Nord involved the passenger walking out front and getting a cab from the ones waiting out front. You want to exit toward Rue Maubeuge just past the Relay stand and not towards Rue de Dunkerque (the front of the station). I have never waited more than 10 minutes for a taxi at Gare du Nord but I also tend to arrive during non-rush hours. If you are arriving on a weekday during the day, the RER is the better choice.

Through our trip preparations, we have learned the RER train may be best. Noting the suggestion on taxi service, we understand Uber is available as well. Best part of Uber is you order your car, via the Uber app, and payment is all on-line. No cash exchange with driver.

The train is better because traffic in the center of town can be very very slow. We have been stuck in very slow traffic many times in a cab in Paris -- the train will get you there in minutes.

Someone reported on line the other day of an Uber to the airport in Paris where surge pricing was applied after they had already accepted a different charge; it was dramatically higher.

A key word got lopped off of JHK's comment -- "not"!

The taxi stand is on the west side of the building -- very important because if you get into a cab that is not waiting in the designated area, the driver will know you do know what you are doing.

They meant, I'm sure . .

the driver will know you do NOT know what you are doing.

Thank you, Kim. You are correct. I somehow dropped the word “not.”

Can you tell me if the ticket kiosks for the RER to Gare de Lyon are pretty easy to find?
Thanks for asking this question...it was info I really needed!

"Can you tell me if the ticket kiosks for the RER to Gare de Lyon are pretty easy to find?
Thanks for asking this question...it was info I really needed!"
Are you asking because you want to take the RER from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon? If so, you do not need a specific RER ticket. Just buy a metro ticket (and those machines are easy to find) and use it to ride the RER. The regular metro ticket works on the RER for intra-Paris trips.

Again, you need to scan the ticket to exit the station at Gare de Lyon, so hang on to it.

If you do take the RER, keep that cancelled ticket with you. It is needed to exit the RER doors. I took the RER from Paris to St Germain-en-Laye, (for the chateau and the town itself), for which a RER ticket is needed, ie not your normal Metro ticket, and this RER ticket was needed to exit the RER station.

Thank you!
2 additional questions
1. Can we buy metro tickets ahead online...like a carnet?
2. How long is it generally taking to get luggage and get through customs? ...trying to figure out if my friend and I can make a 1020 train out of Gare de lyon if our flight gets into CDG at 0810.

Appreciate all the assist...! In past I have been staying in Paris but my friend and I are heading straight to Beaune for a couple of nights to recover and enjoy wine, then a little hiking etc in Annecy, then swing back around to Paris.

trying to figure out if my friend and I can make a 1020 train out of Gare de lyon if our flight gets into CDG at 0810.

Answer: No chance what so ever.

I suggest that as soon as you get your luggage, go to the CDG TGV station and buy tickets on the next train that will get you to Beaune. That will be a TGV to Dijon connecting to a TER train to Beaune. Trains are about every 2 hours.

"1. Can we buy metro tickets ahead online...like a carnet?"
If you mean can you buy the tickets outside of the Paris metropolitan area, I believe the answer is no.

"2. How long is it generally taking to get luggage and get through customs? ...trying to figure out if my friend and I can make a 1020 train out of Gare de lyon if our flight gets into CDG at 0810."
Not going to happen. Luggage can take anywhere from 15 minutes to forever to come off the luggage conveyor especially if you are arriving at peak time. I have been averaging about 15 minutes since I started flying in business class and about 45 minutes when I flew in economy not including the times that my luggage did not make a connecting flight. Customs at CDG is is just a stroll through the "nothing to declare" door so that will not add anytime (assuming you have nothing to declare). Immigration/passport control is where you might be delayed. I usually tell people who have checked luggage who are traveling in economy to expect to spend 75 minutes from landing to getting into ground transportation. For people traveling in business class, I think it's about 30-40 minutes. In your case, you then need to get to train station, buy tickets, and then make the trip into Paris and to Gare de Lyon. That is going to, at the absolute best, take an hour.

The TGVs from CDG at around the time that you will be traveling go to Lyon and where you have to change to the local train going north so it is probably going to be faster to go into Paris. In fact, if you check SNCF.com, you will see that the suggested route is to go to Gare de Lyon (though they estimate only 35 minutes for the bus trip to the train station). Ultimately, if you decide to go to Gare de Lyon from CDG, you might want to consider taking Le Bus Direct (www.lebusdirect), which takes you from CDG to Gare de Lyon with no fussing around with having to deal with luggage on the train or for the connection that you would need to make if you take the train. Allow four hours between estimated arrival time and departure of the train from Paris and 3 hours if the train departs from CDG. SNCF says the Le Bus Direct trip will take 35 minutes but I think that is extremely optimistic.

Agreed that Le Bus Direct is a good mode of transport (safe and comfortable), but definitely way more than 35 minutes. First there's the time to hit all the terminals -- I usually consider that it takes an hour at the least. At least it's a comfortable hour, and you can snooze unlike on the RER. Then at Gare de Lyon you have to get oriented and figure out your way around the station.

Wow... knew it would be long, but didn't think that long..yikes!
So land, get luggage, go through customs and immigration, then either..
1. (?walk or need tram?) to gare de nord and take train/rer to gare de lyon where we can change to train to Beaune
2. Walk to shuttle bus, take Le bus to gare de lyon where we change to Beaune train
3. ...or walk to taxi...but that is pretty expensive and the queue's are long I think someone said

Do I have that right, or missed something?

Really appreciative for the help..!

(?walk or need tram?) to gare de nord and take train/rer to gare de lyon where we can change to train to Beaune

You need to take the RER B from CDG to Gare du Nord where you change to the RER D to Gare de Lyon. Cost is 10.50 EUR per person.

If you are landing at Terminal 2, you can walk or take a shuttle bus to the TGV station where you get the RER B. If you land at Terminal 1 (United Airlines), take the CDGval shuttle train to CDG 1 RER station where you get the RER B.

Thank you Sam :-)

Funny thing, Beth. The title of your post was “Changing stations in Paris”. You were asking about changing from one train station to another. But, when I first read the post, I thought “changing stations” in Paris, referring to whether there were plentiful places for changing a baby’s diapers in Parisian restrooms! Glad I didn’t comment first.