I apologize in advance to those who are Paris Train savvy. I have researched this FOREVER it seems. We will be staying at 76/78 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris, France, I know I need to take the RER C train somehow. What can't understand is how to get from the vacation rental to the RER C. We are traveling with an elderly mom, so the easiest would be best. Can anyone me help me out?
Thank you!!
This site let's you map out public travel. Ratp.fr. Note that using a bus and train requires two different tickets. With the metro you can transfer but assume there will be lots of stairs if that is an issue with your Mom. Make sure with the RER C that you board the right one as it branches and not all trains go to Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche -- the electric board over the track will show the stops and so board the one going where you want to go. This is not difficult; you just need to be aware so you get the right train.
Normally you could walk the half mile to Invalide and pick up the C there OR take the 13 from Clemenceau near your apartment to Invalide to pick up the C. But it depends on the day as there is weekend work on the tracks sometimes and that might make a more convoluted route necessary. The C is often down in central Paris for one reason or another.
You could also take a taxi to Invalide and get the C. RERs have escalators and elevators -- metro stations rarely do or have them only partially and often they are out of order if they do have them. Although RERs have elevators, the transfer from a metro station to the RER may not -- you might have to leave the station to find the RER entrance with elevators which might trigger the need for a new ticket. So if you take the 13, you may have stairs on transfer; but if you take a cab to Invalide you should be able to find an elevator to the RER C if it is running.
Always check with the Ratp.fr app first to make sure things are running when you wish to go.
I was wanting to purchase the train tickets ahead of time online, but I dont suppose I can.
This is a short trip. No need to buy ahead of time. Consider it like a commuter train.
It is a commuter train so no need to buy commuter tickets ahead of time. As said above you should definitely check the routing on RATP.fr before heading out because as noted above the RER C appears to often be subject to some sort of repair project. Just two weeks ago, friends who were in Paris for week took a taxi or Uber to Versailles from Paris because they did not like the routing offered by RATP when they were ready to leave.
Thank you all
Totally agree about the repair projects. I have been to Versailles a few times over the years (friends live there). Normally you pick which Versailles train station to use to/from Paris based on which part of Versailles or Paris you need to go in/out of. But in the real world, the best station has changed from time to time depending on whether there's a construction project along the way! Sometimes it was best to walk up to a Metro/RER customer service window in Paris and ask for a routing recommendation before choosing a train that may or may not be running to Versailles that day.
If you have metro tickets on a Navigo Easy for general getting around -- this ticket is fine for Versailles. Or if you have a pass, it will also work -- this is not a special ticket or a specific ticket to Versailles -- it is an ordinary metro/RER ticket, one type tickets takes you anywhere in the Ile de france for 2.55
The nearest station to our rental is the Franklin D Roosevelt station, which we can walk to. I'm having difficulty trying find how we then connect to the RER C train which will take us directly to the Versailles Rive Gauche Chateau.
The Paris metro app, RATP, is a dream come true for foreign visitors since you can type in destination and the origin of a journey and be offered a choice of itineraries. (Really, Google maps will do this also, but I trust the RATP to be better informed if there are delays, contrstruction work, or unusual holidays affecting schedules. You can load the app on your phone from anywhere, and you can play with entering destinations, but you will have to make adjustments for the time if you are not actually in France. And there is a time limit on transit tix; you cannot buy them in advance. But it is very fast and easy to use when you are there. You don't need wifi as your cell service is enough.
Ive tried google maps and it doesn't list any of the RER trains. I've gone into ratp, but I don't see where it shows a connection from the Franklin Roosevelt station to connect with the RER C
You don't want Franklin Roosevelt, you want Clemenceau and the 13 which will take you to Invalide where you can catch the C -- If you start at Roosevelt then you take that to Clemenceau and transfer and then to Invalide and transfer again -- I don't know how many stairs are involved but ever transfer usually involves many.. You are better off strolling down the Champs Elysees to Clemenceau or to just walk to Invalides.
But when I tried it just now. it appears the C is not available right now and the routing is convoluted. The Versailles Rive Gauche Chateau station itself is not available. You may need to get a train to Versailles Chantier and then get a cab -- it is about a mile or so from Chantier to the Chateau I believe.
I don't know when you are there, but the C may be up and running then. As I noted before it is very common for it to be out of service in central Paris and sometimes entirely. I have had to get to a station at the edge of Paris in the past -- but today it seems to be out of service for all of Paris at least.
Ok thanks. I won't worry about it, if all else fails I can always hire a taxi or Uber type of thing.
