Arriving in Paris from London with teens/family of 5. I read that Gare du Nord is horrible right now with many folks trying to immigrate illegally to London. I used to live in that area in college for a short while and it was pretty bad and I hear it has declined even further.
Is this true?
Any tips for getting in and out of there quickly on the way to our hotel?
Thx!
Oh my goodness who has been feeding you this misinformation?
It's true that it is a bit of a gauntlet to get out of Gare du Nord but that's from the unofficial taxi tours, not “folks trying to immigrate illegally to London.” Gare du Nord, with its heavy French and U.K. border police presence, is hardly the place someone seeking to migrate would hone in on.
Good grief.
Absolute nonsense.
Thank you! I am going to send them some feedback!
What you should be wary of, is not only unofficial taxi touts... But also official taxis, from the taxi rank, who have been known to scam tourists. Never happened to me, but if it happens to you, insist on meter, decline any surcharge (the only one being for more than four passengers), and it that fails, take a picture of the official passenger info inside the rear-left window (or maybe rear-right sometimes?) and threaten a complaint.
However, DO NOT try to negotiate a fare - it's meter or nothing.
No need for paranoia either, but it does happen.
I read that Gare du Nord is horrible right now with many folks trying to immigrate illegally
In what publication did you read this?
I stayed at Gare du Nord in June 2018, as I always do when in Paris. Not horrible to me...that's a fairy tale. Disregard what you read.
Over the last couple of years I've noticed far fewer panhandlers at Gare du Nord than there were five or ten years ago.
The only thing I can think of is that someone has confused Gare du Nord with stories about migrants trying to cross into the UK from Calais. That is northern France not Gare du Nord. Perhaps there was confusion between the former administrative region, Nord-pas-de Calais, and Gare du Nord.
Having lived in both the 7th arrondissement and near Gare du Nord, I presume that you speak/read some French so getting out of a Gare du Nord should not be a big issue for you. Just follow the signs for Rue Maubege and get in the taxi line and follow the good advice given by others about catching a taxi at Gare du Nord. Or arrange a car through Eurostar if available or Snapcar.
Five to six years ago, 2013 and 2014, I was not at Nord, but 2012 I was...not too great but still not horrible.
I didn't get back to Nord until 2015. ...so, true fewer panhandlers now or hardly any than back then based on last year's most recent observations and staying at the same hotel, as always,
I passed through Gare du Nord last week, quite easily. I think the inevitable tumult in such a major crossroads has calmed somewhat from the mainy times I've used it. It's a sprawl, so look at the station website in advance to get some orientation. Also check the website www.parisbytrain.com
When you get there, move along to your next transport, be it a Metro connection or a taxi (only from the authorized queue.) It is no more challenging than St-Pancras, which is probably your London departure. And calm down. The question you pose sounds like fear of unfamiliar circumstances and, especially, people.
