Metro or Taxi from Eurostar Gare du Nord

depends on the time of day of your arrival. If the train is crowded, there is not much time to herd everyone in with equipment. A taxi is not that expensive, much easier to get there in one piece. you will also have to purchase your metro card for everyone. we took a cab.

With 4 people, I would probably take a taxi too.

You and the kids will still need to be alert when you head to the taxi rank. As you leave your Eurostar train and walk forward past the barrier, turn right and go out the door that points to the taxis. While you are still in the station guys will come up to you and ask if you want a taxi. Do not even look at them. After you get out the doors, turn right again and you will see the taxi rank which is under some white tenting. The tough thing is that if that line is backed up and extends out from under the tent, you will be queued up right beside the unofficial taxis and their touts. They will ask everyone where they are going. A few weeks ago when I was there the rate they quoted everyone (after, of course, due consideration when looking at the address) was 120€. Just have the kids not make eye contact with anyone and keep walking. I would have them in between the 2 parents in close formation, so to speak. I would also pause when you step off the train, perhaps on the far edge of the platform as out of the way as you can, and make sure everyone is organized, luggage settled, before you walk past the glass barrier.

I apologize that I am sort of making this sounds scary as it really is not. I did not feel threatened by the touts, just didn't want to deal with them.

What kind of scam do you imagine a child pulling a suitcase will fall victim to? With 4 people if you have the time for the long taxi line, a taxi is not a bad idea with luggage -- we always take the metro from Nord because we are at our hotel or apartment sipping a glass of wine while people who headed for the line are still waiting for a taxi.

If you are packed light then the metro is a good choice. You do need to keep track of your kids but you don't need to move like a herd of elephants with the calves in the middle -- no one is going to rush up and grab a my little pony wheelie bag from a kid -- seriously.

no one is going to rush up and grab a my little pony wheelie bag from a kid -- seriously.

If the bag has an outside zipper picket, or worse, if the child is wearing a backpack, you may find that someone has unzipped the pocket and rummaged through the contents.

Yes backpacks are buffets for pickpockets, which is why no one should keep their wallet or similar valuables in one. There are not hordes of thieves swarming small children to rummage through their stuffed animals and their undies in hopes of hitting gold. These are simply unrealistic fears from a nation of the fearful.

Paris is not a war zone; pickpockets are mostly stealthy; kids are not worth the bother, and one avoids losing things to pickpockets by not keeping valuables in pockets or backpacks.

I'd like to add to Janet's comments reminding everyone that children live in Paris and survive just fine. Paris is not a dangerous city. I cringe to think of teaching children to not look at anyone and to hide between their parents. Instead, teach them to be confident young people, walk tall and absorb all the exciting sights and sounds around them, including scams. Frightened adults teach their children to be frightened, and they turn into frightened adults, and so on. That is not the purpose of travel, IMO. But, too, I understand that for those coming from small towns in the USA, Paris might be overwhelming, but nonetheless, we should try not to impose our fears onto our children. Again, IMO.

I think the problem may be . they will be so nervous about their children ( and frankly its not something I would worry that much about.. and yes I have taken children, because they will not be carrying any valuables , just their little suitcases.. and no one wants those really) so because these parents will likely be so distracted worrying about their children.. they themselves become the buffet.

You will not be exhausted since you are just arriving after a 2.5 hour train trip ( my advice is different when folks are just arriving from an overseas flight and far more likely to all be very tired) so if just a case of getting on the metro and a straight shot to hotel.. then you could do it easily.. however.. if you think your kids will be tired or overwhelmed then stick to taxi rank.. ( do note the advice about only taking a metered taxi from the taxi rank). Be aware that it is a legal charge for the taxi driver to add one euro per suitcase off meter.. and 3 euros each per extra person after 3.. so the price on the meter on arrival will be that plus the extra euros.

Either option would be fine but as someone else mentioned, the time-of-day that you're travelling will probably have a bearing on which one to choose. Travel by Taxi during rush hour could be a slow process. The Metro is crowded at peak times also, but at least it's not affected by traffic jams.

I'm quite comfortable travelling on the Metro with luggage, but have never travelled with children that age so can't offer any first hand experience with that. In the same situation, I'd probably use that as an opportunity to teach the children how to use the Metro. Which Metro stop is closest to your hotel? It would help to know that so that the best route could be suggested.

Regarding "scams", yes there will be scammers and pickpockets about in Paris and they tend to congregate in the most touristy spots such as the Louvre and Eiffel Tower. If you're wearing Money Belts and are vigilant, you shouldn't have any problems. I doubt that scammers would target children's luggage as I'm sure they realize that the parents will be carrying the valuables.

just be sure to read the various recent posts on the taxi scammers at the Gare du Nord. It appears they are even coming to pick people out of the taxi line now!! I.E. even once you join the taxi line, be sure to stay in it, and don't go off with some guy who offers to take you to your hotel for €100 . . . .

And be sure when traveling with a large party and particularly kids that everyone knows the rule for getting separated on the metro -- if somehow part of the party boards and the rest don't, the person who got on the train gets off at the next stop and waits on the platform. The rest of the party boards the next train and gets off at the next stop -- and voila everyone is together again. I have only had to use this process once, but it was nice to know what to do.

Of course it is better to keep a hand on the kids and make sure everyone gets on together -- but things can go awry and if everyone knows what to do you don't have to worry.

There is no extra cost to do this as you only lose the price of your ticket when you exit the system. And of course also be sure to hang on to everyone's tickets until you exit; if you are asked to show your ticket and you don't have validated tickets for everyone, the fines are on the spot and steep. We just spent a month in Paris and 5 nights in Vienna. We were checked for valid tickets 3 times on the metro in Paris and once in Vienna. Most European cities rely on spot checks to assure that people are not cheating the system.

I, again, agree with Janet... The big fear is being separated from your child. As Janet suggests, have a plan just in case. But also, make sure the child always has the next or present hotel's address, important emergency numbers; ie, someone at home for a contact and/or the parents' cell number, and enough cash for an emergency taxi or transportation to the hotel. This might be good information to put in a practice money belt/neck pouch along with a copy of his/her passport. And perhaps, the metro would be best to take first as a lesson on how to get back to the hotel. You are preparing them to travel on their own ultimately.

It's great fun traveling with your children, IMO, (no matter what age). Have a great time!

If this is your first visit to Paris, and you are unfamiliar with the metro, I suggest taking a taxi to your hotel. I have not used the metro station near Gare du Nord, but have used many others in Paris, and most do not have escalators, and you are likely to encounter stairs and lots of walking in the metro station to get to the correct train platform. And then there will be stairs to climb getting out of the station. And, it will be near rush hour and the metro will likely be crowded. But, if you think you and your kids, and your luggage, can handle this, go for it.

It is fun to travel with kids. We have seen so many things we would never have thought of by turning over traveling planning for part of each spot to our kids -- our son introduced us to the John Soanes Museum in London, the Specallo in Florence, Arts et Metiers in Paris and the Aqueduct Parc in Rome. OUr daughter to the British Library (who knew THAT would be so interesting), the Cluny and Notre Dame Towers in Paris and San Clemente in Rome.

And I still smile when I recall my grandchild at 2 walking into a restaurant with her Daddy to join us and having other diners say 'Bonjour Mademoiselle' and she said 'Bonjour' right back to them in that perfect imitation/accent that only the young acquire instantly.

Paris is designed for kids -- parks and playgrounds everywhere and great places to run and stroll and acquire lovely treats. With kids the age of the OP we had them each select a fancy pastry each afternoon from a convenient bakery and we would have a snack in a nearby park -- they loved selecting them and trying something new every day. I am sorry I didn't follow through on my plan to bring one of the little pink pig pastries back for my granddaughter on this trip -- worried about it making the trip, but now that I am home I realize it would have been fine and it would have been fun. (I do have a sparkling Eiffel Tower purchased for 5 Euro from one of the African sellers at the Eiffel Tower for her)

You might also consider checking with your hotel to see if they recommend a car service. We did this upon our arrival on Eurostar, having set it up with the hotel in advance. The driver was waiting for us displaying a sign with our name as soon as we cleared the train platform. Five minutes after arrival, we were loaded up and enjoying a pleasant ride through Paris and taken directly to our hotel. I believe we paid about 50 euro for the three of us, including tip.

During our trip we became big fans of the Metro, as well. It's clean, easy to understand and remarkably efficient. I'm sure we could have managed to get to our hotel on the Metro, but since it was our first visit to Paris and had a fairly tight schedule to get from the station to the hotel to begin our RS tour, the car service was a no-worry, hassle-free way to handle the trip.

The hotel also arranged a shuttle for us to DeGaulle airport at the end of our stay. Again, I'm sure we could have gotten there more cheaply, but this took any anxiety out of the equation, and that's worth something.

Stoutfellow.. you may have been happy with the private car service recommended by the hotel, but you do realize you paid literally twice what a taxi would have been.

Hi Pat. Sure, I realize that. Like I said, as total newbies to Paris on a somewhat tight schedule, we paid for convenience and peace of mind. Other people in this thread have described waiting in long lines for taxis while being hassled by non-sanctioned cabbies. In five minutes, we were on our way. In the context of a $15,000 vacation, 25 extra euros was well worth it. Cheers!

I agree that 25 euros extra is not the end of the world.. but long lines.. I have waited in those "long lines" many times.. and am usually on my way in less then 10 minutes. Just don't want people scared off by the lines.. they move quickly as taxis have always been lined up waiting everytime I have arrived.