Paris Metro with Kids/Luggage

All things considered (luggage, kids, strange turf) the wisest thing, in my opinion it take a taxi to the hotel. Much, much less hassle, and much, much less possibility of have a bad experience.

If you are confident your kids can carry their own bags up stairs and on/off trains then I say go for it. It not, then for peace of mind, I would consider taking an uber / taxi from the train station to your hotel. From that point on, without luggage, your family should be fine in the Paris metro. Maybe this is the protective dad in me talking but I would play it safe if you think you might have to end up carrying an extra bag because someone else can't. By the way, you are correct about being able to use that metro pass as the steeper prices for the Olympics don't start until after you have left.

I think that what you describe (your experience with mass transit, the ages of the children the number of people in the group) is ideal for taking a taxi but from Gare du Nord, I would arrange a car from https://monchauffeur.sncf-connect.com/reserver-un-taxi-vtc. Taxi drivers at Gare du Nord have a well deserved reputation for ripping off tourists. In 2018 in what would be my last taxi ride from GdN, the driver tried to charge me the airport rate claiming there was a flat rate. He was not successful because I know better but it was so aggravating that I started prearranging cars for the trips from the station to my apartment.

JHK, who has lived here, has provided really solid advice. I would follow her suggestions ! And Charles makes great sense - the Metro will be fine once you are just getting around town without luggage.

(Please note though that some metro stations will be closed when you are here as prep for the Olympics will be in full swing. So just be aware that what might normally be the most logical Metro or bus routing may not be available to you, depending on what journey you are making. I suggest downloading the CityMapper app, which will take into account those closures when you are here.)

(And I am pretty sure Jimbo is Dad !)

We live in a small community near a mid size city, without functional public transportation. However we successfully navigate public transit in Europe and now NYC where our daughter currently lives. While we are older, late 50s and 60s, on our last trip we came up with a new travel rule (for us), which is unless we can walk the distance in 10 minutes or less, when wrangling luggage (and we travel with one carryon and one back pack), we hire a car. You have a lot of valid concerns that to me would be easily remedied by hiring a car. Once you aren’t dealing with luggage, public transport will be fine.

I hate to disagree with JHK and Kim, who both know Paris well, but I'd go ahead with a regular licensed taxi from Gare du Nord to your hotel. After the train platform, turn right for the taxi stand on the side of the station. It will be well signed. Don't engage with anyone in the station offering you a ride. A dispatcher at the taxi stand will put you in a metered taxi. Have the name and address of your hotel written down for the driver. There will be a small surcharge for each bag. No tip is necessary, though you might want to round up for good service.

I'd do that instead of taking the Metro on that initial ride from station to hotel. After that, without luggage, your family should do fine on the Metro and I expect your kids will enjoy the challenge. Here's all you need about the Metro and other rail in Paris. Have a great time in this great city.

A couple of separate questions: where is the best place for information on closures/routes for metro/RER during our time in Paris?

For the RER C to Versailles (if I have that correct), can we use the Navigo Découverte with a weekly pass or a day pass on a Navigo easy for that trip?

I was reading up on this and found something confusing (posted in 2023).

If you are using a multi zone pass, you would tap in and tap out when using the RER. However, there are no electronic RER tickets. Currently, only paper tickets are used for RER travel (outside Paris).

"A couple of separate questions: where is the best place for information on closures/routes for metro/RER during our time in Paris?"
www.ratp.fr or https://citymapper.com/paris

"For the RER C to Versailles (if I have that correct), can we use the Navigo Découverte with a weekly pass or a day pass on a Navigo easy for that trip?"
Yes, you have it all correct. I think that the quoted language is referring to the passes you mention which are multi-zone passes. I think what the writer was trying to get at is that one has to use a pass (the Navigo Day Pass or the Découverte) to essentially buy electronic RER tickets because you cannot load a number of RER tickets unto the Navigo Easy like you can do with t+1 tickets for the metro.

"JHK, who has lived here, has provided really solid advice."

I agree completely based on everything you have described and my opinion of Gare du Nord.

We are fairly frugal and big proponents of public transportation (in Europe, don' have it here in our town) but there's something so relaxing about getting a taxi when you arrive in a new city. You're a bit overwhelmed by it all AND hauling luggage. It's stressful and getting a taxi that moment really helps. Just make sure it's through the official stand as a poster above noted. From then on I'd use the metro, even getting back to the airport as it's such a different experience now that you're acclimated.

ps, when we traveled with our older kids/teens we told them IF we ever got separated on the metro, for them to just get off at the next stop and stand on the platform waiting for us. Don't keep riding on forever or leave the platform! The doors close pretty fast in my opinion. It actually did happen once that mom/son got separated from dad/daughter but we reunited and it was fine!

Thanks for the clarification JHK. So much information to process. It seems very similar to Washington DC. I can't really remember if we took the metro last time. We had our backpacks and were just wandering before catching a train.

We have the same rule of get off at the next stop if everyone doesn't make it on for public transport for the ones on the train as well. The ones left can get on the next train and go one stop...although I guess we'd better look at the metro map and maybe limit that to a train on the same line???? Hmmmm. We always split so a parent gets on first and last so whether on the train or off, the kids should have a parent with them. They've done great on the multiple "practice the subway and being in a city" trips we've taken to DC.

I just noticed that your first post says you haven't booked your Eurostar tickets yet. You are already months late on the cheapest tickets, but they are only going to get more expensive the longer you wait.

my point too. I just found this thread after breakfast and agree - if money is a motivator you need to jump on the Eurostar tickets. They never go down, just keep getting more and more expensive until they get to silly crazy expensive. You will notice that different trains during the day have different ticket prices, depending on rush hours and demand.

You also need to be very aware of the Eurostar required check in time. It is strictly enforced. After check in at London St Pancras International you will go through security and then British border control, then French border control and any EU customs, then to the waiting room while waiting for your train to be called, then up the Travelator and find your car and then the seats.

All this takes time, and after Brexit where the UK insisted on being treated as a "Third Country" all passports require detailed handling so even more time.

They don't hold the train or check in open for anybody (well, maybe the King) so if you are late you don't go.

Bear this in mind when choosing your trains. Similar routine at Paris gare du Nord on the way back to London, except you start upstairs, have a smaller waiting room, and go down to the train.

Since you are starting and ending in London, are you getting the Eurostar right after landing in London or will you be there some time before?

Remember to brief the lads (and yourself) to look right first when crossing streets in London, then switch back to look left first in London, then switch back to look right first in London again.

Happy trails

You've gotten some good advice. We have ridden the Eurostar from London to Paris and Paris to London so we have experience with the Eurostar and using the Paris Metro extensively.

There's a "Paris Metro" app you can install on your smart phone that is really helpful. We used it to plan all our routes on the Metro. It shows the estimated travel time and any transfers you need to make.

Getting from Gare du Nord to your apartment will require some planning. Based on our experience, I'd really look into a private car for the journey, even if it is more expensive. You can take a taxi, but be aware that everybody else on the Eurostar will queue up as well. It took us 45 minutes in the queue before we got a taxi.

You could take the Metro, but I'd hate to step off the train into Paris and try to negotiate getting Metro tickets and navigating to your apartment. Also, I imagine the Metro will be very crowded and having luggage may create havoc and anger.

I hope you have a wonderful trip! The mention of your youngsters made me think about the first time I was in Paris, which was when I was 15 and on a high school trip to Europe. That was in 1966. There was also a cute 14 year old girl on the trip and I have a photo of her standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. The last time we were in Paris was 2019 when we went to visit our oldest grandson who spent two years studying in Paris and Tours.

We have booked flights and Eurostar tickets so the trip is official! We're taking mid-day trains to give ourselves some leeway with getting there for check-in. Is 90 minutes sufficient or would you recommend earlier? I appreciate the warnings about ticket prices. I could've gotten a better deal but we wanted to wait until we were sure the trip was a go. We're tagging onto a business trip for me so I felt better waiting until that was sorted. The kids are now very excited. :-)

We will be in UK for 4 days (not including arrival/departure days) prior to the jaunt to Paris and are spending that time in northern Wales. I didn't feel comfortable flying in and trying to jump right on a train. We're staying in Conwy for that portion. After Paris we'll be spending a bit of time in London prior to traveling to Edinburgh for sightseeing. I'm then sending the wife and kids home so I can go to meetings in Edinburgh for a few days. We've booked the London-Edinburgh tickets as well. Looking forward to not having to make the drive which seemed really long the one time we did it. Hopefully no train strikes but I guess they wouldn't be announced yet?

Really appreciate all the insights. Thank you everyone!

Extra question: would the Paris bus be a viable option to the metro vs. taxi debate? I see the 39 bus pretty much follows our route and might be easier with luggage? I tried the link from JHK above ( https://monchauffeur.sncf-connect.com/reserver-un-taxi-vtc. ) but maybe it is too early to book? I get a "there is no availability in the requested area" message. Tried a booking for next week and received the same message.

If you miss out on the Eurostar tickets, there are probably cheap flights to Paris. There is also a ferry or two with will take longer.

Gare d'Nord is ok, but I would not want to around there at night. I seem to recall some taxis but its not hard to take public transport

You can take Line 4, RER B or RER D just a few stops down to Chatelet or where your apt is. The entrance is just in front of the station. There might be an escalator up in the other station.

I would be sure to have a money-neck bag or other anti-theft apparel (like a pac-safe fanny pack) so that you are not received of valuables by pickpockets as you are herding the kids.

@Jimbo, I did some checking after seeing your post and it could be that the service has been terminated.

Can the metro tickets still be bought in the Eurostar train? That would avoid getting them from the machine at the Gare du Nord and you could go straight from the train to the metro.

Otherwise, it's not a very far walk at all. 1.6 miles, or 2.6 kilometers.

I still wouldn't bother with the metro with your kids and luggage.

The bus could possibly be a good option. If you can still buy Paris metro tickets on the Eurostar like Bets was mentioning, then you could do straight to the bus without having to go down into the metro just to buy tickets.

I would download the CityMapper app. It will tell you, at the time when you arrive to Gare du Nord, how long it is until the next 39 bus arrives. Then you can decide if you want to wait on it or not. It will also project how long the journey will take.

I just worry about how bad traffic may be getting in early July as more and more central axes are closed off to vehicles. The first closures were yesterday -- the problem isn't that the road that you will be planning to take will be closed down. It is the ripple effect from the other closures that may cause problems for traffic.

Thanks. I was wondering if the road closures/potential traffic issues might be why the ride services might be unavailable. We tried to prebook several with no luck.

Yes, with the exact address it's a 1.8 mile walk to the hotel and, on Google street view, looks pretty good. We'll be arriving at 230 in the afternoon and departing mid-morning. We're pretty active at home so walking that distance with luggage is doable for us with the proper packing which is now a priority. :-). We might take one roll-aboard small case for the youngest but my wife and I won't have much so we can switch off helping him if necessary.

Thanks again for all the help. I feel like we have a solid plan.