Good day. My wife and I are planning an upcoming trip to Paris and plan on visiting Versailles. We are having issues finding the RER C schedules mentioned in Rick Steves Paris book. Do RER C Trains run on Sundays to Versailles? I was trying to look up options for leaving from Paris RER stations such as Port de l'Alma or Invalides and there are no RER C options, only a mix of metro and bus options and RER A options. On the week days, there are plenty of options. Thank you for any help anyone can provide.
Posted by
Green Bay
20128 posts
There has been ongoing work on the RER C line along the Seine for quite a while, and this work usually takes place on weekends so as not to inconvenience weekday commuters.
Posted by
Panguitch, Utah
2546 posts
This typically works best if you simply state your starting point.
Right now, the best way to reach Versailles might be going to Gare Montparnasse and taking the Transilien train N to Versailles Chantier. Ticket cost, unless you have a pass, is 5€. There was some damage to the RER C tracks during the flooding last year, and the line may currently be closed while repairs are being done.
Posted by
Paris
6905 posts
It depends on where you are planning to stay.
When the RER C is not running, which is often, you have 3 options:
the aforementioned N train from Montparnasse to Versailles-Chantiers
RER A from any Paris station to La Défense, followed by L train to Versailles-Rive-Droite
that same L train, direct from St Lazare
None is better than the other: it depends where you are staying!
Posted by
Chicago
8063 posts
We have been going to Paris for decades and it seem the C is as likely to not be running in central Paris as running. But often you can pick it up on the edge of Paris at Javel on the Seine. We did this the last time we went to Versailles. We took the train to Bir Hakeim from where we were and then walked to the Javel RER station and picked up the train to Versailles Rive Gauche there.
so lots of options. picking it up at Javel is easy -- some of the others are more complicated but you will be able to get there one way or another.
Posted by
100 posts
the RER c is completely closed west of Orsay from July 15- Aug 20 (if I have read the website correctly). The routes noted by Tocard and Balso are the replacement choices; the Javel route also won't be serviced. The RATP itinerary website was really helpful in discovering this - be sure to put your date and time of travel in to see your choices. We are planning to take the N train from Montparnasse to Versailles Chantiers as its most convenient from where we are staying.
https://malignec.transilien.com/2022/06/14/les-grands-travaux-dete-2022-du-rer-c/
Posted by
Green Bay
20128 posts
Right now, RATP is showing no trains beyond Musee d'Orsay on Sunday, July 17. So going to Javel is not a solution.
Posted by
100 posts
also good to note that RER A is closed august 13-19 from Auber to la defense, which would further restrict the options to Versailles for those days.
https://www.transilien.com/fr/page-travaux/carte-travaux-ete
Posted by
Paris
6905 posts
I forgot to mention a last resort option that is 99% guaranteed to work and doesn't take that long if you stay in SW Paris: métro 9 to Pont de Sèvres, followed by bus 171 to Chateau de Versailles.
Takes about 1 hour from Trocadéro, more if you stay closer to the center.