Hi there: I just booked a one way train ticket from Bordeaux to Arras and it shows that I have to change at Gare Montparnasse . basically when I print it out It looks like I have two tickets, one from Bordeaux to Gare Montparnasse and another from Gare du Nord to Arras. What is not clear to me is if I am responsible for making my way from Gare Montparnasse to Gare du Nord on my own steam ? Usually when you have to change on a train journey ( my ticket clearly says there is one change only) then you board your second train from a station as shown on your ticket. That is not how my ticket appears and now I am wondering do I have to navigate alone from Gare Montparnasse to Gare du Nord ? Very confusing ? Victoria in Toronto
Yes, you need to make your way from one station to the other on your own, This is not unusual in France, where the trains are roughly on a hub system, with Paris as the hub and each station handling trains to and from different areas of France. You could take a taxi or the Metro.
Yes, you are responsible to get from Gare Monparnasse to Gare du Nord. You can take the No 4 Metro Line. It is a bit of a distance from the rail tracks to the No 4 entrance, although I seem to remember a moving walkway for part of the way. Cost is 2.15 EUR and estimated travel time is 31 minutes total, including 10 minutes of walking at Montparnasse and 3 minutes at Nord.
Both CJean and Sam are correct.