We are arriving tomorrow at Gare St Lazare via RER E from du Nord....& of course will be on a tight timeline. How do we move between the RER platforms to the SNCF train platforms specifically the platforms for the trains to Normandy? Sadly we will need to purchase train tics also....seat61.com says that there are self service ticket kiosks available. Is that correct...and are there some close to the platforms for the trains to Normandy? We read that the main ticket office (Boutique Voyages) is on the middle (street level) floor in the shopping mall, at the extreme east end. And that there is a subsidiary ticket office (Boutique Normandie) at the far east end of the station concourse near platform 27 that is open on Sunday...correct? We are hoping to make the 15:35 train...but it will be tight & I don’t want to spend time trying to figure out how to access the ticket office after getting off the RER.
Posted by
Chicago
8035 posts
I would buy your ticket today from a SNCF machine or boutique so you aren't fiddling with that when in a time crunch. We bought our train tickets from an SNCF machine in a mall near our apartment -- there are SNCF kiosks all over the city. when you get off the RER you will follow the signs for Grandes Lignes -- they are blue and white and have a picture of a train on them and will take you to the hall where the platforms are; there are ticket kiosks there for purchasing tickets if you haven't obtained them ahead of time.
Posted by
Paris
9549 posts
I think the issue is that they are not in Paris today, hence arriving at Gare du Nord from elsewhere and transferring to Gare aSaint Lazare.
As Janet says, when exiting the RER E, follow the signs for Sortie and Grandes Lignes.. You will come up from a few layers underground to eventually reach station level at St Lazare.
There are indeed tons of stand-alone kiosks; the question always seems to be whether the kiosk will take your card or not. All you can do is try.
Posted by
Paris
9549 posts
And depending on where you are heading, there is always another train.
Posted by
Chicago
8035 posts
the SNCF kiosks took our US chip sig credit cards for purchases of a a couple hundred Euro a trip with no problem last week; the metro machines don't take more than about 50 Euro on chip sig card requiring bigger purchases to be done with a human -- which means standing in line. But the SNCF machines let me book last minutes, hence expensive trips to Angers, Angers to Nantes and then Nantes to Paris. Two of those were well over a 100 Euro for the two tickets.
Posted by
Paris
6879 posts
If you have the appropriate phone and data plan, you could book the train tickets on the go on the Oui.SNCF app once you know that you arrive at Nord in time. Else, use a ticket machine: the manned ticket booking lines are usually awful.
Also tomorrow is Sunday: take a cab if tight on time, it will be faster than RER E on a Sunday. The cab rank is to the right once you've reached the main concourse from the train.
Posted by
Chicago
8035 posts
I'd not take a cab from Gare du Nord which is notorious for having thieving cab drivers in the regular cab line -- The train is fast and it won't cheat you which Gare du Nord cab drivers often do and with a time crunch it is hard to just dump that cab and get back in line or otherwise deal with the crook.
Posted by
OP
22 posts
Just wanted to post a quick update from my OP...thank you thank you thank you to all who responded with the perfect advice. We made the RER E right as it was pulling up at du Nord - after going through a ticket check in the hallway on the way to the platform! That was a little unexpected! Was surprised a bit at the extent of the construction signage at St Lazare and took just a hot minute to figure out the redirections. Found the ticket area down by Platform 27. The line in the ticket office was long..l.o.n.g. So...self ticket kiosk was the choice. No one at the kiosks at all. Ended up with about 10 minutes to spare before the train pulled in. Worked like a charm.
Normandy was spectacular...could not have asked for better weather!
Thanks again...
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
As I recall, the main thing is the RER is a bunch of flights below the Saint-Lazare station. You go up from the RER and end up in a shopping mall. Then you go up two more flights on escalators (that's French for stairs but these are moving). When you get to the station there are ticket machines there. I've always used those. I'm not sure I've ever seen the ticket office on street level. Regardless, you can get your ticket up near the trains. The ticket kiosks are always open (on occasion one may be out of order or the entire system is down). If you have any trouble negotiating the ticket kiosks, there are people in the station (dressed like conductors) who can help. Worse case scenario (if the system is down) you can get cash at an ATM and probably buy a ticket on board (they may be able to take a card). If it comes to that, seek out the conductor on the train and let them know you need to buy a ticket so they don't fine you.
Posted by
Paris
9549 posts
So glad everything worked out easily for you and that you had a wonderful time in Normandy!
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4037 posts
For others, helpful advice can be found on this blog:
https://parisbytrain.com/gare-saint-lazare-train-station-photo-guide/
The photos of St-Lazare and other stations make orientation easier.