Paris RER D train timetable

Linda,
I took the train to Chantilly 18 months ago as Ken suggested. However, after quite a bit of research, I found this website which gives the quickest way to get out there on 12/25 or 25/12 depending on your part of the world: http://www.ratp.fr/itineraires/en/ratp/recherche-avancee What it came up with (in a poorly translated English) was leaving Metro St. Paul at 10:32 going to Gare de Lyon. At Gare de Lyon you take the RER D to the end. It says it takes an hour and fifteen minutes total, probably due to the holiday. (I searched for December 25th). It says to take the metro at 10:32, the RER D at 10:56 and you'll be there at 11:46. The train was an option on this search site, but it didn't show up on the results. Certainly the holiday has something to do with what's running and how long it takes. However, as good as this information seems to me, I would still go to an information agent in the metro and ask the question once you get to Paris for confirmation of the times, especially for such an important holiday. Bon voyage and bon appetite.

Linda, Where are you going for lunch in Chantilly on Christmas day? AFAIK, you can travel not only via RER but also regular rail. For example, the trip from Gare du Nord to Chantilly-Gouvieux is as short as 24 minutes via train. Try the bahn.de website for rail schedules, but you'll need to confirm your destination station. Some additional information would be helpful.....

Thanks for that information Ken. We are staying in Le Marais near the Saint-Paul Metro and we are having lunch at the Tiara Chateau Hotel Mont Royal. The hotel advised me to catch the RER D to Orry la Ville, so I presumed it was closer to the hotel. Thanks,Linda

Thank you for your help Bets.That site was very helpful and I have now been able to check that we can get there in plenty of time for lunch and then back in time for our Eiffel Tower booking. We won't mind the travelling time;we are on holidays and will enjoy getting out of the city and seeing a new area.
Thanks again, Linda

Like Bets, I used the RATP journey planner and entered 25 December as the date. I found that you can take Metro line 1 from Saint-Paul to Gare de Lyon, transfer to the RER D, and arrive at Orry-La-Ville Coye at 11:17. Returning to Paris, if you leave Orry-La-Ville at 15:46, connect to the RER A at Chatelet-Les Halles, and connect to Metro line 6 at Charles de Gaulle-Etoile, you'll arrive at Bir-Hakeim at 16:58. Bir-Hakeim is the closest Metro station to the Eiffel Tower.

Linda, Thanks for the additional information. As the others have suggested, it should be an easy trip to Chantilly. The route suggested by Tim will work, however it involves some "backtracking" to the direction you want to go. My preference would be to take Metro Line 1 from St. Paul (direction La Defense) to Chatelet, walk to Chatelet-Les-Halles and then transfer to RER "D". That will be slightly more effort as Chatelet-Les-Halles is a "super transfer" station so a bit of walking will be involved (I don't find that to be a problem). Upon arrival at Orry-la-Ville-Coye, as the Hotel suggested a Taxi to Tiara Château Hotel Mont Royal Chantilly would seem to be the best option. As it's Christmas day, I'd probably also make arrangements for the Taxi back to the station, perhaps at a pre-determined time. On the way back to Paris, the simplest route appears to be RER "D" (direction Malersherbes-Melun) to Gare du Nord, transfer to RER "B" (direction Robinson Saint-Rémy-lés-Chevreuse) to Saint-Michel, then transfer to RER "C" (direction Pontoise Saint Quentin / Versailles Rive-Gauche) and disembark at Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel station. From the Eiffel Tower back to your Hotel, I'd use Metro line 6 from Bir-Hakeim (direction Nation) to La Motte Picqet Grenelle, transfer to Metro Line 8 (direction Créteil-Préfecture) to Concorde and finally transfer to Metro Line 1 (direction Chateau de Vincennes) to St.-Paul station. There are numerous variables in the Metro and RER routes you can take, but these are the ones I'd likely use. I'd suggest double-checking your route with Hotel staff when you arrive, in case there are any line disruptions or whatever. Cheers!

Thank you Tim and Ken for all that information. It is very appreciated and helps sort out our plans nicely.
Linda