Greetings - It will be our first time transferring between these two stations. Our train from Amsterdam arrives at Paris Nord at 11:35 a.m. How much time should we allow to get to Saint Lazare? (heading to Bayeux).
Also - I think I read on this site that we will need to walk to Magenta station to get the RER. Is that the best way?
Thanks so much for your help.
The RATP site for Paris mass transit provides an interactive planning function which will show you alternatives for your route. It estimates times, too, although a stranger will probably take longer to follow the signs along the route. This site can be useful throughout your stay in Paris: http://www.ratp.fr/itineraires/en/ratp/recherche-avancee
If you are not burdened by hand luggage, you can a walk in under 1/2 hour. It is 2.3 km (1.4 miles). By metro it will be between 15 and 25 minutes based on how long you wait for the RER. But -- because the metro stations are not at the train stations, you will still need to walk 800 meters (1/2 mile, or 1/3 of doing the entire transfer on foot) to get to and from the RER stations to the train stations. You are correct that you need to walk to Magenta for the "E", and then one stop to Hausmann. We (couple age 60) walked this last year with the classic RS convertibles on our backs, along with the longer walk between Nord and Montparnasse, with a nice rest stop in Luxembourg Gardens along that route.
There is a walk via underground walkway of 6 minutes to "Magenta" station. The RER "E" goes to "Hausmann-St Lazare" where there is another underground walkway of 6 minutes to the station. The train ride itself is only 3 to 4 minutes.
Give yourself at least 45 minutes considering getting your bearings, buy Metro tickets, wait for the next train. Longer if you still need to buy your tickets to Bayeux.
