Metro Train

Sorry, Vanessa. Do you mean Paris? Which local train do you mean? Which station do you want to know about the elevator in? If its Paris, there are hundreds of stations.

@Nigel apparently she is talking Paris as she's references Gare de Nord. We Angelenos, whose daily travels are dominated by automobiles and rarely use public transportation, forget that the term Metro is used in a variety of cities around the world, even LA.
@Vanessa are you asking if all metro stations have elevators or only Gare de Nord? If it's better to use a taxi to the station or the metro? I can't tell. Many of the metro stations in Paris have elevators but not all. How many bags do you have for the 4 of you? I would think the Metro the cheaper option but with loads of luggage maybe not the best way. Hopefully, other posters who don't travel with carryon luggage can chime in about taxi usage.

With "all your luggages" I suggest taking the taxi. It may require two taxis for four people with luggage. Depending on where you are leaving from, taxis from central Paris may cost about 15-20 Eu each. The Metro for four people would cost less. If there is a taxi stand near your hotel, just go there to get a taxi. Otherwise, ask your desk receptionist to call a taxi for you.

Some Metro stations in Paris have up escalators, but not down escalators. With bunches of luggage, the Metro may be a struggle.

Claudia, there is also a North Station in Brussels. In French it is Nord. And Eurostar goes to both Brussels and Paris.

Vanessa, In order to provide a somewhat specific answer, it would help to have a bit more information. For example..... - How much "luggages" will all of you have? - Which part of Paris will you be staying in prior to your trip to Gare du Nord? - You asked about an Elevator. Do any of you have "mobility issues"? - What time of day will you be making this trip? The Metro is by far the most economical. I have no problem using the Metro even with three pieces of luggage. Cheers!

@Thanks Nigel. Haven't been to Brussels in 40 years so didn't realize. Learn something knew each day!!

Vanessa, It's been quite a few years since I've been in the Gare du Nord, but I don't remember an elevator. I don't even remember an escalator, just stairs. Things could have changed along those lines since our visit in 2004. However, the 4 of us traveled with our luggage on the Metro both to and from the Gare du Nord without any problems. We each had a small bag (Rick Steves 21 inch roll-aboard or similar) and a backpack.

Hello, Thanks so much for your advices. Yes, I was referring to Gare de Nord in Paris. I was hoping to take the Metro from Rue Cler to Gare de Nord (Paris) to take the Eurostar to London. We are 4 travellers and each has one luggage (not a backpack) to take our tour in London. I guess I will have to take the taxi as most of you suggested. Thanks again. It was my first time to do this and I just realized how very helpful you all are. Again, your advices and tips are great... Keep helping fellow travellers..

Since you say you won't have backpacks, I assume you will have rolling bags. If they're carry on-sized, unless someone in your party has physical limitations, you can easily take the metro. Take metro line 8 from either Ecole Militaire or La Tour-Maubourg to Strasbourg - Saint-Denis. Transfer to metro line 4 and take it to Gare du Nord.

But if your luggage is larger than carry on size, four people and four large suitcase could be too much for one taxi.

Vanessa, I am at Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est everytime I am in Paris, the last time being this summer, since my hotel is across the street from Gare du Nord. At Gare du Nord there are both escalators and elevators, not just stairs. Both train stations have been remodeled, refurbished and enlarged.

I am in Paris now and most of the travelers using the metro have no greater than a 22" carryon type luggage and most smaller. All the metro's I have seen in Paris have a significant amount of steps and have yet to see an elevator except around the Montmartre area. Your luggage must fit through the turnstiles which I had a problem years ago. Now I either take the taxi or AF bus into Parisfrom CDG. The taxi from CDG into the 3rd district cost me 50 euros,

There are a couple of ways to get your luggage thru the Metro turnstiles. 1) push it ahead of you when the gate opens, or 2) find the special slot at the end of the bank of turnstiles; push your luggage thru there and exit yourself thru the turnstile, then grab your luggage and go. I've gotten stuck in the Metro turnstiles before figuring out there was a better way.

Just got back from Paris. Just wanted to let you know of a problem we had dealing with going to the airport useing the RER. When we got to the RER station early in the morning for a flight home, we discovered the RER was on strike. No notification prior. Had to find a way to the airport useing the Metro. Always have a plan B in Paris, because they are always striking.

Yes, it is a good idea to have a plan B if your first one in Paris is frustrated somehow. The problem is that it never occurs to me when I am there. As to "they're always striking," I must have missed something here...16 trips to Paris, always in the summer, high season from 1973- 2011, never did I encounter a transportation strike in Paris or France, public or private.

Fortunately the metro system in Paris is becoming automated and this was done to prevent closing of a line during a strike. I have been in Paris during strikes and they usually only close a few lines. Now if only the trains could be automated.