Train stations in Paris

You can take a taxi from your hotel to the train station. Don't expect the taxi drivers to speak English. But you can write down the name of the train station on a slip of paper - or have the hotel book the taxi for you. Otherwise, you can get around Paris just fine without knowing French - I know I always have.

If you don't want to take a taxi, you can take the bus or metro if you wish (I'm frugal and rarely take taxis, even if I have to drag my bags further than most people would). But I'm also savvy with public transportation; if you aren't just take a taxi. You can find public transit directions from place to place on websites like Google Maps.

Which train station? I could guess; but to find out for sure, I'd try a website like Rome2Rio and just type in Le Havre and it should be pretty obvious. Or just go on a website like www.trainline.eu and search for tickets - it will tell you which station.

If you happen to have a smart phone, it would help you in France. There are language translation apps that may not exactly allow for a free conversation but will let you translate enough words to communicate if need be. However, many people will speak enough English in Paris to get by, particularly in the tourist industry.

First make sure you go to the correct station in Paris. There are many! For Le Havre you need Gare Paris-Saint-Lazare, but it should say this on your ticket.

Finding your train is easy.

• Walk into the station and look for the big departure board. You can't miss it. Example (not Gare St Lazare): http://c8.alamy.com/comp/BK7W9H/europe-france-paris-information-board-at-the-train-station-departures-BK7W9H.jpg
• Find you train on the list. Check by train number (on your ticket), departure time and destination (Le Havre).
• The right hand column (Voie) is platform number. Platform numbers are posted 10-15 minutes before departure.
• When the platform number is posted, follow the signs to that platform. A lot of other people will be doing the same thing.
• When you get to the platform, find the correct coach (on your ticket), get on and find your seat.

Easy - easier than an airport!

After spending a week in Paris your train trip to Le Havre will be easy for you. If you are interested, there is a nice little tour of the city of Le Havre in a tour bus from the main square, where the port shuttle bus stops. It doesn’t take long and only costs about 10 euro. I was surprised at how pleasant the city is.

I'm glad to hear that Le Havre is a nice place.

Sometime before mankind stopped chopping messages into stone and discovered paper I used to - as a young boy - call at Le Havre on the way to crossing the Atlantic on a liner to New York. Southampton was always an afternoon departure and after we had crossed the Channel the stop at Le Havre was always in the dark (we didn't cross in summer) so I never saw anything of the place but lights.

I've driven past, too, on the way to Normandy, but have never stopped in.

Maybe I will now.

Thanks, Norma.

Thank you all for the replies and the good advice. We travel a lot by air and cruises but we are not train riders except for Spain .. now I feel more relax.
It is very nice to have people that takes the time to help with our concerns.

Like Andrew H, we seldom take taxis. Most of the stations in Paris are easily reachable by public transportation. After a week, you'll probably have the Metro system and possibly the buses figured out. Ask your hotel for the easiest way to get to your station. Once you are there, as Chris said, it's easy. Just allow yourself enough time to get confused! If you don't get confused, you'll have time for a coffee at the station.

We'll be in Paris about the same time, but only for a couple of days. Have a great trip; Paris is wonderful.

Here are several links that will sort out your transport questions:

http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21879/visiting-paris/

https://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/

www.parisbytrain.com

The rapid-transit website includes an interactive function. Type in the address of your hotel and your destination and it will show you the possibilities. (Google Maps is getting better at transport planning too. Its Internet address varies depending on where you are.)
The train link is constantly being refined. Avoid any bump to RailEurope. Some Americans apparently have difficulty processing credit-card purchases.
Parisbytrain is a blog that includes photographic tours of some train stations, helpful for getting your bearings once you arrive.

Some seniors still don't have a complete set of computer/phone gizmos (me), but many hotels now have a public computer in the library where you could check your arrangements daily. Any place dealing with tourists will offer at least some English. It's handy to take the hotel card, to show to a taxi driver if needed.

Since the Paris Metro can sometimes be difficult to manuever because of stairs, etc., you may want to consider taking an Uber to the train station once you figure out which station you need. Drivers speak pretty good English as well and since you specify your destination when you book the ride on your Uber app, there usually is no dispute over where you are going. At the station itself, you'll have no problems if you are patient. if you have pre-booked and reserved your tickets, you'll know your train number which will make it easy to find your platform once it is posted on the big board inside the station (usually 15 or so minutes prior to departure). If you buy your tickets at the station- which is also very easy from the automated ticket machines all over the station, you can simply look at the big board to find your train. Once the platform number is posted there is a monitor at the track which will identify which stations the train will be stopping at. Just don't forget to validate it in the yellow validation machines at the end of the platform.

Taxi drivers in Paris speak "pretty good English" according to herronlaw. Really? Maybe a little English, maybe no English, has been my experience. Best not to give false hope.

Norma - I was referring to Uber drivers speaking pretty good English. Read my post. This was based upon the experiences my wife and I had a mere month ago with several Uber drivers in Paris. First class professionals all of them.

Legitimate question , why would a person use Uber over a taxi?

How exactly are Uber drivers more professional, aren't they just guys suing their own cars ?

One reason to use Uber over a taxi, as someone mentioned above: Because you input into your telephone yourself your destination -- meaning that you don't have to engage with the driver to tell him/her where to go. Also because it is linked to your card and you don't have to come up with the cash or worry about whether the taxi driver takes cards.

I'm not saying Ubers are always better than taxis, merely responding to the question of why one might prefer one at a given time.

I always use cash overseas except for hotels and large purchases , and how hard is it to write down an address on a piece of paper .

I don't travel with a phone on plan and so I have managed.

izqmar, let me ask you -- how comfortable are you with the hustle and bustle in major train stations in the US like Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station in NYC, 30th St Station Philadelphia, and Union Station in DC? If they make you nervous or uncomfortable, Parisian stations will be even more challenging when you add the language barrier along with people in a hurry.

If indeed you are uncomfortable/nervous about busy train stations in which English is not the mother tongue, see if your hotel can arrange some sort of car service in which the driver can escort you to the correct track. I don't know if this service exists but I would hope it does.

The OP will have been in Paris for a week. before the train trip to Le Havre. Already acclimatized, the train station should not be a problem to the OP and companion. It is just getting around in a train station after all, not a journey into darkness. Perhaps on one of their days in Paris they could do a quick reconnoiter of the station so as to know what to expect.