Paris Gare du Nord (Train Station): Departures and guide

Travel from Paris city center to Paris Gare du Nord train station

Paris, also known as the City of Love, is one of the top cities to visit in Europe. This French city is known for its museums, galleries and fashion. The most iconic spot in Paris is most likely the impressive steal structure of the Eiffel Tower. One of the main train stations in Paris is the Gare du Nord. The station operates routes between Paris and the north of France, as well as some international destinations in Belgium, Germany, Netherlands and United Kingdom. Gare du Nord in French means Northern Station, as it’s located just north of the city center of Paris.

The 1st Arrondisement district is considered the city center area. To travel from the Paris city center to the Paris train station, there are various public transportation routes. Within the central 1st Arrondisement district there are multiple metro stations with connections to the Gare du Nord station like the lines 7 and 8 at Opéra station, or line 1 from Tuileries station.

How far is it from Paris city center to Paris Gare du Nord train station?

The center of the 1st Arrondisement district in Paris is more or less 2.5 miles (4 km) from the main train station, the Gare du Nord. Starting from the Louvre Museum and the Tuileries Gardens. Head northeast on Rue des Pyramides until you reach the Pyramides metro station, and continue north on the Avenue de l’Opéra. As you pass the opera house on your left follow Rue Halévy until it turns into Rue La Fayette. The Rue La Fayette due northeast takes you almost all the way to the Gare du Nord station where many trains to Paris arrive. When you hit Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis after crossing over Boulevard de Magenta, take a left and the station will be on your left-hand side, although there are various entrances from different roads. This whole route can take about 26min if there is a lot of traffic.

What is the best way to get to Paris train station from Paris city center?

The best way of getting to the train station and making sure you make it to your train time in Paris is most likely taking the underground subway. This way you can avoid the traffic in the roads. The main central district of Paris is the 1st Arrondisement district, where a lot of the top attractions are. The Louvre Museum and the Tuileries Gardens are a central place to start. In the northeast corner of the Tuileries Gardens is the Tuileries metro station connecting to the Yellow 1 Line. Take this metro line heading in the direction towards Château des Vincennes. After three stops, get off the Yellow 1 Line at Châtelet and switch to the Magenta 4 Line towards Porte de Clignancourt. Ride the Magenta 4 Line for about 9min until you reach the Gare du Nord stop leading you directly into the train station. The metro route takes about 21min in total.

Tourists in the train station with Eiffel Tower's background. Source: Shutterstock

Where are the airports in Paris and how to get there?

The major airport in Paris is the Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG). This European hub is located about 17 miles (27 km) northeast of the city center and the Gare du Nord station, taking more or less 42min by car. The B train has a direct route to Gare du Nord that takes approximately 34min. The Paris-Orly Airport (ORY) is a smaller airport about the same distance to the train station, south of the city.

How accessible is Paris train station for those with limited mobility?

The Gare du Nord is prepared to offer a barrier-free transit through the station for passengers with reduced mobility. The entrance to the station is step-free and right on street level. The hall of the station is wide and equipped with various elevators to get around the station. The train platforms are conveniently located on the ground floor right as you enter the Gare du Nord. These platforms are not elevated as are equipped with barrier free ramps to board the trains.

Near the tourism office in the ground floor of the station, you’ll find a service available that offers assistance to passengers with reduced mobility or who may need it. The services can consist in assisting in getting around the trains station as well as boarding the SNCF trains. The access to the parking lot, if necessary, is also possible by wheelchair accessible elevators. The wheelchair accessible elevators also allow the transit to the Gare du Nord metro stops connecting at the station.

Night trains to/from Paris Gare du Nord

There aren’t any overnight routes currently operating through the Paris Gare du Nord Station. In this case, the night trains from Paris depart from the Gare de Lyon or the Gare de l’Est. The Gare de l’Est is just a few blocks from the Gare du Nord station and it offers overnight trains between Paris, Berlin (Germany) and Moscow (Russia).

Traveling by train in Paris: Sustainable journey

The information about the train station in Paris indicates the French national railway, SNCF, is working towards replacing and renewing its trains for those that have less of an impact of the environment. They have also developed a way to reduce the sound pollution produced by their trains improving the acoustic comfort for travelers as well as residential areas near the tracks.

Local tips: Paris train station points of interest

The Gare du Nord trains station, as its name indicates in French, is located in the north of the city in the 10th Arrondisement. It is in a vast 19th century building and serves the north of France as well as other European countries like the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. The station is equipped with car rental agencies, various cafes to get your morning baguette, restrooms, shops and a hotel. The closest Parisian attraction to the Gare du Nord is possibly the Sacré-Coeur Basilica (Sacred Heart Basilica) with its iconic steps among the artsy neighborhood of Montmartre. Once you’ve explored the galleries and shops of Montmartre make your way into the city center to see the other major spots in Paris like the Arc de Triomphe and the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris.

• Take in the Eiffel Tower from the Place du Trocadéro square across the Seine river
• See Mona Lisa’s smile in the Louvre Museu
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• Go shopping along Champs-Élysées
• Tour d’Argent, the oldest restaurant in Paris
• People watch from a Parisian café

Tourist on a street near the Arch, Paris. Source: Shutterstock

What to do in Paris

Paris is one of the most visited and iconic European capitals and cities. It’s known for its museums, its beautiful architecture and chic fashion. There is so much to see in Paris you’ll want to make sure you have enough time to make it to all the best places. Within the 1st Arrondisement, you’ll find the Louvre Museum, home to the Mona Lisa masterpiece of Leonardo da Vinci, in the heart of this district. It’s a lively neighborhood full of designer boutiques, parks and boulevards. One of the famous boulevards is the Champs-Élysées lined with chic restaurants and stores. Along the Seine River you’ll see the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris. If you follow the river west you’ll make it to the most characteristic site, the Eiffel Tower.

Make sure you enjoy some of the traditional dishes of their top cuisine while you’re in Paris. If you’re feeling adventurous, try some escargot (snails) combined with herbs, garlic and butter. Eating raw meat is also one of their specialties, if this is something you’re up for, order a steak tartare.