Traveling from calais to paris?

[jenny111]

im travelling to paris by train from calais in a few saturdays time, i wondered if some one could tell me how long it will take from calais to paris by train?

[sddsddean]

Anything from 1hr 24 mins on Eurostar, to 5+hrs. You will probably have to change at Lille or Amiens. Use this site to look at alternatives.
http://www.tgv-europe.com/en/home/

[Buenchico]

If you take the direct TGV service from Calais Ville, at 1239, it will take just 1 hour 50 minutes to get to Paris Nord.

At other times you need to change trains (usually at Lille Flandres or Hazebrouck). Typical journey times are between 2� and 3 hours.

SNCF's UK website is here:
http://www.sncf.co.uk/
but the Deutsche Bahn site (which has rail times for the whole of Europe) is more user-friendly:
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

Chris

[Buenchico]

PS: The Eurostar journey, quoted by Sddsddean, departs from Calais Frethun, which is well outside the main town of Calais.

Chris

[tel b]

PPS for Buenchico, I don't think you can board it for internal journeys - you have travel from the UK to use Eurostar.

[jenny111]

ok thanks, but what if i get the train from calais at 6.00am do i have to go far to get to the nearest station, is it expensive and will we know when to change over?

[Buenchico]

The first sensible train service from Calais Ville on a Saturday is at 0643. (At least it is on 12th April. You've not given your exact date so I've used 12/04 when checking timetables). As you seem to have spotted, there is a service at 0601 but it takes 4 hours 19 minutes (changing at Amien) and doesn't get you to Paris Nord until 1020.

The 0643 service only takes 2 hours 37 minutes (changing at Lille Flandres) and gets you to Paris an hour earlier at 0920.

Calais Ville station is fairly central within the town. (I've not been to Calais for a while but, unless things have changed, it's where the buses from the ferry terminals drop people off).

The 0643 service has Lilles Flandres as its destination, which is 7 stops along the line. It arrives at 0802.

From Lilles you take the 0817 TGV service, which has Paris Nord as its destination. It's non-stop and arrives at 0920.

The only reason that you might want to take the 0601 service is that it's slightly cheaper. (�27.50 instead of �35.50). If so, the service arrives in Amien at 0812. You've then got an hour to wait for the 0913 service to Paris Nord, arriving at 1020.

Note that TGV services require advance reservation. (You might be permitted to purchase a ticket on the day but it's not certain). Use the SNCF link, above, to book your ticket.

Chris

[jenny111]

ohhh thank you so much, thats the information i was exactly looking for!! I will now plan my trip around your info. thank you again, oh 1 more thing we are going on the 5th of April so does that mean the trains will be different?

[Buenchico]

Thanks for the reply.

I've just checked the SNCF website. The services (and fares) on 5th April are the same as I quoted for the 12th.

Chris

[jenny111]

oh thanks yea just been on it my self, but says only a few seats left, not sure what that means but will have a look. thank you so much. u know so much info cheers.

[jenny111]

oh 1 more thing sorry to be a pain but how long does it take from calais to get to the train station

[jenny111]

hi again, sorry to write so much but does anyone now know how long it takes from lilles flandres station to the eithell tower?

[Buenchico]

Er, what? The train station is in Calais!

If you mean "how long does it take to get from the port to the train station?", it's about 10 minutes walk. See under 'Can't wait for the bus?', here, for directions:
http://www.day-tripper.net/shoppingfootpasseng ers.html

It seems that the free buses to the town centre have been discontinued and the services run by the local bus company, SIPAC, don't run early enough for you. So it's either a walk or a short taxi ride.

Chris

[jenny111]

yea thats what i meant. anyway one last question i think, how long does it take from the station in paris to the eiffel tower? any one know, sorry to bother you?

[Buenchico]

Now I think that you're trying to confuse me! ;-)

If you're starting from Lilles Flandres, the first thing to do (to get to the Eiffel Tower), as stated above, is to take the train to Paris Nord!

When you arrive at Gare du Nord, alight from the train and walk along the platform to the main concourse. Turn left and walk towards the far end of the concourse. (Gare du Nord is a massive station. There are nearly 50 platforms!). Look for signs showing 'RER'. Once you get to the area where the RER train platforms are, look for Line B. After purchasing a ticket, go the Line B platform with the direction shown as towards Robinson and Saint R�my les Chevreuse. The trains are very frequent. Travel for 2 stops (which takes just a few minutes) to St Michel - Notre Dame. Alight and look for the 'Correspondence' signs, directing you to Line C. Go to the platform for trains towards Versailles - Rive Gauche and Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines. Once again, the trains are very frequent. Travel for 4 stops (about 10 minutes) to Champ de Mar Tour Eiffel. Leave the station, look up and you can't miss the Eiffel Tower ;-)

Chris

[Buenchico]

PS: Since you wanted a journey time from Gare du Nord to Tour Eiffel, I'd guess that you ought to allow half an hour. You'll only be on the RER trains for around that time but you've got to find the platforms and get tickets, so half an hour is probably about right.

Chris

[jenny111]

oh thank you ever so much, but would you by any chance know how much it would be? this is my last question i promise? how do you know all this info?

[Buenchico]

Hi again.

Calais to Paris Nord will, as stated above cost you �35.50. That assumes that you use the 'sensible' service at 0643, via Lille. (Remember that the journey involves using a TGV service which requires pre-booking. Use the SNCF link above).

The whole of the RER journey, from Gare du Nord to Champ de Mar - Tour Eiffel, is within Zone 1 of the Paris transport system, so the single fare is just �1.50.

If you're planning on further travel within Paris, you might also want to consider these tickets:

Carnet: This is a book of 10 tickets for individual journeys within central Paris. There's no time limit for using the tickets. The carnet costs �11.10

Paris Visite: There are two versions of this tourist ticket. One covers 6 zones, the other covers 3 zones. You almost certainly don't need the 6 zone version, so I'll just give the 3 zone prices. A 1 day ticket (for unlimited travel on Metro, RER and bus services in Zones 1 to 3) costs �8.50. The 2 day version costs �14. 3 days costs �19. 5 days costs �27.50

However, most tourists don't actually need to travel as far out as Zone 3. It's cheaper, for one day's unlimited travel, to buy a 2 Zone Mobilis ticket for �5.60.

Chris

PS: I used to run a major railway station, so sorting out rail information is second nature to me. As I rail employee, I also got cheap travel on Eurostar - just �19 for any journey - so I got to know Paris quite well ;-)

[jenny111]

Thank you very much.
Do you know if the train times back wil make a difference and will it still be 2hours etc? so im guessing the return will get us back aswell coz im worried that its france and they are all different? xx

[Buenchico]

Hmm.

When you wrote "this is my last question i promise?", I somehow guessed that it wouldn't be ;-)

I certainly don't mind answering your question because that's exactly what this site is for but, if you want me to provide an accurate answer to your latest question, please tell me when you'll be returning. On the same day? The following day? A week later? Do you need to catch a particular ferry?

You provide the information and I'll happily provide an answer.

Chris

[jenny111]

Hmm,
Well we will be travelling back the same day, our ferry going home leaves at 21.40pm from calais, so we need to know what time the train will get us back their and do we need to leave in advance?
Thank you once again
Jenny