Gare du Nord to Montparnasse

GARE DU NORD TO MONTPARNASSE

Option 1 - take a taxi

Finding a taxi is easy at Gare du Nord you just have to follow the blue Taxi signs pointing towards the western end (to the right as you exit the trains) of the station, not the front where you might expect to find them, where you’ll find the taxi rank. The queues can be long - it may take twenty minutes to get to the front if you hit a busy period.

Allow yourself at least 1 1/2 hours for this journey as although the ride is probably only 30 minutes traffic can be heavy at peak times - you don't need the added stress!

Option 2 use the metro system.

Before you venture on to the metro system - get yourself a map - these are available free of charge from any metro ticket / information booths.
Better still, download a map before you travel from here:
www.ratp.fr/en/plans and try and familiarise yourself with the system before you go.

You can buy your metro ticket from the ticket office or machines on the main concourse or on the second level. A single ticket will cost you €1.70 or €12.70 for a book of 10 (Carnet). One ticket covers any journey within the central Paris Metro system. The machines have instructions in English.

To access the metro you turn to your left as you leave the trains, you will see the overhead sign giving you the direction to head in. Head downstairs to the second level and the metro entrance.

You will find helpful direction signs as you enter the metro system.

The Paris metro system has colour coded lines which are identified by the stations at each end of the line. You are following the signs for metro line 4 which has the stations Porte de Clignancourt and Mairie de Montrouge as its end destinations - you are heading in the direction of Mairie de Montrouge.

At Gare de Nord metro station you will see how many minutes it is until the next train is due on the overhead sign. Once on the train it is 14 stops to Montparnasse, so try and find a seat at least for Madame! If you have luggage normally it is best to stand by the doors where the seats fold up. Remember it can get very busy at peak times.

Station to station is around a 30 minute trip but because Montparnasse metro station is a 700 metre (750 yard) underground walk to the mainline station platforms you should allow a minimum of 1 hour or better still 1 1/2 hours.

The walk is through well-signed passageways, with some long moving walkways. We've done this journey and busy times can be tight at 1 hour. If you're not comfortable with longish walks with luggage, consider taking the taxi option from Paris Gare du Nord.