HELP! How long and whats the best way to get from Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Montparnasse!?

Question

I am travelling from ST Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord on the eurostar. I arrive at the Gare du Nord at 15.55, my transfer TGV to Nantes leaves Paris Montparnasse at 17.00! This is a package I bought off the internet. Do i have enough time to make it to the TGV platform? and whats the best way to go about it!

Answer 1

Ligne 4 (subway) direction Porte d'Orléans: 25 minutes.

Answer 2

The best way from gare du nord to gare montparnasse:

Take the line 4 (purple line) direction "porte d'Orleans". It's direct.

Come down to the station "Gare Montparnasse." (of course)

In metro station to metro station must be 26 minutes.

The arrival is long because the corridors of the metro are long. But you have time.

Answer 3

No problem!  I've done that same route about a hundred times and you'll make it!

When you exit the eurostar at Gare du Nord, get off the train, turn left after you leave the platform.  You'll see a large blue sign overhead with directions towards Metro/RER.  The entrace is just 50 meters from the Eurostar platform exit.

So, follow that sign to the metro entrace (it goes downstair)!  Get on Metro Line #4 (purple line) in direction Port d'orleans.  You'll need a metro ticket first though so get one at the ticket window (they speak english).  Get off at Montparnasse (14th stop on this line).  The trip will take no more than 30 minutes.

If you have alot of luggage, Metro is a bit difficult!  So, you may wish to just take a taxi.  Exit the station (turn left after leaving the platform and keep walking till you reach the main entrance to Gare du Nord.  Out front will be a bunch of taxis.   The problem is that at that time of day traffic is bad!  The taxi trip will probably take (even with very bad traffic) about 30 minutes.  So, hopefully you don't have a huge amount of luggage which will allow you to more easily take the Metro.

Don't forget to valide your ticket when you get to Montparnasse (composter in french) at the tiny little yellow SNCF machines right at the entrance of each platform (voie).  Insert your ticket into the machine and it will time stamp it.  If you don't do this the ticket checker will give you some hassle.

Answer 4

I found an article in the net that emphasizes on the same problem. This of course does not mean that this article is the most accurate... Maybe it shows the opinion of just one person...

Anyway, here it is:

"If you must connect in Paris, allow LOTS of time. Eurostar and TGV trains from the north terminate at Gare du Nord, and departures to the south are from one of seven other stations scattered around the city, depending on your destination. You will have to either leave Gare du Nord and take a taxi to your departure station, or take the Metro.

Going from the Metro to the TGV train at the Montparnasse Station

Beware of making a Metro connection from a TGV train at Gare du Nord to another TGV at Montparnasse. The Montparnasse station is enormous; we walked with our luggage within the station for almost an hour, going up and down countless staircases to get from the Metro stop to the TGV platform, and arrived just in time to watch our train to Tours depart without us.

We had allowed 1.5 hours from our arrival at Gare du Nord to our departure at Montparnasse and it wasn't nearly enough; 2.5 or 3 hours would be much safer."

I have heard that taking the Metro or the taxi is much safer to travel around Paris

To take the metro you can follow the directions:

From Gare du Nord to Gare Montparnasse

Walk off the Eurostar platform, turn left, and follow the signs for Metro line M4.

Take metro line M4 direct to Montparnasse Bienvenue (follow signs 'M4 direction Porte d'Orléans').

I hope i helped you

Answer 5

I'm unsure of how long it will take (my guess is 30 minutes if you don't have to wait too long for trains), but I think your best means of getting from Gard du Nord to Montparnasse is:

Take RER B direction Antony to station Denfert Rochereau

Switch to the Metro, ligne 6, direction Charles de Gaulle Etoile and get off at Montparnasse.  

Note, if you have a lot of luggage, you are going to be royally screwed traveling at the time you indicated.  My god, I've never been packed so tightly into a space as I was on ligne 6 during the evening rush.  

Bonne chance!

PS  I suggested a different route from everyone else (so far) because the RER has fewer stops, so it should be a little faster even though you have to change to the Metro at Denfert Rochereau.

Answer 6

If you take the Métro, and the Eurostar is on time, you should be able to get to your TGV on time.  The Métro can be difficult to take if you have lots of luggage, and it's very crowded at rush hour (especially on line 4, the line you'd probably take between stations).  A taxi might make it, although it's rush hour for the taxis, too.

TGVs generally always leave on time.  As long as you're there before 17:00 (even two minutes in advance), you should make it.  If you're two minutes late, you'll miss it.