Get to know the Paris métro
The lines to take
Yes, the Paris métro is a scary prospect for a lot of people. And there’s no shame in you being one of them.
To get to another station in 20 minutes, here are the lines you need to focus on:
Gare Montparnasse
Located on the left bank, Montparnasse Station serves:
Brittany (Rennes, Brest, Quimper…)
Pays de la Loire (Nantes, Le Mans…)
South‑West (Bordeaux, Bayonne, La Rochelle…)
📍 Easy access: Direct metro connections (lines 4, 6, 12, 13)
From Gare de Lyon, it takes about 20 to 25 minutes by public transport.
Take metro line 14, then metro line 4.
Gare du Nord
Situated in northern Paris, Gare du Nord is one of Europe’s busiest stations. It’s a strategic departure point for journeys to:
Northern France: Lille, Arras, Calais, Dunkirk…
London and Northern Europe (Brussels, Amsterdam, Cologne…) via Eurostar.
📍 Easy access: Metro (lines 4, 5) and RER (B, D, E) allow direct connections to other Paris stations.
From Gare de Lyon, it takes about 15 minutes by RER D.
Gare Saint‑Lazare
Right in central Paris, Saint‑Lazare Station takes you to Normandy:
Rouen, Caen, Le Havre, Deauville…
📍 Easy access: Connected to lines 3, 12, 13, and the automatic line 14 — ideal for quickly reaching Gare de Lyon or Bercy.
From Gare de Lyon, you can reach Saint-Lazare station in just 7 minutes via line 14.
Gare de l’Est
At the heart of Paris, Gare de l’Est opens the doors to the East of France and beyond:
Reims, Nancy, Metz, Strasbourg, Colmar… extending to Germany and Luxembourg.
📍 Easy access: Metro (lines 4, 5, 7) allows easy connections to other Paris stations.
From Gare de Lyon, you can reach Gare de l’Est in about 15 to 20 minutes via metro line 14, then metro line 4.
How does it work?
You’re in luck, as there are various options!
- On board: buy a Navigo Easy pass on the train. With TGV Lyria, you can purchase a pre‑loaded zone 1 to 5 ticket in the bar-coach, so you don’t waste time once you arrive.
- At an automatic ticket machine: these machines are located in the underground level of the station, just before the entrance to the métro. You can buy one-way tickets from these.
- At the ticket window: iif machines aren’t your thing, there is always someone at the counter to help you with transport tickets.
- On your phone : the easiest if you often travel by train in Paris — get a Navigo Easy pass at the counter and simply top it up on your phone, or buy tickets via apps like Bonjour RATP, SNCF Connect, Île‑de‑France Mobilités.
⚠️ Warning: when buying tickets, don’t store them next to a mobile phone or bank card, as this can cause them to become demagnetised. Go to the ticket window if your ticket won’t go through the automatic gate and you haven’t already used it.
At the Gare de Lyon, the métro lines indicated above can be accessed on the underground level of the station. If you’ve exited the station, you’ve gone too far! Once on the métro platform, you only have to wait two to three minutes, sometimes less, for your train to arrive. All line interchanges are marked on the maps above the métro doors. The only thing left for you to do is remember the line numbers you need and take the train going in the right direction.
For example, if you’re travelling from Gare de Lyon to Gare Montparnasse, you can change at Châtelet and take line 4 in the direction of Bagneux-Lucie Aubrac, getting off at the Montparnasse Bienvenue stop.
These few pointers should help ensure your transfers are more serene, smooth and calm as you head towards the most beautiful destinations in France.
