Train connection - Enough time?

We will be arriving via the Eurostar on May 2 (Tuesday) at 14:17 and need to catch a connecting train to Nimes at Gare Lyon at 15:24.

I was looking through some old threads about taking a taxi and was unpleasantly surprised to see that there can sometimes be quite a wait at the taxi stand. Would this be the case mainly in the summer or other holidays? I was given very specific instructions how to use the RER but thought a taxi might be better and easier. My Eurostar and TGV tickets can%26#39;t be changed.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

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I don%26#39;t think you have a problem. When you get off the Eurostar train, hustle to the taxi stand. If I%26#39;m not mistaken, as you get off the platform you need to go to the left to the taxi stand outside the station building.

If it looks like the line is very long - and they usually move pretty quickly - just back-track to the RER D line Direction Villeneuve-St-Georges which will take you to Gare de Lyon in about 7 or 8 minutes. At the outside, including buying a ticket, it shouldn%26#39;t take you more than 20 minutes.

Even if you are operating at less than optimum efficiency, I don%26#39;t see how you could not be at Gare de Lyon and have located your train by 15:00.

If you have a printed ticket you don%26#39;t even have to remember to %26quot;compost%26quot; (time and date stamp) your ticket in the machine located near your platform at Gare de Lyon.

You have plenty of time.

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I have printed my Prem%26#39;s but the conditions d%26#39;utilisation are in French and I was unsure if I had to validate or do something else prior to boarding. I guess we%26#39;ll decide about taxi vs RER when we arrive.

Thanks for your help, Irish.

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You%26#39;ve a bit over an hour to get from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon. Assuming your train arrives on time (usually to the minute) it should take you no more than five minutes to collect your baggage from the car vestibule, stepp off of the train and make your way to the regular taxi rank outside the station. The taxi travel time between the two stations should take anywhere from 15-to-25 minutes (vagaries of traffic). Even if you had to wait 15 minutes or so, you%26#39;d still have plenty of time to get from the taxi to your departure platform at Gare de Lyon.

As a %26#39;back-up%26#39; plan carry your RER instructions with you. It%26#39;s good to have options...and the ability to take advantage of them if the situation arises.

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To be on the safe side, you can take the RER, %26quot;D%26quot; line, that runs direct from GdN to Gdl. The ride is less than 10 mn and there is a train every 10 to 15 mn at this time of the day. You can check on ratp.fr.

In my view, the taxi option is a bit more chancey, especially if you are in the rear cars of the Eurostar, which means that a big queue will have already formed at the taxi stand. Plus, the boulevard Magenta, that you%26#39;ll have to take between the two stations, has been transformed into a car trap by our beloved mayor (which is good: too many motorists have no business driving their cars in Paris, traffic jams make for a good rehab policy), and the bus/taxi lane won%26#39;t help since it is a single lane, already full of... buses and taxis, the former frequently stopping and halting traffic on this specific lane.

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I agree with Bob, i wouldn%26#39;t even try a taxi, given the huge works i saw a few weeks ago. It has been a while now on the Boulevard Magenta. I also saw a long line for taxis, and it wasn%26#39;t even the holidays.

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Take the RER - although be aware its a bit of a hike to the RER platforms at Gare Du Nord. You will still have plenty of time at GdL to but some Pauls pastries........

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Thank you all for the help and reassurance that I didn%26#39;t make a mistake with my connection timing.

Getting caught up in traffic would not be good so we%26#39;ll be brave and use the RER :%26gt;))

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Girl in Vernon ~%26gt; I must have forgot you were headed to Paris. Are you staying there a bit?

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Hi Onward. No, we%26#39;re just passing through. We%26#39;ll only see the inside of 2 train terminals but does that count as visiting Paris?

I%26#39;m hoping to convince my husband to travel there for our 12th anniversary next year, plus return to England.

btw - only 6 more sleeps!!

Linda

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Wow 6 more sleeps Linda that%26#39;s cool. This trip for us commemorates our silver anniversary.

Yes, it qualifies for being in Paris.