A guide to making the transfer between Lille Europe station and Lille Flandres station on foot and by Metro.
If you'll be walking from Lille city centre to Lille Europe station, first head to Lille Flandres station and follow the four stages described below:
Step 1: Leave the Lille Flandres station building from the right hand side of the main concourse at the terminal end of the station (when facing away from the trains).
Step 2: Once you're outside the station you will be on a plaza, with bus stops and an alternative entrance to the Metro station, over to the left.
Walk ahead a few steps from here and you will see the scene pictured below
ShowMeTheJourney has deliberately focused the image on the flags in the distance.
The two buildings with the grey curved roofs (below the brown building, which is the Crowne Plaza Hotel) is Lille Europe station.
The easiest option (particularly if you are connecting to a Eurostar) is to head for the part of Lille Europe station, which is over to the left.
Step 3:
The black building, which will be over to the right, is the Euraile shopping centre.
Walk ahead crossing the street and passing the entrance to the Euraile shopping centre.
The pavement/sidewalk will then begin to slope down, but the roadway will remain level on the left hand side.
You are aiming for the arches in the distance - which support the road deck as it is carried over the station on a bridge.
Step 4: When you reach these arches head over to the left, but don't turn sharp left; the entrance to the station will be ahead of you beneath the road bridge.
You will now be crossing the Place Francois Mitterrand; the square beside Lille Europe station's south side.
Walk straight ahead and under the road deck, you will see...
Step 5: Head for the escalators (and a lift) and you will ascend into Lille Europe, entering the station between its departure halls 2 and 3.
When you're in the station turn right and go into Hall 2 if you will be taking a TGV or Thalys train.
Turn to the left if you're taking the Eurostar, walk ahead into Hall 4 at the far end of the station, the Eurostar check-in will be on the left hand side.
Follow the signs that point the way to Lille Flandres station and you will exit from the side of the station on to the Place Francois Mitterrand.
Immediately in front of you will see a series of arches that support a road that is heading toward the city.
In the image above, Lille Flandres station is the building between the arches.
You need to keep these arches on your right as you walk straight ahead of you from Lille Europe, head towards the large building that houses the Euraile shopping centre/hotel and keep this building on your left.
You will then ascend a fairly gentle slope up to street level, which can make pulling a heavy suitcase a tad tricky; and as you walk up this slope, you will see Lille Flandres station ahead of you.
Walking between the stations takes around 7 mins - so in bad weather, resorting to the Metro for the one stop hop between the stations can be worth every cent - tickets cost €1.
The steps to follow are:
(1) The escalator entrance down to the Metro station is in the main departure hall, behind the main concourse - keep walking straight ahead as you exit the voie/platform/track that your train will have arrived at.
(2) The ticket machines are fairly easy to use - select the ticket that costs €1.
(3) You need to take a Line 2 train heading towards 'C.H. Dron'.
(4) Use the lift or escalators to access the trains - the lift is a better option if you have luggage.
(5) It's a one stop hop to Lille Europe.
(6) Use the lift or escalators to ascend into Lille Europe station - access from the platforms is step free.
(7) The Metro exits into Hall 2 at Lille Europe - if you will be connecting to the Eurostar, turn to the right and head for Hall 4 (through Hall 3) at the far end of the building, which is where the Eurostar check-in is located.
The steps to follow when taking the Metro from Lille Europe to Lille Flandres station are:
(1) The ticket machines are fairly easy to use - select the ticket that costs €1.
(2) You are taking a train heading towards 'St Philibert' - only one line serves Lille Europe.
(3) If you have luggage then the lifts down to the platforms are the better option - there are escalators down to an interim level, but only UP escalators connect this level with the trains.
(4) When you reach the platform, walk to the far end - some of the trains are only two cars long and these trains only use the far end of the platform.
(5) It's a one stop hop to Lille Flandres.
(6) At Lille Flandres use the escalator or lift to ascend from the platform.
(7) When you have reached the Metro main hall - walk ahead of you to the far side where there are escalators that will bring you up into the departure hall of the mainline station.
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