Paris Montparnasse

Our guide to Paris Montparnasse train station explains what to look out for when departing and arriving here by train.

There’s no doubting that taking a train from Paris Montparnasse station can be an unexpected experience.

In contrast to the other mainline stations in Paris, that have all preserved their 19th century character, Paris Montparnasse train station is a fine example of 1970’s brutalist architecture.

So depending on your point of view it’s either monumentally ugly, or admirable in its own way.

What first time users will find particularly odd is that trains depart from an upper concourse - which is above street level AND two storeys above the Metro station.

 But don’t be alarmed -  impressive banks of escalators give access to/from the trains, and lifts are also available which connect all the levels.

Our guide to arriving by train at Gare Montparnasse focuses on how to transfer to the Metro - and then how to use the Metro to reach the other mainline stations.

If you're not used to using Paris Montparnasse then this can be confusing.

CONNECTING TO THE METRO

TO GARE DU NORD      TO EST

TO GARE DE LYON      TO ST. LAZARE

TO AUSTERLITZ

Many TGV trains that arrive at Montparnasse can be 20 coaches long, so if your reserved seat is towards the rear of such a train, it can take around 5 mins before you step on to the main concourse at the station.

Once you're on the main concourse keep going ahead of you until you are in the Hall 1 area of the station,

At the rear of Hall 1 you will see two banks of escalators, both of which connect this Hall 1 to street level and the entrance to the Metro station

Although the escalators can be switched so that they only ascend up into the station.

If they are you'll have to seek out the lifts back on the main concourse, if you don't want to take your luggage down flights of stairs.

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TRANSFERRING TO THE METRO:

The entrance to the Metro station is located two levels below the area of Montparnasse train station that the long distance express trains arrive at.

Though be aware that if you do use the lifts on the main concourse to access the Metro, the access between stepping out of the lift and entering the Metro station is not step free.

The Metro station is named 'Montparnasse – Bienvenüe' - and it is very much a station of two parts.

Line 6 and Line 13 use the part of the Metro station closest to its entrance hall.

However, Line 4 and Line 12 are some distance away at the end of an exceptionally long travellator - that can be accessed from the Metro entrance hall.

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TO THE OHER MAIN LINE STATIONS IN PARIS:

Connecting to Gare Du Nord:

This step-by-step GUIDE explains how to make the connection from Montparnasse to the Gare Du Nord by Metro.

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Connecting to Gare de l'Est:

This is a transfer that looks straightforward - as Metro Line 4 provides a direct link between Montparnasse and the Gare de l'Est - direction Porte de Clignancourt.

However, if you have luggage it’s far from convenient – and even if you don’t, it can be energy sapping.

Also line 4 is the 2nd busiest Paris Metro line - so at peak times the crowds can seem overwhelming.

(1) The line 4 platforms/voies at Montparnasse – Bienvenüe metro station, are connected the Metro entrance hall by long passage ways.

So long, that despite the travellators, it takes 12-15 minutes to make the transfer to the Metro platform, from stepping off a main line train at Montparmasse.

You will experience a ‘will I ever get there’ feeling and you'll also have to negotiate stairs - so it's awkward if you have luggage.

(2) It’s then 13 stops from Montparnasse – Bienvenüe metro to the Gare de l'Est, so the train journey takes 20–25mins.

(3) When you eventually arrive at Gare de l'Est  - follow the signs to ‘Grande Lignes', if you will be taking a TGV, Thalys, Eurostar or Intercités train.

In the summer, making the transfer can be particularly uncomfortable, temperatures can soar at both main line stations, on the train and in the passage ways.

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Connecting to Gare de Lyon

This is an awkward transfer- as there are no direct Metro or RER lines between Montparnasse and the Gare De Lyon.

The easiest of many options is:

(1) Take a line 6 train to Bercy station - direction Nation.

(2) At Bercy transfer to a Line 14 train (direction St Lazare) for the one stop hop from there to the Gare De Lyon.

Two reasons why we recommend this routing.

(i) The Line 6 platforms are the nearest to the entrance to the Montparnasse – Bienvenüe metro station

(ii) From the Line 14 platforms there are lifts up to the Metro station concourse at the Gare De Lyon.

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Connecting to Gare St Lazare:

Direct Metro trains on two lines connect Montparnasse to St Lazare.

However use Line 13 and take trains heading towards Saint Denis or Asineres and NOT line 12.

The line 13 trains are much easier to access from the Meto station entrance at Gare Montparnasse than the Line 12 trains.

Then at St Lazare, the part of the station complex used by the line 13 trains, also has easier access to the main part of the station than the Line 12 trains.

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Connecting to Gare Austerlitz:

This is an awkward transfer - as there are no direct Metro or RER lines between Montparnasse and Austerlitz.

The easiest of many options is

(1) Take a line 6 train to Place d’Italie - direction Nation

(2) Transfer there to a Line 5 train - direction Bobigny

A plus is that the Line 6 platforms are the nearest to the entrance at Montparnasse – Bienvenüe metro station.

A negative is that multiple staircases need to be used when making the transfer between the Metro Lines at Place d’Italie.

Another negative is that Austerlitz Metro station is above ground - and there are no escalators/lifts down to ground level where the mainline trains depart from, you have no choice but to use the stairs.

If you have luggage or the weather is hot, a taxi can be worth every cent.

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Even more information is available on our guide to using major stations in France which you can find here.

Discover more about the ticket machines, how to make sense of the departure information and how to find your way to your train - regardless of which station you will be using.