The best trains from Paris for exploring France and the rest of Europe

What many people don’t realise is that Paris is not only accessible by train, it’s also one of Europe’s quickest exit doors. As well as having many day trips from Paris that are accessible by train, there are trains from Paris that take you to Amsterdam, Barcelona and beyond, in just a few hours. You can do alpine or supine on a sleeper train, or you can seek out the sun at high-speed. Here are our best trains to check out of the capital, and into another world. Because there doesn’t always have to be just Paris.

International trains from Paris

Travelling internationally from Paris to other European cities by train still has that glamorous feeling about it that travelling by air has lost. No security stress, pack what you like and travel to and from the city centre. You’ll have more legroom and breathing space, wifi and windows you can see proper scenery from. Checking in is a breeze, enabling you to check out and zone out. Even though Paris’ main stations are central, it’s worth remembering that there are different main stations in Paris, depending on your direction of travel. You can read more about getting to those stations in this blog. 

Here are some of our speediest and coolest international trains from Paris, travelling either directly or with a change or two en route. 

Exploring Europe by direct trains from Paris

The speediest and most state-of-the-art trains from Paris to other countries have to be between Paris and Barcelona, which takes as little as 6 hrs 45 mins, Paris to Amsterdam which you can get to in time for lunch, and Paris to Munich, for a 5 hrs 40 mins journey to the capital of Bavaria, which is gateway to the German Alps. For another recent capital service to Germany, the direct Paris to Berlin train leaves Paris Gare de l’Est at 9:55 and arrives in Berlin at 18:03. 

If you want to swap Parisian chic with Italian flair, say ciao to Milano with a Paris to Milan train journey that is around 6 hrs 40 mins, getting you there in plenty of time for an aperitivo in the Garibaldi go-to area for rambling regazzi. Paris to Geneva is another treat from the European chocolate box of train travel, taking you from the city of lights to the city of lakeside living, in a very sweet 3 hrs 13 mins. And if you’re craving more chocolate, Brussels is brimming over with the stuff and you can be gorging in Grand-Place within 1 hr 22 mins on an international train from Paris. This should really be called the sugar-rush train. 

The closest countries to Paris by train with changes 

As well as these direct darlings, there are some train journeys to other parts of Europe where you need to change, but it’s definitely worth it. We’re highlighting journeys here that many people wouldn’t think to tackle by train, and just do the default flying thing. Is it easy to take the train from Paris to Venice, for example? Si! With just one change in Milan, you can have petit-dejeuner in Paris and be sipping Bellinis overlooking the bridges of Venice by early evening. And if you decide to take two changes, you can stop off at Verona en route. You can’t do that on a plane. Because with train travel, as long as you’re not obliged to reserve a seat, you can hop on and off, as long as you have a flexible ticket that allows that. Or by using a rail pass. 

The other closest countries to Paris by train, where you have to change trains at least once, but which you can access within a day include Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Germany and Italy. Here are some of our lesser-known routes within Europe where taking the train is definitely not a pain. 

Train trips from Paris to Austria 

In Austria, Paris to Vienna takes around 12 hrs with one change in Frankfurt. It’s a quick step rather than a slow waltz to Salzburg from Paris, however, taking around 8 hrs 40 mins, with just one change. Salzburg has the Salzkammergut Lake District on its doorstep, as well as no shortage of mountains and music and getting there by train is most definitely one of our favourite things (if you know you know). 

Train trips from Paris to Spain

In Spain, as well as the aforementioned train from Paris to Barcelona, you can head to Seville, the capital of Andalucía, in just under 14 hrs, with one change in Barcelona. Or longer if you want a cheeky little pinchos stop in the Catalan capital en route. Another Andalucían adventure by train is from Paris to Málaga, which takes at least 14 hrs. This changeover in Barcelona from Paris also gives you access to Madrid, just another 3 hrs away, with no direct train from Paris to Madrid at present. 

Train trips from Paris to Italy 

As well as the direct Paris to Milan and the Paris to Venice train journeys mentioned above, within a day you can also travel direct from Paris to the alpine gateway city of Turin in as little as 5 hrs 38 mins and, from here, it’s just another couple of hours to Genoa, which is opens the door not only to the Ligurian Coast but also to Cinque Terre National Park. And of course, all rail roads lead to Rome, which is another 3 hrs from Milan, making it a 10 hrs odyssey from one capital to the other. 

Sleeper trains from Paris 

Sleeper trains rock in so many ways and if you haven’t taken one yet, Paris is a dreamy place to start your journey through the night. Recently restored due to popular demand, the SNCF Intercités de Nuit from Paris to Nice has one of the most divine wake-up calls you could hope for, clinging to the Côte d’Azur where you can wash the sleep out of your eyes in the Mediterranean. In addition,  Nightjet trains transport you from Paris to Vienna, leaving Paris Est station in the early evening, arriving in Salzburg at 7:30, or Vienna just after 10:00. Both of these services are nailing it when it comes to cosy, carbon-friendly travel. 

Where to go from Paris by train for a weekend or more in France

With over 3,000 train stations and one of the most impressive rail networks in Europe, we aren’t going to list all the best places, but we do have a few favourite train rides from Paris. These are places that are worthy of a few days’ visit, rather than day trips, which you can find out more about in our blog on cities close to Paris by train. 

Normandy by train from Paris 

There are several towns and cities in Normandy, a landscape of historically-important beaches, architectural elegance and salty paths to go walking or cycling along. The main stations that are easily accessible by Paris are the regional capital and cathedral city of Rouen (from 1 hr 15 mins), Caen (around 2 hrs 15 mins) with its medieval centre, castle and proximity to the coast, and Cherbourg (around 3 hrs), the main port and cultural hub on Normandy’s Cotentin Peninsula where there are plenty of walking trails. For a quick dip into Normandy’s Côte Fleurie, or ‘flower coast’, there are train services from Paris to Douville-Trouville station, including a direct train that takes 2 hrs 12 mins to the finest plate of fruits de mer you can imagine. 

If you want to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mont St. Michel by train, head from Paris to Pontorson – Le Mont-Saint-Michel station, where you can get a shuttle bus out to this island idyll. The train journey is around 4 hrs, and the ticket prices include the shuttle out to the beginning of the causeway of this iconic site. 

Brittany by train from Paris

Brittany and Normandy’s coasts make perfect neighbours, but Brittany does have its own Breton beauty and cultural heritage. The capital city is Rennes, which you can reach in as little as 1 hr 35 mins from Paris, to explore the city’s half-timbered houses, Place de l’Opéra and art galleries. Saint-Malo is probably your next stop from Paris, for great sea views, seafood and sea walking trails, as well as medieval maritime architecture. There’s also a beautiful coastal 12km walk from Saint-Malo to Dinard, where you can get a bus back to Saint-Malo. 

The Côte d’Azur by train from Paris

The main cities on the French Riviera, or Côte d'Azur, include Nice, Cannes, Monaco, Menton and Antibes are all easily reachable by train from Paris, most of them on high-speed, direct trains. There are also slower, regional trains going there, as well as the aforementioned sleeper train to Nice. For a suggested weekend itinerary on the Côte d’Azur see here and, for more details, see our blog, Visiting the French Riviera by train. 

Alsace by train from Paris 

Alsace is an awakening if you haven’t been before, with medieval towns and cities, fine food, wine and a cultural heritage that’s influenced by the Vosges Mountains, as well as its proximity to Switzerland and Germany. It’s also at the heart of Europe, with its capital city of Strasbourg as the seat of the European Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights and other important international institutions, it also has a UNESCO-listed Old Town. Train trips from Paris to Strasbourg can be done in as little as 1 hr 45 mins on direct, high-speed services. Colmar is the other Alsatian must-see, which is about half an hour further down the line after Strasbourg on the high-speed train from Paris, with more medieval architecture, canals and cobblestone streets, as well as being gateway to the Alsace Wine Route. For an example of a weekend itinerary in Alsace, see here. 

Bordeaux and the Atlantic Coast from Paris

Although Bordeaux is not on the Atlantic, it is one of the most popular cities to visit en route to spectacular coastal towns such as Biarritz, La Rochelle and the smaller town of St. Jean de Luz. Travelling from Paris to Bordeaux by train is as breezy as the Atlantic, with direct trains taking you to the city of wine in just over 2 hrs. It doesn’t need much of an introduction, but you can read more about Bordeaux in our city guide. For top surfing, Biarritz is awash with adventures and just over 4 hrs from Paris to the waves. 

For a more sedate seaside vibe, La Rochelle is elegant and easy on the eye, with direct trains from Paris in around 3 hrs. For sleepy-sur-mer, but also equally sublime, St. Jean-de-Luz is just 20 mins south of Biarritz by train, in a calm bay with elegant architecture, great swimming and fine Basque food. Trains from Paris are also direct and take a mere 4 hrs 30 mins, and it’s only 600m from the station to the vast sandy beach. You can also hike for 8km from St. Jean-de-Luz to the nearby surf town of Guéthary, and get a train back, or vice versa of course. 

Trains from Paris to the French Alps

For skiing season, or indeed summer hiking season, trains from Paris to the Alps are like a black run, they’re so speedy. The most popular resorts by train are the following: Moûtiers (for ski resorts Courchevel, Meribel, Val thorens, Les Menuires); Aime-la-Plagne (for La Plagne resort); and Bourg-St-Maurice (ski resorts of the Tarentaise Valley, including Les Arcs, Tignes and Val d’Isère). Other top train stations for access to the Alps include Chamonix, Grenoble and Modane. For more information, see our blog, Ski resorts accessible by train in Europe. 

Using a rail pass when travelling onwards from Paris

Booking trains from Paris is particularly easy if you want to use a rail pass, rather than buying individual tickets. The most popular of these is the Eurail or Interrail Pass. This is also the most comprehensive way to explore France and all the other countries mentioned above. Rail passes allow you unlimited travel with the freedom to hit the tracks whenever and wherever you want. You can take as many trains as you like and there is no limit on the distance you can travel within a travel day. All of this at a fixed price. You can also use your multi-country Eurail and Interrail Passes to visit France too of course, or just use a France One Country Pass. For more details, see our guide to European Rail Passes.

You may also enjoy our blogs, Top ten cities to visit in France, Walking trails in France, Top places to visit in the Loire Valley, and European national parks by train. As well as Travelling by Eurostar, which gets you from the UK to Paris in the first place.

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