Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare du Lyon - how easy?

[Boatsexer]

DH had been arranging the transport for our summer holiday and had booked tickets via The Trainline. Unfortunately the transfer times he's booked are quite tight. I'm trying to work out of they're at all doable.

My main concern is that we're going to arrive at Paris Gare du Lyon at 16:45 on a Friday afternoon and have to be at Paris Gare du Nord at the latest 28 minutes later for our Eurostar check-in.

I am comfortable with train travel but have never been to Paris before and we'll have two small children in tow (so realistically won't be able to move especially quickly).

Can anyone who is familiar with the journey let me know is this is doable? Or are we bonkers to even contemplate it?

A pre booked taxi is going be your easiest way with two small children.

Don't think you would make it in a taxi. Is there a direct connection with either metro or the regional trains? Gare du Nord is quite big so you'd need to have a good idea where you are going to.

I think in theory its possible but in reality, especially with children in tow, you would be really pushing your luck.

RER line D is direct, with a journey time of about 20 minutes, but you've to get up and down, get a ticket, wait for a train, 50 to 60 minutes is realistic.

I think you will have to change your train, there is no way you can get from one to the other in that time, I’d struggle by myself let alone with luggage and children. I was at Gare Du Nord on Friday night and the traffic was crazy, taxi won’t get you there in time.

The Metro is a bit tricky when you’ve never used it before, the line numbers etc get a bit of getting used to.

Metro is about half an hour train to train. Pushing it with little ones.

RER D line it's only 2 stops, so 10 minute actual journey, but you have to buy tickets and get to /from platforms etc, plus wait for train.

In theory it's doable, but no room for error in an unfamiliar environment and language. How long are you allowing for Eurostar check-in and security? You can usually get away with a shorter time than what they suggest, although obviously not really ideal.

Thanks all for the messages and especially the details. It is as is suspected!

I agree with Turnoff that changing trains is probably the simplest choice - DH will be making a call to The Trainline on Monday to see what can be done. Fingers crossed it won't cost an arm and a leg to change now.

We’ve done it several times; takes minutes. Getting to and from train platforms and buying tickets is what takes time. Make sure you have Euros. Machines have English language option.

We did this last year and allowed 2 hours total, at no point did we feel we'd allowed too much time! Obviously it's easier without young children and luggage, and if you know where you're going, but trains can be delayed and there are unpredictable queues at passport control.

I've done this, with and without children, by metro and by taxi. I really would try and build in more time. I don't think you'll make it.

We did it in the other direction, we had 50 minutes and just made it due to delay on rer line d. We were skiing so all had luggage, was Saturday 8am and was rammed (skiers). I don’t think you’ll do it.

We bought metro tickets on the Eurostar to save time.

Don’t get a taxi in Paris!

You are pushing it for time OP, especially during rush hour in Paris on a Friday. I would avoid the metro like the plague at that time and go with the lesser of two evils in my opinion - a car transfer. With kids and luggage in tow I would book a minivan transfer to collect you from the arrival platform at GDN (suggest using Sun Transfers). Tell them in advance that you have a very tight transfer time. They'll prep the route accordingly. Make sure you're all at the door of the train as you arrive in GDN. The SNCF app details latest departure info so you can at least know which Hall you're heading for when you arrive GDL.