Paris - best transport to hotel if arriving late at Gare du Nord

[liz4change]

Hi experienced traveller to Paris via Eurostar. Going at half term with 17 yo DD and her BFF, arriving about 10pm Friday night. Haven't been since 2017 Before All That.

Is it still the case that taxis on the rank at Gare du Nord are generally a shit show and not worth bothering with?

Am fully aware that GdN is in a crunchy area, my instinct based on 25 yrs experience of arriving there is that getting metro out ASAP is the best option and am familiar with ticketing etc.

TBC if arriving daytime I would either metro or walk 5 mins down boulevard Magenta towards Gare de l'Est to hail a cab

We were there this time last year - hotel was 5 mins walk from GdN and we had no real bother coming and going late at night, so the walk down Magenta would be feasible, certainly no worse than the metro at that time of night.

I went a month ago and everyone was thrown off the Metro with no warning as to why etc

We had our luggage and were heading to catch our Eurostar at Gare du Nord home

We got a bus straightaways which was fast and just as quick as the metro

So I suggest a bus if you're wary of the metro at night

I found the metro to be really safe and not intimidating at all at night with DD 16

and we went a week after the riots

Where's your hotel OP?

It's been about 5yrs, but a police officer came to check on me as I switched to the Metro at GDN about 10pm and warned me the area was dodgy!

I used the Metro the whole time I was there with no issues, but the large gangs of men just loafing about outside shops are intimidating by their number. There were a LOT of police around GDN after 6pm, including on the platforms and the routes between them, so it would be interesting to know if it's still the same.

See also large gangs hanging about near Sacre Coeur and other tourist areas trying to pickpocket, beg, scam or otherwise tie a friendship bracelet to your wrist then rip you off. Hope your teens are savvy and comfortable telling them to go away in French as I needed to several times.

Uber were fab in Paris

If you decide to take the metro, see
if they are still selling
metro tickets at the buffet car on the Eurostar train. (I know paper tickets are being phased out). You won’t have to faff about at the ticket machines then, which are often where pickpockets etc lurk.

I always use G7 taxis - you can pre book one to meet you off the Eurostar.

@Loverofoxbowlakes in the 5e nr Pantheon so metro line 5 and one change

@Decorhate yes clocked that one as back in the day the ticket hall at Gare du Nord somewhat tricky to navigate

@Namechange87654321 that info sounds pretty golden thank you

@PinkFootstool I hear you! I am fully aware of how sketchy some the surrounding streets were/are. Lived in/visited Paris a lot during the late 80s/90s so aware of how to manage personal safety. My question is more around working out the best route and conversations while with 2 fairly streetwise 17 year old Londoners saying "but why can't we just get a taxi"

Forgot to say, they have an app - it’s really good. You can specify which Eurostar you’re arriving on when you book on the app.

Ooh even better merci beaucoup

Loving your listing of all your travel quals OP 😂

Just get an Uber, very efficient in Paris

It might be done soon but when we got a cab to GdN in July (not our choice we wre very delayed coming in to GdL) there were a lot of roadworks along Magenta (I think for a cyce lane) which made the traffic around the station more awful than usual.

As an aside as a Londoner I find GdN annoying and grubby but not really dangerous as such (no more that Kings Cross was before the poshed it up) - you just need to swerve the annoying blokes panhandling at the front and keep your valuables close, so I would use the metro.

I got a taxi from the rank at GdN last year when travelling with DP and baby with no issues. Queue was efficiently managed and it all went fine. We arrived earlier in the day though.

I’m really confused! I’ve travelled to Gare du Nord loads of times, though not for about 5 years. I lived in Paris for a year in the 90s and I’m a fluent French speaker. To my recollection the taxi rank is right outside the door to the right if you have the trains behind you, and it has a shelter/queue barriers and the taxis are all licensed. What am I missing?

Interesting info about G7 @Namechange87654321 - I was planning to use them when I next have to change in Paris as I will have my DH with me and he's a wheelchair user. Seat 61 says G7 is the way to go although he thinks they are reluctant to do a pickup directly at the station. This doesn't seem like it's been your experience?

Can you explain a bit more about the “shitshow”? It’s hardly a dark alley.

@WhatapityWapiti We were in an epic but fast moving and well managed cab queue at Gare de Lyon this summer - there was persistent harrassment from illegal cab drivers and beggars which was pretty annoying (and this was late afternoon). Not sure if it is the same situation at GdN.

Not sure if it was in place when you last traveled to Paris but the ticketing had changed, threw us at least!

Just get RER to Luxembourg and walk? I don't mind GdN or surroundings at night though, just keep walking.

If luggage allows, my top option would be a boris bike though. My kids are too young so we can't use them but the bike provision is amazing. Shame they've just banned hire scooters as your teens would have loved that.

@WhatapityWapiti we're arriving on a Friday night train - so depending on what part of train you're on the queue could often be enormous already if the train is full and/or a Thalys had also just arrived.

FWIW - after one late arrival I was groped by some random on the concourse en route to the metro. Not pleasant

Thanks all for the intel, it's much appreciated

Oh so by “shit show” you just meant “long queue”? Comment dit-on “Drama Queen” en français? Bon voyage!