On the rails

Trains to France & rail travel

Fast, comfortable and city-centre to city-centre. Eurostar, TGV and European rail routes connect France to the UK, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy and beyond.

Rail route

Eurostar — London to Paris / Lille / Lyon

2h 16m to Paris; 1h 22m to LilleEurostar

Direct high-speed services from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, Lille Europe and beyond. The fastest city-centre-to-city-centre option from the UK.

Rail route

Eurostar direct to the south

Around 6h seasonalEurostar

Seasonal direct trains from London to Avignon, Lyon, Marseille and the French Alps. Ideal for summer holidays and ski trips without airport queues.

Rail route

TGV from Calais or Lille

Paris in 1h from Lille; 1h 40m from CalaisSNCF / TGV inOui

Combine a ferry or Eurotunnel crossing with a TGV from Calais-Fréthun or Lille Europe. Useful for families with cars or those heading to northern France.

Rail route

Belgium, Germany & Netherlands

Paris in 1h 22m from Brussels; 3h 40m from FrankfurtThalys, ICE, TGV, Eurostar

Excellent Thalys and ICE connections from Brussels, Amsterdam, Cologne and Frankfurt into Paris and eastern France.

Rail route

Spain & Italy

Barcelona–Paris in 6h 40mRenfe-SNCF, TGV

The Joan Miró/TGV joint service links Barcelona to Paris and Lyon. Connections from Italy route through Milan, Lyon Part-Dieu or Modane.

Rail route

Night trains

OvernightNightjet, Intercités de Nuit

Nightjet brings Austria, Germany and northern Italy into France overnight. The French Intercités de Nuit still runs Paris–Nice and Paris–Tarbes/Lourdes.

On-board comfort

Modern French trains are spacious, quiet and reliable — with dining, Wi-Fi and generous luggage space.

Wi-Fi & power

Eurostar and TGV inOui offer free Wi-Fi and plug sockets at most seats. Regional trains vary but major routes are well equipped.

Café-bar & dining

Eurostar has a cafe-bar, TGVs have a buffet or trolley service, and many stations have excellent food halls for picnic supplies.

Luggage allowance

Eurostar allows two large bags plus hand luggage. TGVs have generous overhead racks and luggage areas at each end of the carriage.

Mobile tickets

Most tickets live in the SNCF Connect or Eurostar app. Print-at-home is also available for most cross-border bookings.

Booking tips

Travel smarter by train

Book Eurostar 3–4 months ahead for the cheapest fares; TGV tickets usually open 4 months out.
Paris Gare du Nord is for Eurostar and northern Europe; Gare de Lyon for the south and Switzerland; Gare Montparnasse for the west.
A 25% youth discount (12–27) is available on many TGV and Intercités fares via SNCF Connect.
Families with children under 4 can travel lap-held on Eurostar; child fares apply for 4–11 year olds.
For ski or beach trips, look for combined train + transfer packages or use the rail to reach a car-hire station.

Plan my train trip Add a place to stay

High-speed train arriving at a French station

HexaRêve can combine rail tickets with accommodation, transfers and experiences as part of your full itinerary. Fares and availability are checked at the time of booking.