Train travel within Europe is by far the least polluting route. If one is concerned about the environment, as I certainly am, it is the best choice. It is not faster. However, sitting on a train is a very relaxing way to get from one place to another. We used the train to travel from Germany to the South of France and then back again two months later. It was a journey with a couple of connections. You travel to Paris first which is the hub for France.

We had to change stations from Gare Montparnasse to Gare de l’Est . On our trip out we decided to get a taxi ride. That took over 40 minutes and we almost missed our train. If not for a friendly face who noticed we were lost we would have missed our connection. Gare Montparnasse is a huge train station with many Halles on which the trains depart from.

Two months later it was time to go back to Germany. So on the trip back we also had the same train station change as coming out. We decided to use public transportation and ride the Metro. We had to walk 10 minutes through the Montparnasse train station to get to the Metro. The directions were very clear. We found it just fine. Also a tip from me is to purchase your Metro ticket directly from the train cafe steward. That way there is no time wasted buying a ticket before going through the Metro styles.

The Metro itself was very crowded. At one point, it was so packed that a man’s arm got stuck in the closing doors! But he was ok! The door opened again and he was not injured.

At Gare de l’Est we popped out into the Station. It was also well marked. We had 30 minutes to wait for our train. We had enough time to grab a coffee.

If you are traveling by train and need to change stations in Paris, trust the public transportation system. It has proved to be more efficient and much cheaper than a taxi. It costed us five Euros versus thirty-five Euros for a taxi. Also if you are not French speaking I believe there is some tourist traps one might find themselves in.

Purchase your train tickets within Europe at least two weeks ahead of time. Otherwise, you will end up paying a lot more for the tickets. Check for first class prices too. Most of the time, they won’t be that much more. They are well worth it. In the Deutsche Bahn for example, they have car service for food and drink. Most of the trains do have a cafe car. However, we have learned over the years to always have some water and a snack just in case they don’t.

I would definitely travel by train any time I can. It is like stepping back in time and gives you more cadence for reflection of your journey. The most stressful part of it is actually getting onto your train in time and finding your seat.

Thank you for reading!