This page is a step by step guidebook to get to Versailles by public transport. It helps you to understand how to get to Versailles from Paris by train easily.
There are 3 convenient trains from Paris for your outing to the palace of Versailles. Our guide below is customized to make sure that each one of you find the transport that fits her/his own requirement depending on your own vacation address and budget.
Because we love Versailles and because the castle is opened to each one of us, we sincerely hope that you will enjoy this guide to Versailles by train as much as we enjoyed designing it for each one of you.
Versailles is a chateau (& now a town) located in the west of Paris in a green & wealthy suburb. The distance between Paris & Versailles is about 9 miles. If you want to make some savings, the cheapest way to get to Versailles from Paris is to use public transports and especially by train.
Paris to Versailles by train cost about 7,3€ for a round trip. That is the cheapest solution comparing to the bus, private car, or Uber transport option for your Paris to Versailles round trip. You will find below are our advice to reach quickly and safely the castle of Versailles from your hotel located in Paris.
This guide is customized to make sure that each one of you can get to Versailles by his own safely with her/his family for the cheapest option. Take some time to read this article. You might save your precious time by following our advice.
159 Comments. Leave new
Thank you so much for this informative website. Very helpful to get my way to Versailles castle.
Thanks again!
Can I travel from trappes to Versailles by train.
Thanks
Tony
Bonjour Tony,
Yes you can: Take the U line from trappes to Versailles. It should take you around 30 minutes.
Best,
Xaver
Very informative. We haven’t been to Paris so need the most assistance
Hello Vivienne,
How can I help you ?
Best,
Xavier
How far is the palace Versailles Palace from CDG airport? how can we get there with shortest duration
Good morning Hannah,
By car it is the easiest and safest way to get to Versailles. We can organise this trip for you.
Get in touch by email if you are interested,
Best
Xavier
My wife and I will be arriving by cruise ship at Le Havre toward the end of May and would like to know the fastest way to get to Chateau de Versailles. I know that there is a train from Le Havre to Gare du Nord. Is it possible to get the Metro or RER train from there to the Chateau? Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Yes you can take the RER line B at gare du nord in the center of Paris. Then change of train at St Michel and take the RER train line C at St Michel. It will take you to Versailles and its castle.
Best,
Xavier
Very clear and helpful. I wish every website gave directions as clearly as you do.
Thank you. I hope it help to reach the castle of Versailles
Thank you so much! This information is very helpful, as I did not realize there were actually two lines – Metro and RER.
We will be staying at the Holiday Inn Notre Dame. Where is the nearest train to Versailles?
Hello Mickey,
You are lucky: you rae a few step from the train station Saint Michel Notre Dame. Ask the concierge of your hotel how to reach the metro station by walk. Then take the RER C to reach Versailles. It is direct!
Regards,
Xavier
Hi, Xavier,
Hotel I’ll stay in located near Gare de i’Est, so I’ll transfer to RER C at St-Michel station. Is it possible to buy direct ticket to Versailles at Gare de l’Est?
Thank you very much
Hi Rachel,
You can buy tickets in any metro/train station in Paris.
Best,
Xavier
How often do the RER C trains run to Versailles?
About every 15 minutes.
Bonjour, our hotel is near the Rome metro station. My 80 year old mother walks with difficulty so wish to minimize walking and stair. Can you please advise the best route
Hello Steph,
To my mind, the best is to take a cab to reach Versailles palace. Maybe a guide could be also a good option to save you some precious time in the gardens and see the best. (the gardens are huge)
Best,
Xavier
Can you please confirm what you have written above which says that it will take 1.5 hours (roughly) to get from the Paris train station to the Versailles train station one way? Or is 1.5 hours return? Thanks so much for your help, Justine.
Hello Justine,
It is not easy to confirm you a precise schedule. It depends where you are in Paris. But just for 1 way, it can take until 90 minutes depending of your location and the number of metro you will need to change.
Best,
Xavier
Can we buy tickets in advance for a tour of the palace so that we don’t have to wait in line once we are there? We will be in Paris Aug 1-6, 2016. Do you recommend a good tour operator?
Thank you
Hi Beverly,
You can buy your tickets in advance but you will still have to queue to enter in the palace. To avoid the queue, you need to book a guided tour with a company. If you check our website, we propose several private guided tour of Versailles.
Can we buy a trip to Versailles from RER C St Michel. Last year we had to get another ticket further down the line.
Normally Yes! I don’t see any reasons why we couldn’t get a ticket at this station to travel to Versailles castle.
Great info..All trains to Versailles have the amazing decoration or one in particular? Which hour that one runs? Thanks in advance
All trains don’t have the decorations. Only a few. And we can’t expect in advance which train will have decoration! Just need to be lucky.
Best,
Xavier
Is there a website to purchase combination tickets (train transport and Versailles entrance costs)?
Unfortunately No. Maybe one day!
Bonjour Xavier,
S’il vous plait, How late do the trains run from Versailles back to Paris on Saturday nights in July? We are thinking of staying for the fireworks at Versailles but will need to be back in Paris that night. Merci beaucoup.
Hello Anna,
Good question. To make sure to catch the latest metro in Paris, better to take the RER C train at least around 11.30pm / 12pm.
Enjoy the fireworks.
Best,
Xavier
The firework display will start at 10:50pm
The last metro train station leaves at 11:30PM/12
can we finish the fireworks with such little time in between? Merci! 🙂
Yes you can. The train from Versailles will take you on time to get the last metro in Paris.
Very informative thank you. We are staying overnight in Versailles – is the return train ticket valid only on the same day?
Hello Sarah,
The return train ticket from Versailles to Paris is also valid the next day.
Enjoy your stay in Versailles. It is a beautiful town.
Xavier
The 7.1€ round trip ticket to Versailles includes the journey from any metro station to the nearest RER C station?
Thank you for this detailed info, very helpful!
Yes Tiago. This price includes the cost of the metro.
Thank you very much. Very clear and informative. Your instructions enabled us to decide on what hotel to choose and where to board the train to get to Versailles from the centre of Paris. Much appreciated.
Your site has been very helpful! We are staying at the Le Littre Hotel close to Montparnasse area and want to travel to Versailles Chateau. Our nearest metro station appears to be the St. Placide station. My route appears then to be: St. Placide (on route 4 purple) to St Michel/Notre Dame station, connect with RER C Yellow with destination Versailles Chateau – Rive Gauche. Do I need to be careful of split referred to on this site?
Hi Ron,
Instead of traveling by RER C train, I suggest you to take a Transilien line N train from Montparnasse main railway station which will take you directly to Versailles – Chantiers train station in Versailles. Montparnasse is very close to your hotel. It will be much easier for you. You can check this page: Montparnasse to Versailles
Have a good day to the castle of Versailles,
Xavier
Very helpful site. And really appreciate how you have been responding to each person. We are staying in Armentieres en Brie and would like to go to Versailles. Any suggestions on how to get there via transit? Also do you do tours without the pickup at the Hotel?
Hello Linda,
We can organise tours without transportation. If you send us an email, we will give you a quote.
Best,
Xavier
I heard there have been train strikes in Paris. I would like to sign up for a cooking class that goes to Versailles by train but don’t want to lose my money or have bad delays. I would be going on June 28th from Paris to Versailles. I think its the RER C that I would take.
Is the train expected to be on strike then?
Hello Laureen,
Unfortunately, we can’t expect whether the train to Versailles will be on strike or not. Sorry. It is one of the reason why we prefer to organize our tours by vehicle. This way we have no bad surprise!
Hi Xavier
Thanks much for very helpful information. Just want to check if I can take metro/train from one destination but another one for return way? e.g I will take metro from Pont de Sevres to RER C to Versailles but the destination for return way be Champ de mars. The cost still be 7,1€ per person?
Yes Ly,
Exactly!
If doing a day trip from Paris to Versailles, how many hours do you recommend spending in Versailles?
Also, what time does Palace Versailles open and what time would the earliest train arrive?
Also, what time is the last train from Versailles, back to Paris?
Hi Anita,
Versailles opens at 9am. It can be a good idea to leave around 8am…The last train from Paris to Versailles is around 11.30pm
Best,
Xavier
Thanks for the information! Great site for visitors.
-New Yorker
Thank you Steph!
I followed your advice and reached Versailles and thanks very much for the simple and clear cut explanations!!!!!!
Thank you for your feedback. It is very kind. If you have a photo of your trip to Versailles, we’ll be happy to post it!
Vere helpful! Thank you for making it easy for us!
Excellent website. I will be in Paris end of November 2016 and looking forward to a day trip in Versailles. Are there any bike rentals in Versailles? Would you recommend it that time of year (I live in Toronto so 5 to 10 Celsius is spring for me).
Merci!
Hi Eduardo from Toronto,
Yes there are some bike rental inside the park of Versailles. It is about 10€ for a half day for rent. It can be a good idea!
we are going to Paris at the end of April and will take train and spend one night in Versailles. My concern is purchasing a train ticket after we arrive as Im sure the train fills quickly during spring. Should be purchase in advance or just take a chance? if so what is the best website to use for purchase?
Hi Debi,
You can buy your tickets the day you take the train to Versailles. You can buy it directly to the train station in Paris.
Have a pleasant stay,
Xavier
Hi Xavier,
Thank you so much for your patience answering to everyone and such a valuable information for travelers. I will be in Paris on April with my 10 yrs old son and I just realized that the day we are planning to go to Versailles is April 9th, which is the same day of the International Marathon. I assume that the city will be crazy crowded and not easy to transit. I will stay at Paris Rivoli Hotel which I believe is on the same path of the runners. Do you think it could be an issue? Any suggestion you may give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! 🙂
From Miami.
Hello Susana from Miami,
It is a good question. The day of the Marathon, plenty streets are closed. We may tour to versailles but it is really complicated and we may be blocked. If you can choose another day, it is better. Otherwise, start the tour at 8am from your hotel. At this time, normally, the streets shouldn’t be blocked.
Have a good day,
Xavier
Very informative article, thank you.
Is it possible to get one way RER C ticket from Paris to Versailles ?
If available, how much does it cost?
From Versailles, I won’t be returning to Paris.
Thank you
yES, it is possible. It is half price.
I have one whole free day before I join my tour group and it happens to be July 14th Bastille Day. Do you think this would be a good or bad day to visit Versailles as far as crowds are concerned?
Hi Valerie,
It can be a good idea for a private tour to Versailles this day.
Enjoy!
Xavier
How much is the price for 1 adult and 2 children 9 and 12 years to enter Versailles” Is it open on sunday the 2. of April 2017?
Annie,
Our tour “The Unmissables” half day for 3 people cost 555€ from door to door all included.
Best regards,
I am travelling with somebody in a wheelchair. Is there a elevator at VERSAILLES-RIVE GAUCHE station?
I know that the wheelchair is welcome at the palace of Versailles. But I don’t know if there is an elevator at Versailles station.
Have a good visit,
Xavier
So informative. Thank you so much!
We will be staying at Hotel Felicen in Paris. It seems that the Javel stop is the closet to our hotel. Do we just get on from Javel and get off at Versailles Chateu/Rive Gauche or do we have to make any switches? Are the train tickets available for purchase ahead of time for the round trip? I know that the tickets for Palace are.
Thanks!
Direct! lucky you. The train tickets are available in advance.
What about Sundays ??? It seems that RER C is not avaible on Sundays. Which is the best alternative to get to Versailles on Sundays ????
MERSI !
The RER C train works on Sunday. Enjoy your tour to Versailles.
I know a lot of people are paying money to get to Versailles by tour or taxi, etc.. I’m sure that most people already know this, but for those of you that don’t, Google maps gives you the exact way to get to Versailles from wherever you are in Paris. All you have to do is go to Google maps on your phone, put in Palace Versailles, select directions and choose the icon for public transportation. When you do that it tells you exactly how to walk to the nearest station. What train to take, what direction to take it, how many stops, what train to refer to etc.
This will take you all the way to the Versailles station. Then walk up to the palace of versailles and enjoy. Hope this helps.
Can you take luggage on the train to Versailles from Paris?
Yes Mary! But not convenient.
Hello. I’ll be travelling from the Hotel Serotel Lutece in the Latin quarter. I have looked up Google maps but just wanted to confirm that the most direct and easiest way of getting to Versailles is walking to Saint Michel Notre Dame station and catching the RER C line direct to Versailles. Could you please confirm. Thank you.
Yes Julie!
Good Morning, I have to fly my boss and his wife to Versailles from the US. It looks like they will need to fly in to Paris, then catch train to Versailles??? If so, which airport in Paris would provide the closest train ride to Versailles??? Thanks so much for your help.
I sent you an email Nora.
Do you propose a tour to discover the Necropolis of the French King at the Saint Denis cathedral ?
Yes you can check this Saint Denis Cathedral tour
Bonjour.
My family and I will be in Paris for the holidays. We would like to take the train to Versailles and have a private tour of the Château if that’s possible. We will be staying st Saint James Albany and I’m assuming there’s a train station nearby.
Merci.
Yes victoria,
It is possible. Can you contact me via the contact form or by email ? If you let me know what tour you are interested in and how many people wish a private tour, I’ll give you the rate without transportation.
Thank you,
Xavier
Hi, I was wondering if it’s possible for my mother in law to ride the train from Paris to Versailles in her motorized wheel chair?
Can you please guide us, so we know if it will be alright to take her with us.
Sorry Anna but I ma not sure. I can’t reply.
Best Xavier
Thank You very much for making the effort to give out this information, it has answered all my questions.
Thank You Rikki,
I see that you work in the jewellery industry. Don’t miss the Appolo Gallery in le Louvre. You will see “Regent”. We have a special visit about the French Crown jewel if you are interested. Or a visit of the Highlight of le Louvre.
Best,
Xavier
HI, I am visiting Versailles, in May with my friend, staying at Hotel de France, Versailles for 4 nights. We will be arriving in Paris on Eurostar to Gard du Nord, can we also get train from this station to Versailles? Thank you
Yes Diane, you can get to Versailles from this station.
Xavier
What are the options to get from one of the train stations to the Queen’s Gate for a Marie-Antoinette Trianons Tour?
Hi Mark,
You can walk 20 minutes from the train station (gare versailles chateau rive gauche) to the queen’s gate to reach which is the nearest gate from the petit Trianon. check the Map here
Xavier:
Your responses to all the questions was very informative for sure. We would enjoy hiring a guide to visit the Versailles Palace for approx. 4 hours. Could you please provide me a quote for a 4 hour guide ? We have our transportation taken care of already
Yes Phillip. To see the rates, you just need to fill out the booking form and choose “without transportation”. Then you will see the price! It includes a tour guide for 3 hours for the half day and 6 hours for a full day. And if you are interested, you can book online your tour to Versailles. It is very easy.
Best regards,
Xavier
Hello! My family and I (There are 6 of us – 2 adults and 4 children ages 18, 16, 14, 11) will be staying in an AirBnB in Versailles and are planning to take a train in to visit Paris. How long is the train ride in to Paris center, and do you recommend any particular areas of Paris that would require additional subway rides that are not on the Versaille line? We have 5 days to visit Paris in late June. Also, I saw a previous post on your site about fireworks in Versailles. Is that only at certain times of the year, or is it a regular event? Thank you so much!
Hello Joanne,
The ride takes about 1 hour. The firework- It is only a few Saturday during the summer.
Have a nice stay in Paris.
Best
Xavier
Thanks for an informative and concise article to make my trip stress free. Are there bicycle rentals once you arrive at Versailles? Much appreciated.
Yes!
If I arrive by ferry at Dieppe can I get a train straight to Versailles or must I travel to Paris first
Hello Carol,
Paris first !
Best
Xavier
Thank you. Very helpful!!!!
Hi, how often do the trains run to Versailles? My ticket says the entrance to the palace is at 09:00
The trains from Paris to Versailles run about every 30 minutes
Thanks for the clear ad detailed instructions, very helpful!
Hi Xavier,
We are travelling in from London on Eurostar with 2 adults and 2 kids (14 and 10). Arriving in Paris around 5:15pm. What would be the cost and journey time for vehicle transport rather than the train? Thinking at that time of evening this might be better than dealing with a train.
Hello Chris,
Can you send me an email ? easier to communicate than on the website!
Xavier
Will the RER train from Paris to Versailles accept bike boxes?
I am not sure Maureen,
But I dont think so. Or with an extra.
This is such a helpful page! Thank you so much for easing my mind over traveling from Paris to Versailles.
We will be staying in Versailles for 5 days in July. Does it make sense to buy train tickets in advance online for Charles de Gaulle airport to Versailles Rive Gauche, and via which website?
Hi Carole,
No that s useless. You’ll be able to buy your train ticket to Versailles anytime, directly at the airport with a machine.
Best
Xavier
Xavier, my name is Irene Grodner with All World Travel in New Mexico, USA. I have two ladies wanting to travel from Paris to Versailles and staying two night. I show a schedule from Paris to Versailles on June 29, 2019 but no available schedule from Versailles back to Paris on July 1. Do trains get booked up and what should they do. They need to get to Orleans that day. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Irene Grodner
Dear Irene,
Trains are available everyday, except when the public admin is on strike!
Have a nice day
Xavier
We are coming from Poitiers, stopping at Versailles then want to continue on via RER to Paris. I’m assuming it won’t be a problem getting a one way ticket from Versailles train depot.
No problem Julie !
Thank you so much. This was so helpful. This not only helped me figure out how to get there but also whether buying a 1-5 zone train pass was worth it for the time in Paris (it’s not). So thanks for saving us money too. 🙂
We are staying at the Best Western, 50, Rue des Mathurins…what station do we need to go to for the train to Versailles? Or, is a taxi quicker and easier?
Suzan,
You are in the corner next to my office! Veru easy, just walk to get to Siant Lazare train station and take the train up to Versailles. Then walk 10 mns to get to the castle of Versailles.
Best
Xavier
Hi we are travelling to Versailles from Paris with two children are there any toilets on the trains?
Hello Jules
No toilets in the train from Paris to Versailles,
Best
Xavier
Hi, I was wondering if I would be able to get the Versailles by taking the Train at Gare Montparnasse. That is one of the options that googlemaps is giving me, but I don’t see that as a Train line in the helpful guide above. I know there are many ways, but just wanted to see if you knew if this was an option.
The N train at Gare Montparnasse gets me to Gare de Versailles-Chantiers in 1 stop, does this seem right?
Thank you
Jason
Yes Jason, thats an option to get from Paris to Versailles that you can find here: https://www.paristoversailles.com/paris-to-versailles-by-train-rer/paris-montparnasse-to-versailles-chantiers/
Best
Xavier
Hello, on your full day tour with transport to Versailles, on a Saturday, will we be able to see the fountains with music? Will we get to see things in the Chateau that would not be possible with just an audio guide? Thank you, Andrea
Hello Andrea,
yes the musical fountains of Versailles work on Saturday during spring and summer. You need to get in touch with me by email to get more details.
Best
Thanks so much! This is very informative, but can we buy tickets the day before? Or, we have to buy tickets on the same day we are going to Versailles?
Hello Kelly,
The day before is fine.
Best
Xavier
Thanks for the clear information about the train from Paris to Versailles. However, I can’t find a train timetable for line C anywhere online. I need to know what time the trains run to and from Paris to Versaille on a Sunday in March. Can you please help me?
Good afternoon Helen
That’s not so easy to answer. The timetable from Paris to Versailles changes often..
Best
Xavier
Hi Xavier! I stumbled upon your site here. It’s very informative.. just wondering if I can buy the metro ticket going to Versailles 2 days in advance at any train station?
Appreciate any response! Cheers!~
Yes Catsy, you can buy your metro ticket going to Versailles 2 days in advance at any train station…
This is really informative! The questions I had in mind was answered just by reading until the end. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thank you for your kindness.
Have a nice day,
Xavier
This is the most comprehensive, complete and best instructions to follow when planning a visit to Versailles. I forwarded this to my group who are also travelling to Paris.
This is a great, informative website. Obviously a labor of love. Thank you!
We have 10am entrance. What is the best way to get there by train from Le Marais to get to versailles palace and gardens?
Julie,
Difficult to answer if I adon’t have your exact address.
Xavier
Thank you very much for your wonderful website and interesting and educational tours. We are traveling to Versailles Chateau. It’s been about 12 years since I was thee last. When I “Google Map my ride” now, the transportation to the Chateau from St Michel Notre Dame station on the RER C line shows an interrupted service notation according to the RATP website. They suggest an alternate route with multiple busses and “Optile(?)” transfers with a significant walking distance as part of the trip. When I check with our hotel Concierge and with the Transilen website there is no shutdown of service mentioned. Does the modernization/repairs of the RER affect the C line or not? Will we be able to take the RER C in about 2 weeks straight to Versailles RIve Gauche as you mentioned above?
Bonjour Ken,
It is not easy to answer in advance. Conditions of public transport can change every day. I advise to check a few days before your trip to Versailles Palace.
Best
Xavier
Thank you so much for this amazing article with detailed instructions for making a trip from Paris to Versailles palace economically!
You are fantastic!
Thank you Joey
What would be the nearest station if we are staying in Palais Royal. La Terrasse Vivienne Opéra area?
Joanne,
I advise you to walk up to St Michel train station to get the REC C train to reach versailles palace.
Hello and thanks for the informative guide. I was investigating option 1 with RER C train, but google maps gives the direction the other way round i.e. from west to south east, going around Orly Airport and then to Versailles.
Bonjour Andrea,
I d need to know where do you start to check your itinerary to get to Versailles palace ?
Best
Xavier
Thank you for this information. For the C train to Versailles, would I get on at St Michel or St Michel-Notre Dame? Thanks.
Hello Carol,
I think St Michel
Best
Xavier
Hello Xavier! You have a very informative site. I will be traveling from Paris to Versailles this October. The closest train station to my hotel is Gare de Lyon. I’m so confused with the various transportation options and I’m hoping you can help me decipher and make the best travel decision. My tour begins at 9am! so I have to leave at least by 7am, right? Help!
Bonjour Patricia,
I think that the best is to take the RER A train to get to la defense and change with the train to get to versailles.
Have a pleasant visit to Versailles palace and its gardens.
Best
Xavier
Very informative site
This was so helpful!! Thank you for the details, the best I have seen. Looking forward to our trip!
Loved this page as info was super helpful. Glad I stumbled across it. Very useful details and should make the trip stress free and more enjoyable.
Thank you so much for all this information. Once in Versailles I believe that Dumas chateau is fairly close by. Is this correct and what would be the best way to get there please
Bonjour Lee
Versailles palace is about 10 minutes from the train station.
Best
Xavier
This site was very detailed, helpful and easy to understand. Thank you.
My question is related to use of RATP’s “Navigo” pass card relative to taking metro from central Paris (Saint Michel-Notre Dame) to catch the RER C train to Versailles Chateau RG station. I purchased a Navigo pass card to travel on Metro and bus within central Paris which worked great. But I didn’t understand that Navigo can only be used within the two metro/RER travel zones around central Paris. I had no issues using Navigo in taking metro from Grand Boulevard area to Saint Michel-Norte Dame and connecting on the RER C train to the Eiffel Tower (which apparently falls within the two zones).
But another time when I used the Navigo card to first metro to Notre Dame station and then connect on the RER C train to Versailles Chateau RG, when I exited the RER C at Chateau RG, the exit gate wouldn’t let me pass. Going back, I spoke with the RER ticket agent at Chateau RG station, and he explained that I had to buy a separate (paper) ticket back to Paris. He sold me two tickets thinking I would need to return from central Paris back to Versailles.
Could you explain and suggest what I should’ve done? Maybe use Navigo to Metro to Notre Dame and then purchase RER ticket for the C train to Versailles?Thanks!
Hello Steve,
The problem is just as you mentioned, that the Navigo Pass Card typically called Navigo Easy only functions within the 2 zones of Paris. When you catch a train you will never face a problem when entering the stations and catching the trains as they still have stops within Paris. Typically, you face the problem when you are trying to exit; as you technically should not be in that zone according to the pass you have. Whenever, you go to other zones you need to purchase tickets that are in the Ile de France area (surrounding areas of Paris). You typically need to input or find the specific station you need to stop at. This is very important as even though you have purchased tickets you bought the wrong one so if there are SNCF controllers they can fine you around 40 euros just for having the wrong ticket and around 80 euros for not having a ticket at all. I hope this addresses your question.
Best,
Sarah Warford
Do you need to buy entry tickets to Versailles once you get there? Or do those need to be purchased in advance?
Bonjour Kathleen,
Better to be booked in advance. Otherwise we do it for if you book a tour.
Best
Xavier
I have invested HOURS in trying to develop the steps, directions and times to ensure my family will be able to get from our hotel in Paris to the Palace of Versailles but your site does it all, and so effortlessly! I just wish I had found it at the beginning of my search.