Trains from Strasbourg to Paris

I took the train from Strasbourg to Paris after visiting a friend from college who lived in Strasbourg at the time. I traveled with two other friends on an ICE train on a Sunday afternoon in February 2023.

At the train station

Strasbourg has one main station, Strasbourg Ville, located around a 15-minute walk from the city center. This station is also easily accessible by public transport – you can catch a tram from Langstross Grand Rue tram stop and you’ll be at the train station in around 5 minutes.

I was traveling with some friends, and we were heading back to the UK that day, meaning that we needed to be on time to catch a Eurostar train from Paris to London later that evening. This meant it was crucial that our journey went without a hitch!

There are plenty of shops in Strasbourg’s station, as well as along the streets a stone’s throw from the entrance, so it’s easy to grab a pre-train snack if you’re feeling hungry. I bought coffee from the PAUL shop inside the station before heading to board the train.

Boarding the train

Boarding the train was simple. Look at the departure board to find which platform your train will leave from, and head to the correct place. (Top tip: look for your train number and time, not just the destination – there may be multiple trains heading to the same destination, and you need to board the train specified on your ticket).

At the platform, there were members of staff who scanned our tickets before we could board the train. After that, we found the right car and took our seats.

Your ticket contains all the information you need about where you’re sitting, including your car number and your seat number. Everyone has a reserved seat on high-speed trains in France, so it’s important to sit in the right spot.

One quirk of French trains is that often, they’ll have two levels. There are signs at the door to each car telling you which seat numbers are upstairs and which are downstairs. Both decks have lots of baggage storage, and the restrooms are accessible from either deck.

The train journey

Our train left on time at 4:19 pm. My friends and I settled into our seats, ready for a relaxing journey watching the countryside roll by as we sped towards France’s capital.

I took some knitting to do during the journey while my friends chatted. We didn’t have long to wait before we reached our destination, though! The journey from Strasbourg to Paris is direct, so we didn’t have to worry about changing trains halfway through. What’s more, many trains don’t make any stops along the way. This means it’s a speedy trip and you can be in the City of Love before you know it.

Arriving in Paris

In just 1 hour and 46 minutes, we pulled into Paris Gare de l’Est station. This is where all trains from Strasbourg end up. We arrived right on time at 6:05 pm. Many public transport lines serve this station, including metro lines 4, 5 and 7, so you can hop off the train and start exploring Paris straight away.

We needed to get to Paris Gare du Nord in time to catch our Eurostar train back to the UK, from Paris to London. Luckily, Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est are neighboring stations, so it’s easy to walk between the two in around 5-10 minutes.

Overall, I was really pleased with the speed of my train trip from Strasbourg to Paris. The train facilities were also decent, and I had a comfortable journey. I’d certainly recommend this trip to others.

About Kristina

Kristina, a Trainline employee, chose to share her experience of the journey between Strasbourg and Paris.