Hello,
I am traveling to Paris and would like to visit Versailles. My hotel that I will be leaving from is near the Eiffel Tower/Champ De Mars. I understand I can take the train from near here to Versaille (and back) on the RER C line. I have never taken any sort of public transportation in another country before, and don't fully know how to find this station or how to get tickets or how it all works.
Is this an above-ground train or underground?
Where is the station near the Eiffel Tower/Champ De Mars and how do I get there and how to I recognize that it is the correct station (RER C to Versaille)? I need an exact address please, as I don't know Paris at all.
I tried to book tickets using the "Train Tickets" link on this webpage (on the right side of the page). However, it wouldn't recognize Tour Eiffel or Champ De Mars as a departure point. I looked at the RER C map you provided and it says there is a stop there. Why don't this link allow me to buy tickets in advance? Am I doing something wrong, or is there a problem with the link?
If I can't get the link to work, where else can I buy tickets online or where do I buy them in person? (again, I am staying near the Eiffel Tower/Champ De Mars, but have NO idea where the stop is and don't know the city at all).
On the "Train Tickets" link to the right, you have to pick a departure and return time. Is this true for all RER C tickets? We have absolutely no idea how long we'll be at Versailles. We don't want to rush, but we don't want to wait around if we're done. There is no telling how long that day we will be there. Isn't there an option where we don't have to specify a specific time to go and return? Is there no day pass or anything like that?
I noticed you mentioned that Versaille was in a different area (Zone 4)? Can you explain that? Will we need to get off the train and transfer or need another ticket for this?
Thank you for answering my questions, I look forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards,
Kris
1 answer
Paris Train C / RER C train is both underground and above ground at different stations. Near Eiffel Tower "Javel" station is the nearest station on RER C which travels to Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche, closest station to Chateau Versailles. This station is above-ground. Use Google maps to help find your way to any station.
You need single-use RER tickets, only sold in Paris, from ticket windows or ticket machines. (Train ticket search on this site is only for inter-city trains.)
Day tickets exist. You can use those if you prefer.
As for which RER C train you need to take at Javel station, you'll need to consult the overhead screens or panels on the RER train platforms and look for a train that will terminate at Versailles Chateau-Rive Gauche (sometimes listed as an abbreviation of this)