How to Get From Paris To Versailles: 5 Options!

If you’re traveling to Paris, consider visiting the beautiful Palace of Versailles for a lovely outing or day trip. But what are your options for getting from Paris to Versailles?

Versailles is a lovely city near Paris (only 12 miles from the center), and you have some excellent transport options on how to get to Versailles from Paris – ranging in price and comfort levels.

Getting to Versailles to marvel at its opulence and history is easier than you thought. 

The train is probably your best bet to get to Versailles, but there are a few other options to suit your budget and expectations.

Using A Tour Operator To Get From Paris To Versailles Palace

The most comfortable and fastest way to get into the Palace of Versailles from Paris is by using a tour operator. 

Tour operators usually make special arrangements with popular attractions, like discounted rates or the benefit of skipping queues. We recommend buying tickets at Get Your Guide because it is super easy to use their website, and they are a reliable European brand.

Some more reasons why we buy Paris tour tickets at Get Your Guide:

• If you are a part of ParisCityVision’s Palace of Versailles tour package, you get to skip the long queues to get into the Palace.
• You get a knowledgeable guided tour of the Hall of Mirrors, Royal Apartments, the Queen’s Private Apartment, the Palace Fountains, the Palace Opera House, learn a little about the French monarchy, and much more.
• You’ll still get free time to explore the formal gardens before returning to Paris. 
• Your transport between Paris and Versailles is sorted. There are no ticket queues at bus or train stations, and there is no need to drive on jam-packed roads. Instead, you get to travel in an air-conditioned luxury coach. 
• Each trip has an interpreter. In addition, there are options for both English and Spanish visitors. 
•  The entire trip will take 4.5 to 5 hours – much shorter than if you planned it yourself. 
• You can reserve your ticket and pay later. Additionally, cancelation is free up to 24 hours in advance.

The coach will have a set departure time for going back to Paris. If you want to stay longer in Versailles, you can tell your tour guide that you’ll make your way back on your own. 

Then, when you’re ready, you can catch a train or bus back to Paris. Just be sure to book a one-way ticket (about $4) instead of a return ticket when heading back to Paris. 

Click here to buy your skip-the-line ticket with a guided tour and transportation from Paris

If you want to sort transportation yourself, but would appreciate the guided tour and the skip-the-line ticket, click here to buy your ticket.

How To Get To Versailles From Paris By Train

Taking a train from Paris to Versailles is one of the cheapest and fastest options for travel between these two destinations. 

There are three train options from which you can choose, with the RER C line (yellow) being the most practical and recommended. 

Each of the three train options requires walking to or from a respective station. 

A trip to Versailles from Paris by train should take an hour to an hour and a half, including walking. 

Let’s take a closer look at the train options for getting from your hotel in Paris to Versailles. 

Paris to Versailles Train Option 1: RER C Line (Yellow)

The RER C Line serves France in a north-to-south direction and runs along the banks of the Seine River in Paris. 

There are a few stations along the Seine River, so you are bound to be close to one when you’re in Paris. 

The RER C is the most popular and practical train used by locals and tourists wishing to visit Versailles. 

If you take the RER C train from Paris to Versailles, you can disembark at the Versailles Château Rive Gauche, the closest station. The Palace of Versailles is a 10-minute walk away on a pleasant and easy pathway. 

A one-way ticket on the RER C Line will cost you €3.65, or about $4 per person. You will receive two tickets per person when you purchase a round-trip ticket. 

Doing so will save you time so that you won’t need to stand in the ticket queue twice. However, remember to keep your second ticket safe for your return trip. 

The RER C timetable starts at 5:10 AM and runs to 11:34 PM. The trains leave at 15 to 20-minute intervals, and the ride itself lasts about 40 minutes one way.

The frequency of the trains running allows you increased flexibility in your itinerary, giving you more leisurely time to explore Versailles and other tourist attractions along the way. 

The route of the RER C Line is as follows:

Gare d’Austerlitz – St. Michel-Notre Dame – Musee d’Orsay – Invalides – Pont de l’Alma – Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel – Javel – Pont du Garigliano – Issy Val de Seine – Issy – Meudon Val Fleury – Chaville Vélizy – Viroflay Rive Gauche – Porchefontaine – Versailles-Rive Gauche

If you choose to take the RER C, be sure to keep an eye out for either “VICK” or “VITY” trains on the TVs.

Note: Some trains go to Versailles Chantiers station instead, which is about a 15-minute walk away from Versailles Chateau RG.

Paris to Versailles Option 2: Transilien L Line (Purple)

The Transilien Train L Line starts at Saint Lazare in the northern central parts of Paris, between the 8th and 9th arrondissements. 

The boarding station for Line L is nearby the landmark department stores, Galeries Lafayettes and Printemps, on Boulevard Haussmann. 

The L train line operates daily from 12:13 AM to 11:59 PM, and the journey from Saint Lazare in Paris to Versailles Rive Droite Train Station should take about 45 minutes. 

Once you are at the station, the walk to the Versailles Palace should take ten minutes. 

This station is on the other side of the Palace to Château Rive Gauche Station but offers a pleasant walk.

The route of the RER L Line is as follows:

Gare Saint-Lazare – Pont Cardinet – Clichy Levallois – Asnières sur Seine – Bécon les Bruyères – Courbevoie – La Défense – Puteaux – Suresnes Mont Valérien – Le Val d’Or – Saint-Cloud – Sèvres Ville d’Avray – Chaville Rive Droite – Viroflay Rive Droite – Montreuil – Versailles Rive Droite

Paris to Versailles Option 3: Transilien Line N (Turquoise)

The Transilien Line N option is ideal if you are booked into accommodation in southern Paris. 

Line N starts at Paris – Gare Montparnasse Station, in the southern part of Paris called Necker, a neighborhood in the 15th arrondissement.

The trip from Paris – Montparnasse Station to Versailles Chantiers Station should take about 50 minutes. The walk from this train station to the Palace is about eighteen minutes.

The route of the Transilien N Line is as follows:

Paris Montparnasse – Vanves Malakoff – Clamart – Meudon – Bellevue – Sèvres Rive Gauche – Chaville Rive Gauche – Viroflay Rive Gauche – Versailles Chantiers

Points To Remember For Traveling By Train From Paris to Versailles

Below are some important notes to remember if you opt to use the train between Paris and Versailles: 

• The train fare to Versailles does not include admission to the Palace of Versailles, so you will need to buy the latter separately. Click here to buy your skip-the-line ticket.
• If you opt for the RER C Line, your ticket will include transport on the metro and the train. Therefore, you don’t need to purchase separate tickets.
• If you’re in Paris but want to go to Versailles, type in “Versailles” on Google Maps as your destination. It will suggest the closest train station to you.
• You can purchase metro and train tickets in person, or you can make use of a ticket vending machine. The machines have English as an option and accept cash or credit cards for payment.

Using A Car Rental To Get To Versailles

Driving a car (rental or not) in Paris is not for the faint-hearted and can be overwhelming if you’re not used to chaotic traffic.

Parking in Paris is also exceptionally pricy and can cost more than your evening meal. 

As a result, visitors to Paris usually stick to the metro services because they are cheaper, faster, and easy to navigate.

If you are planning a day trip to Versailles and other destinations, renting a car for the day might be worth your while. Here are some helpful tips if you choose to go this route: 

• Use a service such as Discover Cars to help you find the best rental deal for you. You can save up to 70% on rental hire costs as they compare car rental prices on your behalf.
• Instead of picking up your rental in Paris central (avoid the traffic as far as possible), consider choosing La Défense as your vehicle collection point. La Défense is a business district near Paris and is easily reached on the metro’s Line 1. Leaving for Versailles from La Défense will relieve a lot of traffic stress and decrease travel times.
• Consider spending a night in Versailles before you tour the Palace and its surrounds. If you leave La Défense the evening before, you won’t need to sit in rush hour traffic. Instead, you can get to the Palace early the next day. Just remember to choose accommodation with onsite parking. You’ll find both accommodation and parking cheaper in Versailles than in Paris.
• Finally, the fastest route from Paris to Versailles is the N118. It is easily accessible from La Défense, too.

Click here to rent a car easily

How To Get To Versailles From Paris By Local Bus

The Paris public transport has trains, metro, and buses. 

If you opt to take a bus from Paris to Versailles, you can expect the journey to take around 1.20 to 1.50 minutes, depending on traffic conditions. 

Honestly, we don’t like this option because it takes too long, but for the sake of providing you with all possibilities, we will describe how to take the bus from Paris to Versailles.

Anyway, the bus you would need to take is the RATP Bus Line 171. Your point of departure in Paris would be at Pont de Sèvres, the final stop on Line 9 of the Paris metro. 

You’ll need to take a metro or bus to Pont de Sèvres metro station and then hop on a #171 bus going to Versailles. The bus trip takes about 40 minutes to Versailles but depending on where in Paris you’re staying, it might take you just as long to take to Pont de Sèvres—that’s why we don’t like this option.

Be sure the bus is going all the way to Versailles, as some buses along that route terminate much sooner.

If you’re uncertain that the bus is headed for Versailles, you can ask the bus driver politely – even if you don’t speak French. 

For example, you can say, “Bonjour, Monsieur (or Madame, if it’s a lady bus driver). Versailles?” 

Taking the bus is one of the cheaper and more scenic options for getting to Versailles, for sure.

While it might take longer if the traffic is terrible, you’ll see some of the Paris suburbs and enjoy the French countryside. 

• You can expect to pay about $4.35 for a one-way bus ticket.
• The frequency of the buses departing from Pont de Sèvres is every 15 to 20 minutes.
• The buses run between 6:00 AM to 12:00 AM daily.

The bus Line 171 route is as follows:

Pont de Sèvres – Place Gabriel Péri – Atrium – Puits-Sans-Vin – Pointe de Chaville – La Grâce De Dieu – Président Doumer – Porchefontaine – Vergennes – Place d’Armes (Versailles) 

Getting To Versailles By Taxi Or Uber

If you opt to take a taxi or Uber to Versailles, you could pay at least about 40€ – 50€ ($43 – $55) each way. 

This isn’t financially viable for most people visiting France on a budget – however, your circumstances might differ.

The issue with taking a taxi from Paris is that the consistent traffic congestion will inflate your taxi fare even more.

The ring road around Paris – the Péripherique – is almost constantly backed up with traffic.

Suppose your driver has to take a detour, or you end up sitting in the taxi for much longer than anticipated. In that case, you’ll undoubtedly pay more than you bargained for.

Traveling From Paris To Versailles: Helpful Tips

If you plan to visit the Palace of Versailles for a day, we’ve got some helpful tips to make your trip more pleasant. 

What To Wear If You’re Going To Versailles

If you plan to explore Versailles on foot, wear comfortable walking shoes. 

Additionally, it is recommended you take along a sweater or wear a long-sleeved top if you plan on visiting the Palace gardens in the late afternoon. 

Versailles is usually a few degrees cooler than Paris, and the French-style gardens sometimes catch a lot of wind. 

Keeping Your Belongings Safe In Paris And Versailles

Both Paris and Versailles are safe destinations, but it is always wise to keep an eye on your belongings. 

Opportunists like pickpockets are always on the lookout for distracted tourists.

Suppose you are staying in either of these places. In that case, you can ask your accommodation for secure storage or a safe to keep your valuables while you explore the area.

Remember to keep your return tickets in a safe place, too. 

Good Manners Will Get You A Long Way

Most of us don’t like foreigners in our home town who are rude, right?

However, if you plan on visiting France, you can learn simple French words or terms to help you extend the necessary courtesy to the locals. 

After all, they have to deal with a lot of us tourists streaming into their beautiful country every day.

Some examples of simple terms include the following: 

• Bonjour Monsieur – Good day, sir.
• Bonjour Madame – Good day, maám.
• Merci – Thank you.
• S’il vous plait – Please

We hope you have a wonderful time in the former royal residence of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Versailles Estate (Chateau Versailles, Trianon Estate, and the gardens) was built by King Louis XIV and is one of the most beautiful places to visit in France.

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