FRANCE - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 185

In addition to the six major railway stations of Paris, listed above, there are five
smaller or suburban-type stations of importance to Europe by Eurail readers.
• Gare des Invalides, another station that begins underground with its trackage
until well past the Eiffel Tower, is exclusively for trains running to the Palace of
Versailles.
• Gare Bercy and Gare Charolais are two auxiliary stations serving the Gare de
Lyon complex on the right bank of the Seine.
• On the Rive Gauche (Left Bank) side, Gare Tolbiac serves the Austerlitz station
network, and Gare Vaugirard performs the same function for the extensive train
trackage terminating in the Montparnasse station compound.
A system of buses connects the major Paris stations, Gare Saint Lazare, Gare
du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Gare de Lyon, Gare Montparnasse, and Gare d'Austerlitz.
Operated privately, the system charges a fare slightly higher than that of the Métro,
but it is much more convenient for passengers with luggage than the Métro or reg-
ular city buses.
Tourist Information/Hotel Reservations
Office du Tourisme et des Congrès de Paris, 25, rue des Pyramides 75001 Paris;
Tel: [phone] (€0.34/min.); Fax: [phone]; www.parisinfo.com ; Metro
stop: Pyramides.
Hours: Summer: 0900-1900 daily (closed May 1); Winter: 1000-1900 daily.
Branch office at Eiffel Tower open May through October 14 1000 to 1900 daily.
Notes: Free maps of Paris are available at most hotels, or you can purchase
one at tourist offices. You may also consult the Galeries Lafayette travel
agency, 40 boulevard Haussman. Hours: 0930-2000 Monday-Saturday (until
2100 on Thursday). Tel: [phone].
Getting Around in Paris
The mainstay of transportation within Paris is its subway system, the Métro. It
has 16 lines, several with rubber-tired coaches that sort of sneak up on you in
the station. The system has about 300 stations, covering all of the city and much
of its suburbs. You can reach all the railway stations in Paris via the Métro. Visit
www.ratp.fr .