How to Get to Versailles from Paris

If you are preparing your list of things to see and do in Paris, Versailles is a must-see excursion. The beauty of its Palace and Gardens is part of French culture and history, and will also be part of your trip. As such a popular tourist attraction, you can't forget to buy your tickets to Versailles in advance and organise how to get there.

Although organised tours to Versailles are always the best option because they organise the transport for you and then also accompany you during the visit, there are other means of transport such as buses and trains, as well as more personalised alternatives such as taxis. I'll tell you more about them, their advantages and disadvantages!

If you want to make sure your visit to Versailles from Paris is a success from the very first minute, I advise you to book an organised excursion to Versailles from Paris. This way, not only will you get to Versailles comfortably and quickly, but the visit will be much more complete, as most of these tours include a specialised guide.

One of the great benefits is that your guide will tell you everything you need to know about Versailles, from the historical events that took place and its famous Hall of Mirrors to the nature that inhabits the gardens.

Getting to Versailles from Paris can be a bit stressful if you take care of everything yourself, as when you buy tickets to Versailles you'll have to choose a time slot and arrive on time. With an organised tour you can make sure you do this without having to worry about not knowing which stop to get off at or if there is a parking space.

Paris to Versailles organised tour by train

There are organised tours that take you to Versailles by train from Paris. If so, the whole group will meet at the train station to set off for Versailles with no chance of getting on the wrong train or missing the stop. This way, I can assure you that you will arrive at your destination in about an hour without any problems.

Organised tour from Paris to Versailles by shared private minivan

Sometimes it's better to invest in an option that takes all the worry and stress out of getting to the station or having the train delayed and losing time on the tour. If these words resonate with you, this is a highly recommended alternative, as you will be travelling with a small group of tourists who will then also visit Versailles with you and your accompanying guide.

The convenience of this type of tour is priceless, as the coach will pick you up at a central point in the city, which will be easy to reach, and then take you to Versailles with another group of travellers equally excited to see this historic palace.

Organised tour from Paris to Versailles by shared coach

If the previous option is out of your budget, this is the alternative, as it's more economical even if you're travelling with more people.

The characteristics of this excursion to Versailles are very similar to the private transfer, only the number of companions changes. In addition, the transport is also air-conditioned, which in summer in Paris is very welcome.

• Price: from €108 (including transport and entrance fees)
• Activity duration: 5 hours in total
• Recommended if: you want to forget about waiting and arrive at Versailles in comfort to enjoy the visit.

A way to get to Versailles from Paris quickly and cheaply? It exists and it's the train. You can get to Versailles in about 30 minutes from one of Paris' most central train stations, and at a good price (around €4 each way).

Depending on where you're staying, you'll be better off taking one train line or another, although I'll warn you that you'll have to change trains to get there. In any case, I'll tell you what your alternatives are.

RER line C

Paris Invalides station connects with Versailles Rive Gauche station, which is a 10-minute walk from the entrance to Versailles. To get there, take the RER line C, which takes about 30 minutes to cover the distance between the two points. Be careful and make sure you take the train in the direction of Versailles Château - Rive Gauche, as there is a fork in the line.

My advice is to value this option, as it's quite cheap (around 8€ round trip) and you can easily get to Invalides on the Paris metro from any Parisian neighbourhood.

Transilien

Are you staying in Montparnasse? It's a spectacular neighbourhood, and its station (Paris-Montparnasse) connects in about 15 minutes to Versailles-Chantiers station on the N line of the Transilien. From there, you'll only have to walk about 20 minutes to the entrance of the Palace of Versailles, so if you're visiting Paris with children, this may not be the best option.

If your hotel is near the Montmartre neighbourhood, the Transilien line L runs from Paris Saint-Lazare station to Versailles Rive Droite station in about 30 minutes, but then you'll have to walk about 20 more to get to the entrance of Versailles.

• Price: about €4 (one way)
• Journey time: about 50 minutes in total.
• Recommended if: you don't mind having to transfer or walk to and from the stations.

Do you want to go direct from Paris to Versailles? I have an option for you: the Versailles Express. It is indeed a fast option, as it goes from the Eiffel Tower to Versailles in about 30-40 minutes, but it is not very accessible.

Besides the fact that it has only two departures from the Eiffel Tower per day, its price is a bit high (around 25€) and the service is only available from Tuesday to Sunday between January-October. So if you're travelling to Paris in winter, forget about this option.

Although the price is high, if you're staying near the Eiffel Tower, travelling to Paris in spring or travelling to Paris in summer and want to get straight to Versailles, with the comfort of a seated bus and no stops in between, consider the Versailles Express alternative.

• Price: approximately €25
• Journey time: around 30 minutes in total
• Recommended if: you want to skip the stops and go straight to Versailles from the centre of Paris.

If you want to go to Versailles by public bus, which is cheaper (about 3 euros), you can take the 171 bus. It takes about 30 minutes to get from Pont de Sèvres to the Place d'Armes de Versailles, right next to the entrance.

It runs fairly frequently (every 10 minutes or so) and is available practically all day (from 6am to midnight).

Although you'll have to find a way to get to Pont de Sèvres station, the 171 bus is quite fast and you'll be able to see the scenery until the Palace of Versailles appears on the horizon to greet you.

Although not the cheapest option (it costs approximately 40-60€ each way), taking a taxi from Paris to Versailles is a good option if you are travelling in a group and want to get directly to the Palace in about half an hour, without waiting, intermediate stops or delays. Just make sure you take an official Paris taxi to avoid being ripped off.

If you're taking children to Versailles, a taxi is also a great option because they'll be safer and calmer thanks to the safety seats provided. Plus, you won't have to walk or transfer, as the taxi will pick you up and drop you off wherever you say it will.

For around 16€ a day you can hire a car to get around Paris and take the opportunity to visit Versailles. Please note, however, that you can only hire a car if you are at least 21 years old and have a driving licence for at least one year. Please note that if your driving licence is not issued by a European Union country, you will need to apply for an international license.

Once you have your hire car in Paris and are ready to head to Versailles, take the A13 motorway towards Rouen. Drive approximately 30 minutes until you reach the Versailles-Château exit and then it's time to find a parking space.

There are free car parks outside Versailles, but they are always full, and you'll have to walk to the entrance of the Palace. If that's the case, don't worry because there are several car parks within the grounds of Versailles that cost around €10 for four hours. I recommend you go to the one at Place des Armes, which is opposite the entrance.

Have you finished organising your visit to Versailles? Getting there is the first step, so I hope my tips have helped you choose the best option.