How to Get to Versailles from Paris

If you are preparing your list of things to see and do in Paris, you should know that Versailles is a must-see excursion about 20 kilometers away from the French capital. The beauty of its Palace and Gardens is part of French culture and history and will also be part of your trip. Being such a popular tourist attraction, you can't forget to buy your tickets to Versailles and organize your way to get there.

Although organized tours to Versailles are always the best option because they organize the transportation for you and then also accompany you during the visit, there are other means of transportation such as buses and trains, as well as more personalized alternatives such as cabs. I will tell you more about them, their advantages and disadvantages!

If you want to make sure that your visit to Versailles from Paris is a success from minute one, I advise you to book an organized excursion to Versailles from Paris. This way, not only you will arrive comfortably and quickly to Versailles, but the visit will be much more complete, since most of these tours include a specialized guide to know the Palace and the Gardens in detail, without missing absolutely nothing.

Your visit to Versailles should focus only on enjoying it, on taking advantage of every minute and getting to know an essential part of French culture, so I recommend you to forget about having to organize the trip and trust the experience of the tours. Undoubtedly, this is the reason why they are so popular.

Art, nature, history and culture run through every corner of Versailles, and you can see it all during the guided tour. 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 at the Palace of Versailles and its famous Hall of Mirrors to the nature that inhabits the Gardens of Versailles.

Going to Versailles from Paris can be a bit stressful if you take care of everything yourself, as when you buy tickets to Versailles you will have to choose a time slot and arrive on time. With an organized tour you make sure that this is the case without having to worry about not knowing at which stop you should get off or if there is space to park.

Also, depending on your needs and budget, you can hire different types of tours: without queues, with private transportation, with full entrance or just to the Palace and Gardens, etc. In short, with one of these tours you will be able to live an experience in Versailles almost tailor-made for you.

Excursion from Paris to Versailles by train

Are you worried about not knowing your way around Paris and getting on the wrong train or at the wrong stop when you go to Versailles? It's normal, Paris is a huge city and can be a bit confusing. That's why if I want to take the train to Versailles and make sure I get there right, I rely on the guide of an organized tour. This way, the whole group meets at the train station to head to Versailles without the possibility of getting on the wrong train or missing the stop. So, I can assure you that in about an hour you will arrive at your destination without any problems.

The best thing is that in addition to the security of traveling by train with a guide, this person then accompanies you during the visit to Versailles, so you do not miss anything and understand every legend, historical fact and secret of the Palace and its Gardens.

Undoubtedly, it is usually a very affordable option, as it includes the entrance to the entire Versailles (including the palaces known as Trianons) and also the professionalism and knowledge of a specialized guide. Please note that many of these tours do not include return train tickets, but if you have a card such as Paris Pass or the Parisian transport pass, you will not have to pay for the trip.

Excursion from Paris to Versailles by shared private transportation

Public transport doesn't convince you? I hear you, sometimes it is better to invest in an option that takes away all the worries and stress of having to get to the station or that the train is delayed and we lose time of the visit. If these words resonate with you, have you thought about booking an organized private coach tour to Versailles? It is a highly recommended alternative, as you will travel with a small group of tourists who will also visit Versailles with you and your guide.

The convenience of this type of tour is priceless, as the coach will pick you up at a central point of the city, which will be easy to reach, and then take you to Versailles with another group of travelers equally excited to see this historic palace. If you travel to Paris in summer there is nothing better, because in addition to the speed with which you will arrive (about an hour), you will have air conditioning in the vehicle and, believe me, with the summer temperatures in Paris, you will appreciate it.

Once you are in Versailles, after such a comfortable trip and a queue-free entrance, you will have all the energy to listen to the explanation of your guide, contemplate the ancient royal apartments and walk through the Gardens where, depending on the time of year, you will witness a beautiful spectacle of water, lights and music.

A way to get to Versailles from Paris quickly and inexpensively? It exists and it is the train. In about 30 minutes you can get to Versailles from one of the most central train stations in Paris, also at a good price (about 4€ each way). Depending on where you are staying it will be better to take one or another train line, although I warn you that you will have to make a transfer to get there. In any case, I will tell you what your alternatives are.

RER Line C

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

My advice is to value this option, as it is quite cheap (around 8€ round trip) and you can easily reach Invalides on the Paris metro from any neighborhood in Paris.

Transilien

Are you staying in Montparnasse? The truth is that it is a spectacular neighborhood, plus its station (Paris-Montparnasse) connects in about 15 minutes with the Versailles-Chantiers station thanks to the N line of the Transilien. From there, you will only have to walk about 20 minutes to the entrance of the Palace of Versailles, so if you go with children to Paris, it may not be the most suitable option.

If your hotel is near the Montmartre district, from the Paris Saint-Lazare station, the official website of the Real Madrid Transilien line L, which arrives at the Versailles Rive Droite station in about 30 minutes, but then you will have to walk about 20 more to reach the entrance of Versailles.

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. What do I mean? Besides the fact that it has only two departures from the Eiffel Tower per day, its price is somewhat high (around 25€) and the service is only available from Tuesday to Sunday between the months of January-October. Therefore, if you travel to Paris in winter, forget about this option.

Although its price is high, if you stay near the Eiffel Tower, travel to Paris in spring or travel to Paris in summer and want to get directly to Versailles, with the comfort of a bus in which you can go seated and without having to make intermediate stops, consider the alternative of the Versailles Express.

If you want to go to Versailles by public bus, whose price is cheaper (about 3 ¤), you can do it with the line 171. In about 30 minutes you will arrive from Pont de Sèvres to the Place d'Armes of Versailles, right next to the entrance. Its frequency is quite high (every 10 minutes or so) and it is available practically all day long (from 6:00 to 00:00).

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

Although it is not the cheapest option (it costs approximately 40-60 euros each way), taking a cab from Paris to Versailles is a good option if you are traveling in a group and want to get directly to the Palace in about half an hour, without waiting, intermediate stops or delays. Be sure to take an official Paris cab to avoid scams.

If you go with children to Versailles, the cab is also a great option because they will be calmer and safer thanks to the regulation seats. In addition, you will not have to walk or make transfers, as the cab will pick you up and drop you off wherever you say.

During your vacation you have decided to rent a car to make a route through France or to make different excursions from Paris? It's a great idea! For approximately 16€ per day you will have a car to move around Paris and take the opportunity to go to Versailles. However, keep in mind that you can only rent a car if you are at least 21 years old and have 1 year of driving license. Be careful, if your driver's license has not been issued by a country of the European Union, you will need to apply for an international license.

You can rent a car at the airport when you arrive in Paris or book it beforehand online, which I recommend you to avoid rushing. Remember also to check the French traffic regulations and tolls.

Once you have your rental car and you are in Paris ready to go to Versailles, you will have to take the A13 freeway towards Rouen. Drive approximately 30 minutes until you reach the Versailles-Château exit and once there, it's time to find a parking space.

There are free parking lots outside Versailles, but besides the fact that you will have to walk to the entrance of the Palace, they are always full. If that is the case, do not worry because within the grounds of Versailles there are several parking lots that cost about 10 € for four hours. I recommend that you go to the Place des Armes, which is opposite the entrance.

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