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How to Plan the Perfect Paris to Disneyland Day Trip

Last Updated: April 26, 2021

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Planning a day trip to Disneyland Paris? This guide will tell you everything you need to know, including how to get from Paris to Disneyland for a day trip, how to get the best deal on tickets, and more.

There are few things in this world that get me as excited as Disney.

Seriously – mention the name and I regress into a sugar-crazed child, Mickey ears magically perched on my head before you can blink.

And so, living in Europe, one of my favourite days out has become the day trip from Paris to Disneyland Paris, a trip that I have now done three times… once even for my 22nd birthday, an adequately grown up way to ring in adulthood.

And throughout these visits, I have learned a thing or two about how to plan THE perfect day trip from Paris to Disneyland Paris, and having the most magical day ever without splashing out thousands on a parkside hotel (along with countless Paris tips in general).

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So, if you’re planning your own trip to Disneyland Paris from Paris, this guide is for you, with plenty of tried and tested wisdom to help you conquer your day trip with the swiftness of a coursing river and the force of a great typhoon.

… : D

… Not sorry. Let’s begin!

*** Buying Tickets for Your Disneyland Paris Day Trip ***

Park tickets:.

If I could offer you a single tip, it would be to buy your tickets in advance here , 100%.

Lines get long, and the last thing you want to do during your Disneyland Paris day trip is rot in line while anonymous children sneeze on you.

You can get tickets easily online.

Personally, I’ve always found the official Disneyland Paris site to be overwhelming as a day tripper because they usually try to upsell you on packages and hotels, but here’s a trick – you can actually buy day passes (1 park and 2 park) quickly here on GetYourGuide for the same price as the official site, except it’s much faster and less confusing.

Transport tickets:

Later in this post, I’ll detail step by step how to buy the right ticket to get from Paris to Disneyland Paris, but first I want to warn you against common ticket scams.

Due to the high volume of tourists they receive, it’s an unfortunate truth that there are a lot of scammers in Paris who are keen to take advantage of unsuspecting visitors.

SO let’s get this out of the way, if someone random comes up to you at the train station and tries to help you buy a ticket, beware.

Often they are trying to sell you a fake ticket and pocketing the profit, or will be distracting you while someone else comes to pick your pockets.

Be on guard, because sometimes these scammers even have fake employee badges!

First – How Far is Disneyland Paris from Paris?

Alright – now let’s get to the good stuff.

To start, you should know that Disneyland Paris is located 32km east of the Paris city center, with plenty of transportation links that bring you there in about 40 minutes.

Driving takes a similar amount of time, but keep in mind you’ll need to find parking.

More conveniently, the train station is a 2 minute walk from the park gates, which means you can pretty much run from the train to the park and be there in a solid minute, undoubtedly leaving a trail of drool in your blaze of magical glory.

Getting to Disneyland Paris: Step by Step

Getting to Disneyland Paris is really easy, whether you choose to book a tour for convenience or do it yourself with public transportation. Below I’ll break down the different options for getting to Disneyland Paris, whether you’re coming from central Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport or ORLY airport.

1. How to get from Paris to Disneyland

If you’re already in Paris and simply want to add a day in Disneyland Paris as part of your itinerary, then here are the different ways you can get to Disneyland Paris.

OPTION A (Easiest!): Book a private transfer

Of course, the easiest and most stress-free way to reach Disneyland Paris from Paris is by booking a private transfer.

There are many options out there for this, but this highly rated option includes a private chaffeur, pickup/drop-off from your Paris accommodation and a park ticket all in one easy package.

OPTION B (Cheapest!): By RER A Train

The Disneyland Paris train station is known as Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy Station (sometimes abbreviated as MLV – Cheesy) , and is linked to central Paris by the RER A train which you can catch from the following stations in central Paris: Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Auber, Chatelet Les Halles, Gare de Lyon and Nation.

Overall, it takes about 40 minutes and cost €7.60.

This is the option I go for because to be honest with you, many private transfers/tours to Disneyland Paris are overpriced and every time I’ve visited Disneyland Paris, I have done so on my own by taking the RER A train.

This should be an easy enough option if you’re an experienced traveller and are travelling light.

That said, I would strongly consider a private transfer instead if you are new to Europe, to Paris, are travelling with large bags or have kids/older folks in your party.

Train travel in France isn’t difficult, but it can be intimidating for newbies and certainly not worth the stress if your goal is to simply have the most magical trip possible to Disneyland Paris.

BUT hey if you want an easy and affordable way to reach Disneyland Paris from central Paris, the RER A is a great option.

Below I’ll break down how to buy the right ticket!

How to Buy the Right Paris to Disneyland Paris Train Ticket

The Disneyland Paris train from Paris is (besides a tongue twister) known locally as the RER A. This is what you should be looking for on any signage or ticket machines, and the station you want to end up at is known as Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy Station.

Getting tickets at the machine can be deceptively confusing at first, so here’s a little guide on how to 100% buy the right ticket.

Choose English (or your language of choice) to avoid any linguistic confusion.

Many of the screens are touch-activated these days but some machines still rely on a rolling bar thing below the screen.

If your machine has one of these rolling bars, all you need to do is roll it to highlight your selection, then press the button adjacent to the bar to select it.

Sorry for babying you, but I got really confused by this on my first visit so I want to give you mega-thorough instructions juuust in case ; )

Choose “Tickets for Paris region”. Disneyland Paris, despite its name, is not in the actual Paris city center, so you need to choose region.

Alternatively, depending on what stop you’re at, you might see the option “Tickets for MLV Chessy Disney” like in the photo below.

You can also select that for a shortcut, but it isn’t available on all machines.

STEP THREE:

If you have chosen the “Tickets for Paris region” option, you will now need to type in your final destination to get the right ticket, which is Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy.

Usually just typing the first few letters will be enough to get the option to pop up.

Choose either “Full Fare” or “Reduced Fare”. Most of you will be Full Fare, but Reduced Fare applies to children aged 4-10, and a variety of other groups. Click here to see a full list.

TIP: You might want to consider buying two tickets per person so that you have your return ticket already.

This is fine because tickets aren’t validated here until you feed them through the machine.

If you choose to pre-purchase your return tickets, just make sure to keep them somewhere safe and don’t mix them up with your other tickets!

Pay up and dance! You should now have the correct ticket. Make sure you hang onto it because you’ll need it to exit the fare gates at the Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy Station.

NOTE: It goes without saying, but make sure you are getting on the right train! The RER A has two routes, only one of which will get you to Disneyland Paris (the one that says it’s going in the direction of Marne-la-Vallée).

At the stations, look for a sign that indicates the direction/final destination of the train, or even a light-up sign that shows you which stops the train will be stopping at like in the photo below. 

The last thing you want is to end up somewhere faaaar away from the park!

OPTION C: Drive

I have never personally driven from central Paris to Disneyland Paris but I have heard it is a reasonably easy drive as Disneyland Paris is connected to the city by the A4 Motorway.

Click here for info from the official website about parking fees and logistics.

OPTION D (Not Recommended!): The Disneyland Paris Express

Lastly, I’m including this option as a bit of a cautionary tale to not book it (haha – don’t fight me for being honest!)

I see a lot of sites recommending the Disneyland Paris Express bus as a good option to get from central Paris to Disneyland Paris but at 109 euros a head, I don’t really see it as good value, especially since (according to the product description) you return to Paris at 8:30pm which means you miss the amazing Disney Illuminations show.

You could take public transportation for half that price, or pay a little bit extra to get a private transfer with pickup/dropoff at your own Paris accommodation here.

There are also quite a few reviews that say the buses can get full and are a bit of a logistical nightmare, so I would honestly refer to one of the options I recommended above instead.

Getting to Disneyland Paris from Charles de Gaulle Airport

If you’ll be visiting Disneyland Paris straight from Charles de Gaulle airport, then here are the different options at your disposal:

By far the most convenient way to get from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Disneyland Paris is booking a private transfer, especially if you have a lot of luggage in tow or perhaps young kids/older individuals in your group.

Surprisingly, this can be quite affordable if you’re travelling with several people.

This company for instance offers private transfers with pickup at Charles de Gaulle for less than 80 euros, which evens out to just over 26 euros per person, a small price to pay for a private pick-up and ease of mind in my opinion. Click here to browse prices and availability.

NOTE: I would recommend going with a pre-booked transfer rather than getting a taxi on the spot because I have heard a lot of nightmare stories about taxi scams in Paris and people being forced to pay well over 100 euros for a taxi ride because of factors like traffic. It would make a lot more sense to pre-book and have it at one fixed rate.

OPTION B (Fastest!): Take a TGV Train

Get this: if you hop on a TGV train from Charles de Gaulle Airport, you can be at Disneyland Paris in 10 minutes! 10 minutes! You’d usually spend more time than that waiting for your luggage or trying to find your way out of the airport.

This is how I got to the airport after my latest Disneyland Paris trip and it was very simple, albeit quite crowded.

If you are travelling light, and don’t mind potentially standing for the duration of the ride (I had to, as all seats were reserved), then this is an amazing option for less than 20 euros.

I always use Omio to compare/book options because they can show you alternative routes and times at a glance.

OPTION C (Cheapest!): Use public transportation

If you don’t mind a little bus travel, here is a secret trick to getting from Charles de Gaulle to Disneyland Paris for under 6 euros!

Catch a bus from Charles de Gaulle Terminal 3 to Torcy, then take the RER A from Torcy to Charles de Gaulle.

This might not be ideal if you have giant suitcases or impatient kids, but it’s great for saving a few bucks.

Otherwise, take the RER B and transfer onto the RER A at Chatelet Les Halles station to reach Disneyland Paris, which should cost €17.30 at full price according to the official RATP website.

OPTION D: Book a shuttle bus

Lastly, if you want a more convenient transfer but don’t want to cough up the high price tag of a private transfer, there’s a shuttle bus company called Magical Shuttle that offers one-way rides from Charles de Gaulle Airport for 23 euros one way.

Click here to check prices and availability for Magical Shuttle.

Getting to Disneyland Paris from Paris Orly Airport

And if you’ll be visiting Disneyland Paris straight from Orly airport, then here are the different options at your disposal:

By far the most convenient way to get from Orly Airport to Disneyland Paris is booking a private transfer, especially if you have a lot of luggage in tow or perhaps young kids/older individuals in your group.

This company for instance offers private transfers with pickup at Orly Airport for less than 80 euros, which evens out to just over 26 euros per person, a small price to pay for a private pick-up and ease of mind in my opinion. Click here to browse prices and availability.

OPTION B (Cheapest!): Use public transportation

For a much more affordable option, you can take public transportation to get from Orly Airport to Disneyland Paris. The downside here is of course that you have to transfer twice, and it takes longer than a private shuttle.

To get to Disneyland Paris from Orly, you would need to take the Orlyval express train to Antony (direction: Antony), hop on the RER B to Châtelet les Halles (direction: Charles de Gaulle 2), then transfer onto the RER A Marne La Vallée Chessy station (direction: direction Marne La Vallée Chessy).

When in doubt, look for the Mickey ears!

Going Home – How to get from Disneyland Paris to Paris

Alright, if you’ve made it to Disneyland Paris without a hitch, I have every confidence that you’ll make it back to Paris just fine.

What you need to be mindful of though (if you’re travelling by train) are the final train times. On my last visit, I was having a bit too much fun around Disney Village and almost missed the last RER A train out of Marne la Vallée Station.

SO, don’t make the same mistake as me, make sure you know the final RER A train departure back to Paris from Disneyland Paris. The full (and confusing timetable) can be found here.

Definitely double check the timetable for yourself, but the final RER A trains from Marne la Vallée – Chessy appear to be as follows:

Monday – Friday (non holiday): 12:24am

Saturday, Sunday and Holidays: 12:20am

NOTE: There are annoyingly many exceptions and random changes which is why I would advise to double check on the day of by asking a staff member or by consulting the official RATP website here.

Tips for your Disneyland Paris Day Trip

I have already written a list of my top Disneyland Paris tips , but in terms of coming up with a game plan for a 1 day Disneyland Paris day trip, I do have a few more words of advice to offer.

Since creating the perfect itinerary will vary hugely depending on your priorities (e.g. rides, attractions, meeting characters, etc.), I want to give you some loose tips rather than a structured breakdown of where to go and when… so here are my best tips for creating that perfect one day itinerary for yourself!

• Read up on Fastpasses and create a plan around them
• Pick your top priority rides/attractions then organize your day around them
• Remember Walt Disney Studios closes earlier, and Disney Village is open late, so work around that
• Download the Disneyland Paris app in advance so you can see ride times/attractions at a glance

Disneyland Paris Day Trip FAQ

Alright – almost to the end now. I assume most of your questions should be answered at this point, but if you have any more questions, here are some frequently asked questions about doing Disneyland Paris as a day trip:

Is Eurodisney the same thing as Disneyland Paris?

Short answer: yes! You might know Disneyland Paris as Eurodisney, but that’s simply an old name that isn’t really used anymore.

Is Disneyland Paris actually in Paris?

It’s in the Paris region, but you won’t find Disneyland Paris anywhere near the Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomphe.

Instead, Disneyland Paris is officially in Marne-la-Vallée, about 32km east of Paris.

How much will a day trip to Disneyland Paris cost?

This 100% depends on your willpower!

Any day out at a Disney park is bound to be expensive, but there are of course ways to save.

At minimum, you should expect to spend 100 euros total for the day, and this is assuming you’re extremely frugal and don’t buy any souvenirs.

A 1 park ticket alone costs 56 euros, and the cheapest transport option will be about 15 euros roundtrip.

Assuming you bring your own food/snacks and refrain from buying any merch, you’ll be spending about 75 euros minimum for the day.

Of course, that’s not a realistic estimate for most!

After all, where’s the Disney magic if you don’t buy some food to eat and some souvenirs to take home?

If you plan to indulge a bit, your costs will stack up quickly.

The cheapest possible meals you can get will still be about 10-15 euros, with high end options being easily 7x that! Even the most iconic souvenir (Mickey ears) will set you back 13-20 euros depending on the pair you get.

I hope that gives you an idea of how much a Disneyland Paris day trip will cost! It’s not cheap, but I assure you that Disney is fun on any budget, and even just being there is enough to make for the most magical day.

When is the best time to visit Disneyland Paris as a day trip?

Weekdays and non-holidays in shoulder and off-season are always the best time to visit Disneyland Paris. If you’re hoping to avoid crowds, a good rule of thumb would be to avoid any times that there might be school holidays.

Otherwise, the Christmas season is especially magical with all the Christmassy decor. Click here to learn more about Christmas festivities at DLP.

What considerations should I make if I/a member of my party are differently abled?

Luckily, Disneyland Paris is very proactive on the accessibility front, with a wide variety of programs in place to help ensure that all guests have a magical time.

These programs include wheelchair rentals, priority access cards, and more.  Click here to learn more about the different accessibility measures in place at the park.

Can I rent a stroller or pushchair during my Disneyland Paris day trip?

Yes! Disneyland Paris offers (paid) stroller and pushchair rentals in two locations: 1) the Town Square Terrace near the Disneyland Park entrance and 2) at Studio Services at the Walt Disney Studios Park entrance.

Any more questions about doing a day trip from Paris to Disneyland Paris?

This was a long and thorough read, but I hope you found it helpful! Feel free to let me know in the comments if you have any more questions about planning the perfect Disneyland Paris day trip. Safe travels!

My Go-To Travel Favourites:

🧳 Eagle Creek: My favourite packing cubes

💳 Wise: For FREE travel friendly credit cards

🍯 Airalo: My go-to eSIM

🏨 Booking.com: For searching hotels

📷 Sony A7IV: My (amazing) camera

✈️ Google Flights : For finding flight deals

🌎 WorldNomads: For travel insurance

🎉 GetYourGuide: For booking activities

5 thoughts on “How to Plan the Perfect Paris to Disneyland Day Trip”

This looks pretty amazing , I enjoyed it so much 🙂

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This was SO helpful – thank you! I’ll be in Paris next year and really want to go to DLP but I’ll be solo so I’m super intimidated!

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Disneyland Paris Day Trip: The Complete Guide

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How to Plan a Disneyland Paris Day Tip

Are you thinking of planning a Disneyland Paris day trip? Here is everything you need to know to make sure you have the perfect day!

How Do You Get to Disneyland Paris?

Disneyland Paris is just an hour away from central Paris by train. You just hop on the RER A train (tickets are €7.60 each way) and get off at the last stop,  Marne-la-Vallée–Chessy. From the train station it’s just a two minute walk to the entrance of Disneyland!

You can buy tickets for the RER at most Metro stations throughout Paris. If you are coming directly from CDG airport, you can take a TGV train to the park and get there in just twelve minutes. There is also a direct Eurostar train to Disneyland Paris from London !

How Long Do You Need at Disneyland Paris?

The nice thing about Disneyland Paris is that it’s a lot smaller than Disney World in Florida. Instead of five parks, there are only two: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. Both of the parks are pretty small, and they are located just a five minute walk away from each other.

So while you need at least a few days to a week for Disney World in Florida, you can easily do all of Disneyland Paris in just one day! Of course, if you really want to spend more time at the parks, you could do an overnight trip and spend two full days at the parks.

Every time I have been to Disneyland Paris, I’ve just gone as a day trip from Paris and I’ve had plenty of time to do everything I wanted to do.

However, I do recommend getting to the parks right when they open and taking the last train out after the parks close for maximizing your time!

How Much Are Tickets and Where Can You Buy Them?

A one day ticket that will get you into BOTH parks will cost you somewhere between $78 and $114 depending on the date of your visit. (Prices in USD.)

There are three different price classes: Mini, Magic, and Super Magic. Basically the prices change based on dates. On most weekdays, you can get a Mini ticket (the cheapest.) But on weekends and around holidays, you will probably have to pay more for a Magic or Super Magic ticket.

• Buy 1-day Disneyland Paris ticket for a specific date.
• Buy flexible date 1-day ticket to Disneyland Paris

Make sure to select the one day, two park option for your ticket so you can get into both parks.

I recommend buying your tickets online beforehand, because they are sometimes cheaper on the website and you won’t have to wait in line to buy tickets once you get to the park!

Tip:  Change the language on the Disneyland Paris website to see if you can get a better price! Sometimes there are different prices and promotions based on which language you select (Try US English, UK English, French, Italian, and German.)

When Is the Best Time for a Disneyland Paris Day Trip?

If you can, going on a weekday is your best bet for a Disneyland Paris day trip. The tickets are usually cheaper and the parks are much less crowded!

The exception to this is if you go during August (French holiday month) or around a big holiday like Christmas or Easter.

The least crowded times of year to visit Disneyland Paris is fall (September through November) according to this Disneyland Paris crowd calendar.

It’s important to keep in mind that at some times of the year, a lot of the restaurants and attractions at the parks might be closed for the season or for refurbishment. Make sure to check the Disneyland Paris website before planning your trip to see what will be closed while you’re there.

When I visited in March and April, a LOT of things were closed. This can be a bit of a shock compared to the American parks, where very few restaurants and attractions close, even during the off season.

What to Do at Disneyland Paris

There are two parks at Disneyland Paris: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. Disneyland Park is the larger and more popular of the two, and has Sleeping Beauty’s castle.

I recommend that you start your day at Walt Disney Studios Park because it’s really small and you can hit most of the rides in just a few hours. Around lunchtime, leave and go over to Disneyland Park, which is literally just a five-minute walk away.

I’m going to list the best rides/attractions at each park in a minute, but first I want to talk about the FastPass system at Disneyland Paris.

FastPasses at Disneyland Paris

If you’ve been to other Disney parks, you are probably familiar with FastPasses. They are free tickets that let you skip the line for a ride at a scheduled time. You don’t have to pay extra for FastPasses – they are included with your park admission.

Disneyland Paris still uses the “old system” of FastPasses where you get a paper ticket from a kiosk.

To get a FastPass for a ride, simply go up to the FastPass kiosk at the entrance for that ride. Then insert your park ticket and select which time you would like to come back and ride the ride. You can only have one FastPass at a time, so you should pick the earliest time available for the ride.

The machine will print out a FastPass ticket for you with the one-hour time slot for you to return to that ride and enter through the FastPass line (which usually only takes a few minutes.)

• Click here for a list of rides that offer FastPasses.

FastPasses are a great way to go on rides that normally have long lines without having to wait nearly as long. While you’re waiting for your FastPass time slot to come around, you can take a break to eat or go on other rides that don’t have as long lines.

You can get unlimited FastPasses throughout the day, but you can only have one at a time. This is why I recommend getting the earliest time slot available and then immediately getting another FastPass after you use the previous one, and so on throughout the day.

Walt Disney Studios Park

Walt Disney Studios Park is where you should start your day and spend the morning before heading over to Disneyland Park around lunchtime.

Here are my favorite rides at Walt Disney Studios Park that you cannot miss!

• Ratatouille (FastPass)
• Tower of Terror (FastPass)
• Crush’s Coaster
• Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster (FastPass)

Walt Disney Studios Park is small and gets a bad reputation, because it’s not as good as Disneyland Park, but you definitely should not miss it because it does have some really fun and unique rides.

Disneyland Park

There are so many more rides at Disneyland Park than Walt Disney Studios, so that’s why I recommend spending the majority of your day there!

These are my favorite rides and attractions that I think everyone should do at Disneyland Park:

Rides: 

• Hyperspace Mountain (FastPass)
• Indiana Jones (FastPass)
• Star Tours (FastPass)
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
• It’s a Small World
• Peter Pan’s Flight (FastPass)
• Mad Hatter’s Teacups
• Phantom Manor
• The Carousel

Attractions:

• Sleeping Beauty’s Castle (the prettiest Disney castle – and you can walk through it!)
• Alice in Wonderland Labyrinth
• Nightly fireworks show

You can easily get most of these rides and attractions done in a single day if the park is not too crowded and you maximize your usage of the FastPasses.

However, if the parks are crowded, you may need to choose your top rides to focus on.

Language Barriers at Disneyland Paris

About half the attractions at Disneyland Paris are in French and half in English. This is a lot of fun, even if you don’t speak French. You will still recognize the songs and be able to follow along with the storylines if you’re a Disney fan, and the “plots” of attractions are all easy to understand.

All of the employees at Disneyland Paris speak at least a little English, so you shouldn’t encounter much of a language barrier if you don’t speak French. However, it’s still good to come prepared with some basic French phrases like hello ( bonjour ), please ( s’il vous plaît ), and thank you ( merci ) to be polite.

Cultural Differences at Disneyland Paris

Many Americans who have been to the Florida or California theme parks are surprised by the “rudeness” of employees at Disneyland Paris (ex. waiters who aren’t overly attentive, or customer service employees who aren’t extra-cheerful.)

However, most of these these are just cultural differences between the U.S. and France and shouldn’t be perceived as a personal slight.

In France, waiters don’t hover and constantly check in with you throughout your meal because that’s actually considered rude of  them . (French people would prefer to be uninterrupted during their meal.)

Waiters also don’t work for tips in France and are paid a living wage, so there’s also no extra incentive to be overly attentive to customers.

Additionally, many employees at Disneyland Paris see it as just another job (as opposed to the fanatical Disney obsession a lot of the U.S. employees have.) It’s not to say that Disneyland Paris employees are bad at their jobs or don’t care, but just keep in mind that the expectations for customer service are different in France.

Other Tips for Your Disneyland Paris Day Trip

So now that I’ve covered just about everything, I wanted to give you a few more tips for making your day trip to Disneyland Paris absolutely magical:

Download the Disneyland Paris app.  It will let you check ride wait times throughout the day.

Bring a jacket.  Even if you go during summer, it can still be really chilly in the morning and evening in Paris. This is definitely one of the coldest Disney parks— nothing like Florida or California!

Eat breakfast before and bring a lunch. The food at Disneyland Paris is expensive, and in my opinion, not as good as the food at other Disney parks. You may only want to do one meal at an in-park restaurant. Here’s a list of the best and worst Disneyland Paris restaurants.

Use the single rider line.  Some of the more popular rollercoasters have a single rider line, so if you don’t mind not sitting with your friends/family on the ride, this is a good way to skip the lines.

Bring a portable charger .  I use this portable charger to keep my phone charged all day at the parks.

Get the earliest FastPasses slots.  When visiting Disneyland Paris, you will get unlimited FastPasses but you can only get a second one after you use the first one, and so on. For this reason you should schedule your first FastPass of the day at the earliest available time slot so you can continue to maximize the amount that you get throughout the day.

Enjoy your Disneyland Paris day trip! 🙂

🏰 For more tips about visiting Disneyland Paris, make sure to read my post about 15 Essential Disneyland Paris Tips.

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About Denise Cruz

Denise is a marketing executive who escaped corporate to travel the world… twice. A Brazilian native living in the U.S., she’s lived in 4 countries and visited 35+ others. After side-hustling her way to financial independence, she curates solo destination guides, slow travel tips, and travel blogging advice on Wander Her Way. When she’s not on the road, you can find her in Miami with her dog Finnegan.

From Metropolis to Magic-Land, the perfect day trip to Disneyland Paris

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A day trip from Paris to Disneyland® Paris is the perfect way to experience the best of both worlds. Paris is home to some of the most iconic attractions in the world, while Disneyland Paris provides an escape into a world of magic and enchantment. Although it may seem daunting at first, planning a day trip from Paris to Disneyland Paris is actually quite easy. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your trip.

Paris to Disneyland Paris- In a Nutshell

Disneyland paris.

Disneyland Paris is everything you've ever wanted in a park and more. With the beauty of France combined with the best of Disney, this 40-minute ride from Châtelet les Halles station is an experience like no other that you cannot miss if you're visiting Paris! With its two theme parks, Disneyland® Park and Walt Disney Studios® Park , as well as many hotels and restaurants, there's no shortage of things to do at this destination. The Sleeping Beauty Castle is one of the most impressive features of the park--it's breathtaking. And don't miss out on the other attractions like rollercoasters, haunted mansions, and more that will make you feel like you're in another world.

Why take a day trip from Paris to Disneyland Paris?

There's simply nothing like the enchanting lights of Paris. But just a stone's throw away, lies Disneyland® Paris - and it is just as magical. Here, your imagination will come to life with excitement and adventure waiting around every corner. You'll make memories here that will last you and your loved ones a lifetime. So why not take a day trip from Paris to see this enchanting place for yourself?

Disneyland Paris vs US parks

There are several attractions and shows at Disneyland Paris that cannot be found at any of the other parks, making it a truly unique and special experience. Some of these exclusive attractions include Alice’s Curious Labyrinth , Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril , and Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain . In the continuing celebration of their 30th Anniversary, Mickey and the Magician will make a triumphant return! Anyone with access to Walt Disney Studios Park may attend this show, however, spots are limited. Another special feature about Disneyland Paris is its Sleeping Beauty Castle . The pink, beautiful castle serves as a gateway to Fantasyland and pssst... it also contains a dark and dingy secret room in the basement, known as La Tanière du Dragon (The Dragon's Lair)

There's something for everyone

Whether you're a die-hard Disney fan or just looking for a fun-filled family vacation, Disneyland Paris is the perfect destination. With two theme parks, many hotels, lip-smacking food, and a host of other attractions, there's something to suit every taste.

It's the happiest place on earth

Disneyland Paris is known for its magical atmosphere and happy vibes. From the moment you step into the parks, you'll be surrounded by sights and sounds that will put a smile on your face.

The Avengers Campus is now open

A dream come true for Disney and Marvel Fans! The Avengers Campus at Disneyland Paris was built as an immersive experience to commemorate the park's 30th anniversary. You'll learn brand-new juicy facts about the Avengers fandom, allies, and foes, as well as be able to team up with the Avengers on their turf!

The rides are unbeatable

If you're a fan of roller coasters, you'll be in for a treat at Disneyland Paris. With some of the best rides in Europe, including the newly-opened Avengers Assemble: Flight Force at the Avengers Campus!

You'll make magical memories

A trip to Disneyland Paris is an experience you'll never forget. From watching the fireworks over Sleeping Beauty Castle to meeting your favorite characters, you'll create memories that will last a lifetime.

It's more affordable than you think

With a variety of ticket options and discounts available, it's easier than ever to visit Disneyland Paris on a budget. There are also plenty of free activities and attractions, such as shows and parades, that you can enjoy.

The Best Disneyland Paris Tickets Availabe

Top things to do at disneyland paris, day trip itinerary.

Here are some of the top attractions you cannot miss at Disneyland Paris

1 Avengers Assemble: Flight Force

Disneyland Paris boasts a new, exciting ride for visitors- "AVENGERS ASSEMBLE: FLIGHT FORCE". Inspired by Iron Man and Captain Marvel, this high-speed roller coaster sends riders hurtling into space to help defend Earth against alien attacks.

2 Pirates of the Caribbean

The Pirates of the Caribbean Explorer Rollercoaster boasts an interactive queue, amazing special effects, and a thrilling ride that takes you on a tour of some of the most memorable moments from the Pirates of the Caribbean films, including a clash between Captain Jack Sparrow and Davy Jones. The experience is even more enjoyable when you dress up as a pirate! So make sure to don your best pirate gear before boarding the ride.

3 Indiana Jones™ and the Temple of Peril

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril is full of all the excitement and thrill that you would expect from an Indiana Jones adventure. As you enter the temple, you'll be met by Indy's arch-enemy, Mola Ram. He's holding a flaming torch, and he looks dangerous! Indy is right behind him though, and it's up to you to help him catch up.

4 Spider-Man W.E.B Adventure

5 Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain

Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland Paris is the place to go if you're searching for an out-of-this-world adventure. This high-speed roller coaster will take you on a journey through hyperspace with twists, turns, and surprises along the way. Whether you're a Star Wars fanatic or not, this is one ride that will leave you feeling thrilled.

6 Big Thunder Mountain

Big Thunder Mountain is an exhilarating, wild ride through America's untamed West. Be prepared to hold on tight to your hats, because this roller coaster will have you feeling every bump! You'll race through canyons, mines, and even an abandoned town that once was thriving with civilization. Keep your eyes peeled for snakes, bats, and other critters that might crossed your path.

7 Hero Training Center

Train with Iron Man, Captain America or Spider-Man and show off some of your coolest moves! After that, head to the Disney PhotoPass™ self-service terminal to pick up your 180° multi-frame photo from Disney PhotoPass+ with the character you trained with.

Disney D-Light

When the night draws to a close, the Sleeping Beauty Castle comes alive as the parapets and towers of the castle burst with special effects and spectacular fireworks illuminate the dark sky. There is a magnificent spectacle of colorful fireworks showering over the castle and laser lights cutting through the mystical fog.

Best time to visit Disneyland Paris

The best time to visit Disneyland Paris is during the summer months, from June to August. This is when the weather is at its warmest, and the park is open late into the night. However, this is also the busiest time of year, so be sure to book your tickets and accommodation in advance. If you're looking to avoid the crowds, September and October are also good times to visit. The weather is still pleasant at this time of year, but the park is not as busy.

Paris to Disneyland Paris: step-by-step guide on travel options

Disneyland Paris is easily accessible from Paris. Trains run regularly from the city centre to Disneyland Paris, and there are also plenty of bus and coach services available. If you're driving, the journey will take around 40-50 minutes depending on where your starting point is. Parking is available at the resort, and there are also plenty of car rental companies in Paris if you want to explore the city and then drive out to Disneyland Paris. That being said, you can also purchase special tickets that include a train or bus transfer from Paris to Disneyland Paris.

Paris to Disneyland Paris by Train

To get to Disneyland Paris by Train , you can catch the RER A Line from Chatelet Les Halles station to Marne-la-Vallée Chessy Station, which is located about 2 minutes from Disneyland Paris. These trains are available every 7 to 12 minutes, so you have plenty of them to choose from!

The train journey takes about 40 minutes in total, and the first train leaves the station from Chatelet Les Halles at 5:18 am.

Paris to Disneyland Paris by Bus

Since there are no quick direct buses available to Disneyland Paris, your best bet is to opt of a Disneyland Paris Express bus. Shuttle 1

• Gare Du Nord- 8:20 am
• Opera- 8:30 am
• Chatlet- 8:55 am
• Eiffel Tower- 8:30 am

Paris to Disneyland Paris by Car

The drive from Paris to Disneyland Paris is a relatively easy one, and should take around 45 minutes in good traffic conditions. If you're driving from the city centre, simply head onto the A4 motorway in the direction of "Metz/Nancy" and follow the signs for Disneyland Paris. Exit 14 will take you right to the resort, and there is plenty of parking available.

If you're renting a car, be sure to familiarise yourself with the local traffic laws before setting off. Remember that in France, you must drive on the right-hand side of the road, and overtake on the left. There are also a few toll roads in and around Paris, so be sure to have some cash on hand.

Where can I eat in Disneyland Paris?

Here is a list of must-visit eateries in Disneyland Paris with our recommended must-try dishes:

Stark Factory is a counter-service restaurant where the pizzaiolo may perform a culinary show. Vegetarian meals, salads, and fresh pasta are also offered on the menu. As part of the dessert, a tribute to Thor's favorite foods from Marvel Studios' "Thor" will be served, paying homage to his love for all things Norse. Try the Italian Dry-Cured Ham Pizza and The thunder cake here.

Pym Kitchen is a unique science-themed restaurant where all the dishes are made with special Pym Particles. These particles, inspired by those used by Ant-Man and The Wasp, allow us to create everything from scratch, including miniature versions of popular foods like pretzel sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, and cakes! So come on down and enjoy some superpowered eats! Try the Giant Burger and Subatomic Burger here.

In this larger-than-life eatery, pull out a huge champagne cork and take your seat at the top of your jam jar lid. Here, enormous cocktail umbrellas, cookbooks, and cutlery provide a rat's eye view while you and your little colony enjoy Rémy's distinctive cuisine. Try the Ratatouille and Brie de Meaux here.

This restaurant, based on a pirate theme, is famous for its exotic seafood and Creole cooking. Try the Grilled Beef Tenderloin and King Prawns and Banana Baked in Rum here.

Pizzeria Bella Note in Disneyland Paris is a must for any pizza lover. The menu offers numerous traditional and gourmet pizzas, as well as pasta dishes and salads. Try the Three Cheese Pizza and Tiramisu here.

This restaurant is ideal for anybody who loves a good old-fashioned cowboy BBQ. The menu features all of your favorite Western dishes, such as barbecued ribs and chicken, as well as some unusual choices such as buffalo stew. Try the Barbeque Ribs here.

Where can I stay in Disneyland Paris?

Exhausted after a super fun day of adventures and rides? Stay back at one of Disneyland Paris' beautiful hotels! Here are some of our recommendations:

You'll get the greatest Marvel experience imaginable at the Disney Hotel New York® – The Art Of Marvel. One of the world's largest publicly viewed collections of work from more than 110 artists from across Europe and abroad, including 50 pieces that are only available at Disneyland Paris, is housed in the hotel's Marvel gallery, located in the Art of the Journey Exhibition.

Find On Maps

Davy Crockett Ranch is a 19th-century American frontier-themed campground at Disneyland Paris named after the well-known folk hero. It provides the perfect rustic and rural atmosphere to wind down in style with your family after an exciting day exploring Disney World, is only a 15-minute drive away from all the action. The bungalows are cozy spaces that will have you refreshed and ready to take on tomorrow's adventure.

For anybody looking to be close to the action, the Hotel Santa Fe in Disneyland Paris is a fantastic location to stay. This hotel is located in the center of the park, and it provides guests with a variety of wonderful facilities. The rooms at the Hotel Santa Fe are large and comfortable, and they include a number of special features.

Insider Tips for your Disneyland Paris day trip

• For easy access to Disneyland Paris, buy Shuttle Tickets or take the Express Train.
• Keep in mind that you'll be doing a lot of walking, so choose comfortable clothes and shoes over style. And if you want to really stand out, consider dressing up like one of the characters for the parade--you're sure to get noticed by all the other characters!
• Get a complete schedule and programme for the day. It's critical to have precise timing since they do change frequently, so knowing when shows will start will assist you in scheduling your day.
• It is always a good idea to carry some packed food with you as an easy and affordable option.
• To get the whole experience, stay for at least one night at Disneyland Paris, and leave the next morning. This way you'll avoid all the evening rush while going back home.
• Any suitcases or bags larger than 55cm x 40cm x 25cm are not allowed inside the Parks. You can store your luggage in the facilities located outside of the Parks.
• Always pre-book your tickets to avoid the long lines at the entrance.

Ready To Explore Disneyland Paris?

Check out our comprehensive Disneyland Paris Guide packed with tours, culture trips, best hotels, restaurants and a lot more.

What is the best time of year to visit Disneyland Paris?

Where is the best place to stay when visiting disneyland paris, how much do tickets to disneyland paris cost, what are the opening hours for disneyland paris, what is there to do at disneyland paris, what should i wear while visiting disneyland paris.

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Born and brought up in Mumbai, I am a content creator by day and a musician by night. My love for travel peaked when my music career took me to various parts of the country. Now, my dream is to explore the world, attend all kinds of music festivals, and experience the culture of each city I visit. My journey has just begun and I've already covered parts of Europe and Southeast Asia.

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Home > Day Trip to Disneyland Paris – Tips for Adults

Day Trip to Disneyland Paris – Tips for Adults

Disneyland Paris is one of the best day trips from Paris. Leave the French capital’s hustle and bustle for a day and enjoy Disney’s fairytale world on a day trip to Disneyland Paris.

Disneyland Paris is one of the most popular day trips from Paris. Click here for the list of best Paris day trips

A Disneyland Paris day trip is great for families with kids but also for adults alone. Most of the rides are for all ages, and it is fun.

There are two parks at Disneyland Paris: Disneyland Park & Walt Disney Studios Park . Disneyland Park is the classic park with the Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, or Frozen whilst Walt Disney Studios Park  has a more general moviemaking theme – but it’s still very Disney.

Although Disneyland Paris recommends 2 days for Disneyland Park and 1 day for Walt Disney Studios Park, both parks can be done in one day each.

This piece is focused on Disneyland Park but most of the Disneyland Paris tips here below are also good for Walt Disney Studios Park.

Click here to buy your tickets to Disneyland Paris

When to Visit Disneyland Paris

If you want to take a day trip to Disneyland Paris during your Paris holidays, we assume that you have already booked your Paris trip . If you haven’t decided when to travel to Paris yet, check out the best time to go to Paris .

Once your Paris dates are fixed, we recommend avoiding the weekend for your day trip to Disneyland Paris. Other things to consider are the French holidays, school holidays, and Disney’s seasonal events.

Finally, some weekdays see lesser crowds than others, so we recommend checking our Disneyland Paris Crowd Calendar for the full picture.

How to Travel to Disneyland Paris from Paris

There are many ways, public and private, to travel to Disneyland Paris on a day trip from Paris. Check out our quick guide on How to Get to Disneyland Paris from Paris with all the transportation options and choose the best option for you.

Disneyland Paris Deals & Bundles

• Disneyland Paris: 1-Day Ticket + Transport from Paris (return transport included

Top Rides in Disneyland Paris

Here’s the list of top rides for kids and adults in Disneyland Park. Check out our quick guide to the Best Disneyland Paris Rides for more information and details.

• Big Thunder Mountain – Big Thrills
• Peter Pan’s Flight – for kids and adults
• Star Tours: The Adventure Continues – Big Thrills
• Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain – Big Thrills
• It’s a Small World – fun for the little ones
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril – Big Thrills
• Phantom Manor – for kids and adults, scary
• Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing – for kids and adults
• Adventure Isle – for kids and adults
• Alice’s Curious Labyrinth – for kids and adults
• Autopia – for kids
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant – for kids
• Les Voyages de Pinocchio – for kids and adults
• Disneyland Railroad – for kids
• Pirates of the Caribbean – for kids and adults

How to Avoid the Longest Lines in Disneyland Paris

1.BUY A FAST PASS

The FASTPASS ticket is a special ticket that helps to skip the lines of the most popular attractions. You need a FASTPASS ticket for each person.

Simply enter your park admission tickets into the FASTPASS machines and receive a return time. Then go have fun until your return time and enter the specially marked Fastpass line.

The FASTPASS ticket is available for the following attractions. As you can see, it is a great option for adults, but less interesting for the little ones.

• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril , Adventureland 
• Star Wars: Hyperspace Mountain , Discoveryland
• Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast , Discoveryland
• Big Thunder Mountain , Frontierland 
• Peter Pan’s Flight , Fantasyland 
• Star Tours , Discoveryland

Click here to buy your FASTPASS tickets

2.PLAN YOUR FIRST RIDES IN ADVANCE

Have a look at our Disneyland Paris Wait Times quick guide and plan your first rides in advance. Decide which rides you want to try first according to these Disneyland Paris wait times.

Click here to see the Disneyland Paris Wait Times

3.DOWNLOAD THE DISNEYLAND PARIS APP AND CHECK THE WAITING TIMES LIVE AT ANY TIME

This free application by Disneyland Paris is great. Amongst its many functions, you can see the waiting times for each attraction live so you can decide where to go next according to the information displayed.

You can see the full list of rides or create a custom-made list with your favorite rides.

This app also shows the rides temporarily closed for maintenance, so you avoid walking to this ride for nothing.

Where to Eat at Disneyland Paris

In Disneyland Park , there are 31 restaurants with different kinds of foods and price ranges.

On the Disneyland Paris app, you can see the full list of restaurants with their location on the map and their menu. Decide where to eat beforehand and avoid wasting your time on-site.

Make your restaurant reservations well in advance and avoid over an hour for a table to become available. There are many ways to do this:

• Up to 6 months prior to your arrival date, by calling the Dining Reservation Service on +33 1 60 30 40 50 (international call rates apply)
• Upon your arrival, through the reception desk at your Disney Hotel
• Or at the restaurant directly

GOOD TO KNOW: Since the beginning of the pandemic, Disneyland Paris has reduced the number of daily visitors in the parks, and some restaurants may be closed. Double-check in the app that your favorite restaurant is working normally.

In Disneyland Park , there are also some food stands and they have interesting bundles food + drink for a quick eat on the go. To use without moderation.

Finally, Disneyland Paris allows you to bring your own food, and this is a great (and cheaper) option for a day trip to Disneyland Paris when your time is more limited. Adventureland and Frontierland have some pleasant areas for a picnic.

Other Tips for your Disneyland Paris Day Trip from Paris

TAP WATER IN DISNEYLAND PARIS

Just like tap water in Paris , you can drink tap water also in Disneyland. Bring your refillable water and save money and plastic during your day trip to Disneyland Paris.

SINGLE RIDER SERVICE

There’s a Single Rider Service available for some rides including Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland Park. This is a great option if you don’t mind riding separately and want to skip past the line.

CLIMP UP TO THE CASTLES FOR THE BEST VIEWS

Climb up to the Sleeping Beauty Castle or Alice In Wonderland’s Castle for some great views of Disneyland Park.

BEST HOT CHOCOLATE

Disneyland Hotel does the best hot chocolate on property. During the colder months, be sure to stop by Cafe Fantasia in the Disneyland Hotel for the best hot chocolate in Disneyland Paris. It is served as a warm cup of milk with a big chunk of hot chocolate to dip into the milk and meltdown.

RUNNING OUT OF CASH?

Automatic cash dispensers (ATMs) can be found in several locations:

• Disneyland Park – Discoveryland and Adventureland
• Walt Disney Studios Park – next to the Restaurant des Stars

You can find these locations on the interactive map on Disneyland Paris app.

Enjoy free WiFi in during your Disneyland Paris day trip. Here’s how to connect:

• Select ‘Disneyland Paris’ WiFi, ‘Disney-Village’ WiFi, or the name of your Disney Hotel
• If you’re an Apple user, you’ll be automatically redirected to a sign-in page on your internet browser
• If you’re an Android or Windows user, you’ll have to manually open your internet browser, where a sign-in page will appear

TAKE LESS PICTURES, EXPERIENCE MORE

One of my main regrets during my day trip to Disneyland Paris was spending most of the time taking pictures inside the ride, forgetting to actually enjoy the ride.

Unfortunately, I have lots of pictures and short videos of It’s a Small World (most of them bad quality pictures due to the lack of light) but I cannot say that I enjoyed the ride!

EXTEND YOUR STAY AT DISNEYLAND PARIS (IF YOU CAN)

Book a night in one of the Disneyland Paris hotels and do both parks without rush.

Also, the Disney Hotels come with great on-site facilities, and you can enjoy extra magic time in the Disney Parks before the day-trippers arrive.

Click here for the best hotels near Disneyland Paris

And there you have it, the list of best tips for planning a memorable day trip to Disneyland Paris from Paris. Enjoy!

Click here for more Disneyland Paris

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Plan Your Dream Trip To Disney!

How To Easily Get From Paris To Disneyland Paris

May 23, 2020 //  by  Jessie Wolf //   Leave a Comment

If your trip to Paris includes more than just Disneyland Paris then figuring out how to get from Paris to Disneyland Paris can be a bit of a worry. But that doesn’t need to be the case.

This handy guide will tell you everything you need to know about easily getting from Paris to Disneyland. It includes different routes, including the train, the bus and driving, as well as routes from the Paris airports.

How ever you intend to travel between Paris and Disneyland, it is important you feel comfortable doing so, so we have included helpful tips and tricks for navigating the different systems in Paris. For the more complicated systems (particularly the RER train) we have produced a step by step guide so you can move around almost as though you are a Parisian.

It is important to make the most out of your Disneyland Paris Itinerary and being stressed before you’ve even arrived at the parks is not ideal for anyone.

Get a FREE printable 30/60/90 day Disney countdown by joining our private  Disney Facebook Group  and share your photos and ask for tips and tricks!

Where Is Disneyland Paris

Despite the name, Disneyland Paris is actually around 20 miles outside of Paris city centre. Paris is a busy and crowded city so it makes sense that the sprawling Disneyland Paris parks would need a bit more space. But Disney, and Paris, are aware that you might want to spend some time in Paris whilst you are visiting, so they have made it super easy to travel from Paris to Disneyland Paris.

How Long Does It Take To Get From Paris To Disneyland Paris?

This depends on where you are staying in Paris, but from the city centre it takes roughly 45 minutes using the RER train, 1 hour and 30 minutes getting the Disney shuttle bus and 40 minutes to drive. Taking the bus or driving yourself to the parks is dependent on traffic conditions so bear that in mind when you’re planning your journey, especially if you are travelling during rush hour (Monday- Friday, between 7:30-9:00am and 5:00-6:00pm).

If you are going straight to the parks from the airport, it takes around 1 hour by shuttle bus from either Charles de Gaulle or Orly airports. Alternatively, you can take the express train from Charles de Gaulle and be at Disneyland Paris in around 15 minutes, although there are some issues with using this method as we’ll explain.

Transportation Options For Getting From Paris To Disneyland Paris

Paris has a pretty comprehensive train and metro system that allows locals and tourists to travel conveniently to various destinations by public transport. The RER is slightly different from the Paris Metro as it links Paris with other destinations rather than inside Paris city centre.

The RER has lettered lines, rather than the numbered lines of the Metro, and these have a corresponding colour on the train map, which can be found in stations, on the trains and on various apps and websites as well as paper copies being available. To get from Paris to Disneyland Paris you need to take the RER A line, the red line, east ( ost ) to Marne-la-Vallee–Chessy. In most stations, although not all of them, the sign for this route will feature a prominent Mickey head so you know it’s heading to Disneyland.

The RER A splits into two paths so make sure you board the train going to Marne-la-Vallee. The platforms at the station will tell you the destination the next train is going to, and the train itself will display its final destination. Again, most of these signs will feature a Mickey head, but not all so pay attention to the trains destination before you board.

Using the system is very similar to any metro/train system that uses automated turnstiles, which means you need to have your ticket available at the start, and the end, of your journey. You will need to scan your ticket to exit the station at Disneyland, so make sure you don’t lose it on your journey and keep it somewhere easy to access so you can move through the station with ease.

Parisians use the metro a lot and there are a number of unwritten rules that they tend to abide by. These will likely be lesser on the RER A line as it is often filled with tourists heading to Disneyland Paris but it is good to be aware of them nonetheless. For one, it is considered rude to eat on the train so try not to plan on eating your breakfast on the train on the way there. It is also considered rude to talk on the phone or have loud conversations whilst you’re on the train, as well as to sit on the foldable chairs whilst other people are standing.

You will need to get to a station that is serviced by the RER A line but once you’re on it, it’s a straight shot to Disneyland and the station is right at the gates to the park so this is one of the simplest ways to get to the parks from Paris city centre.

How To Buy Train Tickets From Paris To Disneyland Paris

There are a number of ways to purchase train tickets to travel from Paris to Disneyland Paris. The system works on a zone system so the ticket price depends on your starting destination and your final destination. However, you buy your tickets you will need to specify where you are travelling to so that you can buy the right type of ticket.

The easiest way is probably to buy a ticket from an attendant at the station. There are automated machines in the stations to purchase tickets but they can be a little funny about taking card payments, especially if you have a card without a chip and pin option, and some machines can only take cash payments.

The attendants are able to take different payments much easier but there can be longer queues to purchase tickets this way.

A lot of locals who use the trains use a Navigo Pass which they can add season tickets to or top up with money so they don’t have to worry about buying tickets every day or for specific destinations. For tourists, or for people who use the metro infrequently, there is the Navigo Easy Pass which can be purchased for an additional 2€ and topped up whenever you need to.

This can be a more convenient way of having tickets if you’re making a number of trips as you don’t need to keep track of a bunch of paper tickets.

The Paris metro is attempting to become paperless so in 2019 they rolled out the ViaNavigo app which allows users to purchase tickets through the app and use their phones as their tickets.

This is a super convenient way to travel as the app can be used in a number of different languages however currently it is only available to Samsung users. The app is available on Apple devices but does not allow for ticket purchase within the app.

Paris does run public buses but if you are looking for a public transport option to get from Paris to Disneyland Paris then the RER is a lot cheaper and much simpler. Disneyland Paris do offer a shuttle bus service, however, that services the city centre.

It is called the Disneyland Paris Express and can be added on when you are purchasing park tickets. You cannot buy this service on its own, it can only be purchased with park tickets, so if you already have tickets then this is not the best option for you.

Disneyland Paris Express offers 2 shuttle services. One has pickups/drop-offs at Gare du Nord , Opéra and Châtelet and the other is from the Eiffel Tower area. Shuttle 1 has pickups at Gard du Nord at 8:20am, Opéra at 8:30am and Châtelet at 8:45am. Shuttle 2 picks up at the Eiffel Tower at 8:10am.

Both shuttles arrive at the parks by 10am but this is dependent on traffic so could be earlier. The shuttle then departs the park at either 8 or 9pm depending on the seasonal opening hours. It is advised that you arrive at the pickup points at least 15 minutes before the departure time to make sure everyone has enough time to get on board.

It is possible to drive from Paris to Disneyland Paris and Disneyland has a large area devoted to carparks but driving in Paris can be a bit of a pain. If your trip to France includes more than Paris then hiring a car can be a good way to save money. Some areas of France are quite remote and offer beautiful driving routes so having a car can be an advantage.

However Paris itself is not particularly car-friendly due to narrow streets, lots of roundabouts and angry Parisian drivers. If your only excursion outside of Paris is Disneyland then hiring a car may not be the best idea.

It’s a 40 minute drive from Paris to Disneyland Paris and involves driving for roughly 34 miles on the A4 motorway. The route features signs to Disneyland and once you exit the motorway it is a 2-minute drive to the parks.

If you do hire a car in Paris there are a number of things you need to know. It is a legal requirement in France that your car has an emergency stop sign, a reflecting jacket for every passenger, and a single-use breathalyzer.

Your hire company should provide all of these items but make sure you check and know where they are in case you are asked. If you are driving your own car in Paris then you will need to pack these items for yourself.

All cars driving in Paris are also required to display a clean air sticker which shows how much pollution the car produces. These will already be on a rental car if you hire it in France but you would need to have one produced for your own car if you choose to drive that to Paris.

Children under the age of 10 are not allowed by law to ride in the front seat and no hands-free or Bluetooth devices can be used in the car at all. Cars are also not permitted to carry speed camera detectors or use Satnavs with a speed camera function.

It is also worth noting that gazole in French is diesel, whilst petrol is essence . So make sure you’re filling up your car with the correct fuel type to avoid any breakdowns.

Getting to Disneyland Paris from Paris Airports

If you are travelling to Paris exclusively to visit Disneyland Paris then there are transport options that will take you straight from the airports to the parks. Disney run a Magical Shuttle airport bus which picks you up from either Charles de Gaulle or Orly Airport and takes you straight to the various Disneyland Paris hotels. This takes roughly an hour and can be added when you are buying your holiday package or added separately later.

There are also commercial shuttle bus options which follow a similar route and may be cheaper than the official Disney option. Some airlines offer this service as an additional extra when booking your flights.

Charles de Gaulle also has an express train service which connects the airport with Marne-la-Vallee. The TGV train is a highspeed train that travels between the different cities of France. Due to its speed, it only takes 9 minutes from Charles de Gaulle airport to the Marne-la-Vallee station at the entrance to Disneyland Paris.

If you are flying into CDG airport, make sure to check out our post about how to get from Charles De Gaulle to Disneyland Paris!

However, the trains run at odd times throughout the day and there can sometimes be up to a 2 hour gap between trains, so if you miss your train you could be in for a long wait at the station. It therefore depends when your flight arrives if this is a feasible option for you, but if you can get one of these then it is by far the quickest option.

Disneyland Paris is such a magical place and it’s important that you are able to make the most of your time there, so having a worry-free journey is the best way to start. This guide should provide you with everything you need to know to travel smoothly between Paris and Disneyland Paris so your entire trip is as wonderful as possible.

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How to Plan a Day Trip to Disneyland Paris in 2024 + 2 Example Itineraries

If you are a big Disneyland fan, then you’ll definitely want to make time in your Paris itinerary for a Paris Disneyland day trip. We’ve visited Disneyland Paris on two different occasions, both times as part of a larger Paris trip, and both times we were happy we included Disneyland.

If you have limited time in Paris, a day trip to Disneyland Paris is a perfect way to visit the park. This post is to help you plan the perfect day trip to Parc Disneyland.

*There may be affiliate links in this post Read my  privacy/disclosure policy  to learn more.

Is a day trip to Disneyland Paris Worth It?

Definitely! If you are traveling without kids (or with older kids) then a day trip to Disneyland Paris can be quite easy. It only takes about 45 minutes from central Paris to get to Disneyland and if you arrive first thing in the morning and stay until late, you will be able to see all of the park’s top highlights.

However, if plan to visit Disneyland Paris with younger kids (as we always are) I’d recommend spending the night near Disneyland rather than doing a day trip from within the city.

I recommend this because the travel to and from the city plus the whole day in the park can be quite exhausting for young kids and we find it nicer to be near the park.

Is Paris Disneyland Good?

Before visiting Disneyland in Paris, I wasn’t so sure that it would live up to my expectations created from our visits to Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida. But it was really great!

The castle at Disneyland Paris is HUGE. It’s such an ornate, beautiful castle and by far my favorite Disneyland Castle. Plus the park is home to most of the iconic Disneyland attractions you’d be hoping to see.

For example, you’ll find Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion. Plus The Teacups, Dumbo and It’s a Small World in Fantasyland.

Plus, the California Adventure equivalent (Walt Disney Studios) is home to the Tower of Terror and some unique rides that are super fun.

One downside is that Disneyland in Paris doesn’t have Galaxy’s Edge, however, the theming throughout the rest of the park is top notch and everything in French makes it feel just a bit more magical.

How to Get From Paris to Disneyland Paris for a Day Trip

The average time to get from central Paris to Disneyland is about 45 minutes. There are a few different transportation options to get to Disneyland Paris from central Paris and they are all pretty straightforward which makes taking a day trip to Paris Disneyland pretty easy.

I will also include options to get to Disneyland from the airports in case you will be heading directly to the park.

HOW TO GET TO DISNEYLAND PARIS FROM CENTRAL PARIS:

• Cost : €5.50 one way. Children under 4 are free and children under 10 are half-price.
• Duration : 40 minutes
• Good Choice? : Most cost-effective choice and pretty easy to use. Tickets can be purchased at the train station or on the RATP app . The train drops you off about a 2-minute walk from the Disneyland entrance. There are even little Mickey Mouse images next to the Marne-la-Vallée Chessy Station on most signs to make it a bit easier.
• Cost: ~€65 one way
• Duration: 45 minutes- 1 hour depending on traffic
• Good Choice? : Great choice if you are tired of using public transport and just want a nice, quiet ride to Disneyland that picks you up right where you are. Also a great choice if you are in a larger group that can split the cost to make it more cost-effective. If you’re traveling with littles, Baby Cabs  is a taxi service in Paris with car seats and we absolutely loved our experiences with them. However, you will need to book your Baby Cab one or more days in advance.
• Cost: €65 roundtrip each for both adults AND children. A family of four would cost €260 roundtrip (that’s twice as much as a roundtrip Baby Cabs or Uber ride would cost) 😲
• Duration: 1-hour drive depending on traffic. However, there is only one time available to leave Paris in the morning and only one time available to leave Disneyland in the evening.
• Good Choice?: This is the worst choice in my opinion. It is SO expensive and the timetables are extremely limited. I don’t recommend this option.

HOW TO GET TO DISNEYLAND PARIS FROM THE CDG AIRPORT & ORLY AIRPORT:

• Duration: 1 hour depending on traffic
• Good Choice? : Great choice that ends up being about the same price as any other transportation option to Disneyland from CDG. A great choice if you are in a group that can split the cost. If you’re traveling with littles, Baby Cabs  is a taxi service in Paris with car seats and we absolutely loved our experiences with them. You must book your Baby Cab one or more days in advance.
• Cost : €19-€35 per ticket depending on how far in advance you purchase your tickets. Children under 4 are free and children under 10 are half-price. Tickets purchased in advance can ONLY be used for the specific train time chosen and you risk losing your ticket if your plane is delayed or it takes longer to get luggage than expected and you miss your train.
• Duration : 12-minute train ride but the train only leaves every 30 minutes- 1 hour which can result in a longer wait time.
• Good Choice? : It sounds better than it actually is (especially for groups and families). It is difficult to purchase tickets in advance for fear of missing your scheduled train and prices the day of can be expensive. The cost of an Uber or Baby Cabs ride could be the same price as your family or group’s train tickets. We did the TGV train our first time and regretted it. It was so difficult to get our luggage and stroller on the train and ended up paying almost as much as our Baby Cabs ride we took on the way back which was SOO much nicer.
• Cost : €24 per adult, €11 for kids under 12, and free for kids under 2 year olds.
• Duration : 1 hour depending on traffic however the only drop-off points are specific Disneyland Hotels NOT the gates of Disneyland
• Good Choice? : It’s an ok choice if you are staying at a Disney Hotel. However, if you are staying elsewhere it is not a good option. Depending on your group size, an Uber or Baby Cabs ride may be just as cost-effective.

Is one Day in Disneyland Paris Enough?

If you want to do EVERYTHING in both Parc Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios, it’s going to be a bit tough to fit into one day. However, if you just want to see the highlights of each park, then you can definitely do both parks in one day.

Technically the Disneyland Paris website recommends three whole days (two for Parc Disneyland and one for Walt Disney Studios) but I feel like that is a bit overkill.

Two days is what I would call ideal (1.5 days in Parc Disneyland and 1/2 day in Walt Disney Studios).

However, you can fit all of the heavy hitters of Parc Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios into one day if that’s all you have.

If you are traveling with young kids, I’d stick to just Parc Disneyland as there isn’t nearly as much they can do at Walt Disney Studios.

Tips for A Day Trip to Disneyland Paris

• Be sure to purchase tickets ahead of time as they can sell out at the gate. I’ve read many reviews that say if you purchase Disneyland Tickets through Viator they are sometimes less expensive than even the Disneyland Paris website (especially if you are trying to get same-day tickets to Disneyland Paris ). Definitely something worth checking out.
• Arrive at opening to beat some of the crowds and get a few rides in before the lines get too long.
• Have a list of the top rides, attractions, and experiences you’d like to include in your day. Since you only have one day in Disneyland you may need to prioritize some things over other things.
• Be prepared for a long day! Between the transportation to and from Disneyland and the miles of walking within the park- you’re probably going to be a bit worn out by the end of the day. Just know that in advance and come with a good attitude.
• Have the Disneyland Paris App downloaded on your phone and ready to go. The map is a must for navigating the parks. Plus it includes ride wait times and show/parade times to help you know where to go next. It can also store your park tickets, make meal reservations, and more.
• If you have extra money to spend (which we rarely do) you may consider purchasing Disney Premier Access passes. These passes allow you to use the fast lane and skip the line for one attraction (you can purchase them for multiple attractions though). They can be purchased on the Disneyland Paris App the day of your visit. We don’t personally use this service so I can’t recommend it and the price seems pretty insane with a single skip-the-line ride ranging from 9-18 euro per person. But I know some people may love this extra feature.
• Wear good walking shoes and comfortable clothing. You’ll be walking many miles between the attractions and the snaking back and forth in the queues.
• If you are traveling with young kids be sure to bring a stroller. Even if your kids don’t use a stroller very often anymore, you will definitely want it at Disneyland. There is so much more walking than you may expect. Disneyland does offer stroller rentals but they are super uncomfortable looking and I’d barely call them a stroller.
• If you are visiting Disneyland Paris with kids, take advantage of the two fun playgrounds within Parc Disneyland called Pirates’ Beach and Frontierland Playground. Walt Disney Studios shockingly has no playgrounds.
• Spend the vast majority of your time at Parc Disneyland and hop over to Walt Disney Studios as you have time. You may then want to hop back again that evening to Parc Disneyland for the fireworks show.
• Take advantage of the single-rider line on the attractions that offer it. This means your party will be split up, but the wait time is usually MUCH shorter.
• If you are visiting Disneyland Paris with young kids who can’t ride all of the rides you want to ride, be sure to take turns as parents riding the ride. After one parent (or adult) finishes the ride, all they need to do is ask a cast member (employee) for a Baby Switch pass. You will then give the Baby Switch pass to the other parent or adult for them to ride the ride while skipping the line! It’s amazing.

Check out more of my Disneyland Paris tips in detail in this post: 15 Essential Tips for Disneyland Paris Planning

Example #1 One-Day Paris Disneyland itinerary For adults & Older kids

*Use this interactive map to see each stop on this itinerary for one day in Disneyland Paris. The first half of the day at Parc Disneyland is in Blue and the second half of the day at Walt Disney Studios/back to Parc Disneyland is in red. Click on the full-screen icon in the top right corner to have this map open in your own Google Maps app or click on the arrow in the top left corner to see a pullout list of all points on the map*

• Snap a pic with the Sleeping Beauty Castle and check out the impressive dragon lair underneath
• Ride Big Thunder Mountain (rollercoaster). Thunder Mountain has the highest average wait time of any ride in the park so it’s good to get there as one of the first things you do. Even if there is a long wait-it’s worth it
• Ride Pirates of the Caribbean . Explore some of the caverns and treehouses at Adventure Isle on the way.
• Ride Phantom Manor or Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril . These attractions typically have wait times of less than 20 min but nice to do earlier in the day when they can often be less than a 10-minute wait. Indiana Jones at Disneyland Paris is completely different from the same ride in California. It is an outside rollercoaster and not one of our favorites.

• Take a break and eat lunch at Casa De Coco . Pretty good Mexican food at a decent price in a ‘Coco’ themed restaurant
• Watch the Lion King: Rhythms of the Pridelands show . Arrive 30-60 min before showtime as seats are first come first serve. Shows are only four times a day at 12:15 pm, 1:15 pm, 3:50 pm, and 4:50 pm.
• See parade floats and characters in front of the castle during Disney Stars on Parade . Be sure to check the Disneyland Paris App for parade times. Grab a treat from a spot on Main Street as you wait for it to start. A spot we love to watch from is the circular square (hub) in front of the castle to get awesome pics with the castle in the background and (depending on the show) there are platforms where many of the characters will come and dance so you can get some fun character interactions.
• Ride Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain : I would recommend using the single-rider- the queue is not particularly exciting and the single-rider line can save you a lot of time. This version of Space Mountain is my favorite, beating out Orlando and Anaheim with its smooth, exciting track and exhilarating launch.

Head over to Walt Disney Studios Park :

• Ride Ratatouille the Adventure : I recommend saving time in line by using the single-rider line for this ride.
• OPTIONAL: Ride Crush’s Coaster . This is a great ride but it does have quite a long wait (even for single-rider). On a 1-day itinerary I think your time is better spent packing in other rides and attractions but if you have time I do recommend Crush’s Coaster!
• Ride Avengers Assemble: Flight Force . This may be my favorite Disney roller coaster EVER. It is fairly intense but such a great ride for such a small wait time. This coaster seems to be the least appreciated ride at the park as the line is SO short but it’s such an amazing, thrilling ride.
• If the wait is short, ride Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure . It’s a fun, interactive ride but maybe not worth the wait if it’s long.
• Ride Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror . The wait time often gets shorter in the late afternoon/evening.

If you have energy still, head back to Parc Disneyland for the evening :

• Take a relaxing ride on the Disneyland Railroad from the Main Street Station. The wait time for the train can be much shorter in the evening and the ride offers a much-needed rest while still enjoying the ambiance of the park. 
• Browse Main Street Shops for souvenirs
• Spend more time exploring the castle on your way to Fantasyland. I think the Paris castle is one of the most magical of all of the Disney Parks. It has a beautiful interior with real stained glass and many other lovely details to appreciate. 
• Be a kid again and enjoy some of the smaller rides in Fantasyland now that the younger families have left the park. Mad Hatter Tea Cups and It’s a Small World are always charming and nostalgic.

The end of the day at Disney Paris is always one of my favorite times of day. The crowds are thinning which makes it a great time to hit some of the attractions you skipped earlier that still want to ride or even take a second ride on a favorite. 

• End the night watching the Disney Dreams Nighttime Extravaganza and the Disney Electrical Sky Parade (drone show) . It is hard to beat the magical feeling of watching these shows in front of the castle before you leave the park.

Example #2: One-Day Disneyland Paris itinerary For Families with young Kids

*Use this interactive map to see each stop on this itinerary for one day in Disneyland Paris with kids. The first half of the day is in blue and the second half of the day is in red. Click on the full-screen icon in the top right corner to have this map open in your own Google Maps app or click on the arrow in the top left corner to see a pullout list of all points on the map*

• Snap a pic with the Sleeping Beauty Castle and check out the animatronic dragon underneath. The dragon can either be loved by young kids or they may find it a bit scary.
• Ride Big Thunder Mountain which is a rollercoaster that even our 4-year-old was able to ride (and loved!). Thunder Mountain has the highest average wait time of any ride in the park so it’s good to get there as one of the first things you do. Even if there is a long wait-it’s worth it. If you have a child who is too small to ride, they can play with one parent at the nearby Frontierland Playground while the others ride. Remember to get a Rider Swap pass at the end of the ride for the other parent so they can skip the queue.
• Ride Pirates of the Caribbean either just as a parent getting rider swap or with your kids. Disclaimer: if you are not familiar with Pirates of the Caribbean, it is a ride in the dark and does have spooky vibes. Our 4-year-old is not interested in it for these reasons.
• Let the kids get their wiggles out exploring the caverns and treehouses at Adventure Isle .
• Play at the Pirates’ Beach Playground (also a good place to play if the kids don’t want to ride Pirates of the Caribbean but one of the parents do want to ride)

• Eat lunch near Adventure Isle at either Casa De Coco (Tex-Mex), Cowboy Cookout Barbeque, or Colonel Hathi’s Outpost (Italian) . Keep a lookout for character meet and greets in the area-especially at Cowboy Cookout.
• Watch the Lion King: Rhythms of the Pridelands show . Arrive 30-60 min before showtime as seats are first come first serve. Shows are only four times a day at 12:15, 1:15, 3:50, and 4:50. Our entire family, including parents and our 1-year-old and 4-year-old, loved this show.
• Explore Fantasyland and ride the rides your kids show interest in . Some of our kid’s favorite rides in Fantasyland are Dumbo the Flying Elephant , the Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups , and the Carousel . Plus, some fun rides that are often overlooked are the Fairytale Boat Ride (Le Pays des Contes de Fées) and Casey Jr. Circus Train ( a small coaster-style train for the littles). We usually avoid the ultra-slow-moving queues (with an average 40+ min wait!) like Peter Pan’s Flight and instead opt for other faster-moving attractions.
• Walk through the castle on your way to the Disney Stars on Parade. I think the Disneyland Paris castle is one of the most magical of all of the Disney Parks. It has a beautiful interior with real stained glass and other lovely details to appreciate.
• Watch the Disney Stars on Parade in front of the castle. Be sure to check the Disneyland Paris App for parade times- this may change at what point this is in your itinerary. Grab a treat from nearby Main Street as you wait for the parade to start. A great spot to watch is from the circular square (hub) in front of the castle. You can get awesome pics with the castle in the background. Plus, depending on the show, there are platforms where many of the characters will come and dance so you can get some fun character interactions with your kids.
• Ride Autopia : My kids love getting to drive their own car and this ride is definitely one of my core memories as a child visiting Disneyland. 
• Parents ride Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain . If you or your partner enjoy fast rollercoasters, this is a great one to do with a single-rider queue where you can quickly take turns using the rider swap feature at the end. The Disneyland Paris version of Space Mountain is my favorite-beating out the Orlando and Anaheim versions with its smooth and exciting track and exhilarating launch. The other partner can entertain the kids by exploring the nearby Les Mystéres du Nautilus (a walk-through of a submarine with a viewport inside of passing ocean life) and then use Rider Swap or Single Rider to take their turn on the rollercoaster. 

• If your kids aren’t totally losing it by this point- you can spend a few minutes browsing for souvenirs at the Main Street Shops on your way out of the park.
• Ride the Disneyland Railroad . The Main Street station usually has the shortest wait times and the wait gets even shorter as the evening rolls around. It’s located right near the exit/entrance of the park. If you want to do this ride earlier in the day, it can offer a much-needed rest while still enjoying the ambiance of the park and it does have other stations to board throughout the park.

End of the Night:

• End the night by watching the Disney Dreams Nighttime Extravaganza and the Disney Electrical Sky Parade (drone show) . We have never kept our kids out late enough for the night-time fireworks/ shows since they often don’t begin until around 9 PM in the winter and 10 PM in summer (check the app for showtimes). However, I know many families that find it to be a magical way to end the day. But if you aren’t sure everyone will have the stamina, it may be better to end your magical day earlier while everyone is still happy 😅!

Note : For a one-day Disneyland Paris itinerary with kids I do not recommend visiting Walt Disney Studios Park. However, if your little ones are big Pixar, Marvel Super Heroes, or Frozen fans, it could be worth your time to prioritize time at Walt Disney Studios or add another day to your itinerary. With that in mind, here are some top things to do …

Walt Disney Studios:

• Frozen: A Musical Invitation, Together: a Pixar Musical Adventure, or other stage shows. Like the Lion King show at Disneyland (which we love), you need to be sure to arrive early for these shows but it can be a nice opportunity to sit down in the pre-queue and give your feet a rest. You may want to buy snacks or treats before you enter the pre-queue to keep everyone happy!
• Ride Ratatouille: The Adventure . This ride often has wait times of 30-35 min but is worth the wait for a super immersive experience. While you can bring small children on (I had our 1.5-year-old in my lap) it may be a little overwhelming for them.
• Ride Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure . This can be a super fun and competitive ride for slightly older kids but your little Spidey-fan may just prefer waiting for the frequent Spider-Man appearances on the roof of the building.
• Ride Avengers Assemble: Flight Force . This coaster may be my favorite Disney roller coaster EVER. It is fairly intense and kids need to be 1.2 meters tall to ride but it’s super fun for parents to take turns doing Single Rider which usually only has a 5-minute wait in the afternoon. The little ones (with the other parent) can explore the Avengers Campus outside as there are often impromptu shows like the Guardians of the Galaxy Dance Challenge happening just outside.

Where Should I Stay Near Disneyland Paris?

Mayber after reading this you’ve decided it may be better to not try and do Disneyland Paris in one day, but rather better to spend the night near Disneyland Paris and not take a day trip to the park. But now you have to figure out where to stay. No worries- I’ve got you!

Since we are usually traveling with small children, we prefer to stay near Disneyland Paris and do 1-2 days in the park rather than try to do a day trip from Central Paris (it’s just too much for one day).

I know many people who are big fans of staying at Disney hotels whenever they visit a Disney park. However, after lots and lots of time spent looking at the Disneyland Paris hotels I just wasn’t convinced it was the best option.

Only one hotel, the Disneyland Hotel , is really within a short walk from the park. It’s a beautiful, 5-star hotel right at the entrance of Parc Disneyland but it is by-and-far out of our price range. However, Disneyland Hotel it’s a great option if you have the money and love a bit of luxury. It recently completed a full renovation.

The second closest hotel to the park is Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel . Again, a beautiful new hotel, but unfortunately out of our price range. It is located at the end of Disney Village outside of the park.

The rest of the Disney hotels are a long walk or shuttle ride away from the park and honestly look pretty expensive for what you get.

We prefer to rent an Airbnb in the village of Serris which is only about a 10-15 minute walk to the park. We love having a full kitchen, living room, and bedrooms to relax in after a long day in the park. We usually end up making dinner at the Airbnb since our kids are pretty done with Disneyland by that time and sometimes pack lunches from the Airbnb as well.

Serris is a really lovely, quiet village and such a short walk to the park. This is one of the Airbnbs we have stayed in near Disneyland Paris and we loved it. Plus the price was amazing- just over 100 euros per night. The same hosts of this Airbnb host loads of other nice Airbnbs all in the same great Serris village with a great price. I highly recommend them.

If you’re more of a hotel person and you want the breakfast that comes along with that- my husband has stayed at Aparthotel Adagio and had a great experience. We always walk past this hotel on our way to the park and I’m pretty sure it’s the closest non-Disney hotel to the entrance (or the closest one we’ve seen).

The Aparthotel Adagio has spacious rooms with a small living room and small kitchen plus it has an option continental breakfast and even a pool! It’s definitely a place we’ve considered staying as a family.

And that’s everything I think you need to know to plan a day trip to Paris Disneyland. You can definitely get a great feel for Disneyland Paris in a day and I hope this guide helps you know how to make that happen. Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions about Disneyland Paris or adding a trip to Paris Disneyland to a greater Paris trip- I”ll be sure to get back to you!

Check out these other posts, I know you’ll love them:

• 15 Essential Tips for Disneyland Paris Planning
• The Only Itinerary You Need to Spend Two Days in Paris
• 27 Essential Paris Travel Tips: Things to Know Before Traveling to Paris
• The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Paris with a Toddler: Things to do + Top Tips
• 10 Fun Playgrounds in Paris Near Top Paris Attractions

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10 Best Day Trips From Paris (Most Accessible by Train)

Last Updated on June 28, 2024

Thinking about taking a short day trip from Paris during your next stay? Some might wonder why it would be necessary to get away from the capital at all. After all, doesn’t it offer enough beauty, history and unexpected wonder? Possibly even two lifetimes’ worth? 

Well, that may be true for some of you. But in case you do have an itch to get out of the city for a spell and see what lies an hour or two beyond, you have plenty of interesting (and easy) options. Keep reading for info on 10 of the best day trips from Paris, with full travel tips on how to get there, main attractions in each, and advice on how to make the most of your getaway.

All of our suggestions are budget-friendly, requiring only reasonably priced tickets on local train lines– or in one instance, a boat. And some are even do-able during the colder months of fall and winter, especially those that offer indoor spaces.

They all offer great opportunities to see what the greater Parisian region (Ile de France) has to offer. They don’t take you away from the city and all its lures for too long. And perhaps the best part of all? No driving is required.

Explore This Article

Giverny (Monet’s House and Gardens)

The home (and constant artistic inspiration) of impressionist painter Claude Monet from 1883 until the artist’s death in 1926, the iconic house and Japanese-style gardens nestled in the small town of Giverny are a true haven, and only a short train and shuttle ride outside of the city.

Spring and fall are my favorite times to visit; winter is probably best avoided since it’s imperative to see the landscapes in their colorful, sumptuous full bloom, or during the fall when reds and oranges from deciduous trees play on the water.

Read related: How to Make Your Spring Trip to Paris Magical 

A Personal Connection to Giverny

Exploring the vast gardens, framed by towering, poetic willows and punctuated by immense ponds filled with nympheas , or water lilies– ones Monet would paint repeatedly in large-format tableau series — is something I associate with joyful moments.

Most notably: I brought my late, beloved grandparents here when they were both in their late ’70s, and that trip is indelibly etched in my mind.

I watched my grandfather, a talented and ambitious but commercially unsuccessful painter, smile with tears welling up in his eyes at the fact of finally seeing firsthand a place he had admired for so many years in paintings.

For him, visiting the gardens at Giverny and exploring Monet’s house filled with memorabilia and objects of artistic inspiration was unthinkably wonderful, because he had believed he’d never live to make the trip.

He went on to paint several (impressionistic) scenes of the gardens, but unfortunately, the only image I have on file is this small and badly pixellated one at left, of dahlias and cheerful yellow blossoms outside Monet’s green-shuttered house.

Dahlias outside Monet’s house at Giverny. Image: Norman Kingsford Vance, 2008. 

It doesn’t do justice to the rich quality of the original, of course, but it gives an idea of what he was going for.

I still think of him, his eyes glistening with tears, as he stood with the support of his cane on the green Japanese-style bridge overlooking the water lilies. It’s an image that never fails to make my own eyes well up.

What to See & do in Giverny/at Monet’s Garden’s?

Pivoting back to more practical matters: While I personally find the gardens to be the most important draw card at Giverny, the house is worth a visit, especially for Monet’s collection of Japanese prints and quirky furnishings; the adjoining museum dedicated to American painting has an interesting collection, too, if time allows.

I also recommend getting outside of the gardens and having lunch in the cute little town itself, which is located at the very edge of the Normandy region .

If you’re interested in spending a few days in Normandy to visit the D-Day beaches, Mont St-Michel or the famed cliffs at Etretat (also painted by Monet, a stopover in Giverny is recommended, too. 

{ Related: Best Monet Museums in Paris: Where to F ind the Impressionist Master }

Getting There & Practical Info

The easiest way to get to Giverny and Monet’s gardens is by train. From the Saint-Lazare train station (follow the signs from the metro to the “SNCF-Grandes Lignes” exit), take the regional train line Paris/Rouen/Le Havre to the Vernon-Giverny stop.

Book Half-Day Trips From Paris to Monet’s Gardens and Giverny (via GetYourGuide)

From there, shuttles leave regularly for the gardens. The entire trip takes around an hour and a half, and isn’t terribly expensive. For more practical information, including current admission prices, visit the official website. 

Versailles and its over-the-top opulence

While a trip to the Palace of Versailles is hardly an original choice, I certainly recommend it– especially in the spring, when its elaborate gardens burst alive with dazzlingly symmetrical blooms, elaborate mazes and even a quiet, bucolic hamlet complete with animal farm and ponds. 

If I had to describe the palace’s significance, I would say it represents the height of French royal power and decadence– followed by the spectacular downfall of the institutions that forged its grandeur. 

Commissioned by King Louis XIV during the late 17th century, the sprawling, sumptuous palace was to embody the power and wealth of France’s absolute monarchy– transplanting that royal might from its traditional home in Paris to a prosperous town to its west.

Here, the “Sun King” and his successors flourished for over a century– until the French Revolution of 1789. That dramatic revolt saw the bloody abolition of the monarchy and the ousting, then execution by guillotine, of King Louis XVI and his Austrian wife, Queen Marie Antoinette.

Since then, Versailles has belonged to the state, and to the public. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the palace’s 2,300 rooms invite seemingly endless possibilities for exploration. The recently-renovated Hall of Mirrors is especially dizzying for its opulent details and reflective perspectives. 

André Le Notre’s painstakingly designed royal gardens , meanwhile, are almost obscenely endowed with elaborate beds and parterres, lush flowers and shrubbery, mazes, fountains, canals and heroic statuary. 

Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon & Queen’s Hamlet

Of course, my favorite places on the premises aren’t the main palace, but the smaller, more personal palaces and retreats built by monarchs over the years. Places that afforded a measure of privacy and quiet, and that reveal startling and interesting details about their personalities. 

For me, the most interesting among these is the Hameau de la Reine (Queen’s Hamlet) , a bucolic little corner of Versailles commissioned by Marie Antoinette. With its thatched-roof cottage, footbridges, ponds filled with wild fowl, animal petting farm and more romantic layout, the Hamlet offers an amusing glimpse into the Queen’s (distorted) picture of peasant life.

It does strike one as comical and slightly hypocritical that she would want to create a place so removed from the opulence of the main palace, or even “play” at being a commoner. 

But contrary to popular myths, historians say she never dressed up as a shepherdess or otherwise “pretended” to be a peasant while visiting the Hamlet. True, she insisted that it house a working farm complete with animals. But she reportedly saw this as essential to her children’s education. 

Whatever your perspectives on the Hamlet, it’s a peaceful and charming place to wander for a stretch. 

Meanwhile, the Trianon Estate comprises the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon , smaller palaces commissioned by Louis XIV and Louis XV, respectively. These more intimate palaces have lush, harmonious gardens and sumptuously decorated terraces.

They’re also generally a lot less crowded than the main palace– a real boon during peak tourist season, especially. Visit the Royal Stables and romantic English-style gardens to complete your afternoon. 

Getting There, Tours & Practical Info

Versailles can be easily reached via the RER train Line C that departs from Central Paris at St-Michel/Notre Dame, Musée d’Orsay and other stops. You can also take the TER local train line to Versailles-Rive Gauche, then follow the signs to the palace entrance.  Visit the website for more practical info and directions. 

Browse & purchase one of our self-guided online itineraries:

Looking to schedule a tour? Book skip-the-line tickets for full access to Versailles plus audiotour (via GetYourGuide) , or book a full guided tour with skip-the-line access from Paris (via Viator).

Prefer a private ride to and from the Palace? Book a two-way transfer by car to Versailles (via Welcome Transfers).

Provins and its awe-inspiring medieval fortifications

The next short trip I wholly recommend is to Provins, a UNESCO World Heritage site that offers one of the most well-preserved examples of medieval fortifications in Europe.

This is a town that hardly gets any attention in your average guidebook, but in my sense it’s one of the most interesting, and prettiest, places in the Paris (Ile-de-France) region. As with all the other places listed here, spring and fall are the best time to go, but a winter trip won’t hurt, as long as it’s not too rainy out.

What to See in Provins?

Exploring the city takes only about three hours– five if you stop for a long, French-style lunch. Make sure to see the dramatic Caesar Tower, dating to the 9th century and a powerful symbol of the old noble families of Champagne.

Exploring the realistically furnished rooms with fireplaces, as well as the creepy dungeon, is fascinating.

In the spring (generally from late March), Provins comes fully alive with medievalist festivals complete with jousting matches and elaborate costumes, craft fairs, and traditional town processions featuring banners inscribed with regional codes of arms, offering a glimpse into local traditions that have scarcely changed over hundreds of years.

Rose products are also proffered everywhere during the spring and early summer– a perfect time to stock up on perfumes, jams, honey or potpourri full of the stuff, for those who enjoy the scent or flavor.

Oh, and my spouse, who happens to be a scholar of medieval literature, wishes for me to add that you might also hope to procure a decent bottle of Hippocras– a traditional wine flavored with spices and sugar– in town.

Read traveler reviews of Provins at TripAdvisor

From the Paris Gare de l’Est regional train station, take the train to Provins (there are several daily); consult schedules at sncf.fr.

ParisCityVision also offers a day trip to Provins that includes shuttle transport to and from central Paris, priority entrance to main attractions, and a ticket to the “Eagle on the Ramparts” theme show.

For more practical info, transport options and details on current and upcoming events you can  visit the town’s official website. 

Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte

It gets only a sliver of the attention that Versailles does. But Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte, which in fact inspired the more famous, significantly larger château and gardens, is a true masterpiece of 17th-century French architecture.

While much smaller than Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte and its gardens arguably represent a more harmonious, less garish and more romantic version of the Louis XIV style.

This is true of the lovely formal gardens, which include the perfectly proportioned assembly of fountains, parterres, water basins and gravelled paths designed by Le Notre.

 A juicy, scandalous history…

He reportedly razed three local villages and hired some 18,000 workers to have it built, commissioning Andre Le Notre and Louis le Vau to come up with the layout and design– who would later go on to design much of Versailles and its vast gardens.

It’s also got a juicy history behind it. Commissioned by the Marquis Nicolas Fouquet, a friend to the French playwright Molière and fervently loyal to King Louis XIV (the “Sun King”), Fouquet’s intention, in ordering the construction of the Chateau Vaux–le-Vicomte, was to flatter and win the favor of the king by achieving new heights of luxury and grandeur.

On the night of the earlier Chateau’s inauguration, pomp and circumstance was at full throttle. One of Moliere’s plays was performed to celebrate the occasion, and lavish, expensive fireworks filled the skies.

Sadly, one of Fouquet’s arch nemeses, a certain Jean-Baptiste Colbert, fed Louis XIV information falsely suggesting that Fouquet had misused public funds to build the new château.

Fouquet was promptly arrested, his rival taking his place as superintendent of finances. His plans to impress the Sun King had entirely backfired– an episode that the French satirist Voltaire would later document in one of his essays.

Vaux-le-Vicomte is only 35 minutes away from central Paris– far closer than Versailles. There is an easy direct train from Paris Gare de L’Est station (the same one, line P, that heads to Provins). The stop is the Verneuil l’Etang station.

Once at Verneuil, look for the signs to the “Châteaubus” shuttle service. Only cash is accepted by drivers for the shuttle– I advise making sure you have some before boarding the train in Paris.

Annual closures: Note that the château is habitually closed through most of November, January and February. Check the official website for opening times, ticket prices and other detailed practical information.

Book tickets for the Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte at GetYourGuide 

Cruise & Picnic on the Marne River- “On the Impressionists’ Trail”

Most tourists are aware that boarding a “Bateau-Mouche” on the Seine can be a relaxing way to get some reprieve from walking around everywhere.

The cruise that I recommend the most, however, isn’t on the Seine, but on the Marne river– whose graceful green banks and “guinguettes” (musical riverside cafes) were documented by impressionist painters including Camille Pissarro (his painting is pictured above), Sisley, Caillebotte and Monet.

Related: How to Choose the Perfect Boat Tour, Lunch or Dinner Cruise in Paris

One trip a few years ago with a bunch of friends on a weekend cruise organized by the company Canauxrama was all I needed to be sold on the Marne’s myriad charms.

The cruise started in Paris, near the Bastille Opera. The boat wended through eastern Paris, through the old lock systems of the Canal St-Martin, until we left the metropolitan zone and were suddenly surrounded by lush, green banks and countryside air. We had a glass of champagne on board, then a picnic on a grassy riverbank before resuming the cruise.

There was something timeless about the trip that made the worldview of some of my favorite impressionists seem, suddenly, much more vivid.

Booking a Cruise 

To book a cruise with Canauxrama and view details on prices as well as a sightseeing map, see this page .   Lunch at a riverside restaurant called Chez Gégène is optional– I’d suggest packing a picnic instead, weather permitting. The photo ops on this cruise are very good, too, so make sure to bring a camera.

Spring or summer is definitely ideal for this particular day trip.

Fontainebleau Forest and Chateau

Next up, let’s consider the forest and château at Fontainebleau. This is another under-visited green space in the Ile-de-France region that tourists would do well to discover.

The rocky landscapes of the enormous (but admittedly rather tame) forest, which once served as royal hunting grounds, attract both hikers and troupes of devoted rock climbers. It offers welcome expanses of greenery and fresh air to walkers eager to escape the city pollution for a day.

Meanwhile, the Chateau has 1,500 rooms, and has been a country residence to French kings and Emperors from the 11th century to the 19th.  

(Book a private half-day tour to Fontainebleau by car)

Emperor Napoleon I was a great admirer, basking in the grandeur and pomp of it all, though he never lived there. Napoleon III was the last ruler to occupy the Chateau during the Second Empire, before France finally threw off royal and imperial rule.

Book priority-entrance tickets to the château (via Tiqets.com)

To get to Fontainebleau, the easiest option is to take the regional SNCF train from Gare de Lyon. You can take either the  Montargis Sens, Montereau or Laroche-Migennes lines. Get off  at the Fontainebleau-Avon station, then take the ‘Ligne 1’ bus with “Lilas” as its final destination. Your stop is simply called ‘Château’.

For detailed information on how to get to the forest and learn more about the walking trails there, see this page .

Chartres Cathedral 

Located only 80 km from Paris is one of the country’s great masterpieces of French Gothic architecture. Alongside Notre-Dame in Paris and Strasbourg Cathedral in Alsace, Chartres arguably represents France’s most arresting and elaborately designed examples of medieval Gothic architecture. 

Related: Visit These Stunning Medieval Sites in Paris

Primarily built between around 1194 and 1220, the Gothic and Romanesque Cathedral you see today was constructed on a site that had housed numerous earlier cathedrals from the 4th century onward. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it’s widely recognized as a masterpiece of medieval architecture. 

It’s also a remarkably well-preserved site: the original glass windows remain intact, and the Cathedral’s structure has only been slightly modified since the 13th century. Compare this to Notre-Dame Cathedral, which has undergone numerous renovations and repairs over the centuries, having suffered everything from fires to Revolutions. 

Admire Chartres’ exterior, featuring imposing flying buttresses and two eye-catching, elegant spires. The three facades are lavishly decorated with sculptures, mostly designed to illustrate Christian themes and Biblical episodes.

Inside, the beautiful stained glass and rose window are simply captivating to behold– and if the light’s right when you visit, can present superb photos opportunities. 

Chartres is easily reached by boarding a train from Paris’ Montparnasse station. Trains run daily and take between 60 minutes to an hour and 45 minutes, depending on whether you catch a fast one or not. 

Read to schedule this excursion? You can b ook a six-hour tour to Chartres with visit to the Cathedral & town (via GetYourGuide) .

Alternatively, book a five-hour tour from Paris with private transport (through Viator).

If you head out in the early morning, you can easily enjoy a full day in Chartres, visiting the town itself in addition to its sublime main attraction. 

Reims & the Champagne Region

Feel like getting out of Paris for a little champagne cellar tour and tasting? It may seem worlds away, but in reality you can hop on a train and be in the capital of Champagne in as little as 45 minutes. 

Reims is a lovely city whose 250km of underground limestone tunnels, or crayères , house some of the region’s most-lauded champagne cellars. They’re so remarkable and well-preserved that they’re yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Come enjoy a tour of the cellars at houses such as Ruinart, Mumm and Taittinger. This is something I particularly recommend as part of a winter or late fall trip to Paris , since rainy and gloomy conditions can make a cellar tour an especially appealing way to get indoors. 

Read related: How Champagne’s Wines Got Their Bubbly

Meanwhile, Reims has its own fantastic Gothic cathedral that’s worth seeing , and a vibrant city center with notable restaurants, alluring shops and a long, fascinating history that stretches back hundreds of years. 

Getting There, Tours & Other Practical Info

You can get to Reims for a day away by boarding a high-speed TGV train from the Gare de l’Est station. There are also slower trains, but if you’re only going for a day I firmly recommend taking the TGV. 

(Book a champagne-tasting tour in Reims with transport from Paris & 8 tastings (via GetYourGuide) . 

Prefer to ditch the crowds? You can book a private day trip to Champagne and Reims by car (via Welcome Pickups).

Beaune and the Burgundy Region

Here’s another one for those of you interested in tasting some exceptional French wines. At a little over two hours by train from the capital (provided you take the fastest line), the quaint Burgundian city of Beaune offers yet another quick jaunt to an adjoining region.

Surrounded by vineyards belonging to the prestigious Cote d’Or appellation (winemaking area), Beaune is a splendid medieval city that was once held by the powerful Dukes of Burgundy, who ruled over an independent Duchy between the 9th and late 15th century. 

( Side note: You should also consider visiting Dijon , famous for its eponymous French mustard and culinary culture and a main seat of the Duchy of Burgundy in what during the Middle Ages.) 

Wine-tasting in Beaune

Of course, a trip to Beaune should involve tasting wine , whether in bars and cellars located right in the historic little town, or by embarking on a tour to local vineyards and wineries. Luckily, you don’t need a car: the tourist office offers plenty of guided tours that include transportation. 

You can also book a day-long vineyard tour of Beaune that includes tastings of 10 superb local vintages (via GetYourGuide). 

If visiting during the spring and summer, it can be particularly pleasant to rent a bike in central Beaune and take a  bucolic whirl through the vineyards, enjoying the fresh air and quieter perspectives.

Just make sure you use the spitoons when stopping off to taste the wine: you’ll need to stay alert, sober and fit for the ride back to town! 

Hospices de Beaune

Beaune’s historical and architectural qualities are also readily apparent, and merit some exploration if you have the time. Beeline to the Hospices de Beaune , whose polychromatic, tiled rooftop exemplifies some of the region’s distinctive Burgundian architecture of the Middle Ages. 

Once a hospital for the infirm and the poor, the Hospices was built in around 1443. It’s fascinating for what it reveals about Burgundian social history and practices during the time of the Duchy.

It boasts its own vineyard and wine cellars (where you can of course enjoy a tasting), large medieval kitchen where dummies re-enact what daily life would have looked like in centuries past, and an apothecary filled with delicate old bottles and mysterious tinctures. No wonder the 15th-century complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

The Edmond Fallot Moutarderie (Mustard Mill)

If you’d like to learn more about the way local, artisanal mustards are made in Burgundy, pay a visit to the Edmond Fallot Moutarderie (mustard mill).

Here, you can browse (and taste) dozens of traditional mustards, take guided tours through the mill and learn more about the history and process of fabricating the “yellow gold”.

Beaune can be reached directly by train from Paris via the Gare de Lyon station. The trip takes around 3 hours, and there are numerous services operating daily. 

You can also take a high-speed (TGV) train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Dijon, then change trains to Beaune. The total journey time is less than 2 hours and 30 minutes.

See the Beaune tourist office website for tons of ideas on what to see and do during a stay there, whether for a day or a long weekend. 

Disneyland Paris

I generally encourage travelers with children to explore more locally anchored kid-friendly attractions like the Science Museum at the Parc de la Villette and the Jardin d’Acclimatation , an old-fashioned amusement park in west Paris that’s complete with rides such as a log flue and mini roller-coaster. 

{5 Parisian Museums Young Kids Will Love}

But I get it. Sometimes the family will want to make a special trip to Disneyland Paris , located just an hour east of the city via an easy commuter train. And it can be tons of fun, of course.

It has all of the “lands” you’ll find in California and Florida– from Fantasyland to Adventureland– with some unique features of its own, including a version of “Space Mountain” that’s much more adrenaline-inducing and fast-moving than its Anaheim predecessor. 

The park schedules special events throughout the year, including at Halloween, St Patrick’s Day and Christmas. So irrespective of when you visit, the family should enjoy it. 

The park is easily accessed from central Paris by boarding the RER (commuter-line train) Line A from Chatelet-les-Halles and taking it all the way to Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy/Disneyland. The train stops just steps from the entrance gates and ticketing areas. 

Prefer to Drive?

While these day trips are all pretty accessible by train, some travelers will prefer to rent a car for planned day trips out of the city. You may have a lot of gear– especially if you’re visiting Paris with a baby or young children- – or may just prefer the freedom and flexibility of getting around with a rental car.

Ready to find your vehicle? Get a free quote on rental cars from Paris here (via Discover Cars) or click on the banner above.

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(Editor’s Note: This article contains a few affiliate links. While booking experiences or tours through our partners comes at no additional cost to you, they help to fund more free, in-depth content at Paris Unlocked. Thank you.)

Courtney Traub is the Founder and Editor of Paris Unlocked. She’s a longtime Paris resident who now divides her time (as well as she can manage) between the French capital and Norwich, UK. Co-author of the 2012 Michelin Green Guide to Northern France & the Paris Region, she has been interviewed as an expert on Paris and France by the BBC, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Le Figaro, Matador Network and other publications. Courtney has also written and reported stories for media outlets including Radio France Internationale, The Christian Science Monitor, Women’s Wear Daily and The Associated Press. In addition to going down various rabbit holes of curiosity when it comes to French culture, history, food and art, Courtney is a scholar of literature and cultural history whose essays and reviews have appeared in various forums.

7 thoughts on “ 10 Best Day Trips From Paris (Most Accessible by Train) ”

These are all absolutely dreamy! I would love to visit Monet’s house and garden, and it makes me really happy that your grandparents managed to see it too. The painting your grandad created is so beautiful! I truly hope he’s in a better place right now with your grandma, maybe in a garden just like this <3

<3 Thank you.

I loooove these! I’ve always wanted to visit Giverny in Spring time and fingers crossed this year will be it! All those other trips look incredible as well. I love Paris, but I’ve been there almost a dozen times so I think it’s time to branch out a little. great post!

Very tempting ideas. I want to take that trip on the Marne. Nice piece.

Thank you! Yes, the trip on the Marne can be really lovely, especially in the spring. I was astounded at how green and countrified the banks of the Marne are– and of course, when you’re a fan of the Impressionists, seeing the landscapes and “guinguettes” (musical riverside cafes) that inspired so many of their paintings is moving.

I pinned this one! How far is the Loire Valley or Aix de Provence from Paris? More than a day trip?

very interesting proposals! But what about late of November visit to Paris? what would you recommend from the above or others. planning to stay for 5 days and I have been again to Paris, have done most of the sightseeing inside town.Thank you in advance

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How to Spend 3 Days in Paris and Disneyland Paris

September 17, 2020 by Kari 4 Comments

Paris is by far is one of my favourite places in the world to visit. It has romance, great food and amazing sights to see making it the perfect weekend get-away. But what if I told you, you can also combine your Paris weekend with Disneyland? Yup, you heard me! It is perfectly possible to do both in the same weekend and I can’t wait to share this tried and tested guide (by me and 2 friends) with you!

I’ve put together a full day of sightseeing in Paris, a full day exploring Disneyland and the last day being up to you on what you would like to see.   But remember this is just a guide, so feel free to change things around! Want to spend day 1 at Disneyland first? Go for it! Don’t want to see Louvre? No problem! Feel free to pick and choose from this guide and skip the ones you don’t want to see. If you only have 3 days and really want to explore Paris and Disneyland Paris (like we did hehe ) then this is the guide for you. So grab a notebook, pen and drink (wine, juice, coffee, you take your pick) and let’s get into it!

Travel Day to Paris

We decided to travel to Paris on Day 1 and head straight to exploring the city. Looking back, it would have been better to travel to Paris the night before and start fresh the next day. So if you can, try dedicating half a day as a travel day into Paris. Check into your hotel, get a good night’s rest and be up and ready to go the next day!

Day 1: Exploring Paris

Day 1 is going to be a busy day full of ticking off bucket list sights. If you’re travelling into Paris on the day (like we did!) try getting a good rest the night before. Especially if you can’t sleep on planes or public transport like me. Ideally, you want to arrive in Paris early morning. We aimed to be at our hotel for 10.00 am in Paris so we could have the full day to explore. So if you do manage to get to your hotel in the morning then check-in, relax and freshen up! Unfortunately, most hotels have check-in times that are in the afternoon, but you can leave your luggage with them (which they will keep safe), freshen up in the hotel bathrooms and get out there to explore. Just check beforehand if your hotel allows the option to leave your bags with them. Tip: If you are feeling hungry, you’re bound to find a local cafe near you! You can use Google Maps or ask the concierge.

The Louvre: 2 Hours

The Louvre is the largest art museum in the world! Home to the famous Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa this is a great place to explore in Paris. I recommend exploring this first as the queues can be super busy. Plus the sheer size of the museum means there is just soo much to see.

Getting There:

You can opt to walk there or take the Metro. If you take the Metro, I recommend getting off at ‘Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre.’ You can access Louvre from this underground Metro stop and the queues are a little quieter! Give yourself roughly 30 minutes to get there. If you get lost, don’t be afraid to ask! We found the metro workers to be really helpful.

Booking Louvre:

As mentioned before, the queues for Louvre can be crazy busy so it’s best to book in advance. The online price for the Louvre is 17 Euros. You can book tickets directly from Louvre . Tip: Good news for some! You can get into Louvre for free at any time if you are between the ages of 18 to 25 and from the European Economic Area. And for all aged 26 and under, you can visit the museum for free every Friday from 6.0 pm-9.45 pm.

Seeing Louvre:

The size of Louvre is so large that you will not be able to see the whole museum in a few hours, let alone a day! It’s best to pick only a couple of sights that you really want to see at the museum and see those first. If you have more time to explore, great!

For example, we really wanted to see Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace and Venus de Milo (typical Instagram shots!). We saw these all first which then allowed us time to explore other parts of the museum and have a mini photoshoot in the outside courtyard!

Tip: The outdoor courtyard is a great place for photos and is free! So if you’re not up for seeing the inside of Louvre, you can skip it completely. There is a coffee shop called Cafe Mollien where you can get some amazing pictures of the courtyard. Keep in mind that this cafe is pricey!

Champ- Elysees and Arc de Triomph: 2-3 Hours

From Louvre, you can walk to Champs-Élysées which is about a 30-minute walk. If you do walk, you can even pass other spots like Place De La Concorde and Place Vendome! For us, we took the Metro to Champs-Élysées – Clemenceau Metro stop which took us around 15 minutes to get to. Looking back on the trip, I do wish we walked instead! It’s only 15 minutes more in travel time and we could have seen much more of Paris.

Explore Champ-Elysees and Arc de Triomph:

Champ-Elysees is full of restaurants and shops and is known as the world’s most beautiful avenue! We actually stopped at one of the outdoor bars on our way there and had a bite to eat (and a few cocktails of course!). Just remember that if you do decide to eat here, it will be a little pricey as you’re in a prime tourist spot.

The Arc de Triomphe is a famous and huge monument in Paris, making it one not to miss! We only admired it from outside so didn’t spend too long here, but I wish we did.

Tip:  If you have the time, climb to the top of Arc de Triomph for some breathtaking views of Paris. Although some people say the queues aren’t that long, if you wish to avoid them you can book here .

Notre Dame:1-1&1/2 hours

Notre Dame is further out than the other places in Paris. So if you decide to see Louvre in the evening, you can switch it around and see Notre Dame first. The closest stop is Cité which you can take via RER and then walk towards Notre Dame. It was tricky for us to find, so it’s best to ask someone or use Google Maps!

Exploring Notre Dame and River Seine:

Notre Dame (a beautiful medieval cathedral) is being re-built with the intention of re-opening in 2024 after the unfortunate incident in April 2019.

But I have still kept it in this guide for those who want to visit. You can still see some of the beautiful Gothic architecture and the surrounding area is worth a visit!

Plus it is so close to the River Seine so you can walk along the River and explore the area. We found this to be sooo peaceful, especially in the late afternoon. 

You can choose whether to continue exploring around Notre Dame or head back to the hotel to freshen up! We decided to head back as we wanted to take a nap and then get all glammed up for dinner! If you are feeling peckish there are lots of places to eat, especially along the River.

Eiffel Tower

I’ve saved the best till last, trust me! At night is when the Tower sparkles and it is amazing to see!

The Eiffel Tower sparkles every hour on the hour in the evening for 5 minutes until 1.00 am (where it will sparkle one final time for 10 minutes). I recommend taking a taxi for this part from wherever you are! It’s the quickest way to get there plus if you’re like me all dressed up in heels, it’s deffo the better option!

We decided to go after 9.00 pm as this gave us enough time to have dinner! We then found a spot about half an hour before to take some photos (and found the crowds were quieter at this time as they pick up closer to the hour!).

Where to Find a Spot:

We really wanted to find a spot at Parc du Champ de Mars and sit there to watch the Tower sparkle but we never ended up finding it (mainly because we didn’t know it was called Parc du Champ de Mars ).

So now that you know the name, if you are taking a taxi or Uber, ask the driver to drop you at Parc du Champ de Mars ! That way you’re not wasting any time and can find a nice spot before it starts to get busy.

Tip: Alternatively, why not head to Place du Trocadero to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle? You’re then able to tick two things off your bucket list instead of one and will have an amazing view. This is something I will deffo be doing when I return!

Day 2: Exploring Disneyland Paris

It’s here, the day has finally arrived where you can finally go to the most magical place in Europe, Disneyland Paris ! Yaaaaaay!

Booking Disneyland Paris:

Disneyland Paris is made up of two parks, Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. I recommend buying both park tickets for the day that way you can experience both the parks. If you HAVE to pick one, I would go for the Disneyland Park as it has a bit more ‘magic’ to it. Also, don’t forget to purchase a day ticket that provides fast passes so that you can skip the long queues for certain rides and enjoy the day more! We bought our tickets from Picniq .

Getting to Disneyland from Paris:

There are plenty of options for you to get to Disneyland from your hotel in Paris, we opted for Metro and RER. From Paris, you want to get to Line A of the RER system as this is the line that terminates at Marne-la-Vallee Chessy  station and pretty much takes you to the front of the Disneyland Parks! The journey from Paris to Disneyland can take around 45 minutes or so.  Get to Disneyland for when it opens to the public so you can be one of the first to enter! This differs depending on when you are visiting, so be sure to check the opening times a few days before going. 

Walt Disney Studios Park: Opening Time-1pm

Check out Walt Disney Studio Park first as it is a smaller park out of the two (and closes earlier). I recommend heading straight to Crush’s Coaster and getting this out of the way as this is one of the busiest rides and you could be waiting hours in the queue!  After that, if you are feeling peckish you can grab a bite to eat, or continue exploring Walt Disney Studio Parks and head on more rides! My favourite ride in Walt Disney Studios is Tower of Terror, a must-see for all you thrill seekers! Next, I recommend checking out Disney Village, for an hour or so. Here you can grab a bite to eat at some well-known restaurants (like McDonald’s and Rainforest Cafe ) and shop around to grab some souvenirs.

Disneyland Park: 2pm-Closing Time

Disneyland Park consists of 5 lands. To make the most out of your day trip I highly recommend picking up a map of the park. You can grab this as soon as you enter the park after you’ve gone through security.   When you enter Disneyland Park you’re welcomed by Main Street ! Here you have some more shops and places where you can grab a bite to eat, so you could always do this instead of browsing around Disney Village.

Exploring Sleeping Beauty’s Castle:

The next thing I recommend doing is checking out Sleeping Beauty’s castle . As you walk through the castle you’ll see a shop inside and just opposite this are some stairs which take you up into the castle where you are able to have the story of Sleeping Beauty told to you through stained glass windows. And don’t forget to find the dragon hidden somewhere underneath the castle! Next, go ahead and explore the park and rides! My personal favourites are Big Thunder Mountain, Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain (which both provide fast passes) and Phantom Manor. Tip: On the map, t here will be a small ‘F’ symbol next to some rides which means you can grab a fast pass for these!

Stars on Parade:

The Stars on Parade is a must-see at Disneyland Paris. It usually starts at 5.30 pm (although check on the day you go!) but it is best to find a spot about half an hour before so that you can get a good view and not have anyone stand in front of you.

Restaurants:

When it comes to eating, it’s always best to sit down and eat at a restaurant. The only problem is, it’s almost impossible to walk in and get a table when it hits lunch or dinner time.

It’s best to book a table in advance at one of the restaurants so that you can head straight there to eat.

Honestly, I wish we did this as we wasted time walking around trying to find a restaurant that had a table for us and ended up heading to Main Street to grab a hot dog and it wasn’t very filling. So learn from my mistakes and book a restaurant! The ones I recommend are: Restaurant Des Stars: A buffet located in Disneyland Park Captain Jack’s Restaurant Des Pirates: Perfect for seafood lovers and located in Disneyland Park Bistrot Chez Rémy: French cuisine restaurant in Walt Disney Studios Park

Disney Illuminations:

Disney Illuminations is a beautiful 20-minute firework display to end your magical Disneyland Paris experience. This is shown near the castle when the park closes (we visiting in the summer and the show started at 11.00 pm but check on the day!). 

Try to find a place in front of the castle half an hour before the fireworks are due, but in the summer months, you may want to make that an hour! In fact, we found a spot in front of the castle and sat there for over 1 1/2 hours! Oh and bring a cardigan, even if you are going in the summer!  I was feeling chilly in the evening and had shorts and tee on and although it was warm, I wish I had something to get cosy in!

Leaving Disneyland Paris:

When the fireworks end, everyone rushes to the shops or to the trains and it feels like a lifetime to try and get out of the Park. If you have the budget for it, it’s best to get a taxi to your hotel, because you’ll be so exhausted and just want to sleep. You can take the train back, which is what we did, but just keep in mind it is very tiring and busy. By the time we got back to the hotel I was exhausted and my legs were aching, so it would have been better for us to have taken a taxi back. Tip: If you do take the train, try waiting for the next available train to avoid the rush. For us, we managed to get the last train to Paris at 12.25 am but double check on the day what time the last train is and try taking that train as you’ll find it to be a little quieter than the one before it.

Day 3: Exploring Paris

Day 3 really depends on when your flight is. If you don’t have a morning flight, use this day to relax and do something that you really want to do. We had an afternoon flight so decided to head to the Eiffel Tower to see it in the day! Why not stroll along the riverside, where you can sit, have a drink (or cocktail) and enjoy the wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower? Or how about going to a local supermarket, packing a picnic and heading to the riverside for a romantic picnic? Use this day to wander and explore at your pace, well until you have to rush back to the Airport! Tip: As check-out times are usually in the morning, ask your hotel if they are able to store your luggage, that way you can pick it up on your way to the airport and not have to stroll around with it the morning!

Things to know before your trip to Paris

I recommend before every trip to check out the Government Travel Advice or Guidance on the country you are visiting. You will find information on safety, local laws and customs and so much more. It is usually very up to date and is something I always check before booking a trip.

Information

Languages: The main language spoken is French. Although English is widely spoken, I highly recommend learning a few key phrases before going, we found locals really appreciated the effort made! I recommend learning how to say the following: Hello, Thank you, Goodbye, Do you speak English, Can I get the bill please etc. We found these to be really helpful.

The Currency and Tipping: The currency in France is the Euro. There is no obligation to tip in Paris, however if you wish to tip you can either round up the bill to the nearest Euro or leave a 5%-10% tip of the bill, so it’s best to have some change on you just in case.

Safety: Whilst travelling in Paris we were told by many working at the metro that pickpocketing is quite common. Although we didn’t experience anything, it’s always best to stay vigilant. To check on the latest safety advice, it is best to check out your Government Travel Advice page which can be found online.

Planning Your Trip to Paris and Disneyland

Best time to go:.

Now this really depends on preference and budget!  

January-March: This is the low season for both Paris and Disneyland however the weather will be colder (although you can get the odd day in March where it is warm!).

April-May: These dates vary from mid-season to high-season for Disneyland, but if you plan it right you can miss the crowds! For Paris, you may find warmer weather and fewer crowds. In my opinion, this is one of the best times to visit both places (provided that you visit Disneyland on a non-holiday week like Easter!).

June-August: This is the high-season and you’ll find a lot of tourist places and Disneyland to be heaving! This is the time we actually visited, and although it was busy we were still able to do and see so much. Bear in mind that this is usually the time Parisians go on holiday, so some of the non-touristy places will be closed. As for the weather, it can vary! When I visited Paris with friends in August, it was hot and sunny. But when I re-visited exactly a year later, it was wet and chilly! It’s best to check the weather beforehand, so you know what to pack!

September-December : September you may be able to get that warm weather with a smaller crowd than the summer months (especially from mid-September) but it will start to pick up during October in Disneyland as the Halloween season will begin. Disneyland is usually very busy during the Christmas period because it is just that little bit more magical! Tip: Check out European school holidays and see whether they clash with your desired dates. This is especially so with Disneyland Paris as it can get very busy! Better yet, try going away during the week rather than the weekend to avoid crowds, especially during the high-season.

Getting Around Paris:

Much of Paris can be seen on foot however there are plenty of public transport options available if you need them. The ones I recommend are:

Taxi or Uber: This is slightly pricey but if you are tired or have lots of luggage, this is the best option!

Metro or RER: The Metro covers the city centre while the RER travels out a little more to the suburbs. This is a much cheaper option and really convenient if your hotel is nearby to a stop. This was our favourite and most used mode of transport whilst in Paris!

Tip: Download offline maps of Paris, Metro and RER to help you get around. We found Google Maps to be really helpful, but it’s good to have a backup in case your internet is down .

Overall Budget:

You can travel around Paris on a budget,but I found it to be expensive because we went to tourist areas.

I spent roughly 66 Euros per day which was spent only on food, drink and travel.

If you are going on a budget, like I did, I highly recommend planning out your money and eating at local restaurants further away from some of the tourist spots. 80-90 Euros per day is safer, as it allows you that extra room to splurge (that’s if you are like me and love buying souvenirs!).

However, for your Disneyland Paris day, take extra money as you’ll be tempted to buy souvenirs and if you eat at one of their restaurants, it will be very pricey.

Staying In Paris

Places to stay.

When finding a place to stay, there are a number of factors to bear in mind in order to make travelling around to these places a little easier (and quicker!).

Disneyland or Paris: I recommend staying in Paris rather than in Disneyland Paris when following this particular guide. The hotels at Disneyland can be pricey and you’ll be spending more money travelling back and forth from there.

Location: You’ll want to stay somewhere close to any of the places you visit, with good transportation links. We decided to stay in the heart of the 7th Arrondissement area. It was 10 minutes walk away from a Metro stop and close to the Eiffel Tower (you can see it as soon as you stepped out of the hotel!). It also had cute coffee places nearby, which of course was a big yes for us! I’ve heard the 8th Arrondissement area is also a great spot. It is ‘in the middle’ of the attractions and has amazing transportation links.

Book in Advance: I cannot stress the importance of booking in advance. We booked about 3 weeks before leaving for our trip (yikes!) and almost gave up because there were hardly any hotels available. In the end we found a beautiful boutique hotel which I still can’t believe was available: Hotel Thoumieux .

The following hotels I have not stayed at but really want to stay in next time:

Where to StAY:

As always I usually compare the prices of all hotels and go with the cheapest one that is nearby and has awesome reviews.

• Pullmans Hotel Paris : This has always on my bucket list as some of the rooms offer a balcony with the view of the Eiffel Tower and I finally managed to stay here in 2022! Book a room with the balcony for some epic Insta-worthy photos. (4 stars) .
• Splendid Etoile: Some of the rooms offer a view of the Arc de Triomph (4 stars) .
• Four Seasons Hotel George V: A luxurious landmark hotel located near Champs-Elysees (5 stars) .

What Else To See in Paris

Didn’t like some of the attractions I listed? No problem, check out these options that you may want to squeeze in instead. There are plenty of other places to see in Paris, which I will 100% be visiting in the near future. Those are: Sacré-Cœur: This is a beautiful Roman Catholic church and Basilica. Montmarte: The area around Sacré-Cœur is a cute area to explore Musée d’Orsay: An amazing art Museum. I know many people have seen this instead of Louvre which could be an option for you if you wish! Latin Quarter: A historic Paris neighbourhood with restaurants, gardens, bookshops and so much more. Rodin Museum: Here you will find the famous ‘The Thinker’ statue. This is something I really wanted to see but didn’t get a chance to! Palace of Versailles: Perfect for when you have an extra day as it is slightly out of Paris.

There you have it, 3 epic days in Paris, including Disneyland! Perfectly doable, especially if you really want to do both! Let me know if you’ve tried something similar and what you favourite places in Paris are, I’d love to know.

Reader Interactions

February 4, 2021 at 5:25 pm

Great 3-day itinerary to Paris, will use it when traveling to Paris!

February 7, 2021 at 1:09 pm

Thank you Sara, I hope you’re able to visit soon!

November 16, 2020 at 10:27 pm

Awesome tips! Can’t wait to this once lockdown is over! Never been imagined you could ever do Paris/Disneyland!

November 17, 2020 at 5:58 pm

It is perfectly doable, especially when you don’t have much time! Hope you have a great time when you do go!

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You can book your Eurostar ticket and your connecting train in one go . Rearranging your journey with us is easy if your plans change. And you don't need to worry about missing a connection (thanks to our agreements with other rail companies). We're here to help you have a smooth journey from start to finish. Whether you're travelling for business or pleasure, just sit back and relax in our comfortable seats and enjoy the views.

Discover our destinations in Europe with connections in Paris, Lille or Brussels and decide where Eurostar will take you. Together, we go further.

Trains from United Kingdom

Connecting trains from London to France (including Eurostar Snow), Germany and any Belgium station. From 15 June 2024 until early 2025 there won't be any direct trains from Amsterdam and Rotterdam to London because of renovations at Amsterdam Centraal station.

Travelling from France, Belgium, the Netherlands or Germany? Take a look at our route map and discover our wider network.

How to travel across Europe with Eurostar connections?

Booking a Eurostar ticket and a connecting train is easy. Just select your origin and destination station, then your travel dates and follow the checkout instructions.

Once you book your journey, you'll receive two separate tickets including the train numbers. At the connecting station, check the departure board and go to the platform to get on your connecting train.

Our booking system will automatically find the most optimised connection time between the two trains to make sure you won't miss your connection.

Why book a connecting journey with Eurostar?

With fast trains, flexible tickets and friendly service, there are plenty of reasons to travel with us:

• Our tickets are flexible : if your plans change, you can exchange your Eurostar ticket with no fee up to one hour before departure.
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• Make the most of our generous luggage allowance with two bags and one piece of hand luggage included with your ticket. More info here .
• Travel with no worries about missing your connection thanks to our agreements with other European rail companies.
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Trains to Belgium

With its ancient citadels, towering cathedrals, all-night parties and café culture, Belgium defies definition at every turn.

Trains to France

From the corner cafés of Montmartre to the lavender fields of Provence, France has something for everyone.

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With fairy-tale castles perched on hillsides, beer festivals and forests, Germany is a country of magic and tradition.

Missed Connection

Worried about a missed connection on a high speed journey or a local train? Thanks to our agreements with different European train operators, you can get on the next available train at no extra fee.

Missed connection on our routes between France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany

Whether a delay on a high-speed train is going to cause you to miss your Eurostar, or a delay on your Eurostar journey is going to cause you to miss a connecting high-speed train, don’t worry.

As member of the Railteam alliance, Eurostar gives you the possibility to benefit from the HOTNAT (Hop On The Next Available Train) programme.

From 1 September 2024 , Eurostar will also join the AJC programme which allows you to catch the next available train on the same operator of your local or regional connecting train at no extra cost.

What you need to do:

1. Speak to a member of staff on your delayed train or at the station. They will give you a form to prove that you missed your train because of disruption.

2. Show your form to ticket office staff at your connecting station. They will advise you which train you can catch as an alternative and give you a replacement ticket for travel at no extra cost .

Just so you know, at busy times the next available train might be later the same day or the following day. To learn more about HOTNAT and AJC, please visit our FAQ section below.

Missed connection due to delayed train in the UK

If you’ve missed an onward connection because of a train delay or cancellation, you can get on the next available train for free. This is because we have an agreement with other local train operators in the UK .

If you miss your connecting train in the UK:

Chat to a member of our team to confirm that your Eurostar train has been delayed or cancelled. At your connecting station, staff of the train operator you’re travelling with will get you on the next available connecting train for free.

If you miss your Eurostar train:

Chat to a staff member who works for the UK train operator you’re travelling with. Confirm that your train has been delayed or cancelled. At London St Pancras International, our team will get you on the next available Eurostar train for free.

Please keep in mind that the next available train may be a service later that day. Staff will always offer the best possible option, but on very busy days, you might have to be booked on a train on a subsequent day.

Want to exchange your booking or claim compensation for a disrupted journey? Read our FAQ section if you have questions about your connecting journey in Europe.

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If your connecting train is delayed or cancelled, we'll only pay compensation for disruption on the Eurostar leg of the journey.

If your Eurostar train was delayed or cancelled, we will directly refund you on the value of the Eurostar leg, according to our compensation page .

If you want to claim compensation on a connecting SNCF or SNCB leg of journey, please contact the operator directly. You can check the SNCB compensation policy or SNCF compensation policy for more details.

Can I exchange my ticket if I have a connection booked?

You can exchange your Eurostar ticket up to 1 hour before departure if you have a connecting ticket as part of your booking. You won't pay an exchange fee for any part of the journey. But you will have to pay any difference in fare between your original and new tickets on both the Eurostar leg of your journey and your connecting leg.

Please be aware that there will be no difference in fare for your connecting train if you're travelling with an Any Belgian Station ticket, as this part of the journey is charged at a flat rate.

Please read our fare, fees and conditions page .

Can I cancel my reservation if I have a connecting train ?

Yes. You can cancel your entire journey directly via Manage Your Booking , according to our fare and fees conditions . 

Please contact our customer service team via the Contact Us form if you require support with making a cancellation.

What are Eurostar's main connecting train stations in Europe?

There are three main hubs for catching a connecting train:

• Paris (Paris Gare du Nord, Paris Bercy, Paris Gare de Lyon, Gare Montparnasse, and Gare St Lazare). To find out how to get to your connecting train station in Paris, please read our Paris Gare du Nord station guide.
• Lille ( Lille Europe and Lille Flandres)
• Brussels ( Brussels-Midi/Zuid )

How do I change trains in Brussels or Lille?

Please check the departure boards at your first opportunity. The departure boards can be found on the concourse. Please follow signs to the stairs / escalators or lift for the platform indicated on the departure boards. Staff are available at all stations where Eurostar has connections. Staff may not work directly for Eurostar, but they can help resolve any issues you may have.

What if I require assistance with a connecting journey?

Please contact us at least 24 hours before departure if you need assistance on your journey. Our colleagues will ensure assistance is arranged for both legs of your connection journey.

Please be aware this may require your trip to be amended to allow for a greater connection time.

To book free assistance on your connecting journey, please go to our Accessible travel hub .

Will the connecting train wait if my initial train is delayed?​

Unfortunately, no.

In case of a delay, you'll be able to catch the next available train at no extra cost.

What is HOTNAT (Hop On The Next Available Train)?

HOTNAT is a service offered by Railteam , an alliance of European rail companies operating international high-speed trains within Europe . If you miss your connecting high-speed train because your first train is delayed, HOTNAT lets you catch the next available train leaving the same station at no extra cost.

Speak to the train manager on your delayed train or a staff member at the station for any assistance.

The following conditions apply:

• Your missed connection must be between two high-speed trains operated by members of the Railteam alliance.

• You must catch a connecting train from the station your missed connection departed from (if you’re catching a connecting train in Paris, Paris Gare du Nord, Paris Gare de l’Est, Paris Gare de Lyon and Paris Montparnasse are considered one station).

• You can only catch the next train with availability, with no seat or onboard service guaranty.

What is AJC (Agreement on Journey Continuation)?

From 1 September 2024 , Eurostar will be officially part of the AJC programme .

Thanks to AJC, you can catch the next available local or regional connecting train on the same operator at no extra cost. So, if a delay on a Eurostar train means miss your connecting regional or local NS train in Amsterdam or Rotterdam, you can get on the next available NS train to the same destination.

Similarly, were you to miss your Eurostar connection from Amsterdam or Rotterdam due to a delay on your NS train, you’ll be booked on to the next available Eurostar train. Speak to the train manager on your delayed train or a staff member at the station for any assistance.

There are 19 participating rail companies across continental Europe in the agreement, you can find out more here .

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Top attraction tickets to enjoy all over Europe

Make the most of your holiday by booking your attraction tickets in advance. We have partnered with Musement, to offer you a wide selection of activities to do in Paris.

Keep your trip on track with Allianz

Spend your holiday having fun and relaxing, and leave the little things to us. Our travel insurance with Allianz saves you money and time, giving you greater peace of mind.

Travel without the baggage

Let First Luggage do the heavy lifting. Door-to-door delivery means you can send suitcases, bikes, sporting equipment, and more to wherever you’re going.