Booking choice: The guided Palace tour by train, from $70 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Three railway stations serve Versailles, and a bus runs from the end of metro line 9. The one most visitors need is Versailles Château Rive Gauche, on the RER C, the closest to the Palace. The other two, Versailles Rive Droite and Versailles Chantiers, suit you if you are starting near Saint-Lazare or Montparnasse.
This guide covers the stations and how far each is from the Palace, the 2026 fares, the bus, why driving is a bad idea from 16 November 2026, and which tours include transport from Paris. If you are deciding when to go, the best time to visit guide comes first.
The quick answer
Take the RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche, about a 10-minute walk from the Palace. A Métro-Train-RER ticket costs €2.55 (€1.30 reduced) from 1 January 2026, one way. Trains from Saint-Lazare go to Versailles Rive Droite, about 17 minutes' walk away, and from Montparnasse to Versailles Chantiers, about 18 minutes. Bus 171 runs from Pont de Sèvres in about 30 minutes. The A13 motorway closes from 16 November 2026.
How do you get from Paris to Versailles by train?
Take the RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche. Trains from Saint-Lazare and Montparnasse reach the other two Versailles stations.
All three stations are in the town of Versailles; the difference is where you board in Paris and how far you walk afterwards. Pick the line that is easiest from your hotel, then add the walk. If you hold a timed Palace entry, leave a margin: the Palace's last admission is 17:45 in the high season and 16:45 in the low season, but your slot is the time that counts. The official FAQ gives these walking times to the Palace:
| Station | From Paris | Walk to the Palace (about) |
|---|---|---|
| Versailles Château Rive Gauche | RER C | 10 min |
| Versailles Rive Droite | Trains from Saint-Lazare | 17 min |
| Versailles Chantiers | Trains from Montparnasse | 18 min |
Which station is closest to the Palace of Versailles?
Versailles Château Rive Gauche, on the RER C, about 10 minutes' walk from the Palace.
It is the natural choice if you are staying anywhere along the RER C in central Paris. Once you arrive, the Palace ticket office is in the South Ministers' Wing, and the official FAQ says you can buy all the tickets there. The Palace opens at 9:00, and on the busiest days, Tuesdays and weekends, the château advises arriving then.
If you would rather not navigate at all, the train tour with the fountains option includes an escorted RER ride from central Paris and a reserved Palace time.
An escorted RER ride from central Paris, a reserved Palace time and guided gardens.
Check dates for the train tour with the fountains optionHow much does it cost to take the train from Paris to Versailles?
€2.55 for a single Métro-Train-RER ticket from 1 January 2026, €1.30 reduced. You need one ticket each way.
That single ticket takes you one way to Versailles Château Rive Gauche. If you will travel a lot around Paris on the same day, compare it with a day pass:
- Métro-Train-RER ticket: €2.55 one way (€1.30 reduced), from 1 January 2026.
- Paris Visite, 1 day, all zones: €30.60 for an adult.
For a simple return trip to Versailles, two single tickets cost far less than the Paris Visite pass. The pass makes sense only on a day with many other journeys.
Can you take the train from Saint-Lazare or Montparnasse?
Yes: from Saint-Lazare to Versailles Rive Droite, about 17 minutes' walk from the Palace, and from Montparnasse to Versailles Chantiers, about 18 minutes.
Both are useful if your hotel is near one of those stations rather than on the RER C. The walk from either station is longer than from Rive Gauche, so allow for it if you have a Palace time slot. One tour starts there: the bike day meets at Gare Saint-Lazare and includes the train tickets.
Meet at Gare Saint-Lazare: train tickets, bike, guide, market picnic, the Palace and both Trianons.
Explore the bike day with the Palace and the Queen's farmCan you take a bus from Paris to Versailles?
Yes: RATP bus 171 from Pont de Sèvres, at the end of metro line 9, reaches the Palace in about 30 minutes without traffic.
It is a good option if you are staying along metro line 9. The 30 minutes is the official figure without traffic, so allow more at busy times. A Métro-Train-RER ticket at €2.55 is the fare to compare with the train.
Should you drive from Paris to Versailles?
Not from 16 November 2026: the A13 motorway is closed between Paris and Versailles until 31 August 2027, and the château recommends public transport.
The estate is 16 km from Paris, and the closure covers the motorway between the two for more than nine months. The château's own advice is to come by public transport: the RER C, the trains from Saint-Lazare and Montparnasse, or bus 171. If you have booked a tour by coach or minibus, check the meeting time in your booking confirmation before you leave.
Which Versailles tours include transport from Paris?
Several: by train, RER, coach, minibus or bike and train. The plain Palace tour and the Passport do not.
From-prices per person in USD; ratings are GetYourGuide's. The Palace tour with gardens access meets a few minutes from the Palace, so you make your own way there. The Passport resale is a ticket only, with no transport either. Tours that include transport save you buying tickets and finding the station, and most add a guide; the train and RER tours are the closest to doing it yourself, the coach and minibus the least effort. The minibus tour is the only one here with cancellation up to 3 days before rather than 24 hours.
| Tour | Transport | Length | Rating | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palace tour by train | Round-trip train tickets; meets near Pont de l'Alma | 3 hours | 4.6 (1,413) | $70 |
| Coach from Paris | Coach | 5.5 to 9.5 hours | 4.6 (7,509) | $89 |
| Train tour, fountains option | Escorted RER from central Paris | 4.5 hours | 4.7 (1,021) | $101 |
| Bike day | Train tickets; meets at Gare Saint-Lazare | 8 hours | 4.9 (633) | $122 |
| Deluxe minibus | Minibus; cancellation up to 3 days | 4 hours | 4.8 (1,365) | $137 |
| Skip-the-line bike tour | Train | 8 hours | 5.0 (512) | $174 |
The cheapest guided trip from Paris: round-trip train tickets and a guided Palace tour, from $70.
Check dates for the guided Palace tour by trainWhat should you bring on the train to Versailles?
Travel light: large bags and suitcases are prohibited at the Palace. Bring your ticket, your time slot and a picnic for the Park.
The official FAQ mentions automatic lockers, but the practical page says the left-luggage service is temporarily suspended and that pushchairs and small bags are tolerated in the rooms, so check the day before. A picnic is welcome in the Park and at the Pièce d'Eau des Suisses, not in the gardens. No flash, tripods or selfie sticks indoors; photos without flash are fine.
For the gardens, check whether your day is a show day before you go: the gardens tickets guide explains when they cost €15 and when they are free.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the walk from Versailles Château Rive Gauche to the Palace?
About 10 minutes, according to the official FAQ.
Is Versailles in the Paris Métro ticket zone?
A Métro-Train-RER ticket at €2.55 (2026) takes you one way to Versailles Château Rive Gauche.
How far is Versailles from Paris?
The estate is about 16 km from Paris.
Is there a bus from Paris to Versailles?
Yes: RATP bus 171 from Pont de Sèvres, at the end of metro line 9, in about 30 minutes without traffic.
Ready to book
Choose your Versailles visit
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on each option below. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Palace Tour by Train with a Guide
Train, guide and the Palace; no gardens ticket
Palace Tour by Train, Fountains Option
Guided Palace and gardens, show by option
Coach from Paris, Palace and Gardens
Coach both ways, self-guided with an app
