Munich to Paris by train- my experience: TGV high-speed train or nighttrain
I've had the pleasure of traveling from Munich to Paris by train many and was able to enjoy bot the high speed train TGV as well as the night train Nightjet on several occasions. From my experience, spending the night in the Nightjet's sleeper car can be quite comfortable - however, for the Munich to Paris route, the daily TGV connection is often a very good and usually cheaper alternative.
✓ Paris can be easily reached by train from Munich without having to change trains once a day with the TGV with a journey time of 5 hours and 45 minutes ✓ The Nightjet 468 leaves Munich East on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at 00:12, heading to Paris ✓ It arrives at Paris Gare de l'Est at 09:43 ✓ You can travel comfortably in a sleeper car starting from €89.90, or more affordably in a couchette car from €69.90, and in a seat from €29.90. (*) ✓ The return trip departs Paris on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 19:58. ✓ The easiest booking option is via raileurope.com (*)
Having visited Paris many times, both as a tourist and as a tour guide, I also have some hotel and activity recommendations for you. My top hotel recommendations are the Hotel de Roubaix (*) in the Marais and the stylish Hotel Okko right next to Gare de l'Est (*).
In the article you will find all the information about arrival and booking. As I have had the privilege of visiting Paris many times, both as a tourist and as a tour guide, you will also find my recommendations for hotels and activities here.
Compared to flying, you'll save 150kg CO2 per person on a one-way trip - 300kg CO2 on the return trip - enough to save almost 1m2 of arctic ice.
Hey, I'm Matthias.
Travel and sustainability are my favorite topics - as an innovation manager in public transportation, as a tour guide, and through my website Pinguin-Ecotrips.de.
Last year, I traveled almost 17,000 km on long-distance trains - and I'm here to assist you in planning sustainable train travel across Europe.
Do you have suggestions or questions? You can reach me via Instagram Instagram and at matthias@pinguin-ecotrips.de
The links marked with an asterisk (*) are so-called affiliate links. If you click on such an affiliate link and make a booking or purchase via this link, I will receive a small commission from the provider concerned. The price does not change for you.
Selected train connections from Munich to Paris
| Departure Munich | Arrival Paris | Travel Time | Change of trains | Days of Service |
| 00:12 | 09:43 | 9h 31min | Direct - no change | Tuesday, Friday, Sunday |
| 06:51 | 12:31 | 5h 40min | Direct - no change | daily |
| 08:46 | 14:05 | 5h 19min | 1x in Stuttgart | daily |
| 14:47 | 20:41 | 5h 54min | 1x in Mannheim | daily |
With high-speed train TGV 9576 from Munich to Paris
The daily TGV from Munich to Paris is the fastest connection on this route - and it is also the one I do personally prefer.
The train departs every morning at 06:46 from Munich Central Station and arrives at Gare de l'Est in Paris at 12:31 after a journey of 5 hours 45 minutes.
You can get on at several stops along the way - stops are Augsburg Hbf (07:16), Ulm Hbf 08:02, Stuttgart Hbf (09:10) and Karlsruhe Hbf (09:53).
The easiest way to buy tickets for these journey is via raileurope.com (*) and trainline.com (*).
It's quick, easy, reliable - and comfortable, especially since you can often get first class tickets for quite affordable fares.
With an arrival only 2 hours after the night train on the same route i do personally find that the TGV is the more time-efficient option compared to the night train.
Comfort and travel classes on board
In the TGV of the French SNCF, as in the German ICE, there are 2 travel classes - first class and second class: In the second class there are 4 seats in each row of seats, in the first class there are 3 seats each (i.e. 2 seats on one side of the aisle and one on the other side).
While the seats in second class are a bit cramped than in the German ICE, you have more than enough space, adjustable backrests and a quieter atmosphere in first class - all of this often for a surcharge of only 10 or 20 EUR per trip.
The TGV Duplex, a double-decker train, runs on the route from Munich to Paris. When making your reservation, you can choose whether you want to sit upstairs or downstairs: you can enjoy the better view at the top - while you can enjoy more peace and quiet downstairs, as the passages between the wagons are in the upper area.
The TGV also has a café car where you can buy drinks and food. The whole thing is more of a stand-up café and less of a classic dining car like in the German TGVs.
You can get a good impression of the TGV in the video by vlogger The Man in Seat 61:
Booking and Prices
With the saver price, you can book tickets for a single journey in second class from Munich to Paris from €39.90 - realistically, you will find prices between €60 and €70 when you book two months before departure.
Basically, the earlier you book, the cheaper the tickets - although peak travel times such as the summer holidays tend to be more expensive. You can usually buy tickets for this route 6 months before departure.
You can find prices and book via raileurope.com (*) and trainline.com (*)
or direchtly at the German railways company DB (*).
Night train: the Nightjet from Munich to Paris
You can travel three times a week from Munich or Rosenheim to Paris while you sleep.
The train starts at 19:38 in Vienna at the main station, at 22:18 in Salzburg Hbf, at 23:29 in Rosenheim and finally at 00:12 at Munich Ostbahnhof. Strasbourg is reached at 05:50 in the morning, and Paris Gare de l'Est at 10:24
The cheapest way to travel is with prices from €29.90 in a seated car. In order to arrive really rested, we definitely recommend booking a couchette or sleeping car seat.
In a couchette car you travel from €59.90 per person with a total of 4 people per compartment. In the sleeping car you travel in more comfortable beds from €89.90 per person for two in the cabin - for a small surcharge, single cabins and cabins with private shower and toilet can also be booked.
In the couchette and sleeping cars, breakfast is already included in the price.
You can find prices and book via raileurope.com (*) and trainline.com (*)
or direchtly at the German railways company DB (*).
Timetable for the night train between vienna, munich and paris
| Wien Hbf | Salzburg | Rosenheim | München Ost | Straßburg |
Paris Gare de l'Est |
| 19:38 | 22:18 | 23:41 | 00:12 | 05:50 | 10:24 |
| Mon, Wed, Fri | Mon, Wed, Fri | Mon, Wed, Fri | Tue, Thu, Sat | Tue, Thu, Sat | Tue, Thu, Sat |
Please note that the excat times for the night train may change regularly. It's best to check the exact times for your travel day at raileurope.com (*) or bahn.de (*)
Timetable for the night train between Paris, munich and Vienna
|
Paris Gare de l'Est |
Straßburg | München Ost | Rosenheim | Salzburg | Wien Hbf |
| 19:12 | 23:42 | 05:46 | 06:18 | 07:30 | 10:13 |
| Tue, Thu, Sat | Tue, Thu, Sat | Wed, Fri, Sun | Wed, Fri, Sun | Wed, Fri, Sun | Wed, Fri, Sun |
Please note that the excat times for the night train may change regularly. It's best to check the exact times for your travel day at raileurope.com (*) or bahn.de (*)
Travelling with a Stopover in Strasbourg
Strasbourg is right on the way from Munich to Paris - so why not spend a few days in the European capital with its historical architecture, cosmopolitan flair and its very own cuisine.
Step 1- Munich to Strasbourg:
You can travel to Strasbourg by train from Munich in under 4 hours - either with the direct TGV in the morning at 06:46 - or with one of 4 connecting services per
day.
You can find prices and book via raileurope.com (*) and trainline.com (*)
or direchtly at the German railways company DB(*).
Hotel tip in Strasbourg:
The Hotel Tandem (*) is located directly at the train station, pays particular attention to sustainability and you can rent bikes to explore the city. Rooms from 79 EUR on booking.com (*) Buchung ab 79 EUR unter booking.com (*)
Step 2 - from Strasbourg to Paris:
From Strasbourg there is a TGV connection every 30 minutes, which takes you to Paris in just under 2 hours without changing trains.
The links marked with an asterisk (*) are so-called affiliate links. If you click on such an affiliate link and make a booking or purchase via this link, I will receive a small commission from the provider concerned. The price does not change for you.
Accommodations in Paris
MY PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION: Personal, good value for money, with its own charm and centrally located: Hotel de Roubaix (*)
I was lucky enough to stay in this small beautiful hotel in 2018: the hotel is perfectly located for exploring the city in the beautiful and lively Le Marais district, and there is a great selection of restaurants, cafes bars and shops in the surrounding area.
The hotel is small with an intimate atmosphere - and both the rooms and the public areas are nicely and individually designed and decorated on themes of comics, music and art.
In the morning there is a small, but by parisian standards quite diverse breakfast buffet.
Stylish Hotel next to the train station: Hotel les deux Gares (*)
This 4-star hotel is perfectly located for those arriving by train: right next to the two train stations Gare de l'Est and Gare du Nord, where all trains from Germany, London and Brussels arrive.
The hotel is tastefully decorated in a retro style with bold colors and offers a sauna (a rarity in Paris) to relax after a long day of sightseeing.
You can book this hotel from approx. EUR 180 per night via >>here<< via booking.com (*) - or via booking.com/hotellook (*):
With it's own solar panels and free bycicles: Hotel Solar (*)
This small two-star hotel in the university district pays particular attention to sustainability: the facade is equipped with solar cells, great attention is paid to saving energy and bicycles are available to guests free of charge. Breakfast with organic products is already included in the room price from 88 euros per double room.
Sustainable and in the heart of Paris: Hotel Gavarni (*)
This 3-star hotel is located west of downtown, very close to the Seine, the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Elysées. Sustainability is particularly important here: The hotel has been awarded the European Ecolabel, is 100% CO2-neutral, draws its electricity exclusively from renewable energies and only uses cleaning agents with the Ecolabel. Fair trade and organic products await you at breakfast.
Rooms are available from 130 EUR per night via booking.com(*)
You'll find more accommodations close to the train stations Gare de l'Est and Gare du Nord on this map(*) :
Discover Paris
If you are in Paris for the first time, you probably want to explore the classic sights first, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Elysées or the Louvre.
It pays to do a little planning in advance - Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world for a reason.
One of the best ways to see the beauty of the city from the water is to take a Seine River cruise (*). My personal favorite among the vendors is "Vedettes de Paris (*)" as they offer smaller boats that create a relaxed atmosphere. Instead of impersonal tape announcements as with other providers, local guides provide exciting explanations along the route. Boats depart every 30 to 45 minutes, allowing for flexibility in planning your itinerary.
An absolute must on your trip is of course the Eiffel Tower, the unmistakable symbol of Paris. I recommend taking the elevator to the second floor where you can enjoy amazing views. And for the descent, the stairs are ideal for enjoying the experience to the full. Note, however, that the waiting times at the Eiffel Tower are often very long. To save time and avoid disappointment, be sure to book tickets in advance.
Of course, the Louvre (*) is at the top of the list for many Paris visitors. As the largest museum in the world, it offers an amazing collection of works of art. In order for you to fully enjoy this cultural experience, I recommend you allow enough time or even plan in advance what you want to see and where you want to go. Again, book your tickets in advance(*) to avoid long waits and get the most out of your visit.
Another impressive museum - and perhaps my personal favorite - is the Musée d'Orsay (*), which specializes in works from the 19th and early 20th centuries and is housed in a former train station. The Art Nouveau architecture gives this place a unique atmosphere. As with the Louvre, it is advisable to book tickets in advance (*) to avoid long waiting times and immerse yourself in the world of art undisturbed
For me personally, no visit to Paris would be complete without experiencing the impressive Sainte Chapelle(*) church, which is undoubtedly one of the most impressive religious buildings in the city. The beauty of this Gothic masterpiece, known for its stunning stained glass windows that tell biblical stories, never ceases to amaze me. In order to avoid long waiting times and to admire the magnificent stained glass windows and fascinating architecture of the Sainte Chapelle in peace, it is advisable to book tickets in advance(*).
A highlight in Paris for me is a visit to the Opéra Garnier (*). Here you dive into one of the most magnificent theaters in the world and walk in the footsteps of Arsène Lupin and the Phantom of the Opera. The opera can be visited daily. You can book tickets in advance (*) - you should definitely take an audio guide on site.
Walks through Paris:
The best way to discover Paris away from the main sights is to explore the individual districts on foot. The website stadtpfade-paris.de has excellent recommendations, e.g. a route through the Marais, via the Île de la Cité or through Montmartre.
If you want to get to know the individual quarters even better, you can also get to know them on guided tours with local guides(*).
You also have a number of options on site to make your stay sustainable, e.g. exploring the city by bike and public transport, second-hand shopping and vegan restaurants:
Explore Paris by bike:
Even if you don't immediately think of bike tours when you think of Paris city traffic, Paris is becoming more and more bike-friendly and there are more and more bike paths running through the city. You will find Velib' stations all over the city, where you can easily rent a bike or e-bike and return it in any other city.
You register once and then pay either per ride (EUR 3 for 45 minutes) or per day (EUR 5 for unlimited use of normal bikes for 24 hours, EUR 10 for e-bikes). With the day passes, you don't rent a bike for a day, you can always return the bike and get a new one at any station. But you can also get to know the most important sights (*) or hidden corners of Paris (*) on a guided city tour by bike.
By public transport through Paris:
With the metro, the Paris subway, and the RER (equivalent to the German S-Bahn) you can explore every corner of Paris. Riding the metro has its own charm, because there is hardly any other place where you can observe city life as well as here, where tourists and Paris meet in close proximity. You can buy tickets for the location, e.g. a 10 carnet (10 single journeys) for EUR 16.90. The Next Stop Paris app helps with navigation.
Buy second hand:
There are plenty of opportunities to buy used products in Paris. You can get second-hand fashion, for example, in the Kilo Shops, which have several branches in Paris and where you pay for used clothing by the kilo. You can find a nice overview of second-hand shops on still-in-paris.com.
You can find used souvenirs such as old books and comics at the Bouqinistes, who have been setting up their stalls on the Seine since the 19th century. You'll find more about it here.
Vegan restaurants:
In general, vegan cuisine is not that widespread in France. In Paris, however, with a little searching you will find a variety of vegan or vegan-friendly restaurants, e.g. the restaurant Le Potager de Charlotte or the concept store, coffee shop and restaurant Aujourd'hui Demain.
Continue your journey from Paris
From Paris, you can travel by train to virtually any destination in France, as well as many destinations in the UK and Spain - see the linked articles for more info.
So you can reach London with the Eurostar in 2 hours and 26 minutes.
If you are drawn to Scotland, you can choose between Edinburgh, Glasgow and Fort William from Paris. Edinburgh and Glasgow can be reached in around 8 hours during the day, or by night train from London.
In France you can reach Marseille and the Côte Bleue in just under 3-4 hours.
Or you travel on to Barcelona in a good 6 hours.
You can easily book tickets for trains from Paris within France and to other countries at raileurope.com (*)
