Nîmes has two stations served by the high speed trains from Paris, Nîmes station, also known as Nimes (Centre), has a very convenient location near the heart of the city, but a new high speed line has built to the east and the Nimes Pont-Du-Gard station is on this new route.
The journey time from Paris to Nimes Pont-Du-Gard is around 12 mins faster, but the station is some distance from the city, the public transport connection is by regional TER trains, as they now share the new station, but they take eight minutes to travel to Nimes (Centre).
So if you'll be heading to the centre of Nîmes it can be a good idea to specifically select Nîmes station or Nîmes (Centre) when looking up the journey.
If you leave the 'direct trains only' box, or its equivalents unticked, you will see both the direct trains to Nîmes (Centre) and the options which involve making a connection between trains at Nimes Pont-Du-Gard
The journey guides below therefore focus on the most convenient option, which is the direct trains to Nîmes (Centre).
You can only take high speed trains from Paris to Nîmes (Centre) station, but both the regular TGV InOui services and low-cost, but more basic, Ouigo services share the route.
It's particularly worthwhile to click on the Train Guides below so that you can compare the two train services.
However, if you need to arrive at a specific time you will often have to take one train service or the other.
The Ouigo services can plug gaps between the TGV InOui departures.
There have been two major changes to travelling by train from Paris to Nimes
Around 50% of the TGV InOui trains from Paris have been diverted from station in Nimes city centre and instead call at the brand new Nimes Pont Du Gard station.
This new station is 14km from central Nimes, so of if you are heading to the city take care when looking up a journey.
The best option for making a journey by public transport from Nimes Pont Du Gard to the city centre is to take one of the local TER trains, which call at both stations; Pont Du Gard and the station in the city centre.
However, the trains from Paris Gare De Lyon to Nimes Pont Du Gard typically have connection times of around 45 mins into those trains to Nimes city centre.
(2) The low cost, more basic Ouigo trains now provide an alternative to taking these TGV InOui trains from Paris Gare De Lyon to Nimes (Centre) station.
Final Destination: Montpellier or Beziers or Barcelone or Perpignan
Most trains also call at: Valence TGV
Note that these trains depart from the Gare De Lyon in Paris.
Monday to Friday: 5 x trains per day
Saturday: 3 x trains
Sunday: 4 x trains
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: 4 months ahead of the travel date - but bookings can open sooner when SNCF is running a promotion.
If tickets aren't on sale yet for your travel date, you can sign up to the ticket availability notification service on Oui.SNCF.
The price is dictated by demand per departure , so book ahead and try and be flexible re: departure and arrival times.
On Oui.SNCF, the cheapest available price per day is indicated, so if you click on it, you will be automatically be directed to the departures on which this price is available.
Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for this journey, but rail pass users will need to be pay a reservation fee prior to boarding.
Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
---|---|---|
Oui.SNCF | from €41 | |
Download the Oui.SNCF app | from €41 | |
Trainline | from €41 | |
SaveATrain | from €41 | |
Happyrail | from €41 | |
RailEurope | from €41 |
If you'll need or want to arrive in Nimes city centre by direct between 13:45 and 18:30, you'll have to take a Ouigo service.
That's because from 10:14 to 15:08 they now plug a gap between the departures of these TGV InOui trains from Paris Gare de Lyon to Nimes (Centre).
Those Ouigo trains usually depart from Paris daily at 06:09; 12:26 and 14:12.
For most of the train journey from Paris to Nimes, you should be travelling at more than 270 km/h on the high speed lines.
This is not an outstandingly scenic journey, but the views from the windows pick up to the north of Nimes, as the train travels through Provence.
Final Destination: Montpellier
When making a city centre to city centre train journey from central Paris to Nimes, you now have a choice of travelling by standard TGV InOui trains or by these Ougio trains.
So you can now opt to save money, but have a much more basic on board experience, and travel on a Ouigo.
Also if you'll need or want to arrive to arrive in Nimes city centre by direct between 13:45 and 18:30, you'll have to take a Ouigo service.
That's because from 10:14 to 15:08 they now plug a gap between the departures of these TGV InOui trains from Paris Gare de Lyon to Nimes (Centre).
Those Ouigo trains usually depart from Paris daily at 06:09; 12:26 and 14:12.
3 x trains per day
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 6 months ahead* of the travel date, usually
*Tickets for the alternative service of TGV InOui trains are usually made available 4 months ahead, so if you look up this journey more than 4 months ahead on Oui.SNCF, you will only see these Ouigo services, but they are not the only option on this route.
How tickets can be booked and used for a journey by a Ouigo train, differs from booking tickets on a TGV (InOui) service.
What is particularly worth being aware of when booking tickets for journeys by Ouigo train services is:
(1) 1st class/Premiere tickets are not available.
(2) Reservations are included when booking, as they are on TGV InOui trains, but you can opt to pay a surcharge to select a specific seat (more info is available on the Ouigo 'Train Guide').
(3) You cannot book or collect tickets for Ouigo trains at stations.
(4) Additional fees apply if you want access to a power socket, or to travel with additional luggage; click the Ouigo 'Train Guide' to access more info on the luggage allowances on Ouigo trains; they're more restrictive than on TGV InOui trains.
Though these factors, and more, are why you can make big savings by opting to travel by these Ouigo trains and not on the standard TGV InOui trains.
Eurail and InterRail Pass Users:
Rail passes cannot be used on Ouigo trains, but if you will be travelling with a 2nd class pass, our guide to using rail passes in France, explains why taking a Ouigo train can be worth considering.
Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
---|---|---|
Oui.SNCF | from €19 | |
Ouigo | from €19 | |
Trainline | from €19 |
If you do opt to travel from Paris to Nimes by these Ouigo trains, you should aim to be at the Gare De Lyon, 30 mins before the train is due to depart.
And that's because you need to pass through 'reception' before boarding a Ouigo train, staff need to verify that all passengers are abiding by the 'rules' of travelling on a Ouigo train, no additional un-booked luggage, no bikes etc.
These Ouigo trains travel on the same high speed line between Paris and Provence which the alternative TGV InOui trains take.
So you should be travelling at more than 270 km/h for more than 80% of this journey.
The route becomes more scenic to the north of Nimes, when the train will be travelling across Provence.
Sign up to receive the latest travel news stories and to hear about what we've been working on for you.
This is one of more than 1000 journey guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.