There are many daily direct trains from and to Paris Montparnasse. The journey to Chartres averages just over an hour each way and costs ?36.20 1st class, ?24.20 2nd class. Prices do vary depending on when you buy your ticket- last-minute departures cost more. Try to take one of the double-decked TER trains if possible, because they are more comfortable, and you have better views of the lovely countryside.
The SNCF station in Chartres has a good news kiosk, and sometimes there is a small cafe open. Bathrooms at the station are open intermittently, but you can find bathrooms in many other places around the city.
There are few "direct" trains and these are at commuter times. Therefore they are quite often "packed" and at peak-time prices. Most trains are direct from Paris to Rambouillet and then they stop at every station to Chartres. Travel time for one of those is 1 hour 15 minutes. Some trains stop only at Epernon and Maintenon (the small chateau is well worth a trip) and these manage the journey in 1 hour. All trains from Paris to Chartres (and beyond to Nogent le Rotrou and Le Mans) are TER (Train Express Régional)
More often than not, you will be taking the "Paris - Chartres - Nogent le Rotrou - Le Mans" line. The front of the train could read EITHER "Chartres", "Nogent le Rotrou", or "Le Mans," as these 3 cities always have the terminus.
If you are in France for a long period of time, it is worth it to buy an SNCF Fidelity card. For people 25 and under there is "La carte 12-25" where one can save up to 75% on ticket prices. There are also cards available for seniors and special vacation passes. These cards are only worth it when travelling extensively through France.
A view of the cathedral from the river.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Chartres
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Chartres - updated Apr 2024
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Chartres Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
