Lille Travel Forum

Hi,

I'm planning to take an IC train from Antwerpen to Lille Flandres, then catch a TGV train to Paris Nord. There are only 6 minutes between when the IC train arrives and the TGV departs.

From some pictures, it looks like there are 4 tracks in the Lille Flandres station.

Is 6 minutes enough time to change trains? [Of course being next to the door and all ready when the train arrives]

Thanks

Is this enough time to change trains?

You won't have a second to spare. Trains can be hold up on the way. I'd consider a possible delay of several minutes.

6 minutes is cutting it very short. You can do it if you know the station layout, and where your next train will leave. Unfortunately this info is hard to come by for France. (Other railways manage to publish what track a train will use months in advance, but not the SNCF). I seem to recall that the trains to/from Belgium arrive on secondary tracks away from the main hall. So you'll have to walk to the main hall, fine out where the TGV to Paris is waiting (although this might be easy, as the train will look like a TGV...)

However, if this connection is advertised by the railway you are entitled to take the next available TGV with your ticket in the case you miss your connection because of a late running train.

But traveling from Antwerp to Paris I would travel via Brussels, or to take one of the direct trains.

Lille Flandres is a terminus station so get to the front of your train ready to jump off as soon as it stops. If it is on time you'll be OK but you won't have much to spare. The TGV will depart on time. There are more than 4 tracks at Lille Flandre, but you will recognise the TGV easily.

Hi everyone,

Thhanks for your responses. The reason I'm planning to take the IC/TGV combo instead of the Thalys is because, depending on the trains, it can be only 30 minutes longer than the Thalys, but when bought ahead of time, the TGV portion has a steep discount [Prems], making the overall journey about half the price of the Thalys...Antwerp->Paris €40.60 instead of the Thalys €80+. For two people, that's an €80 savings.