Taxi Gare de l'Est – Gare d'Austerlitz: Price, Duration and Fast Booking

Booking: two minutes, zero hassle

Enter Gare de l'Est as departure, Gare d'Austerlitz as destination, the time and number of passengers. If you are arriving by Nightjet or ICE from Germany, enter your train number: in case of delay, your driver is automatically notified and adjusts his arrival time. Secure online payment. SMS confirmation with driver name and licence plate.

• Saloon Eco (1 to 4 people): €35 fixed fare, standard luggage included.
• Van (5 to 8 people): €60 fixed fare, our Paris van service for groups and families with a lot of luggage.

Gare de l'Est: birthplace of trains to Central Europe

Gare de l'Est is, with over 40 million passengers per year, Paris's fifth busiest station. It serves an immense geographical arc: Strasbourg in 1h45 by TGV, Metz, Nancy, Reims and all of Champagne, Luxembourg City, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich, and in recent years Berlin and Vienna by the ÖBB Nightjet overnight trains, which depart in the evening and arrive in the morning. Deutsche Bahn ICE trains to Frankfurt and Karlsruhe also depart from Gare de l'Est.

This station has a particular history: it was from its forecourt that French soldiers embarked in August 1914, in a scene immortalised by the paintings of the era. This solemn past, written into its walls, does not prevent Gare de l'Est from being today one of the most dynamic hubs in European rail.

Gare d'Austerlitz: terminus for the South-West and overnight trains

4.5 kilometres to the south, on the banks of the Seine in the 13th arrondissement, Gare d'Austerlitz is the terminus for trains to Bordeaux via Limoges and Brive, Toulouse via Cahors, the entire Loire Valley, Orléans, Blois, Tours, and overnight trains to Hendaye (Spanish border) and the Pyrenees. It is also the station that hosts the rare overnight trains still in service on French territory.

Its name evokes Napoleon's 1805 victory, one of the greatest battles in European military history. A curious fate for this station: it bears the name of a battle in Moravia, receives travellers arriving from Central Europe via Gare de l'Est, and sends them off to the far south-west of France or beyond the Pyrenees.

The trans-continental journey without flying: what this transfer makes possible

Some travellers have understood that Paris is a unique rail hub that allows you to cross Europe from end to end without ever boarding a plane. Berlin → Paris Est (Nightjet) → Gare d'Austerlitz (taxi) → Bordeaux or Toulouse is an entirely rail journey. Similarly, Vienna → Paris Est (Nightjet) → Gare d'Austerlitz → Hendaye, then Madrid by train: the entire journey from Vienna to Spain by rail, without a single flight.

The TaxiVite taxi between the two stations is not a detail in this journey: it is the hinge that makes the whole thing possible in good conditions, with the luggage that comes with a multi-day trip.

The TaxiVite fare: €35 fixed, at all hours

The TaxiVite fare for the Gare de l'Est – Gare d'Austerlitz route is €35 in a saloon Eco, standard luggage included, for 1 to 4 people. This minimum inter-station fare is guaranteed from the moment of booking and varies neither with traffic, nor with the time of day, nor with the actual journey duration.

This is particularly relevant for early-morning Nightjet arrivals: traffic is fluid at 7am, the taxi takes 10 to 12 minutes, and the fare is identical to that at midnight or 6pm. No meter running during traffic jams. See our full pricing page for all inter-station and airport fares.

In accordance with French regulations, every Paris taxi is required to accept card payment regardless of the amount, according to Service-Public.fr: chip and PIN, contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay are all accepted on board.

Actual duration by time of day

The journey generally follows Boulevard de Magenta then Boulevard de l'Hôpital, a north-south axis that is relatively fluid outside standard rush hours. The critical period is the 4pm–7:30pm slot: avoid it if you have a tight train to catch at Austerlitz.

Metro line 5 vs taxi: a straight comparison

Line 5 is direct between Gare de l'Est and Gare d'Austerlitz: it is one of the rare inter-station connections in Paris benefiting from a direct line without a change. For a light traveller familiar with Paris, it is the obvious option. Regular users of Parisian connections confirm on the Rick Steves forum: handling travel luggage between major Parisian stations on the metro remains a challenge, even on a direct line. The stairs up and down add up on suitcases from a multi-day journey.

Vienna or Berlin → Paris Est: the morning arrival in all its facets

The Nightjets departing from Vienna and Berlin arrive at Paris Gare de l'Est early in the morning, generally between 6am and 9am depending on the service. You have slept in your couchette or private cabin, but not like in a real bed. You step off the train with your full travel bag — perhaps a week's worth of clothes — into a station that is barely waking up.

You have a train to Bordeaux or Toulouse leaving in an hour. The metro option requires you to find the access to line 5, validate your ticket, manage your suitcase through 9 stations, exit at Austerlitz and cross the station to the platforms. The taxi option requires you to walk out the main door and get into the car waiting with your name.

The price difference is €32.90. The difference in quality of start to the day has no price when you have slept on a night train and still have 3 hours of TGV ahead of you.

The other direction: departing at night from Austerlitz

The reverse journey also exists: you take a Nightjet from Paris Est in the evening to Berlin or Vienna, and you have just arrived at Austerlitz after a journey from Bordeaux or Toulouse. Same logic, same comfort. The €35 taxi is the transition between two long rail stages — the only moment of your journey where someone else drives and you just watch Paris go by through the window.

Pick-up at Gare de l'Est: where your driver waits

The official taxi rank at Gare de l'Est is on the station forecourt, Place du 11 Novembre 1918, facing the main exit. If you have booked TaxiVite, your driver will be waiting there with your name. For Nightjet arrivals disembarking at hall 2 (platforms 17-29), the exit to the forecourt is signposted and takes 3 to 5 minutes on foot from the platforms, luggage included.

As with all major Parisian stations, beware of touts in the hall offering unofficial transport. The forecourt and the regulated taxi queue are the only safe option if you have not booked in advance.

Drop-off at Gare d'Austerlitz: the right entrance

Ask your driver to drop you at 7 bis Boulevard de l'Hôpital — the Arrivals Court on the Seine side, the main entrance of Gare d'Austerlitz with direct access to the services area and mainline platforms. This is the entrance closest to the tracks and the most convenient for finding your train without unnecessary detours through the station.

Planning your connection time by hour

For a successful connection, here are the buffers to allow based on your arrival time at Gare de l'Est:

• Nightjet arrivals (5am–8am): 30 minutes generally sufficient, fluid traffic, fast taxi.
• Off-peak (10am–4pm, 7:30pm–11pm): 35 minutes buffer recommended.
• Rush hours (8am–10am, 4pm–7:30pm): allow at least 55 to 60 minutes between arrival and departure.

If your journey extends to other Parisian stages, our Paris inter-station taxi page brings together all fares between the six major stations. And if you are arriving or departing by airport, our CDG (€70) and Orly (€55) fares complete the whole network.

Are there direct trains between Gare de l'Est and Gare d'Austerlitz?

No. No mainline train directly connects these two stations. The only direct rail connection is metro line 5, which links them without a change in approximately 12 to 14 minutes of travel. The taxi remains the fastest and most practical door-to-door alternative with luggage.

What is the exact fare with TaxiVite for this journey?

€35 in a saloon Eco for 1 to 4 people, standard luggage included. €60 in a van for 5 to 8 people. These fares are fixed and guaranteed at booking, without variation based on traffic or time of day.

Is TaxiVite available for 6am Nightjet arrivals?

Yes, TaxiVite is available 24/7, including for very early arrivals. You can book in advance by entering your Nightjet train number: if your train arrives late from Vienna or Berlin, your driver is automatically informed and adjusts his pick-up time. No call needed on your part.

Is metro line 5 recommended for this journey?

Line 5 is direct and economical — the best option for a light traveller who knows Paris and has no tight schedule. It becomes difficult with heavy luggage after a night train, during rush hours, or for a first visit to Paris. In those cases, the €35 taxi is the obvious solution.

How do I book my TaxiVite taxi for this connection?

On taxivite.fr/reservation-taxi-paris: select Gare de l'Est as departure and Gare d'Austerlitz as destination. Enter the expected time and your train number if arriving by Nightjet or ICE from Germany. Instant SMS confirmation, free cancellation up to 2 hours before.