How to use the RER to get to Disney
The RER forms part of the Paris public transport system. Trains run from central Paris out to the suburbs, and to Disney, every few minutes. Although the RER system shares some stations with the metro unlike the metro the RER is mostly accessible. This section will describe how to use the RER in general and specifically between Gare Du Nord and Disney.
Using the RER as a Wheelchair User
General Tips and How to Use
The RER system is similar to the London tube, trains run every few minutes and you don't need to pre book tickets or assistance. Disneyland Paris is the last stop on the RER A line. This line runs all the way into central Paris and includes stops at Val D'Europe, Bussy Saint-Georges and Torcy, which all have a number of hotels close by, and in the case of Val D'Europe a pharmacy, supermarket and huge shopping centre. Over 90% of the RER system is accessible, including all stations between Disney and Central Paris, all stations within Central Paris and the station at CDG airport, but if you are travelling somewhere else you will want to check the station is accessible.
You may want to use the RER to get between the parks and your hotel, to go to the shopping centre, or to travel into central Paris, either to visit the sights or to connect to Eurostar at Gare Du Nord. Whatever the reason for using it the process is very similar:
- Arrive at the station
- Buy your tickets, you can use the machines which can be used in English or you can use the Ticket Desk, which you will have to visit if you need a ramp
- If you need a ramp visit the ticket/service desk to request one, they will call your destination station and then advise you that they are ready and you can proceed to the platform or they can escort you if needed, for example at large stations like Gare Du Nord
- Pass through the wider barrier using your ticket, retain it as you need it to exit, use the lift to reach the platform
- You will always board at the very front of the train so you will be positioned right behind the driver, if you are not being escorted make your way to the very end of the platform
- You will be met by a staff member who will deploy the ramp for you to board, they will also speak to the driver and tell them where you will be getting off
- When you reach your station someone will be waiting with a ramp, you then find the lift and exit the station, you need to use your ticket to exit
Tickets can be bought using cash or card, and are capped at 5 euros for a one way ticket for an adult, half price for children aged 4-10. Prices will be lower than this to go only a couple of stops (2.20 to go to Val D'Europe, 4.00 to go to Torcy for example). The cap doesn't apply to trains from the airport. Tickets are always sold as singles and do not have a direction so I often buy a few at a time.
I need to request the ramp as I cannot manage the height difference and gap when I have my electric handcycle attached, there is a 3-4 inch gap and a 6-8 inch height difference between the train and the platform (there can be a bigger difference at other points on the platform). If you are ambulatory and have someone to help you may not need to request a ramp and can just make your way to the train.
The Journey from Gare Du Nord to Disney
If you have travelled using Eurostar to Gare Du Nord you then need to get to Disney. A private transfer will usually cost around 90 euros each way, and is the easier option, and you may have saved enough using this route rather than going via Lille that this is not an issue, but if you need a wheelchair accessible vehicle it is more difficult as there are limited options and if you just want a cheaper option the RER can be your friend.
The RER will cost you 5 euros per adult each way and the process is the same as described above, but here I'll run through what a typical journey looks like when I make it.
Once you are off the Eurostar follow everyone down the platform to the end and then you will reach the main station concourse, there are various shops and food places here if you need to grab something but otherwise turn left and walk all the way to the end of the station. You will have train platforms on your left and you will reach a Relay shop, Just after this you will see a sort of bridge ahead and signs for the RER, there has been lots of construction and upgrade works at Gare Du Nord so as of writing this once you pass the relay turn left and there is a service office on the left opposite the ticket barriers. There is also an assistance desk on the main station concourse opposite where you get off the Eurostar which is somewhere to try if you get stuck.
The wait can be a while but someone will come, though there then may be a further wait while they stand around speaking on the phone or trying to get through to people on the phone. This can take 10-20 minutes. The assistance at Gare Du Nord is provided by one company, SNCF, but the assistance at Chatelet les halles and at Disney (or Val D'Europe or similar) is provided by RATP so they need to speak to them to ensure there will be someone waiting, and to ensure the lifts are all working. This can take a bit of time.
Once they have confirmed the journey they will then escort you down to the platform, they will make sure you can get through the barriers and take you to the lift. Be warned staff can and will tell other people to get out of the lift or to step aside, I can find this a little embarrassing but disabled users are supposed to be given priority in lifts, and the staff sort of enforce it! Plus they have a job to do and want to get going!
They will take you to the platform and then wait for your train, they will get the ramp ready and when you board they will tell the driver where you are getting off. From Gare Du Nord you will ride one stop to Chatelet Les Halles and someone will be waiting with the ramp there for you to get off.
At Chatelet les Halles you only need to cross to the other side of the platform so the same assistance person who got you off the train will usually walk you over and get you on the next train, There me be a bit of a wait as not all the trains go to Disney but they will make sure you are on the right one, this is probably an actual advantage of needing assistance as it can be confusing doing the journey by yourself if you are not familiar with it.
Once they have got you on the train to Disney you can relax as this now takes about 40 minutes. You will be seated next to the drivers cab but it is not really a proper space, you just put your brakes on and try to keep as out of the way as possible for people entering and exiting the train at each stop. There are no seats here, all the seats are either up a few steps or down a few steps so anyone else you are with either needs to stand with you or go to find a seat, as you move out of Central Paris the train gets quieter so they may be able to set close enough to still see them. Once you arrive at your destination they will be waiting with a ramp and you are good to go. If you need help to find the lift or exit they can escort you. On the return journey this can be helpful as they sometimes seem to find shortcuts!
This is how the journey should work, in reverse you would ask at the ticket desk of your departure station, and this is how it has worked for me many times but there can be the odd issue, so see below for some troubleshooting tips!
For Wheelchair/Scooter users needing a ramp, or those needing an escort
Troubleshooting!
Sometimes it's not as smooth as you hope, so try these tips!
Travelling with a disability doesn't always go to plan! I used to panic when things weren't going right but I have learnt that that doesn't actually help me resolve the issue and just makes everything feel worse. I have encountered plenty of issues but now I don't panic and just work to find solutions.
Allow Time
Most of the time I use google maps to find accessible routes, and usually double the time they give as an estimate, depending on how important it is that I am on time! Sometimes this has not been enough and to be fair I have missed a Eurostar before, but sometimes you just can't help it.
Top Tip: If you are running late and can't control your speed, eg you are waiting for trains to arrive, you are on a train, you can only go so fast, then stop looking at your watch. Knowing how late you are won't make you able to go any faster and all it will achieve is to increase the stress and anxiety, just wait until you get to where you are going and take it from there.
If you are late or do miss something like your train stay calm and work with the staff to find a solution, but sometimes you need to be politely persistent. The time I missed the Eurostar we were actually within the time to be let through if I had been walking but because I needed a ramp they said we were too late, they initially wanted to charge a fee to change the tickets but I remained calm and explained why it felt unfair to be penalised for needing a ramp when I had booked a wheelchair space so they should have already known a rap was needed. Calmly explaining my point did see them reissue the tickets for no extra charge.
Broken Lifts
This is the most common issue I have encountered, including the time I missed the Eurostar. Sometimes lifts are out of service for a period for maintenance or replacement, and sometimes they are just broken on the day. The RATP website is supposed to show planned lift closures but this feature seems to have been down for a while.
Once you leave Central Paris most stations are two tracks with a platform either side, and a lift for each platform, so it is often possible to travel an extra stop, switch platforms using a set of working lifts and then go back, assuming one set of lifts is working. This is usually the solution for stations like Torcy, Val D'Europe and Bussy Saint Georges. The Disneyland Paris station however only has one lift, so if that is broken the only option (unless you have a manual chair and can manage an escalator, or have someone who can carry it while you stand on the escalator) is to get off at Val D'Europe and to catch the bus from there (the number 47 bus runs from next to the station to the south bus station at Disney).
In Central Paris the big station like Gare Du Nord and Chatelet Les Halles usually have multiple lifts and a route can be found, there are also alternative options to change at so here is where checking google maps and working with the staff is helpful, If you can suggest alternatives they seem more likely to want to help than if they have to try and work it out! Again sometimes you may need to use a bus for part of the journey to get to a stop that you can access. You may also want to consider options like Uber to get you to an accessible station if that is an option for you.
Broken Gates
Another issue I have only encountered a couple of times is broken gates/barriers. But this is important because you must validate your ticket when you enter by putting it through the barrier, if caught with an unvalidated ticket there are on the spot fines and from what I have heard from others little leniency for tourists. This is also important if you use a wider barrier with your chair that you ensure anyone travelling with you goes through separately to validate their ticket. If the gate is broken but open you can ask someone to pass your ticket through one of the main barriers, if it is broken and closed you can either go to to the service desk or there is usually a button on it to press to speak to someone. Obviously they speak French but I did try this once and just used google translate for 'the gate is broken' and they understood and seemed to be able to make it work, it's probably worth a try if there is a long wait at the service desk!
Gare du Nord to Disney using the RER, without assistance
This video, by Fairy Godmother, shows using the RER to get from Gare Du Nord to Disneyland Paris, this is showing how you would take the journey without any assistance or ramps but it useful for all to familiarise with how it works and what to expect.
This page has been last updated in April 2024
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