The great trans-Parisian challenge: how long does it take to change stations?

Simon Calder, also known as The Man Who Pays His Way, has been writing about travel for The Independent since 1994. In his weekly opinion column, he explores a key travel issue – and what it means for you.

Before Eurostar downsized due to the complexities of post-Brexit passport checks, passengers could travel direct from London St Pancras International to Avignon. Not any more: the cross-Channel train firm has its work cut out providing enough seats on its core network connecting London with Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris. Which means that people who want to take the train rather than the plane to the deep south of France must change trains.

Sometimes there are good connections at Lille Europe station, but rather more often a trans-Parisian journey is required – travelling between termini in the French capital.

Nothing new with that concept: generations of travellers have arrived at Gare du Nord from one of the Channel ports and have had to cross Paris.

Anne Wells, from Sussex, could easily have flown from nearby Gatwick to Lyon and travelled on from the airport’s own station by rail to Avignon.

But Ms Wells decided to do the right thing, environmentally speaking, and take the train from London via Paris to the “city of Popes”. She booked a ticket on Eurostar. And then contacted me in some agitation.

“In good faith and in good time I booked a return trip on Eurostar, via the Eurostar website, for a journey from London St Pancras to Avignon on 3 September. The train arrives at Gare du Nord at 3.47pm and the TGV from Gare de Lyon leaves at 4.38pm.”

So tight a connection, she concluded, was nigh-impossible: Mark Smith, the international rail guru known as The Man in Seat 61 advises: “Allow at least 60 minutes between a Eurostar arriving at the Gare du Nord and an onward train from the Gare de Lyon. Ideally, allow 90 minutes for a more relaxed connection.”

Ms Wells asked: “Surely Eurostar should amend this impossible timing between trains or stop offering Eurostar through bookings?”

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I was rather more optimistic, and showed the anxious passenger my working.

Even if you are in Coach 1 (the furthest…