A Versailles day trip from Paris is one of the easiest big excursions in France. The palace sits in the town of Versailles, west of the city, and the RER C train runs from central Paris to Versailles Château Rive Gauche, a 10 minute walk from the gates. The full Passport ticket, which covers the palace, the Estate of Trianon and the gardens, costs €25 from November to March and €35 from April to October. The palace is closed on Mondays, so plan around that. This guide covers the route, the 2026 ticket prices, opening hours, and a plan for a full day or a half day.
Know before you go
- Getting there: RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche, then about 10 minutes on foot.
- Passport ticket: €25 in low season (1 November to 31 March), €35 in high season.
- Free entry: visitors under 18, for the palace and the Estate of Trianon.
- Palace hours, low season: 9 am to 5:30 pm, last admission 4:45 pm.
- Closed: Mondays, 25 December, 1 January and 1 May.
- Gardens: free from November to March; charged on show days in high season.
- Last checked: 5 November 2026.
In this Article
Why go to Versailles
Louis XIV turned a royal hunting lodge into the seat of the French court, and the estate grew into the palace, formal gardens, park and smaller palaces you see today. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inside the palace you walk through the King’s and Queen’s State Apartments, the Royal Chapel and the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919. Outside are the gardens with their fountains and groves, the Grand Canal, and the Estate of Trianon, where Marie Antoinette had her own small world, including a model village called the Queen’s Hamlet.
That is a lot for one day, which is why the trip needs a little planning.
How to get from Paris to Versailles
The palace site lists three train stations in Versailles.
| Station | Line and Paris stations | Walk to the palace |
|---|---|---|
| Versailles Château Rive Gauche | RER C, mainly from Saint-Michel and Champ de Mars | About 10 minutes |
| Versailles Rive Droite | Transilien from Saint-Lazare and La Défense | About 17 minutes |
| Versailles Chantiers | Transilien from Montparnasse | About 18 minutes |
RER C is the usual choice because it starts near the Eiffel Tower and the Latin Quarter and stops closest to the palace. The Paris tourist office puts the ride at 30 to 45 minutes.
Buy a return ticket to Versailles before you set off, or use a Navigo, Mobilis or Paris Visite pass that covers zones 1 to 4. The palace FAQ warns that a standard T+ metro ticket is not valid for this trip. The station at Versailles gets busy in the afternoon, which is another reason to hold your return ticket already. RER C has frequent planned works, so check the line status on the Transilien site or the Île-de-France Mobilités app the day before.
If you prefer the bus, RATP line 171 runs from Pont de Sèvres, at the end of metro line 9, to the palace in about 30 minutes without traffic.
Versailles tickets and prices for 2026
New prices started on 14 January 2026, with different rates for the low and high seasons. Visitors from India pay the standard price; the reduced price is only for nationals and residents of the European Economic Area.
| Ticket | Low season (1 Nov to 31 Mar) | High season (1 Apr to 31 Oct) |
|---|---|---|
| Passport (whole estate) | €25 | €35 |
| Late Passport | €18, palace entry from 3 pm | €28, palace entry from 4 pm |
| Estate of Trianon only | €15 | €15 |
| Gardens on show days | Free | €15 |
| Gardens show day plus Trianon | Not sold | €20 |
The Passport is the only ticket that includes the palace, and it is the only one with a fixed time slot. You choose your palace entry time when you book; the Trianon and gardens can be visited at any time that day. Holders of the Paris Museum Pass still need to book a free Passport ticket for a time slot.
Admission to the palace and Trianon is free for all visitors under 18, so a family with teenagers pays only for the adults. Tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged, so check your date before you pay.
If the morning slots are sold out, the late Passport is a fair option for a half day. It costs less, and you can still see the palace before closing.
Opening hours
The palace and the Estate of Trianon close on Mondays. Here are the hours listed on the official practical information page.
| Area | Low season | High season |
|---|---|---|
| Palace | 9 am to 5:30 pm, last admission 4:45 pm | 9 am to 6:30 pm, last admission 5:45 pm |
| Estate of Trianon | 12 noon to 5:30 pm | 12 noon to 6:30 pm, from 10 am in July and August |
| Gardens | 8 am to 6 pm | 8 am to 8:30 pm |
| Park | 8 am to 6 pm | 7 am to 8:30 pm |
Both the palace and Trianon also close on 25 December and 1 January, and the palace closes on 1 May.
Versailles itinerary: a full day from Paris
This plan suits a first visit with a Passport ticket.
- Take an early RER C and book the first or second palace slot of the day. Arrive at the gates a little ahead of your time.
- Tour the palace for about two hours. The route takes in the Royal Chapel, the State Apartments and the Hall of Mirrors. Download the free official app before you arrive to load the audio guide.
- Walk out to the terrace and down through the gardens to the Latona Fountain and on towards the Grand Canal.
- Have lunch. There are cafés and restaurants on the estate, or carry a picnic for the park.
- Head to the Estate of Trianon after it opens at noon. See the Grand Trianon, the Petit Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet.
- Walk back through the park to the town and catch the train to Paris before the evening rush.
Versailles half day trip from Paris
With only half a day, pick one part of the estate.
- Palace only: book a morning slot, tour the palace and walk the nearest part of the gardens, and be back in Paris for lunch.
- Late visit: use the late Passport, from 3 pm in low season, and see the palace in the last hours of the day.
- Gardens and Trianon: if you dislike crowds indoors, skip the palace and spend the afternoon in the gardens and at Trianon with a Trianon ticket.
Day tour or do it yourself?
A Versailles day tour from Paris usually adds a coach or guide to the same entry ticket. It can help if you want someone to handle the transport, or if you want a guide’s commentary in the palace. If you are comfortable with trains, going on your own gives you more control over timing and costs less. On traveller forums, including the many Versailles day trip threads on reddit, the most common advice is the same: book the palace time slot early, avoid Mondays, and arrive soon after opening.
If you do book a tour, check whether it includes the Passport ticket with a timed palace entry and whether you get free time in the gardens and at Trianon.
Tips for a smoother visit
- Tuesdays, weekends and summer days are the busiest. A weekday from Wednesday to Friday in low season is usually calmer.
- Book the palace slot online, since walk-up slots can run out.
- Wear good shoes. The estate is large, and the walk from the palace to the Queen’s Hamlet takes a while.
- Big bags and suitcases are not suitable for the visit, so travel light.
- Free sites on the estate include the Gallery of Coaches, open on weekend afternoons, and the park.
- From November to March, the palace FAQ lists free entry on the first Sunday of the month. Expect heavy crowds on those days.
Fitting Versailles into your Paris trip
Most visitors give Versailles a whole day of a Paris stay. Our Paris itinerary for 3 days covers the city, and you can add Versailles as a fourth day. Keep it away from a Monday, and avoid pairing it with the Louvre on the same day, since both need a lot of walking. Our list of things to do in Paris and our guide to Eiffel Tower tickets help you plan the rest of the week.
FAQ
What is the best Versailles day trip from Paris?
For most people, a self-guided trip on RER C with a Passport ticket and an early palace slot works best. It covers the palace, gardens and Trianon in one day at the official price.
Is a Versailles half day trip from Paris worth it?
Yes, if you choose one area. A morning palace visit or a late Passport visit both fit into half a day.
Should I book a Versailles day tour from Paris?
A tour adds transport and a guide. It suits travellers who want a guide in the palace. The entry ticket is the same, so compare the tour price with a Passport ticket plus train fares.
What is a good Versailles palace day trip itinerary?
Palace in the morning, gardens and lunch around midday, the Estate of Trianon after it opens at noon, then the train back to Paris.
What does reddit say about a Versailles day trip from Paris?
Traveller threads tend to repeat the official advice: book a timed slot, avoid Mondays when the palace is closed, arrive early and buy your return train ticket in advance.
Official resources: Palace of Versailles: 2026 ticketing; Palace of Versailles: practical information; Palace of Versailles: FAQ; UNESCO: Palace and Park of Versailles
Photo credits
Featured image: Julian Lupyan / Wikimedia Commons (public domain); How to get from Paris to Versailles: Remontees / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Opening hours: Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0; Versailles itinerary: a full day from Paris: Lionel Allorge / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0; Versailles half day trip from Paris: Basile Morin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Day tour or do it yourself?: DiscoA340 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Tips for a smoother visit: DiscoA340 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Fitting Versailles into your Paris trip: Epanorthose / Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
