The Gare Lille Europe !!!

Posted in Europe, France

Again,the story continues, It took me a while , worse when you have family about an hour from the city. But often said, living and visiting are two different things . When in the area stay with family and this time again,however, did it in reverse order, when to see Lille and its sights, (stay tune for posts), and then went to see family. Therefore, let me tell you about the Gare Lille Europe !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

Lille gare lille europe entr oct23

The Gare Lille Europe Train Station located at 13 Avenue le Corbusier has the Eurostar service to London and Brussels, direct TGV service to Roissy Airport, Paris and all major French cities. The Lille-Europe station is on the high-speed line from Fretin to Fréthun, located on the edge of the city center of Lille,of course, in the dept 59 Nord of the Hauts-de-France region and in my belle France. It was put into service in 1994, when the high-speed line (LGV) opened.

Lille gare lille europe inside quais oct23

This SNCF Lille Europe train station, it is served by Eurostar, TGV inOui and TERGV. It allows  connections with the Gare Lille-Europe metro station. Unlike the historic station, renamed Lille-Flandres (see post) , this is a transit station, with no dead-end tracks. It is equipped with two central platforms, serving four diverted lanes. The two central tracks, travelable at up to 220 km/h and without a platform, are used for the transit of non-stop trains (in this case Eurostar, in particular all those operating the Paris – London link). At the heart of a railway triangle of lines connecting the three capitals of London, Brussels , and  Paris, the station constitutes a hub between European TGVs.

Lille gare lille europe trains below oct23

The Lille-Europe train station was imposed by the “Gare TGV à Lille” association, led by mayor Pierre Mauroy, against the wishes of the SNCF which wanted to create a station in the open countryside; it is thus the only new station in the French high-speed line network to be established in the city center ! It is sometimes nicknamed the “draft station” because its openings provide significant air circulation; in fact, their function is to allow the evacuation of air pushed by trains passing quickly on the central tracks. Its roof, shaped like a hanging wave, serves as a firewall protecting the two towers, in the event of a fire in the station. Furthermore, the proximity of the water table prevents the correct evacuation of rainwater during heavy rainfall, which represents a risk of flooding of the station; thus, drains are installed one meter under the tracks, and require annual maintenance due to the significant accumulation of limestone in places.

Lille gare lille europe trains oct23

The Gare Lille Europe counters are open daily from 6h30 to 19h30; however, the sale of Eurostar tickets is open Monday from 6h40 to 20h15., Tuesday to Thursday from 7h40 to 20h45, Friday and Saturday from 7h40 to 20h15, Sunday and public holidays from 8h40 to 19h15. To check as this is a guide for info only, A “Grand Voyageur” lounge, open every day, is located in Hall 3. It is accessible to holders of the “Grand Voyageur Plus” and “Grand Voyageur” cards (I used to have these::)) .Free coffee and newspapers are offered. The station is further equipped with a customs facility in Concourse 4, reserved for passengers on the Eurostar service to London. Indeed, when serving this type of train towards the United Kingdom (non-Schengen area country), access to the platform of the track concerned (43 or 45) is closed, with the exception of the one opened after passing the controls. Again, for info only please check upon traveling by here,

Lille gare lille europe trains schedules oct23

The Eurostar transiting through Lille, to or from London, Brussels and Amsterdam  TGV inOui ensuring connections from Rang-du-Fliers, Étaples, Boulogne-sur-Mer,  Calais,  Dunkerque or Lille to Paris, via Arras; the inOui TGVs providing province to province connections (circumventing Paris), to or from Brussels, Rennes, Nantes, Bordeaux, Lyon, Montpellier, Perpignan, Marseille, Strasbourg, etc. All TERGVs, for the most part operated by TGV inOui trains coming from or going to Paris; specific circulations, A bicycle park and parking lots are set up near the station. It has two drop-off points, a self-service bicycle station (V’Lille), access to a car-sharing service, a car rental office (with specific parking), and a taxi rank. In addition, a transport car with driver (VTC) service is available The station is served by Lille urban public transport Ilévia has Gare Lille-Europe metro station (located on line 2); an underground tramway station, where the common trunk of the R and T lines passes; stops allowing you to take the buses of the lines: L5, L90, L91 and L91 Express (Lianes), 50, 51, 86, 88 and N1 (line by night). In addition, several coach operators (BlaBlaCar Bus, FlixBus and Flibco shuttles to Charleroi airport) serve the area around the station (stops located along the boulevards of Leeds and Turin). Again, verify upon traveling by here,

The official Gare Lille Europe : https://www.garesetconnexions.sncf/fr/gares-services/lille-europe

The official TER Hauts de France on the Gare Lille Europe : https://www.ter.sncf.com/hauts-de-france/se-deplacer/gares/lille-europe-87223263

There you go folks, a dandy city of the Nord that is North of France. I was finally back to Lille and it was great with many family memories flashing but glad I did it now. Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Gare Lille Europe as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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