The first thing I noticed when I took the train from Reims to Paris is how fast the train moves. The average speed of the train is 200 mph! At this speed you could get from Manhattan to East Hampton on Long Island in 30 minutes. It usually takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes! The train is comfortable and the tickets range between 10 euros round trip to 30 euros, depending on when you buy them. What stunned me the most are the beautiful train stations! The stations are sometimes amongst the oldest buildings in France.
Train station in French is la gare. One very famous train station in Paris used to be called Gare d’Orsay. It is now a museum, and it was the location of the movie Hugo by Martin Scorsese. Another beautiful train station is the Gare du Nord, the North Station. Many people use the elaborate system of trains in France to move from one city to the next. It can be a more affordable option than flying, and it also allows you to experience the gorgeous French countryside through your window.
This way of getting around is preferred amongst many French people and foreigners because it is practical and efficient. France, compared to the United States, is a small country. The distance between major cities is not as far as in the U.S. The total area of France is less then 250,000 miles squared. That is smaller than Texas! Roads are also usually narrow, except in some big cities, and in big cities, parking can be difficult to find.
