Read more about Cherbourg.
Cherbourg is located at the northern tip of the Cotentin peninsula in Normandy. Once among the top transatlantic passenger ports, its glory has waned since the great ocean liners found other piers. But it is still a lively city famous for its umbrellas. Walk through the old streets lined with shops and restaurants and try to see the weekly Thursday market that takes place in and around the rue des Halles. The main tourist attraction is the Cité de la Mer, which has a special Titanic exhibit. The ship called here before her fatal maiden voyage on April 10, 1912.
The museum has done a great job rebuilding several different parts of the ship: the wireless room, the mail room, and a first-class cabin.
Cherbourg Tourist Office
Quai Alexandre III
Tel .: 00 33 (0) 2 33 93 52 02
Website
Paris to Cherbourg by train
TGV trains to Cherbourg depart from Paris Gare Saint Lazare (13 rue Amsterdam, Paris 8) throughout the day.
Metro lines to and from Gare Saint Lazare
- Line 3: Levallois-Becon gate in Gallieni
- Line 12: Porte de la Chapelle to Mairie d’Issy
- Line 13: Saint-Denis – Universite a Chatillon – Montrouge
- Line 14: Saint Lazare to Bibliotheque Francois Mitterand
For buses, see the Paris bus map
Intercity express trains to Cherbourg station
Direct trains run from Paris to Cherbourg regularly throughout the day. The trip lasts 3 h 12 min.
You can also take the train from Paris to Caen, take 2 hours 17 minutes, then change to a TER train from Caen to Cherbourg, take 1 hour 11 minutes. The total travel time with the change is 3 h 33 min.
- From Lille (connecting with Eurostar) to Cherbourg station, you must change in Paris from Paris Nord to Paris Saint Lazare. The trip lasts 5 h 15 min.
- TER trains connect Cherbourg with Caen and Lisieux. Check out the main TER services on the TER website .
Cherbourg station is on Avenue JF Millet, a few steps south of the center.
Book your train ticket
- Book train tickets on Rail Europe from the USA.
- Book train tickets on Rail Europe from the UK
Getting to Cherbourg by ferry
Brittany Ferries operate the most luxurious ferries in every service they offer. The quick crossing from Portsmouth to Cherbourg takes 3 hours. There is also a ferry from Poole that takes 4 hours 30 minutes. Seasonal schedules operate.
Information on ferries from the UK
Cherbourg ferry terminal
Normandy quay
Phone: 00 33 (0) 2 33 88 44 88
Getting to Cherbourg by car
Paris to Cherbourg is 357 kms (221 miles), with around 3 hours and 45 minutes, depending on your speed. There are tolls on the highways.
Car rental
For information on how to rent a car under the return lease scheme, which is the cheapest way to rent a car if you are in France for more than 17 days, try Renault Eurodrive’s buyback lease.
Getting from London to Paris
- By train (Eurostar)
Eurostar between London, Paris and Lille - By bus / coach Eurolines offers a cheap service from London, Gillingham, Canterbury, Folkestone and Dover to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Paris Gallieni. Six coaches a day; 2 all night; Travel time is 7 hours. The Eurolines stop is located at the Paris Gallieni bus station, 28 ave du General de Gaulle, right next to the Gallieni metro station, near Porte de Bagnolet (metro line 3, final stop).
Eurolines website for French travel - IDBus also operates between London and Lille and London and Paris. IDBus also runs from Lille to Amsterdam and Brussels.
IDBus website
