Day trip · 35 minutes by RER
Train or tour, half day or full: how to see the palace, the gardens, and Marie-Antoinette’s estate without wasting the day, and which tours are worth paying for.
Updated October 19, 2026 · Prices checked October 19, 2026 · Tour prices refresh daily
Photo: Mathias Reding / Unsplash
Versailles is the easiest great day trip from Paris: a 30-to-35-minute ride on the RER C, a €2.55 ticket each way, and one of the most famous rooms in the world at the other end. Getting there is not the hard part. The decision is whether to go alone, join a guide who rides the train with you, or give the whole day to a bike tour of the estate.
Below is every Versailles tour we could verify, compared side by side. After that come the official 2026 prices (non-EU visitors now pay the standard rate, and the Passport is cheaper from November to March), the three train routes, and how to order the palace and the Trianon so the day flows.
N° 01Short on time
1erBy trainBest overall
Memories France
Coordinators take the group out on the RER with your round-trip train tickets, then a guide leads about three hours at Versailles, with fast-track palace entry and a gardens visit. The tour ends at the palace.
Free cancellation
From$100.59
per person
2eBy trainBest value
The Tour Guy
The most-reviewed Versailles tour we found: train tickets, timed entry, and a guided palace tour, then the gardens on your own. Pick the semi-private option if you want a smaller group.
Free cancellation
From$73.24
per person
3eSmall groupBest full day
Blue Fox Travel
Train out, a stop at the Versailles market for picnic supplies, then a bike ride across the estate to the Trianons and the Queen’s Hamlet before a timed palace visit. Kids’ bikes and child seats are available.
Free cancellation
From$124.73
per person
We may earn a commission when you book through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It never decides our picks. Tour prices are Viator’s US-dollar from-prices, refreshed with ratings every day; they change by date, and Viator may show your local currency. How we make money.
N° 02Côte à côte
Train-based tours are usually the best value: the RER takes 30 to 35 minutes and never sits in motorway traffic. Prices shown are the lowest listed option, and private tours price the whole vehicle or guide.
| Tour | Format | Length | Reviews | From | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Versailles Palace & Gardens by Train, GuidedMemories FranceTravelers who want an all-tickets-included guided visit by public train Free cancellation | Train · group | 3 hours + train | 4.721,082 reviews | $100.59 | Check |
| Versailles Palace & Gardens Guided Tour by TrainThe Tour GuyBudget-minded first-timers who want tickets and logistics handled Free cancellation | Train · group | 3–3.5 hours | 4.414,700 reviews | $73.24 | Check |
| Versailles Palace Guided Tour with Reserved Entry (meet on site)Independent travelers who will get to Versailles on their own and want a guide inside Free cancellation | Walking · group | 1.5–2.5 hours | 4.562,696 reviews | $80.10 | Check |
| Versailles Palace Tour with Gardens, by Bus from ParisTravelers who prefer a coach to the train and want a half-day or full-day choice Free cancellation | Coach · group | 4–10 hours | 4.58902 reviews | $108.71 | Check |
| Versailles Guided Visit with Optional Hotel PickupParis WebservicesTravelers who want door-to-door transport without paying for a private tour Free cancellation | Minivan · group | 6.5 hours | 4.571,473 reviews | $170.51 | Check |
| Versailles Small-Group Tour with Transport from ParisParis TRIPTravelers who want a small group and a round trip by road without hotel pickup Free cancellation | Minivan · small group | 4 hours | 4.62704 reviews | $191.90 | Check |
| Versailles Bike Tour with Market Picnic & Marie-Antoinette’s HamletBlue Fox TravelActive travelers and families who want to see the whole estate, not just the palace Free cancellation | Bike · small group | 8 hours | 4.852,998 reviews | $124.73 | Check |
| Versailles Bike Tour with Palace Entry, by TrainBike About ToursConfident cyclists who like a relaxed, community-style tour Free cancellation | Bike · small group | 8 hr 30 min | 4.81623 reviews | $124.73 | Check |
| Private Versailles Tour by Golf Cart (Passport tickets)LivToursFamilies and travelers who want to cover the gardens without long walks Free cancellation | Mixed · private | 3 hours | 4.88469 reviews | $400.52lowest listed option | Check |
| Private Versailles Tour with Hotel PickupParismatic TourFamilies or couples who want a private, door-to-door visit Free cancellation | Car · private | 4 hours | 4.80356 reviews | $566.45lowest listed option | Check |
| Giverny & Versailles in One Day from ParisCity WondersShort-stay visitors who want Versailles and Monet's Giverny in a single day (April–early November only) Free cancellation | Coach · group | 11.5 hours | 4.561,126 reviews | $154.49 | Check |
N° 03Cross-checked
One platform’s score is a sample, not a verdict. Here is how each operator rates on Viator, Tripadvisor, Google, and its own website.
| Tour | Viator | Tripadvisor | Operator site | Spread | Max group | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Versailles Palace & Gardens by Train, GuidedMemories France | ★ 4.721,082 reviews | ★ 4.81,752 reviews | ★ 4.9635 reviews | ★ 4.81,500 reviews | 0.18 | — |
| Versailles Palace & Gardens Guided Tour by TrainThe Tour Guy | ★ 4.414,700 reviews | ★ 4.62,895 reviews | not found | ★ 5.05,052 reviews | 0.54 | 25 |
| Versailles Bike Tour with Market Picnic & Marie-Antoinette’s HamletBlue Fox Travel | ★ 4.852,998 reviews | ★ 4.912,612 reviews | not found | no average stated | 0.05 | — |
| Versailles Guided Visit with Optional Hotel PickupParis Webservices | ★ 4.571,473 reviews | ★ 4.6538 reviews | not found | no average stated | 0.03 | 11-27 by option |
| Versailles Small-Group Tour with Transport from ParisParis TRIP | ★ 4.62704 reviews | ★ 4.51,352 reviews | ★ 4.93,657 reviews | not found | 0.40 | 16 |
| Versailles Bike Tour with Palace Entry, by TrainBike About Tours | ★ 4.81623 reviews | ★ 4.94,260 reviews | not found | ★ 4.94,400 reviews | 0.09 | — |
| Private Versailles Tour by Golf Cart (Passport tickets)LivTours | ★ 4.88469 reviews | ★ 5.01,578 reviews | not found | not found | 0.12 | — |
| Private Versailles Tour with Hotel PickupParismatic Tour | ★ 4.80356 reviews | ★ 4.8283 reviews | not found | not found | 0.00 | private (up to 7 adults + 3 children) |
| Giverny & Versailles in One Day from ParisCity Wonders | ★ 4.561,126 reviews | ★ 4.831,712 reviews | not found | ★ 4.92,118 reviews | 0.32 | — |
Parismatic Tour holds its rating most consistently across the sites we could verify (spread 0.00).
The widest gap is The Tour Guy: 4.95 on its own site versus 4.41 on Viator (spread 0.54).
Checked October 20, 2026. Tripadvisor and Google figures are the operator’s own listings, which pool reviews of all its tours, so they measure the company rather than this exact product. Spread is the highest minus the lowest rating shown.
N° 04Choosing
Versailles is the one big day trip that is genuinely easy to do alone. You buy a timed Passport online, take the RER C, and walk ten minutes to the gates. In low season (November to March) the Passport is €25 and the gardens are free, so a solo day costs about €30 including the train.
What a tour adds is context. The palace is a long sequence of gilded rooms, and without someone explaining who slept where, who was received in which salon, and why the Hall of Mirrors mattered, it blurs. A guided palace tour fixes that. The good ones also handle the timed entry and the train logistics, which takes the stress out of a first visit.
One more reason to favor the train this winter: the A13 motorway will be closed in the Paris-to-Versailles direction from November 16, 2026 to August 31, 2027, and the palace itself recommends public transport.
N° 05Tarifs 2026
New prices took effect on January 14, 2026, with two seasons. “Standard” is what non-EU visitors pay; EEA nationals and residents get €3 off with proof of residence.
| Ticket | Standard | EEA residents | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport, high season (April–October) | €35 | €32 | Palace (timed entry), Trianon, exhibitions, Gardens |
| Passport, low season (November–March) | €25 | €22 | Palace (timed entry), Trianon, exhibitions, Gardens |
| Passport, late entry | €28 high / €18 low | €25 / €15 | Entry from 4pm (high season) or 3pm (low season) |
| Estate of Trianon | €15 | €12 | Grand and Petit Trianon, Queen’s Hamlet, Trianon gardens |
| Gardens on show days (high season) | €15 | €12 | Musical Fountains or Musical Gardens days; free November–March |
| Gardens + Trianon (show days) | €20 | €17 | Gardens and the Estate of Trianon |
Checked October 19, 2026. Under-18s of any nationality, and EU residents under 26, enter the palace and Trianon free but must still book a timed slot. Tickets are non-refundable, and Paris Museum Pass holders must also book a free slot. The official shop lists a palace-only ticket without a published price, so it is not shown here. Official pages disagree on whether high season ends October 31 or November 1. Source: chateauversailles.fr, 2026 ticketing.
N° 06En train
Three train lines run from central Paris to Versailles, and all of them are covered by the same Métro-Train-RER ticket, €2.55 each way in 2026 (€5.10 for the round trip). Since the 2025 fare reform, that single ticket is valid to any station in the Île-de-France region except the airports. Load it on a Navigo Easy card or your phone.
There is also RATP bus 171 from Pont de Sèvres (métro line 9), which takes about 30 minutes without traffic. For more trips you can do on the same kind of ticket, see our guide to day trips from Paris by train.
N° 07Bon à savoir
01
The palace and the Trianon are closed every Monday, and on December 25, January 1, and May 1. The gardens and the park are open daily.
02
The palace opens at 9am, but the Trianon only opens at noon. In low season the palace closes at 5:30pm (last entry 4:45pm); in high season it closes at 6:30pm (last entry 5:45pm).
03
From November to March the gardens are free every day, but there are no fountain or musical shows. From April to October they charge on show days, which in 2026 meant Tuesday to Sunday.
04
In 2026 the Musical Fountains ran on weekends from April 4 to November 1 (plus Tuesdays in May and June), with Night Fountains on summer Saturdays. The 2027 dates have not been published yet.
05
Under-18s enter the palace and Trianon free whatever their nationality, as do EU residents under 26. Book their free timed slot online along with your own tickets.
06
The palace is free to everyone on the first Sunday of the month in winter, with a time slot required. The palace’s own pages disagree on whether that starts in November or December, so check before you plan around it.
N° 08Combo
If you only have one day outside Paris and want both the palace and Monet’s garden, there is a coach tour that does both, with entry to each included. It is a long day of about eleven and a half hours, and Monet’s house is self-guided by app, so bring a phone and earphones.
City Wonders
Free cancellation
From$154.49
per person
The catch is the season: Monet’s house and gardens only open from spring to the start of November, and the 2026 season ends on November 1. Our Giverny guide has the details. If you can spare two days, do them separately; both are better unhurried. For more ideas, see all of our day trips from Paris.
N° 09Good to know
Half a day covers the palace and a walk in the gardens: a typical guided tour is about three hours at Versailles plus 30 to 40 minutes each way on the train. To add the Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet, plan a full day, or take a bike tour, which runs about eight hours.
For a first visit, yes, because the palace makes much more sense with a guide explaining the rooms and the court. If you mainly want the Hall of Mirrors and the gardens, going alone on a timed Passport is easy and much cheaper.
Take the RER C to Versailles Château–Rive Gauche, a ride of 30 to 35 minutes from stations such as Saint-Michel Notre-Dame or Invalides, then walk 8 to 10 minutes. One Métro-Train-RER ticket covers it: €2.55 each way in 2026.
The palace and the Trianon are closed every Monday, and on December 25, January 1, and May 1. The gardens and the park stay open every day.
The Passport, which covers the palace, Trianon, exhibitions, and gardens, is €35 from April to October and €25 from November to March at the standard rate that non-EU visitors pay. EEA residents pay €3 less. Under-18s go free but need a timed slot.
From November to March the gardens are free every day. From April to October they charge admission on Musical Fountains and Musical Gardens days (€15 standard in 2026), which in 2026 meant Tuesday to Sunday.
Yes, on a combined coach tour, but only while Monet’s gardens are open (spring to November 1). It makes for a long day of roughly eleven and a half hours. If you have time, two separate trips are more enjoyable.
N° 10Booking.com
Search live prices for the areas that make this trip easiest.
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