jane1144

We will be driving from Normandy and picking up friends at the train station in Lille, FR. at 3:30pm on a Sunday in September
1. Is there only one station or main station?
2. Is there an area where we can park in order to go in and look for them, or should one of us circle around while the other finds them?

Christina

There are at least four train stations in Lille, you really will have to find out where these friends are. They serve different train lines, Lille Europe serves TGV from the UK and to the east mostly, LIlle Flandres serves TGVs from Paris and regional TER trains and is the main one, there are a 2 others that serve TER lines, I think (CHR which used to be Lille Sud, and Porte de Douai which is around the highway A25 and same direction as CHR). I think there are even more train stations in the LIlle area than those 4 (eg, Valenciennes and Cabrai).

Any major train station in France has a place to park.

PalenQ

Park and go into the station and be waiting for them to get off the train - arrange to meet them on the same platform they get off the train - if a French TGV train or a Belgian train they will probably come into Lille's main station - Lille Flandres - but if Eurostar trains from London and an occasional French TGV then it's Lille Europa - like Christina says.

If Eurostar train they may have to exit thru a special gate - not familiar with Lille Eurostar exit.

Lille Flandres and Lille Europa are a long stone's throw apart but are not one station - two separate stations. But there is a large parking garage near both. Park and meet their train IMO.

jane1144

Thank you Christina and PalenQ. They are coming form London so i will go to Lille Europe and will meet the train. This has been really helpful.
J

kerouac

Yes, a London train arrives at Lille Europe.

However, I would like to point out that trains from Paris can arrive at either station.

PalenQ

there is a large parking garage attached to the Lille Europa station.

Carlux

Something to remember - each station in France has its own web page. Here is the Lille Europe page - in English
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/en/frlle/accueil/

jane1144

Thank you for that page, Carlux...very helpful!