The Train to Paris

It is Monday morning and I am at the train station. I want to travel to Paris today. The station is big and busy. There are many people with bags and suitcases. I can see the departure board above me. It shows all the trains and their times. I need to buy a ticket first. I go to the ticket office and there is a short queue. I wait for three minutes. When it is my turn, I say to the woman behind the glass, "Good morning. I would like to buy a ticket to Paris, please." She says, "Good morning. A single or a return?" I say, "A single, please. How much is it?" She says, "A single ticket to Paris is forty-five euros. The next train leaves at nine sixteen from platform five." I say, "That is fine. I will take one ticket, please."

The woman says, "Would you prefer a window seat or an aisle seat?" I say, "I would prefer a window seat, please." She says, "Let me check. Yes, there is a window seat available in carriage four, seat twenty-three." I say, "Perfect. Is this a direct train or do I need to change trains?" She says, "It is a direct train. No changes needed. The journey takes two hours and forty minutes." I say, "Wonderful. Does this train have wifi?" She says, "Yes, free wifi is available on all our express trains." I pay for my ticket with my card and she gives me the ticket and a receipt. I say, "Thank you very much. Where is platform five?" She says, "Go through the main hall, past the café, and platform five is on your right. You cannot miss it." I say, "Thank you. Have a good day!"

I have twenty-five minutes before my train leaves. I am a little hungry so I go to the café in the station. It is a small café with sandwiches, pastries, coffee, and juice. I say to the man behind the counter, "Good morning. Can I have a coffee and a croissant, please?" He says, "Of course. That is four euros fifty." I pay with a five euro note and he gives me fifty cents change. I take my coffee and croissant and sit at a small table near the window. I can see the trains coming and going on the platforms. The coffee is hot and strong, just how I like it. The croissant is fresh and buttery. I eat quickly because I do not want to miss my train. I check the departure board one more time. My train to Paris is on time. Platform five. I finish my coffee, pick up my bag, and walk to the platform.

I arrive at platform five. There are about thirty people waiting for the same train. I see families with children, business people with laptops, and tourists with big backpacks. A man next to me says, "Excuse me, is this the correct platform for the Paris train?" I say, "Yes, it is. The train leaves at nine sixteen." He says, "Thank you. I was not sure. This station is very big." I say, "Yes, it is. Is this your first time here?" He says, "Yes, I am from Spain. My name is Carlos." I say, "Nice to meet you, Carlos. My name is Sophie. I am from England." He says, "Nice to meet you too. Are you going to Paris for work or holiday?" I say, "Holiday. I want to see the museums and the old buildings." He says, "Me too! Maybe we can share a taxi from the station." I say, "That is a good idea!"

The train arrives at the platform at nine twelve. It is a long, modern train with blue and silver carriages. The doors open and people start to get on. I find carriage four and my seat, number twenty-three. It is a window seat on the left side of the train. I put my bag on the shelf above my head and sit down. The seat is comfortable. There is a small table in front of me and a power socket for my phone. Carlos finds his seat too. He is in the same carriage, just a few rows behind me. He waves and says, "See you in Paris!" The train leaves exactly at nine sixteen. I look out of the window and watch the city disappear. Soon we are in the countryside. I can see green fields, farms, cows, and small villages. The sky is blue and the sun is shining. It is a beautiful day for travelling.

After about an hour, a woman in a uniform comes through the carriage. She says, "Tickets, please. Can I see your ticket?" I get my ticket from my bag and show it to her. She looks at it, stamps it, and says, "Thank you. Enjoy your journey." She moves on to the next passenger. I look out of the window again. We are crossing a big river now. The water is blue and there are boats on it. I can see a bridge in the distance and a small town on the other side. I take my phone and make some photos of the beautiful scenery. The train is very smooth and quiet. I can barely feel it moving. Some passengers are reading books, others are working on their laptops, and a few are sleeping. It is very peaceful. I decide to read my book for a while.

At midday, I am hungry again. I remember that the woman at the ticket office said there is a dining car on this train. I get up and walk through two carriages until I find it. The dining car has tables with white cloths and a small counter where you can buy food and drinks. I say to the waiter, "Can I have a sandwich and a soft drink, please?" He says, "Of course. We have ham and cheese, tuna, or vegetable. Which would you like?" I say, "Ham and cheese, please. And an orange juice." He says, "That is seven euros fifty." I pay with my card. The sandwich is fresh and tasty. I sit at a table and eat while watching the countryside pass by outside the window. I can see mountains in the distance now. We are getting closer to Paris. I check the time. It is twelve thirty. We should arrive at one pm.

I go back to my seat. Carlos comes to say hello. He sits in the empty seat next to me and says, "How is your journey?" I say, "Very good, thank you. The scenery is beautiful." He says, "Yes, it is. I have been taking many photos. Do you know Paris well?" I say, "No, this is my first time. I do not know the city at all. Do you?" He says, "A little. I was here two years ago. The metro system is very good. You can get anywhere easily." I say, "That is good to know. Where is your hotel?" He says, "It is near the river, in the old part of the city. And yours?" I say, "Mine is near the bus station, opposite the church." He says, "That is not far from mine! We should exchange phone numbers so we can meet for dinner one evening." I say, "That is a great idea!"

The train starts to slow down. I can see buildings and houses outside the window. We are entering Paris. The voice on the train says, "Ladies and gentlemen, we will arrive in Paris in five minutes. Please make sure you have all your belongings." I get my bag from the shelf and put on my jacket. Carlos does the same. He says, "Are you ready?" I say, "Yes! I am very excited." The train stops at the platform and the doors open. We get off the train and walk through the station. It is enormous! There are hundreds of people everywhere. I can see shops, cafés, and information desks. I say, "Where is the taxi rank?" Carlos looks at a sign and says, "It says taxis are to the left, through the main exit." We walk together to the exit.

Outside the station, there is a long line of taxis. Carlos says, "Shall we share a taxi? My hotel is on the way to yours." I say, "Yes, that is a good idea. It will be cheaper too." We get into a taxi and Carlos tells the driver the addresses. The driver says, "That will be about twenty euros." We drive through the streets of Paris. I can see beautiful old buildings, wide streets with trees, and many people walking and cycling. After ten minutes, the taxi stops at Carlos's hotel. He pays his half and says, "It was very nice to meet you, Sophie. Here is my phone number. Let us have dinner on Wednesday evening!" I say, "That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Carlos. See you on Wednesday! Goodbye!" The taxi takes me to my hotel. I arrive, check in, and go to my room. My Paris adventure has begun!