Originally Posted by
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I'm arriving late at night (after 10pm) at gare du Nord and will take the metro to a friend's apartment in the 20th near square charles pixerecourt. Will I have any problems safety-wise? I heard the train station and 20th arrondissement is not safe at night.
While problems can show up anywhere, I think you should be fine with a good plan and some common sense.
Inside the Gare du Nord station is usually ok, and I've never encountered worse than an occasional beggar in there. Outside is another matter but you can go from a train, buy a metro ticket and get to the Metro without going outside.
You'll want the #5 metro-have your friend map out the best way to get to the right Metro station and especially from the final station to his/her apartment. It seems you'll take the #5, then change trains at Republique to the #11. I've changed trains at Republique late at night and a lot of the walking is through a larger common area, often with other people around, unlike some big stations that force you into narrow passage ways that isolate you.
When you get to the place to wait for the Metro trains, try to stay near other people who look ok-don't isolate yourself if you can avoid it. Make sure your belongings are locked up and not an easy target for pickpockets, which are by far the worst problem in the Metro. If you can sit down on the Metro with your stuff next to you-it's much easier to pickpocket someone standing up.
Tell you friend that you're concerned and be sure to get from him/her exact directions on which exit to use at the final Metro stop and how to get from there to his/her apartment. Get directions that are clear and use terms like "turn left" rather than "go down".
That area of Paris is quite charming and something of an old time Parisian residential neighborhood I enjoy it and I think you probably will too, though English will be hard to find.