Gare

Gare is the French word for a railway station. In Francophone contexts, a gare is the facility where trains stop to board and alight passengers and to load or unload goods. The term is used for urban, suburban, and regional stations and is often paired with modifiers such as gare centrale or gare routière (bus terminal in related contexts).

A typical gare comprises platforms and tracks, a station building with ticket offices, waiting areas, restrooms, and information services. It may house shops, cafés, and services for travelers. Modern stations commonly provide passenger information systems, accessibility features for people with disabilities, security measures, and connections to other transport networks such as metro, bus, tram, or taxi stands.

Operations and ownership vary by country. In France, rail services are primarily provided by the national operator SNCF and its regional subsidiaries, with high-speed trains (TGV) serving major gares on high-speed lines. In other Francophone countries, rail operators differ, but the gare remains the focal point for rail travel.

Gares also have cultural and historical significance. Many are architecturally notable and protected as heritage sites; they reflect different eras of transit planning and urban development. Names of gares—often the city name—are used in timetables and travel guides as identifiers for departure and arrival points.