Barkinpark

I will bring my folks to Paris and want to know which metro stations have escalators or elevators. I do not speak French and would appreciate any leads on where to find this info. I think our hotel is close to the Republique and Oberkampf stations. Do any of these have escalators/elevators? Merci.

missypie

I've heard that the elevators can be difficult to find. I think they all have escalators. If your parents have mobility problems, however, you may want to search out the elevators, as escaltors have a way of breaking, being turned off, etc.

HowardR

Also, be aware that even if you find the elevators and/or escalators, there is still a lot walking involved when switching to connecting metro lines or just exiting the station.

palette

I was in Paris in April; we used the Metro multiple times per day to varying locations, and I honestly only remember one escalator and one elevator and don't remember which stations. Most of the stations have some very long, tiring stairs for us seniors. If this is a real problem for your parents and not just an inconvenience, you should plan to use the bus lines and/or cabs. I found the stairs to be more of a problem at the end of the day when I was both tired and carrying purchases. There is a huge elevator at the Abbesses Metro in Montmartre and a local bus outside.

JulieVikmanis

Line 14, the newest one is elevator and escalator equiped but for the most part the metro is impossible for the mobility impaired to navigate. The best you can get is metros up on some of the deepest ones and even then, you'll get an escalator to go one flight and wind up having to climb the next. With knee problems down is actually more difficult to do than up but there are hardly any down escalators in the whole system. I recommend learning to use the buses. The most you'll have to navigate is a couple of steps (though some can be tall) and the bonus is you'll see more of Paris.

Michael

Some metro stations also have wide spaces between the platform and the car as I recall, (the above-ground Bastille station seems to be that way). I would not recommend the métro for anyone with mobility problems. Unfortunately, the single tickets are for a single bus ride without transfer.

Robin4

I have problems with my knees. I was in Paris a couple of months ago and I chose to navigate by bus. If you are close to Gare de Lyon, you can get a large bus map for free. The transportation office is across the street from Gare the Lyon.

I learned to find the bus lines close to my hotel, the bus lines that were close to the sights and it worked very well. You can get along with a carnet. The only problem I can foresee is that you cannot transfer to another bus unless you pay again. That's why the carte orange was my best bet.

kenderina

And how are the steps of the buses ? Are "negotiable" or they are very high or steep ? I want to visit Paris maybe next year, so I'm beginning to collect info

Travelnut

I just rode a number of buses this month in Paris. I don't recall having to step up to board, or not more than one step up. There is maybe one step down to get off. The buses are great and much easier to utilize than the metro. People are respectful of elders and those with canes, etc and offer seats readily. You need a good bus map that shows the stops (where they are placed on the street) - I think the full-size paper map that the clerk should give you with your tickets/pass will do (I have a booklet that I used).

The caveat is that the buses can be very crowded during 8:30-9:30 and 4:00-6:00 or thereabouts for the commuting hours.

Taxis are not usually hailed on the street; you should know where the taxi ranks are, and have a couple of phone numbers in event you need to call one (which might be dicey if you speak no French); you can ask others to call for you (hotel, shop clerk, restaurant m/d, etc).

http://infotaxiparis.free.fr/pages/e...esentation.htm
http://www.taxi-paris.net/page19.html

Robin4

They are fairly easy to negotiate. I found the train steps much harder to negotiate.

djkbooks

Definitely use the buses. The stops are much more conveniently located than the metro stations and you avoid all those stairways and hallways.

moldyhotelsaregross

My mom also has mobility problems. People were very helpful in securing taxis for her.

crefloors

When in Paris a couple of years ago with my brother and SIL, we used a lot of taxis and bus. She can't walk DOWN stairs as another poster mentioned. We tried the tube in London before getting to Paris and it almost killed her. The buses were MUCH better. I flagged down a cab a couple of times..well, actually grabbed it when they were letting another fare out. I didn't know you couldn't do that..the drivers seemed glad to get a fare. I was polite and asked them if they were available etc., so that worked a couple of times.

thit_cho

Someone with mobility problems would have problems once in the metro -- some have very long corridors and many transfers involve stairs. Escalators are frequently broken.

I used the Oberkampf metro frequently in early May (my hotel was on Rue due Malte), and I don't recall any elevators. I only used Republique to change lines.

I think you'd be better with a bus (which I have never taken) or a taxi.

Barkinpark

Thanks for all your replies.
Where else can I find a detailed bus map? I went to one metro station and asked for a bus map. Yet, perhaps due to language barriers, the guy at the station just gave me a very simple metro map for tourists. I do find the bus map in ratp's website, but I cannot print it out.

Robespierre

Definitely buses. They are infinitely easier to get on and off of, no long walks are necessary to change lines, and they will get you closer to many places than Métro stations.

There is a wonderful free program for PDAs and SmartPhones that will plot both the fastest and easiest bus route from anywhere to anywhere else. You can download it here: http://nanika.net/metro

If you don't have anything to run it on, you can get a suitable Palm Pilot on eBay for less than $20. Anything with 8mb or more will work.

Robespierre

To start with, download and print this map, which will fit on a single letter-sized or A4 sheet:

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...aux&fm=pdf

Identify the bus stops near your hotel. Here is a neighborhood map to help you with this:

http://www.ratp.info/picts/plans/pdf...republique.pdf

You can also find your hotel on the full-scale map at

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...eur&fm=pdf

(If you print out the upper-left corner of this, you can probably communicate your desires at an RATP outlet. See below.)

Now, get a route map for each line that goes through the neighborhood. Use this as your prototype URL, and change the number at the end for each bus line. I'll start you off with Ligne 20, that runs from Gare St-Lazare to Gare de Lyon:

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...&nompdf=20

By the way - you can print out small sections of any pdf map by zooming in on what you want, then press the Print icon, under Print Range, select "Current View" then OK.

Francophool

Keep in mind that when you get in a taxi at a stand, the meter will start at 2 euros. However if you call for one, the driver will start the meter when he heads in your direction.

Regarding buses, pick up a copy of "Le Bus" by L'Indispensable. This is a pocket-sized guide available at tourist shops and bookstores.

Robin4

I had the same problem. The bus maps were too small or they had none. That is why I went to the RATP office and asked for a "plan des lignes". The office is on the first floor, on the left just past the security desk. I don't remember the exact address but it is across the street from Gare de Lyon.

Robespierre

To start with, download and print this map, which will fit on a single letter-sized or A4 sheet:

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...aux&fm=pdf

Identify the bus stops near your hotel. Here is a neighborhood map to help you with this:

http://www.ratp.info/picts/plans/pdf...republique.pdf

You can also find your hotel on the full-scale map at

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...eur&fm=pdf

(If you print out the upper-left corner of this, you can probably communicate your desires at an RATP outlet. See below.)

Now, get a route map for each line that goes through the neighborhood. Use this as your prototype URL, and change the number at the end for each bus line. I'll start you off with Ligne 20, that runs from Gare St-Lazare to Gare de Lyon:

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...&nompdf=20

By the way - you can print out small sections of any pdf map by zooming in on what you want, then press the Print icon, under Print Range, select "Current View" then OK.