I was reading trip advisor forum about Paris the other day, and apparently there are elevator problems on the Eiffel tower. So the wait times are extra long...2 hours or more. They recommend going early in the morning or between 7-10PM.

I found the Conciergerie interesting. its something you could skip if you don't have time, but if you are at Sainte Chappelle anyways it doesn't take long to see it.

We bought our museum passes at the Notre Dame Crypts. There was nobody down there, so no lines.

There is absolutely NO good reason to pre-purchase the Museum Pass online ahead of time. It's costly in the extreme, and it's one more thing to pack and lug across the ocean. You can buy it at any museum. I can't speak to picking one up at CDG - I've never bothered.

I've climbed up Notre Dame at least a dozen times. It's no big deal. It's narrow and cramped and can be slow in high season as lots of people are doing it; if you're out of shape I guess it could be a hassle, but otherwise it's fine, and the views are great, as is being right up close to the gargoyles.

You need to get to the Tour Eiffel very early if you want to avoid lines (1-2 hours).

I love the Conciergerie. But I'm also very familiar with its historical significance. If you're not, it probably seems like just a big old empty building.

Thanks china_cat & StCirq for your responses, especially for the tip about seeing the Eiffel tower very early or betwween 7-10PM.

China_cat, what time of year were you in Paris, & how many days did you buy the pass for? How many museums/monuments did you see during that time?

Are you flying Air France? If so, in theory your flight will arrive at 2E but in reality it could just as easily be 2F or 2C wherever they have space. According to this http://www.new-paris-ile-de-france.co.uk/practical-info/tourist-information-desks-100180.html there are tourist information desks at all of them. By "gate" I believe they actually mean exit door (which at CDG are numbered). I've never used them so can't tell you much else.

I love the Conciergerie, too. I know something about -- and love --French history, but I think most travelers know about the Revolution. If not, this is a great way to learn. I believe going there gives one a real feeling for the human side of the Revolution and its aftermath.

The first time I went (I was an adult), I was eight years old again, with the same feeling I used to get when my teachers took our class on a field trip.

I don't know what we seem to do differently than everybody else in terms of the Paris pass. Whenever I price out that (or similar passes for other cities), it's cheaper for us to just buy individual tickets. And in terms of skipping lines (ticket lines only, you'll still of course have to go through the security line), you can buy individual tickets for many places (i.e., Louvre, Musee d'Orsay) ahead of time and online, and just print them out at home. But anyway, do whatever makes the most for you, money- and time-wise. And yes, just go to some less-popular museum or other place to buy the pass.

Hi lexma90,
When you buy the individual tickets ahead of time, do you have to buy them for a specific day? That 's the only thing I would be concerned about. I know that with the pass we have to use it in 4 consecutive days, but we can decide when we get there when to activate it. I guess the pass is worth it depending on the number of sites a person wants to see.
Thanks for your information.

Does anyone have any experience with World Shuttle? If we choose to reserve them, we have to pay in advance, so I'd like to hear from people who have used them or know of them.
Thanks.

I bought a museum pass a couple of times, years ago. I wouldn't now, as I would prefer to spend a lot of time exploring one museum in depth than being all over the map. When I did buy it, I never felt the pressure to get my money's worth, just thinking of the unused portion as my contribution toward French culture.

The biggest advantage, especially for someone who has never been to Paris, is that it might move you to visit something you might not otherwise have ( believe I discovered a couple of places that way), and you can skip the lines.

If you're only planning to visit one of two museums, it's not worthwhile.

kwoo - to deal specifically with your transport Q, what hotel are you staying at?

at the risk of being accused of repetition, we have found that the easiest way to get from and back to CDG is to stay at a hotel near a stop on the RER B line. it is then extremely simple to get on and off the RER, and walk to the hotel. we've done that 3 times now and it's a doddle.

if you haven't booked a hotel yet, I recommend finding one near either Chatelet [we stayed at the hotel Britannique] or St. michel. [hotel europe St. Severin]. The Britannique is a bit plusher and pricier but the Europe is fine.

would like to ask a question here- if you take the RER from CDG- are there escalators/elevators at CDG, and at the RER station, such as Chatelet- or must you carry your luggage up and down stairs?

nv - there are escalators at CDG, and at Chatelet too, though you need to make sure that you aim for the right exit as they are not present at all of them.

travelling light with a wheeled case that you can carry easily will help.

Kwoo, no, the métro tickets are not date-specific. Buy a carnet - a packet of 10 - and you can use them whenever you want (including a year or two later, as long as the prices haven't changed!).

The metro prices change every July 1st, except this year as there were of couple of changes in December (changes mean prices increase). However, an unused ticket t+ is good forever regardless of what the price is for new tickets.

I have had no experience with World Shuttle, but have used shared shuttles on several occasions, both to and from CDG, with mixed results. It seems that there are reports of excellent to poor service spread around the various shuttle operators, so there is an element of chance when booking and pre-paying for the service.

Private transfers are available at a higher cost, and these too get mixed reviews. Several regulars on this forum recommend Shuttle Inter highly, but there have been a couple of negative reviews for them too. One advantage to booking with them is that there is no pre-payment involved.

The taxi fare can vary greatly depending on destination and traffic. Last fall we were returning to CDG on an Air France bus and noticed that inbound traffic was stop and go for miles. I would not have been happy to be sitting in a taxi watching the meter running.

Once, when staying near St.-Michel, we took the RER to CDG. It was cheap, quick and easy, and we only had carry-ons. If you have too much baggage or are not staying near the RER B line, it is more difficult.

We liked the Air France bus and would use it again if convenient to our destination. You can purchase and print discounted tickets on their site. http://www.lescarsairfrance.com/en.html

If not, will probably try Shuttle Inter next trip and hope for the best.

I have not used World Shuttle but I have used Paris Shuttle and we will be using Super Shuttle our next trip in September, pricing is usually similar and the directions are similar. After booking you should print out your vouchers and bring them with you. Once you land and go through customs they usually direct you to go to a specific desk or to find a pay phone (toll free no charge) to make a call to notify them you have arrived. They will direct you to the exit to meet the driver. The vans are clearly marked with the name of the company you are using. Provide the driver with your voucher he will load your luggage in and take you to your destination. The downside is that the vans are usually always full/crowded and depending on if you are the first or last stop your trip can be long. The upside is that you don't have to mess with the metro or luggage or pay a lot of attention so you don't miss your stop if you are really tired after a long flight. Good Luck

Hi all, while on the subject of shuttles, can anyone suggest a SHARED shuttle from CDG? In London last summer, I took LONDON BY BUS from Heathrow and was thrilled that I was not in a taxi given the traffic we encountered in the early afternoon. The fee was quite reasonable.

I will be traveling solo in early June and staying in the 6th very near to the river. Recommendations appreciated.

Oops, just noticed Kliegh's suggestion for PARIS SHUTTLE so I will check it out...

Thanksk everyone! I have to process all this info.
We are staying at HOtel Bonaparte on Rue Bonaparte, 6th, in St. Germain. Is that near the RER B stop?

We are using Air France. I glanced quickly at their website. So it looks like their bus drops you off at only a few destinations, such as train stations. It doesn't bring you to your hotel, right?

I will also look into Shuttle Inter. I assume the private shuttles drop you off in front of your hotel, right?

I guess I'm spoiled. On last trip to barcelona, the taxi to our hotel was very reasonable, and in Prague, the B & B picked us up at the airport for a very reasonable price.

We were there for a week, and bought the 1 week pass. We probably used it for about 8 or 9 museums, including Versailles. I'm pretty sure we didn't save money, but came close to breaking even. We skipped a 45 minute line at the D'Orsay, and probably an hour at Versailles. It most likely wasn't really worth it, but I sort of like the convenience of paying for the thing once and then not having to pull out the credit card every time.

387 steps is approximately 25 flights of stairs (16 stpes each). If your husband doesn't exercise - or climb stairs regularly - then I would find aplace with stairs and let him climb 3 or 4 full flights to see how he does.

We've climbed to the top and it's no big deal - but we live in a co-op, climb stairs (not that many of course) daily and do long walks all the time.

If you decide to buy a Museum Pass, don't worry about buying it at the Louvre. We use the Carousel entrance, and inside there is a kiosk where you can buy the pass. No lines for that, and then you just go through security down there. Very easy and no waiting.

As for transportation, our preference is for either a taxi or the RER. We have used Shuttle Inter and found them not reliable. It took us several phone calls to get them to even arrive at CDG, but then after several confirmations for our departure, they left us high and dry. So no, I do not recommend them. Taxis have always been reliable for us, and so easy to use. Last summer though I used RER for the first time as I was by myself when I arrived and so it was really inexpensive. It was super easy, and I was a bit nervous on finding my way but it turned out to be nothing at all

Hotel Bonaparte is not near an RER B station.

Both the shared shuttles and the private ones will take you to your hotel.

You are correct, the AF buses from CDG have set routes with only a few pick-up/drop-off points.

"If you decide to buy a Museum Pass, don't worry about buying it at the Louvre. We use the Carousel entrance, and inside there is a kiosk where you can buy the pass. No lines for that, and then you just go through security down there. Very easy and no waiting."

Thank you very much for this, mms
I've planned to get my Museum Pass at one of the smaller museums but in case we want to go to the Louvre first, this is wonderful info to have!

lantana--I remember when I learned the key thing of not entering through the pyramid entrance. Wow, saved a ton of time! The kiosk thing where we bought our passes was sort of a newsstand/souvenier thing. But there was no wait. It was cash only though, so we hit an atm around the corner and were set.

Cash only - I'll have to remember that. (Thank goodness for copy and paste)
Thx mms!

we saw the Hotel Bonaparte while we were in Paris recently, but no, it's not near the RER B stop at St. michel - in fact it's probably closer to the one at Luxembourg - on the other side of the Gardens from the hotel.

Kwoo - if you go to google maps and put in the address of the hotel, you will be able to see the metro and RER stops on the map. then, in the box where you entered the address, delete that and enter restaurants/museums/supermarkets - whatever else you want to find.

press enter and voila!

Another fab tip- thanks annhig! I didnt know about plugging in categories once on google maps. How awesome

I might be wrong, but I thought the kiosk to buy the museum pass is inside the security area and you do have to wait in line to get through security. That's about the only line there is at the Louvre, anyway, once you are in you cn just buy a ticket at the machines, there aren't long lines there whenever I've been (the security line was the longest). And I always go in underground. I'm not sure what mms means about the lines and security and where you buy it, though.

You can just look online about buying tickets in advance (such as to the Louvre), but I don't think they are for any particular date (except for special exhibitions).

Christina--The kiosk where we bought out passes was definitely outside security. It was more in the shopping area, as you enter from the Carousel entrance. There were no lines to buy the passes, and the security lines from down there have been non except on the free Sunday that we went.

No shuttle service can be 100% reliable due to the variables involved, so it is wise not to pay for one in advance.

Another fab tip- thanks annhig! I didnt know about plugging in categories once on google maps. How awesome >>

lantana - I think someone here told me about it when i was researching a trip so I'm just returning the compliment.

The museum passes are sold at this tabac inside the Carrousel du Louvre http://www.carrouseldulouvre.com/W/do/centre/categorie-tabac-presse

Thanks everyone. I apologize for getting back to this thread 5 days later. Been busy with other things.

mms, what time of year were you there when there weren't any lines at the kiosk?

RonZ, thanks for the tip about not paying for the shuttle in advance.

Patty, thanks for the link.

I am also considering taking a taxi from CDG. The shuttles are 16 - 17 euros, & there are two of us so that would cost us 34 euros. According to my guidebook, the taxi to Paris would be 40 - 70 euros. I realize that depends on traffic. We are arriving on a Sunday at 11:30AM. Would there be a lot of traffic into central Paris on a Sunday afternoon?

Thanks everyone for your time.

I clicked on the link that Patty listed. Do we buy the museum passes at the La Civette du Carousel (the news agent)?
Is this where we have to pay with cash only?

kwoo--Twice, once in mid June and the other time in early July.

Traffic is very light on Sunday at that hour. That's the same time our flight arrived last month and the taxi to our hotel in the 2nd was less than 50 euros.

Yes you can buy museum passes at the newstand. I have no idea what they take.

I was traveling alone, and used the Air France bus. It picked me up right outside the door of the airport. When I got off the bus in Paris, there was a taxi stand just across the street, where I caught a cab for the relatively inexpensive ride to my hotel. It was easy and cost effective. I would do it again.

kwoo--Yes, it was that newsstand and they took cash only. We have taken a taxi on a Sunday morning, early, back to CDG and it ran us 39 euro for 2 of us and our 2 bags.

Thank you so much! We are staying in the 6th. That's good to hear, mms & Patty, that you took a taxi on a Sunday & the price is reasonable. Right now I am leaning towards either taking a taxi from CDG, or doing what nancythenice did. Nancy, did you have to reserve the Air France bus in advance? We are flying Air France, too. Patty, were you on the Air France flight?

Kwoo--On our trip last summer, I took the RER upon arrival. It was my first time doing that and it was really easy. Our apt owner suggested it as I was coming in by myself. It was just over 9 euro. I have no idea if the route is convenient for you or not, but you might check it out as another alternative. We took a taxi back to CDG as there were 3 of us, and the 2 girls had been doing a study abroad term for a while so had quite a bit of stuff.

Unfortunately, you can't count on a quick and easy taxi ride from CDG just because it's a Sunday. Three weeks ago, on Sunday, March 18, my friend and I arrived at CDG at 2:45 in the afternoon. Thinking it would save time over the RER, we took a taxi from the airport into the city (5th Arr.). There was very heavy, stop-and-go traffic coming into Paris. The taxi ride took about an hour, and cost about 70 euros.

Heading home, we took the RER back to CDG, as we had done several times before, and found it to be faster and less aggravating (and of course, less expensive) than the taxi ride.

If you have a lot of luggage or your hotel isn't near an RER stop, a taxi may be your best solution, but you should be prepared for the possibility that it will be pretty expensive.

Thanks to susoir, and again to mms. I will have to think about this. We are staying at Hotel Bonapart, Rue Bonaparte, in the 6th. I'll check to see if there is a RER station nearby. Are there escalators at the RER stations? I guess one of my concerns is carrying/pulling luggage up stairs or down stairs.

I'll check to see if there is a RER station nearby. Are there escalators at the RER stations?>>

kwoo - see my post dated March 30th. the Bonaparte is not THAT far from the Luxembourg RER across the other side of the luxembourg gardens; there are supposed to be lifts [aka elevators] at RER stations but when we were there 2 years ago they were doing it up, so we had to use the stairs.

somewhere on the internet it should tell you whether the renovations included a lift.

Virtually all RER stations have escalators - and certainly the main ones in central Paris, where the RER is quite deep. But not all metro stations have escalators.
There's quite a lot of information on many of the questions raised on this page, on http://about-france.com/paris.htm and on http://about-france.com/budget-paris.htm. There is also a comparison of the different options for getting to and from Paris airports

As for where to buy the museum pass, if you do not intend to use it on your first day in Paris, go to any museum or monument (whether it is one you want to visit or not) near closing time, when there are no lines. Just buy the passes and leave; now you are ready to jump to the head of the line and activate the card at your first museum visit the next day.

Great tip, kayd. Thanks!

You don't reserve the Air France shuttle (navette) in advance, and you don't have to be an Air France passenger to use it. You do have to know where to pick it up, though; it doesn't travel around picking people up from each exit door at the airport.

http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/air-france/paris_charles_de_gaulle_airport/cdg-airport.htm

Thanks, annhig. I must have missed your March 30 post because there are so many posts that I scrolled right past it.

thanks St. Cirq for the link. I will check that out. Now I need to print out this thread & highlight relevant information.

no probs, kwoo. i know how it is when you go away for a while and then find loads of replies.

do you know that you can use the little man function for finding out walking distances and times [eg from RER Luxembourg stop to your hotel] ?

My tip is for the Orsay museum. After entering, walk through the gallery of sculpture, all the way to the end of the museum where you will see a large sign for Impressionism with an up arrow. Follow this and you will find the escalator!!! which will take you to the 5th floor. These are the most popular galleries, so do them first. Then, go back down to where you entered and do the post-impressionists. I love the museum pass because you can pop in and out, and return to museums at a whim. It also saves hours of waiting in line.

We've gone from CDG to Paris on the RER and found it difficult with luggage and so many steps. With cabs the cost depends on the traffic and once our driver was falling asleep at the wheel! For just the two of us we prefer the Air France bus. You're above ground, the ticket can be pre-printed at home, they leave CDG every 20-30 minutes, and for two people they are inexpensive even when you add a cab ride to the hotel.

Thanks again to everyone who have responded. Annhig,thanks for the tip about the little man function. It's a 15-minute walk from RER Luxembourg to HOtel Bonaparte. That isn't too bad but of course we will have luggage. The nearest metro station is Saint Sulpice. I'm still debating between taking a taxi from CDG, the RER or the Air France shuttle bus. I admit the lazy part of me is voting for the taxi but at least I have about 3 months to decide.

kathyre, thanks for the tip about the Orsay Museum & we do plan on purchasing the Paris Museum Pass.

kayd, thanks for your tip about buying the museum pass at the end of the day when the museums are closing & there aren't any lines. I think I will do that on Sunday, the day we arrive, and then activate the pass on Monday for the next 4 days. I'm aware that some museums close on Monday & some close on Tuesday, so I will plan accordingly. I assume since we will do this near closing time, it doesn't matter if we go to the Louvre to buy the pass, or a less popular museum, like the Rodin, right?

kwoo--When I took the RER last summer, I had a bit of a walk as well. The landlord had suggested taking a bus from the RER to near the apt, but I just walked and at first was afraid it was going to be too far but it actually felt really good. I think after being on a plane all night the walking and fresh air, even with my luggage, was quite pleasant. So don't give up on that idea just yet

Kwoo, the Rodin is nearly as popular as the Louvre. I saw long lines outside there on a cold and windy February Sunday, ditto L'Orangerie on Monday, but of course I breezed right in to both with my museum pass. Look at the list of attractions (don't forget monuments too) where the pass is honored and pick a place you are likely to be close to around 4-5 pm on Sunday.

The nearest metro station is Saint Sulpice. I'm still debating between taking a taxi from CDG, the RER or the Air France shuttle bus. I admit the lazy part of me is voting for the taxi but at least I have about 3 months to decide.>>

if you settle on the RER and the taxi, i don't think that getting off at the luxembourg stop will be any good as there is no taxi rank nearby. you'd need to get off at the St. michel stop [the one before Luxembourg] where there is a taxi rank in the Place st. michel. opinions seem divided as to whether you can hail cabs in Paris, but I wouldn't want to gamble on the off-chance of finding one that was prepared to stop, if I had a load of luggage.

Having been to Paris many times in my studies, I have tried all of these ways to reach whatever hotel I have chosen. Of course the taxi is best for "LOTS" of luggage. I really like the Metro because I can getfrom the airport to anywhere in the city, and it is so easy to use - and inexpensive! I only carrry one rollingsuitcase for a weeks stay
so thatis not a problem for me.
Since I study WWII history, The Hotel des Invalides is my favorite - try not to miss it.
Hope you enjoy your trip.

suebent, thanks for your tips, including the HOtel des Invalides. For some reason, it wasn't on my list, but I will add it. I am planning on submitting my itinerary for critiquing!

If you decide to take the Air France bus to Gare Montparnasse, your taxi fare to the hotel should be approx €6.69.

http://www.worldtaximeter.com/paris

MaineGG,
I assume there will be plenty of taxis at Gare Montparnasse, right? According to my research, the one-way fare for the AF bus is 14 euros or 22 euros RT.

You've already gotten a lot of good advice on this thread, but I'll add my two cents. I always take the RER from CDG into Paris (and have been doing so for over 20 years), but to be honest, I'd recommend the Air France bus + taxi over the train. Reading the comments here reminded me of how nice it was the few times I took it, and I feel that for a first-time visitor, it's the right balance between economy and ease of use!

A little comparison:
1. The Air France bus is clearly identified at the airport, and services all terminals. The RER has one location, and you may have to travel within the airport to get to it; once you do, you need to get through the turnstile and down an escalator to the platform, and confirm you're taking the right one. Don't forget that the ticket from CDG into the city is different than one from the carnet that you'll use in the main Paris zones.
2. The bus, being a coach, has berths to store your luggage, and the driver will assist. The RER is a commuter train with no real accommodation for luggage - and usually plenty of locals unhappy with having to maneuver around you and yours!
3. The bus has a clear destination with only one or two stops. The train stops throughout the suburbs on its way into the city; you need to be aware of when your stop will be, and be prepared to descend quickly as there's not much time in each station.
4. Even if you aim to only take the RER and not transfer to the Metro, you still may end up maneuvering through corridors and turnstiles within the system. As someone else mentioned, in central Paris the RER is deeper underground than the Metro, which means a hike up, even if it's on escalators. (If you transfer to a Metro line, you're guaranteed of corridors, escalators and turnstiles between one and the other, since they are separate but intertwined systems.)

Lastly, I always end up bringing a nice, ample wheeled suitcase that I regret as I stumble bleary-eyed from plane to train and then along cobblestone streets. (I definitely don't fall into the carry-on only camp of travelers!)

This page has some good information on the bus:
http://francetravelplanner.com/go/paris/trans/air/af_bus_cdg.html

You'll have plenty of time to take the storied Metro once you've ditched the luggage and shaken off some jet lag. Then it will be a lark, part of your Paris adventure. Don't make that exploration a required part of starting your vacation!

According to the AF bus site, http://www.lescarsairfrance.com/en.html , the current prices for tickets for Line 4 CDG<>Montparnasse are €15 one way and €25 round trip when purchased online.

Although I can't tell you exactly where to find it, I don't think it will be a problem to locate a taxi rank at the station.

Kwoo, I noticed on your other post that you'll be planning to take the TGV back into Paris-Montparnasse on the last day of your trip. So I wanted to add/confirm for you that on that day, it wouldn't be a bad idea to take the RER from there to CDG. By then you'll be pros! Familiar with the trains and Gare Montparnasse. Not to mention, descending at CDG is IMO a lot simpler than the reverse.

However, you'd probably want to take a taxi from Gare Montparnasse to the nearby Port Royal RER B station. The other option is to take the Metro M4 and transfer to RER B at St. Michel. I've done it, and you'll know by then if you are up for those corridors and stairs in the transfer!

That France Travel Planner site again has some good info:
http://francetravelplanner.com/go/paris/trans/air/rer_b.html

Thanks, ggreen, for your detailed response. Everything you said makes sense. I talked to my husband & we are definitely leaning towards taking the AF bus & then a taxi from MOntparnasse to our hotel. I printed out info from the bonjourlafrance site so I know we will take AF Coach #4 & it gives sales & departure points info. I'll also print out info from the sites that you & MaineGG mention. And you make a good point about taking the RER on Aug 11. I admit I have been nervous about taking the RER on the day we arrive in Paris because it will all be so new to us.