Repost--screwed up title 1st time--11 Days in Paris in March--best transportation combo. Metro, batobus, airport transport
Feb 23rd, 2006, 05:11 AM
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Repost--screwed up title 1st time--11 Days in Paris in March--best transportation combo. Metro, batobus, airport transport
I'm trying this again since someone was kind enough to point out that I'd made in error in the place name in the original post.
This is an early March trip, and we arrive on a Thursday at CDG and leave 11 days later on a Monday from CDG. On an old post Robspierre said that Thursday is the worst day to arrive as far as public transportation. why is this?
Our apartment is close to the Bastille metro stop. I think I have figured out that we should take the Air France bus to the Gare du Lyon and then hop on the metro to the Bastille stop. This seems to be more economical than the Bee Shuttle which is E60 round trip for 2 people. Are these airport buses terribly crowded so that people can't even sit down (we ran into this in Barcelona)? We will each have a rolling suitcase and a small tote or backpack. I know I don't want to go the taxi route, so it's either the shuttle or public transportation.
Next I know that I have read that one should purchase a Carte Orange if the metro is used more than 14 times in a week. Otherwise, using a carnet would be a better bet. Is this correct? We are walkers, and I still have to figure this one out whether or not we would get our money's worth from the Carte Orange, but I do know that we will definitely be visiting some places that will require a bus or the metro.
Finally, I know we would probably enjoy taking the batobus at least several times (both day and night). Or, is this a stupid idea for March? Their website says there is a discount for RAPT pass holders. What exactly does this mean? Does it mean I might be better off buying the weeklong Carte Orange just so I can get the batobus discount?
We're very comfortable fending for ourselves and using public transportaion, it is just trying to figure out what the best combo is for the money. From what I've read we can actually use the regular buses to get a general overview of the city comparable to what would be on a more expensive tour. And, I've also figured out that the same can be done with the batobus assuming one has a good guidebook. I appreciate the help.
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This is an early March trip, and we arrive on a Thursday at CDG and leave 11 days later on a Monday from CDG. On an old post Robspierre said that Thursday is the worst day to arrive as far as public transportation. why is this?
Our apartment is close to the Bastille metro stop. I think I have figured out that we should take the Air France bus to the Gare du Lyon and then hop on the metro to the Bastille stop. This seems to be more economical than the Bee Shuttle which is E60 round trip for 2 people. Are these airport buses terribly crowded so that people can't even sit down (we ran into this in Barcelona)? We will each have a rolling suitcase and a small tote or backpack. I know I don't want to go the taxi route, so it's either the shuttle or public transportation.
Next I know that I have read that one should purchase a Carte Orange if the metro is used more than 14 times in a week. Otherwise, using a carnet would be a better bet. Is this correct? We are walkers, and I still have to figure this one out whether or not we would get our money's worth from the Carte Orange, but I do know that we will definitely be visiting some places that will require a bus or the metro.
Finally, I know we would probably enjoy taking the batobus at least several times (both day and night). Or, is this a stupid idea for March? Their website says there is a discount for RAPT pass holders. What exactly does this mean? Does it mean I might be better off buying the weeklong Carte Orange just so I can get the batobus discount?
We're very comfortable fending for ourselves and using public transportaion, it is just trying to figure out what the best combo is for the money. From what I've read we can actually use the regular buses to get a general overview of the city comparable to what would be on a more expensive tour. And, I've also figured out that the same can be done with the batobus assuming one has a good guidebook. I appreciate the help.
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Feb 23rd, 2006, 06:30 AM
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The Air France bus won't be overcrowded as you buy a ticket and sit down. If the bus is full, then another one will be available within a short time. I have taken it once and used a shuttle service twice - at no time were more passengers than seats allowed.
The Carte Orange is a good buy at 15.70€ is a good buy even if you don't 'break even' on the # rides; the convenience is worth it, and you're talking a couple of €, not worth overthinking. (and it's a fun souvenir to have!)
I am guessing Robes doesn't like Thursdays b/c you can't buy the C.O. on Thursdays.
The difference b/t taking the shuttle (30€ one-way) and AF bus+metro (24€ one-way) is 6€ - not a big premium to have you/luggage delivered to your door.
I don't get the batobus thing - it's limited to the river and quite expensive, espec when you've also bought a metro/bus pass.
The Carte Orange is a good buy at 15.70€ is a good buy even if you don't 'break even' on the # rides; the convenience is worth it, and you're talking a couple of €, not worth overthinking. (and it's a fun souvenir to have!)
I am guessing Robes doesn't like Thursdays b/c you can't buy the C.O. on Thursdays.
The difference b/t taking the shuttle (30€ one-way) and AF bus+metro (24€ one-way) is 6€ - not a big premium to have you/luggage delivered to your door.
I don't get the batobus thing - it's limited to the river and quite expensive, espec when you've also bought a metro/bus pass.
Feb 23rd, 2006, 10:17 AM
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there's nothing wrong with Thursday for arrival, it doesn't matter.
I've taken the AF bus a couple times and travelnut is right, of course -- they sell limited tickets, it's not like you are packed in with the chickens or hanging from the roof or anything. It's a very nice and comfortable bus. I've also stayed near the Bastille stop and took the metro from Gare de Lyon one stop with no problem, in the middle of the day (with baggage).
YOu'll just have to decide for yourself what kind of metro tickets to buy. Whatever you do, it is a very good bargain in Paris no matter what, so I don't think you need to worry about a euro difference here or there in your choices. It is a very cheap public transportation system compared to many other cities.
I don't agree with what some other people say on some of these items, so you will find different opinions. I don't agree with Robespierre a lot of the time, for example (nor about the Thursday thing), and I don't agree that you can get easily get a tour of Paris by public bus that is comparable to a more expensive tour.
I've taken the AF bus a couple times and travelnut is right, of course -- they sell limited tickets, it's not like you are packed in with the chickens or hanging from the roof or anything. It's a very nice and comfortable bus. I've also stayed near the Bastille stop and took the metro from Gare de Lyon one stop with no problem, in the middle of the day (with baggage).
YOu'll just have to decide for yourself what kind of metro tickets to buy. Whatever you do, it is a very good bargain in Paris no matter what, so I don't think you need to worry about a euro difference here or there in your choices. It is a very cheap public transportation system compared to many other cities.
I don't agree with what some other people say on some of these items, so you will find different opinions. I don't agree with Robespierre a lot of the time, for example (nor about the Thursday thing), and I don't agree that you can get easily get a tour of Paris by public bus that is comparable to a more expensive tour.
Feb 23rd, 2006, 11:44 AM
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julies..just returned one week ago from a 15 day stay in paris..still trying to readjust!..we found that we walked alot more than we thought we would even though the metro system is truly fantastic. bought the carnet and that worked out great. I think one a week covered each of us..10.70E. for 10 tickets. lynda
Feb 23rd, 2006, 12:22 PM
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Dear Julies:
My computer and I do not seem to be friends today. This is my second attempt to answer your queries, and I fear an incomplete post of mine will suddenly appear after I post this one. Please forgive any technical difficulties.
First, I want to repeat what Christina and others say: there is no right or wrong with Paris transportation; there are only preferences. And also, Paris transportation, compared to most major cities, is dirt cheap.
Here are MY preferences with MY reasoning (again, no right...no wrong)
I think the most vital part of your post is that you have 11 days in Paris.
With that length of stay, you have opportunity to decide what is best for your needs. Since you cannot buy a Carte Orange on Thursday, you then have the luxury of testing your needs with a shared carnet or two before purchasing a Carte Orange, which is the only pass you should consider.
If our past family trips are any indication to you, our tendency is to walk to and from our sites the first day or two if weather permits. We average four or more miles per day. As the trip goes on, we tend not to enjoy the time that retracing our steps exacts, and then lean toward hopping a bus or metro to return to our hotel or apartment. That experience leads me to believe you should probably consider the Carte Orange for the remaining week of your stay. I'm sure you are aware that you should bring a small picture for the pass.
Next, I consider the Batobus to be an exorbitant expenditure, even with the so-called "pass discount," at a time when the weather can be so very iffy. If the five-day forecast calls for a heat wave with a dry spell, perhaps the fare would make sense to me. That said,I do understand that since you are coming from the Bastille area, you probably be most often travelling in some mode, be it bus or Metro, along the river, and therefore, there is logic in your desire to use the Batobus as a prime mode of transportation.
I totally agree with Christina that the l'Opentour Bus and a regular bus are not comparable. However, I have a different reason for that belief: I personally detested the l'Opentour Bus, an opinion NOT shared by many others. That experience was so personally repugnant that I was surprised to find I thoroughly enjoyed riding the regular bus lines on our last trip. I liked watching the locals, and I liked looking at the bus route sites without a narrative or a reading guide.
That brings me to another point. I think part of your query is aimed towards "Can I substitute a Batobus ride or regular bus ride with the help of a guidebook for some sort of Seine or bus tour?" If I may be so bold, I wouldn't use the guidebook that way at all! I can't ever remember feeling I needed an tour overview of Paris as I have felt in cities like New York, Chicago, etc. In those places, I enjoyed the Graylines and Ducky tours and was very appreciative of the insight such tours offered. Historic Paris is so centric, so terribly walkable and so easily grasped that you can use the walking routes in any of a dozen guidebooks as a tour replacement. When riding a boat on the Seine or a bus through the city, you can just sit back and enjoy.
I have, however, appreciated the insight in specific neighborhoods offered by Paris Walks. We have enjoyed one of their Marais tours, the Hemingway tour and the St. Denis tour.
As to the shuttle, we enjoy using the Air France bus back to the airport. We can rely on its comfort, roominess, and timeliness. I know you do not want to use a taxi. However, having tried every other method into the city, unless we are staying directly on the RER B line, we prefer taking a taxi into town. Our reasoning is simple: we are jet-lagged. We like being delivered to our hotel in the most expedient manner possible. This way, we don't have to drag our luggage to the Air France bus area, we don't have to wait for a shuttle, and we don't have to watch for pickpockets on the train. Again, I totally understand your reasoning and that of others, yet as time goes by, I find myself becoming stubbornly attaching to this preferred method of arrival.
Hope this input--and again, this is mere opinion--has been helpful.
My best regards for a fine trip,
Charles
My computer and I do not seem to be friends today. This is my second attempt to answer your queries, and I fear an incomplete post of mine will suddenly appear after I post this one. Please forgive any technical difficulties.
First, I want to repeat what Christina and others say: there is no right or wrong with Paris transportation; there are only preferences. And also, Paris transportation, compared to most major cities, is dirt cheap.
Here are MY preferences with MY reasoning (again, no right...no wrong)
I think the most vital part of your post is that you have 11 days in Paris.
With that length of stay, you have opportunity to decide what is best for your needs. Since you cannot buy a Carte Orange on Thursday, you then have the luxury of testing your needs with a shared carnet or two before purchasing a Carte Orange, which is the only pass you should consider.
If our past family trips are any indication to you, our tendency is to walk to and from our sites the first day or two if weather permits. We average four or more miles per day. As the trip goes on, we tend not to enjoy the time that retracing our steps exacts, and then lean toward hopping a bus or metro to return to our hotel or apartment. That experience leads me to believe you should probably consider the Carte Orange for the remaining week of your stay. I'm sure you are aware that you should bring a small picture for the pass.
Next, I consider the Batobus to be an exorbitant expenditure, even with the so-called "pass discount," at a time when the weather can be so very iffy. If the five-day forecast calls for a heat wave with a dry spell, perhaps the fare would make sense to me. That said,I do understand that since you are coming from the Bastille area, you probably be most often travelling in some mode, be it bus or Metro, along the river, and therefore, there is logic in your desire to use the Batobus as a prime mode of transportation.
I totally agree with Christina that the l'Opentour Bus and a regular bus are not comparable. However, I have a different reason for that belief: I personally detested the l'Opentour Bus, an opinion NOT shared by many others. That experience was so personally repugnant that I was surprised to find I thoroughly enjoyed riding the regular bus lines on our last trip. I liked watching the locals, and I liked looking at the bus route sites without a narrative or a reading guide.
That brings me to another point. I think part of your query is aimed towards "Can I substitute a Batobus ride or regular bus ride with the help of a guidebook for some sort of Seine or bus tour?" If I may be so bold, I wouldn't use the guidebook that way at all! I can't ever remember feeling I needed an tour overview of Paris as I have felt in cities like New York, Chicago, etc. In those places, I enjoyed the Graylines and Ducky tours and was very appreciative of the insight such tours offered. Historic Paris is so centric, so terribly walkable and so easily grasped that you can use the walking routes in any of a dozen guidebooks as a tour replacement. When riding a boat on the Seine or a bus through the city, you can just sit back and enjoy.
I have, however, appreciated the insight in specific neighborhoods offered by Paris Walks. We have enjoyed one of their Marais tours, the Hemingway tour and the St. Denis tour.
As to the shuttle, we enjoy using the Air France bus back to the airport. We can rely on its comfort, roominess, and timeliness. I know you do not want to use a taxi. However, having tried every other method into the city, unless we are staying directly on the RER B line, we prefer taking a taxi into town. Our reasoning is simple: we are jet-lagged. We like being delivered to our hotel in the most expedient manner possible. This way, we don't have to drag our luggage to the Air France bus area, we don't have to wait for a shuttle, and we don't have to watch for pickpockets on the train. Again, I totally understand your reasoning and that of others, yet as time goes by, I find myself becoming stubbornly attaching to this preferred method of arrival.
Hope this input--and again, this is mere opinion--has been helpful.
My best regards for a fine trip,
Charles
Feb 23rd, 2006, 03:42 PM
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I appreciate the replies and now will need to possibly rethink what I want to do. I just looked at the weather forecast for Paris as far out as it goes, and Paris is quite cold right now. I guess I really can't see us using the batobus in this kind of inclement weather.
The tip on the walking tours is greatly appreciated; we've enjoyed them in other cities and may do the same here. Actually we are usually still going pretty strong when we land in a new city and thus are okay with taking public transportation to our accomodations. With us, the real fatigue hits about day two. Thanks again for taking the time to reply. I knew there would be lots of good advice out there.
The tip on the walking tours is greatly appreciated; we've enjoyed them in other cities and may do the same here. Actually we are usually still going pretty strong when we land in a new city and thus are okay with taking public transportation to our accomodations. With us, the real fatigue hits about day two. Thanks again for taking the time to reply. I knew there would be lots of good advice out there.
Feb 23rd, 2006, 03:53 PM
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There isn't any "only pass you should consider."
The short version is this: if you will go into the Métro or board a bus more than 4 times in a calendar day, a <i>Mobilis</i> pass will be cheaper than single tickets for that day. If you will use public transit more than 14 times in a Monday through Sunday period, a <i>Carte Orange</i> is an even better deal.
If you are under 26, a <i>Ticket Jeunes</i> on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday does the same thing as a <i>Mobilis</i> for about half the price.
The center of Paris is fairly compact - but the Eiffel Tower is an hour's hard march from Notre Dame, and the same distance separates the Arc de Triomphe from the Louvre. With an RATP pass in hand, you can get from sight to sight on city buses for free by following this very simple map:
http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...aux&fm=pdf
The short version is this: if you will go into the Métro or board a bus more than 4 times in a calendar day, a <i>Mobilis</i> pass will be cheaper than single tickets for that day. If you will use public transit more than 14 times in a Monday through Sunday period, a <i>Carte Orange</i> is an even better deal.
If you are under 26, a <i>Ticket Jeunes</i> on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday does the same thing as a <i>Mobilis</i> for about half the price.
The center of Paris is fairly compact - but the Eiffel Tower is an hour's hard march from Notre Dame, and the same distance separates the Arc de Triomphe from the Louvre. With an RATP pass in hand, you can get from sight to sight on city buses for free by following this very simple map:
http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...aux&fm=pdf
