A couple of specific Paris metro/RER questions
 

I've been doing my route mapping etc on the ratp.fr (having fun doing it!) and just have a couple of questions that I wasn't clear on and wondered if anyone has some insight!

1) If I take the RER from CDG to St-Michel, and want to transfer to the Cluny-Sorbonne metro, is that done underground, or by walking above ground? And is it a transfer, or would I need to purchase a metro ticket at Cluny-Sorbonne?

2) Is it ok to eat or drink on the metro? (not extensively - just wondered if it was prohibited!)

3) Can you buy a Moblis ticket in advance of the day you are going to use it?

thanks to anyone who has any insight!

V

Can't answer your question about the connection but I have occasionally seen people eating on the Metro. It's not much of a place for a meal though; the ambiance is a bit lacking. It is not recommended on the RER for other reasons. In the State Department sheet for Paris it warns of a high crime rate on the train from CDG to downtown. Watch your luggage and be aware of your surroundings and avoid the distraction of eating.

I am visiting Paris now and the metros have vending machines with candy, chips and drinks in them right next to the tracks, so i doubt it is prohibited.

1) Typically, it is safe to assume that any stations in Paris that are reported to be connected to each other have an under ground passage way. This is the case here. It is a fairly long underground corridor. There is a one-way moving walkway, the direction depends on the flow of the traffic at the time of the day. It is considered a transfer so one ticket will do.

2)I'm not sure why you would even want to. You will likely not be one it for more than 10-20 minutes at a time.

3) yes.

Thanks very much. I know the second question probably seemed odd :-) and it wouldn't be something that I would plan to do on a regular basis, just on one particular "possible itinerary" day there was a relatively long metro ride around lunchtime, so I was pondering the feasibility of using the time to eat a quick sandwich.

thanks again for your quick replies
V

1- You can transfer underground from the RER to the metro. No new ticket is required.

2- I don't know about the metro, but I have seen a bus driver scold a woman for eating on the bus in Paris.

No new ticket is required. But a valid ticket is required to go through the turnstiles, unlike between Metro lines. So, hang on to your ticket from the RER. Don't toss it until you've entered the Metro system.

Don't toss that ticket until you EXIT the Metro system. They do check for tickets and "I threw mine away" isn't going to help. (I have been checked, I had the ticket!)

thanks very much for the tips!

Canada_V,

If you have a compatible PDA, I'd recommend the following program quite highly.

http://nanika.net/metro/

I used it when we were in Europe 2 years ago and it was a God-send

HTH
K

If your schedule is so tight you have to resort to eating on the metro... slow down and enjoy Paris!

;^)

Eating on the train is definitely a way to squeeze the most out of your visit - but it's probably not a useful strategy unless you're traveling a fair distance, such as out to Versailles.

We buy all our RATP tickets when we arrive, and we have always acquired multiple <I>Mobilis</i> tickets in advance. I suggest that you write the intended day of use on each one dd.mm.yy so that you don't accidentally use one prematurely. Once you've put one through a turnstile, it's <I>that</i> day's ticket whether you intend it to be or not.

Correct me if I am wrong, if I read the Metro map correctly you could take the Metro one more station to Odeon and then transfer to the 10 train to Cluny-Sorbonne. Then again, you said that you would be on the RER.

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/cv/carteparis.php

thanks again everyone
ParisAmsterdam - I hear ya, and not too worry, the question isn't a sign of an overall overengineered itinerary :-) Plenty of breathing room, just exploring the logistics of a couple of specific scenarios.

The 'eating in the metro' thought is around a possible Sunday with a morning in Montparnasse and afternoon in Montmatre (to see the not-on-the-museum-pass Catacombs and Espace Salvador Dali in particular, plus other rambles). The ratp.fr shows approx a 20 min metro ride between the two, so just wondering about that option.

BuckeyeBud - yes, the specific situation I am looking would be arriving from CDG via the RER.

Robespierre - thanks for the tip!

V

There might be a bus that gets you from an RER station to your destination with less walking. See my bus primer: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...nte-b-cest.cfm

Robespierre - I loved your "point to point" e-mail, and I've printed out several bus maps so far! Would it be the same "free transfer" between the RER and a bus?

thanks very much!

It's done underground. I've done that transfer a lot. When you exit the RER train, you'll go to your left and there will be a very long escalator. Then up the escalator and then walk through a corridor/tunnel and when you come out you'll see a turnstile to your left. That's where you'll enter and using the same ticket. Happy Travels!

hi canada_v,

regarding your question about eating on the metro, i wouldn't really recommend it. the metro is pretty cramped/uncomfortable - especially if it's crowded.

i can't remember what metro stop we were at (maybe etoile???) but there was a take-out cafe there - coffees, pastries. perhaps there are similar outlets in the stations you're going to. we grabbed some pastries from this place and just ate them on the spot. this place reminded me of a tim hortons/treats/mmmmuffins in the subway in toronto (i'm assuming from your moniker that you might be a fellow canuck ... if you're not and/or haven't been on the subway in toronto, then obviously, my reference will mean nothing!!!)

if you're carrying your lunch with you or buying something to go, then just eat before or after you get on/off the subway ... we never really did sit-down lunches while in paris - we just grabbed something on the go.

have fun!!

AFAIK, rail tickets don't allow transferring to buses (but I've never needed to, so I haven't tried it).

Thanks to everyone for your input!

On the eating in the metro question - I think I know what is possible, but the act of giving it so much mental attention has made me realize that taking an extra 15 minutes to sit in a park to eat our sandwiches will be 15 minutes well spent rather then trying to multi-task that ride!

lilaki - Large double double... bing bong bong... next station stop Union... Union next station stop... please clear the doors (enough said!)