mdmom

We arriving on a weekday morning in early March (supposedly the flight gets in at 7:30am), and we expect to have 3 suitcases between the 2 of us with one carry-on each (one suitcase will be almost empty - bringing for purchases AND to bring home some extra stuff for our daughter, who is studying in Paris for the semester). What is the most efficient way to get to our hotel on the Left Bank? We'd love to be able to take the train, and then a taxi to the hotel from the train station, but we are a little worried about managing with the bags on the train. Is a taxi best or will the traffic be terrible? Any ideas on how long the ride would be and how much it would cost? We do NOT want to take a bus that would make a lot of extra stops, because of the time factor, even if it is cheaper - we only have 5 days! Any advice/ suggestions would be much appreciated -thanks!

ParisAmsterdam

If you feel intimidated because of your luggage take a taxi. Normally it would be 45-50 euros to the Left Bank... if traffic was bad it might be 60.

A small percentage of the total cost of your trip!

Or drop that extra suitcase in favor of a crushable bag that will fit into one of the others when empty. Or have your daughter find a cheap bag in Paris you can take back rather than hauling one there...


BTW... taxis have special lanes they can use so are not as affected by rush hour as a regular car.

Rob

Michel_Paris

You are gettign in near rush hour.
Where is your hotel?

Your compendium of choices includes:

Air France bus: goes to pre-detemined locations, ~14 euro, coach bus with lots of luggage space. Might need to catch Metro/RER/taxi

Roissybus: goes to stop near Opera, large shuttle-type bus, ~10 euroMight need to catch Metro/RER/taxi.

RER/Metro: one ticket allows you to use RER amd Metro to get you closest to hotel, getting on at airport (end point of line) gives you a chance to stake out seats, reserved small area for luggage, ~9 euro, with time of day and amount of luggage...not best bet.

Taxi, ~50+ euro, traffic

Pre-arranged shuttle, ~40+ euro, traffic

Since traffic is probably going to be an issue, perhaps taxi works out to be the best choice. With minimal luggage..RER. For comfort with minimal luggage...AF bus.

Gretchen

TAke a taxi.

kerouac

The Left Bank is half of Paris. Probably the RER will get you the closest unless you are going to Montparnasse, which would mean the Air France bus.

Getting your luggage into the RER at CDG is no problem at all, but no exit strategy for your arrival can be recommended without knowing your destination.

spaarne

<i>What is the most efficient way to get to our hotel on the Left Bank?</i>

The left bank is about 1/3 of Paris. Give us the name and address of the hotel, or at least the name of the nearest Metro stop.

KTtravel

When my daughter was studying in London, I brought her an extra suitcase for your very purpose. I was able to stuff one inside another on the way over which made it much easier to transport.

Christina

Take a taxi, I can't imagine navigating the RER and then metro (we have no idea how many transfers you will need and then how far from the end point to your hotel, it would help if you said where you are going) with five pieces of baggage between two people. It would really help if you said exactly where you are going.

I've taken taxis in Paris from the airport during busy traffic, the most I ever paid (and that was some problem with construction or a strike or something on the highways) was 50 euro from CDG to the Latin Qtr (and not near the Seine). I usually pay 45 euro to/from Montparnasse. It takes 30-45 min, but it could take an hour if someone traffic were really really bad. I imagine that one time I had a problem with a 60 euro tab it took an hour, but that's only happened once in 20 years.

Gretchen

I can say unequivocally that getting that amount ofluggage onto the RER IS a HUGE problem. C'mon.
TAXI.

kerouac

Getting it ONTO the RER at CDG is not a problem at all, Gretchen. Get real. However, getting it off the RER somewhere in Paris might indeed be a problem.

mdmom

Thanks to all for your advice/ input. I will definitely go with the taxi - so good to know that they have special lanes - the traffic was a big concern of mine - thanks ParisAmsterdam. And KTtravel, thanks also for your suggestion - great idea!

spaarne

<u>Some</u> boulevards have special lanes for taxis, shared by buses and bicycles. But you really don't expect that a Paris taxi driver is going to get you there in the <i>most efficient way</i>, do you? Only in the UK do cabbies do that. Everywhere else their goal is to max the meter.

Michel_Paris presents the options, all costing less than a taxi and some potentially faster. If you would just say where your hotel is .... Duh.

mdmom

Thanks spaarne - much appreciated!