best way to get around in Paris
 

I will be going to Paris for the first time this December and I was wondering...what is the best way to get around? Metro? Taxi?

I am staying at Hotel Muguet b/w the Eiffel Tower and the Invalides. Is it easier and cheaper to take the Metro to the hotel (for any of you who have stayed here before)? I tried emailing the hotel to ask this question, but I think with the language barrier they didn't understand what I was asking and I got an answer completely unrelated to the question!

I have heard that taking taxis can be dicey b/c they like to charge foreigners for 'extas', especially if they know you don't know what you are doing. I've also heard that the best way to see Paris is by foot. Is all this true?

Walk / Metro / Bus / Train.

It depends on where you go

Taking a taxi everywhere is a very good way to spend a lot of money for very little effect

<< Is it easier and cheaper to take the Metro to the hotel?>>

I assume you mean from the airport. Especially for a first time to Europe, it is easier to take a taxi to your hotel. You COULD take an RER train and multiple Metro transfers for much less $$ (especially if you have very little luggage) to reach your hotel near the Ecole Militaire stop but I think a taxi will make for a much more pleasant introduction to Europe.

HOWEVER, after you arrive at your hotel you will be able to easily walk to many of the main tourist attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Musee Orsay, and Notre Dame. Also, the Metro is very easy to use and will quickly get you to any place you want to visit easily and cheaply.

I would NOT take any taxis to get around Paris - only to perhaps get from and to the airport.

Don't try using a rental car. No where to park it. Metro is good until midnight, then you may need to use the taxi.

Or, you could do the same thing you might do if your ultimate destination were another city: ride the train into town (St-Michel station) and get a taxi to your hotel. If you're a little more adventurous and not burdened by luggage, changing lines at St-Michel to the C line to Invalides would get you somewhat closer to your hotel, therby minimizing the taxi fare.

But since you mentioned <i>cheaper</i>, then the RER/bus option might suit you better. The RER is $10. Ride to Luxembourg station and take the N&deg; 82 bus to &Eacute;cole Militaire, then walk a few dozen yards to your hotel.

Type <b>metro ecole militaire paris</b> into google, and hit [maps].

While walking is an ideal way to explore central Paris, a tranportation pass might pay off for you. There are several kinds. The best choice depends upon both how many days you'll be in Paris and which day of the week you'll arrive and which day of the week you'll depart. What days will those be?

Are you flying into and out of CDG? How much luggage will you have?

Another option from CDG, which is easier than the RER , the Air France or RATP bus, then a taxi from the drop-off point. I've taken many many taxis in Paris over many years and have never been taken advantage of. There is however a 5.50 Euro minimum charge, if you are not going far.

There is also good bus service around the Muget if you prefer that to the Metro for some trips.There are maps in the bus stands that give the directions and the stops.

It's no different than any other city of that size that has the options of walking, bus or metro. A lot of it is personal preference as to which is best, and how far you like or are willing to walk. For any particular journey, it obviously depends on how far away the metro/bus stops are, how long it might take and when you want to get there (bus rides can take a lot longer depending on the route and stops), etc.

We've spent over a month in Paris the last few years. We take the bus - it's above ground &amp; you can see the different neighborhoods/shops/markets/etc on the way to/from. The density of bus stops is greater than the density fo metro stops - so if we're walking along &amp; &quot;dragging&quot; a bit &amp; see a bus aproaching &amp; we're near a stop - we'll hop on even if we're only going a couple of blocks. Most busses don't run as late as the metro, and the metro will get you there faster in many cases. The Muget area is serviced by a bus with a good route and it's a nightime &amp; Sunday bus also (#80). Often, we'll figure out a large bus &quot;loop&quot; that weaves it's way through Paris &amp; we just look out the window &amp; see what's &quot;going on&quot; in the various areas it goes through. Buses are only practical if you have a pass (carte orange, etc)

I think the metro is depressing. We only take it in the evening returning from a restaurant we can't walk to &amp; is not serviced by a night bus. We also take the metro to the Vanves street market on Sunday.

Stu Dudley

Forgot something. Pick up tha Metro/RER/Bus map # 2 at any metro station. They usually want to give you another map if you just ask for a map. Insist on #2, which shows the detailed bus stops. Other maps do not.

Stu Dudley

Thank you for all your replies. You all are going to make my life a lot easier once arriving in Paris!

To answer your questions, we are arriving into CDG airport. We are arriving on a Tuesday and departing on a Friday. We will be there for three days, which I know is 'taboo', but it's what we could get. I'd rather go for a short time than not at all! We are touring other cities as well. Because of the new restrictions on liquids and the amount of time (in my experience) spent checking baggage and dealing with lost luggage, we decided to carry on. There are two of us, so we will have 2-3 carry on bags total.

Question: To make sure I understand...is the RER and the Metro the same thing? If not, what is the difference? Can I get day passes or buy rides in packages? I thought I heard something about a 10 ride pass on the metro?

One last question. I know this is a strange question, but do you all have any advice how not be the typical 'American' tourist; i.e. tips on how to not insult the Parisians? I've read books and taken several French classes, but I need real world advice. I want to make sure we enjoy our trip and that if the people are not as friendly as I hoped it's not because my lack of manners! I do know some french, enough to get around, I think, but am not fluent.

RER and metro are not the same. The metro is like any other subway system: frequent stops, many lines. The RER is more like an &quot;express&quot;, longer distances without stops. You will buy a RER ticket for CDG to Paris (Saint-Michel/Notre Dame stop). It leaves from CDG terminal 2. The first time is kind of scary, but it's really easy. When you get to Paris, simply take the stairs to above ground and find the nearest taxi stand.

Metro tickets are sold individually or in a &quot;carnet&quot;, which is simply a pkg of 10. If you'll be riding a lot on a given day, you might want to look at the Mobilis pass. A bus ride takes one metro ticket (we prefer bus on most occasions).

As for etiquette, your little bit of French will serve you well. When entering a shop, restaurant, hotel, etc. greet the attendant with &quot;Bonjour, Madame/Monsieur&quot;. On leaving, say &quot;Merci...au revoir&quot;. That's important to them. The French generally do not talk as loudly as Americans.

When you buy a ticket at CDG for the RER you may continue onward on the metro free of charge, just hang on to your ticket.

Within Paris you can use the RER and the metro interchangably with a standard carnet ticket.

One way to think of RER vs. Metro is to think of RER like commuter trains and Metro as a subway train. The two systems connected at various station in central Paris so that you can easliy connect from one to the other just like you would transfer between two different subway lines. You can use an RER ticket and transfer for free to the Metro system at one of the connecting stations or vice versa if you stay with the central area.

The best way not to insult Parisians is to begin communicatins with them in French (even if's all you can say is &quot;Do you speal English?&quot; 99.9 % of the time they will recognize your accent and automatically switch to English.

Also, try to keep a neat appearance. Jeans and even athletic shoes are OK, just make an small effort to look nice.

&gt;&gt;Jeans and even athletic shoes are OK&lt;&lt;

Just leave the ultra white shoes at home.

Stu Dudley

They used to say that nowehere in Paris was more than a few hundred meters from a Metro stop and you'll find the coverage is quite dense.

Be aware that if you <b>call</b> a taxi from a hotel or other location the meter will start running the moment the taxi moves; not when you are actually picked up.

I don;t find the Metro as &quot;depressing&quot; as Stu does but that's obviously a personal thing.

One more point..there is nothing at all &quot;taboo&quot; about spending only a couple of days in Paris; some of us have done that more than once and for good reason and none of those reasons were any better than your own.

Since you're there Tuesday through Friday, it might be to your advantage to acquire a 2-zone <i>Carte Orange</i> pass for &euro;16. It will provide unlimited transport for your entire stay. And allow you to jump on a bus going your way any time your feet request it!

It comes in two parts: an ID card and a ticket for the turnstiles. You will need to present a 1&quot; square ID photo (homemade digital OK) when you buy the card.

I was going a short journey and found out that they have a minimum fare in the Paris taxis....I was a trifle scared to use the Metro as I could not quite get the grasp of it.....You see I was so used to London &quot;Tube&quot;,which is very simple to understand.....But I did get the hang of the Paris Metro,and wondered why I did not go on the very first day.....One thing that you will notice on Metro there is that occasionally you will spot people jumping over ticket machine.....Because of tight security and much more staff this would be nigh impossible in London...I also did an average of about six hours per day walking in Paris ....I can honestly say that I felt that I got a good &quot;feel&quot;of the city doing this,every day !!!!!

eurofirsttimer, if you're like me, looking at maps of the tranportation system ahead of time helps a lot. Go to www.ratp.fr (English version) and download and print a Metro/RER map for central Paris, a RER map showing service to outlying zones (including CDG), and a zone map.

For someone who knows the system and doesn't have much luggage, taking the RER B line into the city and then tranferring to other RER lines and/or Metro lines and/or bus lines until you are close to your hotel works fine. However, you may prefer to do something simpler with fewer transfers but which still doesn't cost as much as taking a taxi directly from the airport.

You could, for example, take the Air France bus #2 from CDG to Charles de Gaulle Etoile (Arc de Triomphe) and a taxi from there to your hotel. The bus runs every 15 minutes and costs E13. Or you could take the Roissybus from CDG to Opera and a taxi from there to your hotel. The bus runs every 15 minutes and costs E8.50.

If you decide to tackle the RER and Metro all the way, then take the RER B to St-Michel Notre-Dame, the RER C to Invalides, and Metro Line 8 two stops to Ecole Militaire. One ticket (E8.10) will take you all the way so long as you don't exit the system.

A carnet of ten single tickets costs E10.90. Tickets are good anywhere the Metro goes and on the RER in zone 1. One ticket gives you unlimited transfers so long as you don't exit the system. Each bus ride requires a separate ticket.

A one-day Mobilis pass for zones 1-2 costs E5.50 and covers the Metro, RER, bus, and the Montmartre funicular.

If you decide to take the RER to CDG at the end of your visit, be aware that the RER B line divides northeast of Paris. Be sure you get on a train that is going to the airport.

eurofirstimer:
I see that you won't have a lot of luggage. Thus it would be quite easy for you to take the RER. My first time, Fodorites posted links to airport maps, metro maps, photos and all kinds of things to make me more comfortable. Thanks to their efforts, it was a breeze. I'll never take a cab again (unless I win the lottery and arrive with magnificent new wardrobe in tow!). And it's faster since you don't run into traffic tie-ups.

I would not recommend you try to master transferring to the metro at the same time. I love coming up from the RER at St-Michel and---voila!---Paris! Take a cab from there to the hotel.

A couple more tips:
--Never throw away a ticket until you exit the RER/Metro system. Sometimes you need it to get out.
--At CDG, make sure you know your arrival and departure Terminal Number---<i> especially departure.

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Thank you so much everyone! What wonderful advice! I appreciate everyone's comments and am looking forward to a great trip!

I hope you have a fantastic trip! My first time in Paris was a solo trip and I stayed at Hotel Muguet. I think you will enjoy the area. I was suprised at just how close to the Eiffel Tower it was and it is in a charming neighborhood.

I consider myself a pretty smart cookie but I was unprepared for just how tired and a little disorientated I was coming out of CDG. I took the Roissybus from CDG to Opera and then tried to change to a metro line to Ecole Militaire and it was quite traumatic for me. I took French for 5 years so I felt confident with my abilities but I got lost quickly and with luggage, and it was hot and well, ack!

My best suggestion would be to echo what TimS said and to take the the Roissybus from CDG to Opera and then a taxi. Everyone has their own opinion of course and this is just mine.

My other suggestion would be to attempt to speak in French whenever possible. I found this helped a lot when I was there and people are willing to work with you if you even try.

I hope you have a fantastic time!

Here's the map that shows the way from CDG to town via RER and Roissybus (with M&eacute;tro <i>correspondances</i> - connections):

http://www.ratp.info/picts/plans/gif...x/aeroport.gif

And here's the street map with the M&eacute;tro network overlaid:

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

For more detail of the RER network, try this:

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

The most important piece of advice I can think of to be polite in France is to address people as Monsieur or Madame and say, &quot;Bonjour, Madame (or Monsieur)&quot; before asking them anything. This feels a little overly formal and uncomfortable for me as an American, but people in France routinely address each other this way before speaking. The American custom of walking up to someone in a shop and asking a question without a formal greeting is perceived as rude or odd.

From airport Charles De Gaulle take line B of the RER to Gare Nord. Then take line 4 in the direction of Orleans to Strasbourg/St.Denis. Swith here to line 8 towards Balard and get off at Ecole Militaire. Sounds complicated but is very easy. Best way to get around Paris is walking and a combination of the Metro and busess. Take a passport size photo with you and at any Metro station ask for a Carte Orange zones 1-2. Cost is 16 euros for one week Monday thru Sunday. Metro runs from 5:30 am to 1:00 am daily. Your Carte Orange is also good on all the busess. From the airport keep your RER ticket as it is also good for the trip on the Metro. Cost from airport on RER is 8 euros.

Hope you enjoy Paris as much as I do.

Larry J

Bonjour
The best way to get around paris is of course by Metro. However once you get to CDG, take the Air France buses which get into the city. The stop at Concorde, Invalides and Champs Elysees. So you should get off at the one near Concorde or Invalides. From there take a taxi to your hotel. The bus fare is 12&euro; p.p and the taxi fare should not be more than 15&euro; for two.
Also the best way to see all the touristy places would be to take the Buses Rouges, which are the hop on and hop off buses, they are convinient as they arent time bound. You get a Two day pass, and which will give you some discount on the bateaux rides in paris( take the one at Pont Neuf; its really nice!) If u take the Buses Rouges, you will save on Metro and taxi fare as you can plan your trips so that they drop you off closest to your hotel, there are no limits on how many times you can enter and exit! In case you want to travel by metro, ask for a 2 or 3 days pass, or even a daily pass works out cheaper, as you can enter and exit several times!
Et Voil&agrave;, hope this solves your problems. Have Fun

This last trip, we had a 5 zone Carte Orange (actually, both trips), and then took the Roissybus to l'Opera and got the metro from there. It wasn't too hard after we found the Metro, which did take a couple of minutes.

As far as once in Paris - I like to walk as much as possible. It is a beautiful walking city, and really not that big compared to other cities, IMHO. There are so many lovely people, nice restaurants, shops, markets, etc. that you would never see if you just took the metro.

Do <u>not</u> buy a 5-Zone <i>Carte Orange</i> unless you plan to make multiple trips into Zone 5 or want to waste money. They cost &euro;31,50 whereas the single RER fare from CDG is &euro;8,10.

I do not recommend the hop-on/hop-off bus tours. You can see the same sights on an itinerary of your own devising more efficiently and at far less cost. In fact, if you have a transit pass, it's free. Just use the map at http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...aux&amp;fm=pdf
to plan your route.

&quot;I have heard that taking taxis can be dicey b/c they like to charge foreigners for 'extas', especially if they know you don't know what you are doing.&quot;

I wonder what this is about. Every taxi I've taken in Paris has a meter and the only &quot;extra&quot; I've been charged was for handling the luggage and that fee was posted in the taxi. If a taxi is called, the meter is turned on when they start for the hotel. Oh, yeah, I just remembered that I was charged a &quot;reservation&quot; fee for a very early trip to the airport once. I wasn't happy about it but figure that probably taxis had been shown up at hotels and the travelers had left without canceling. Anyone else experienc this?

I assumed it was just a rumor or comment by folks in regard to taxis in general trying to overcharge. Sometimes people make up things and say this happened explicitly because I'm a tourist and/or American etc. (like the recent thread from someone who didn't have proper documentation for the weekly Paris metro ticket and blamed it on the Parisian metro system trying to cheat tourists). I've also read a post where someone claimed they were cheated because they had a friend who took the same route and their taxi ride cost a few euro less, as if rates and traffic can't vary.

I've also seen some people charge taxi drivers with cheating them for legitimate charges, even when they didn't have the slightest idea what were legitimate Parisian taxi charges (I mean the surcharges or extras).

There are more extras that can be charged my Parisian taxis than for luggage, and they are legitimate. For example, a charge for the fourth person or more of 2.6 euro (if they take one), or a charge for an animal (they aren't required to take one, as I understand it -- but that is 0.6 euro), plus a charge for a stroller or things like that similar to the per piece luggage charge. There is also a special fee for getting a taxi at a rail station of 0.70 euro. None of these amount to that much.

It is true that if you didn't know the language or the taxi system, it would be difficult to understand if a taxi driver claimed there was a couple euro charge for something and you could often be wrong if you refused to pay it and insisted you wouldn't pay more than the mileage on the meter. The extra fees are posted in the taxi on the window, but they are only in French, I believe. (e.g., &quot;la prise en charge en gare SNCF ..... 0,70 euro)

www.ratp.fr is the site for information on local public transport - use the &quot;international passengers&quot; link at the top of the screen to get English information. You'll find the &quot;plan interactif&quot; useful too.

Again, thank you for all your kind help and advice.

What I meant when I mentioned I heard that taxis can be 'dicey' is just that some people I've talked to say to be careful when taking taxis in ANY country or city, not just Paris. Not only can it be hard to understand with the language barriers, but I've taken taxis, even in New York and Baltimore, where they speak english and paid WAY above what I expected. The bottom line, from what I've heard, is just that if there is a better alternative, take another method of transportation since you never know what you are going to pay for a taxi ride. Taxis freak me out a little anyway, since seeing the Bone Collector (just kidding).