Couple of questions re bus #42 from Gar Du Nord
 

Really getting down to the nitty gritty now, we leave in a week and a half....so excited.

Thanks to someone on this site and now our apartment landlord, we will catch the #42 on arrival into Paris. He has given us great instructions - <i>"You will stay on this bus until almost the end where you exit at Lormel/Vasco de Gama stop"</i>.

My questions are, we plan to buy the 10 ticket carnet for use while in Paris for the week, should we purchase this straight away and use it for this bus ride?

And how on earth will we know/recognise our stop?

Thanks as always

You will recognize your stop because the bus usually has a sign half way down to tell you what's going on

Thus, when we were in Paris a few weeks ago, staying near Ecole Militaire, the sign would flash up 'Arret Invalides, prochain arret Ecole Militaire.' Meaning this is Invalides stop, next one is Ecole Militaire.

Also, there is a map on the bus indicating all the stops, so you have some idea of where you are and what to look for - You can start moving once you know your stop is coming up.

Why wouldn't you buy the carnet for the bus ride? It's valid, you just stick it in the ticket machine on the bus,next to the driver, it gets stamped, and you take it back. We actually got the Carte Navigo, because we were there a week, and did a lot of getting around, which was even easier - just a quick swipe.

Some bus routes have digital displays of the next stop, current stop, etc. Others have audio announcements. Some buses have neither. All, I think, are being upgraded to digital.

You can just tell the bus driver the name of your stop when you board, and he'll let you know when to get off.

For a week, if your days roughly coincide with Navigo Decouverte, the cost is very reasonable and it's much more convenient than those tiny individual tickets.

Thanks so much, I will look into Navigo.......we will be using the metro quite a bit I believe.

The bus station is on top of the suburban rail station at Gare du Nord. Since that is the starting point of the line, you get to choose the best seats on the bus. There is a ticket office up at the bus station, too, so you don't have to go down to the metro to get tickets or your Navigo pass.

You will be staying far enough out that you will almost certainly want to use public transportation a lot. Go for the Navigo.

Thanks, I will have a look at Navigo.

I did just have a quick look. As we arrive on a Thursday and depart on a Wednesday would I be right in saying that the Navigo probably isn't practiacal?