How difficult is it to use the buses in Paris?
Jun 21st, 2005, 10:21 AM
#21
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,000
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I will say this once more and then be quiet.
I carry with me at all times: the Grand Plan map plus every one of the individual route maps for buses within the central zone (#20 through #96), plus the PC lines as well as the sightseeing routes.
I also have a program that computes the optimum route for Métro, RER, and buses within Île de France. (I have never seen a pair of underground stations requiring more than one <i>Correspondance</i>, for what that's worth.)
You can buy a usable Palm Pilot on eBay for $20 (8mb RAM is better), and download all the maps and software free. Go LOOK at the route maps. They have the street and stop names clearly marked so that a newbie can use the system successfully on the first try.
The answer to <i>Pourquoi l'autobus est-il en retard?</i> is invariably <i>Embouteillages, monsieur</i> (shrug).
I carry with me at all times: the Grand Plan map plus every one of the individual route maps for buses within the central zone (#20 through #96), plus the PC lines as well as the sightseeing routes.
I also have a program that computes the optimum route for Métro, RER, and buses within Île de France. (I have never seen a pair of underground stations requiring more than one <i>Correspondance</i>, for what that's worth.)
You can buy a usable Palm Pilot on eBay for $20 (8mb RAM is better), and download all the maps and software free. Go LOOK at the route maps. They have the street and stop names clearly marked so that a newbie can use the system successfully on the first try.
The answer to <i>Pourquoi l'autobus est-il en retard?</i> is invariably <i>Embouteillages, monsieur</i> (shrug).
Jun 23rd, 2005, 01:22 PM
#22
Guest
Posts: n/a
This was our first trip to Paris, and we used the Metro almost exclusively, and boy were we tired of stairs. The problem was we were using the Fodors book as our guide, and they do a great job of saying what metro stop you go to, to see a certain site. Is there any kind of publication that would give me the same information, but for the bus?
Jun 24th, 2005, 12:03 PM
#24
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
there are in actuality not many bus lines in central Paris - a few dozen, unlike London's myriad of bus lines. I'm not saying that aren't useful, they are just that it may not be so hard to figure out the system, unlike London where buses often take confusing zigzag routes - Paris lines seem straight forward. And traffic in Paris seems to move faster than in London as well. Don't neglect Parisian buses!
Jun 24th, 2005, 12:12 PM
#25
Guest
Posts: n/a
If you're in Paris to sightsee, would you consider using the Batobus hop-on-hop-off? We recently used it and enjoyed seeing the city by boat. It is slow, but scenic. You will do more walking than by bus, to and from the Seine, but we planned on walking a lot anyway. I think it's 11 EU for one day unlimited, and 13 EU per person for a two-day pass. They run until about 10:30 at night, picking up about every 30 minutes at 8 locations along the river from the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the d'Orsay, Champs Elysee, etc.. It might be something to consider for one or two days, anyway. Seeing Paris in the moonlight from a boat on the Seine--- now that's romantic!
Jun 24th, 2005, 12:56 PM
#26
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,000
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The bus map of major sights is the <i>Bus touristique</i> at
<b>http://www.ratp.info/orienter/tous_plans_pdf.php</b>
<i>La RATP vend pour 10€ un livre qui s'appel <u>Découvrir PARIS avec les lignes de Bus</u>. «Munis de ce guide, vous pourrez non seulement découvrir tous les itinéraires mais monter et descendre à votre guise aux différents arrêts de chaque ligne pour vous promener à pied dans un nouveau quartier. Une façon simple, peu onéreuse et écologique de découvrir PARIS.»</i>
<b>http://www.ratp.info/orienter/tous_plans_pdf.php</b>
<i>La RATP vend pour 10€ un livre qui s'appel <u>Découvrir PARIS avec les lignes de Bus</u>. «Munis de ce guide, vous pourrez non seulement découvrir tous les itinéraires mais monter et descendre à votre guise aux différents arrêts de chaque ligne pour vous promener à pied dans un nouveau quartier. Une façon simple, peu onéreuse et écologique de découvrir PARIS.»</i>
Jun 24th, 2005, 01:04 PM
#27
OK Robespierre, you finally got my attention. A twenty dollar item that could hold all the route maps in it does sound like something I'd try. So I go to eBay and what exactly do I look for? And then do I download the maps from the RATP site?
Jun 24th, 2005, 01:19 PM
#28
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,000
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oh, goody - a convert!
Here's an eBay link that will show you all Palm Pilots under $20 that have at least 8mb memory:
<b>http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q1811635B</b>
From adobe.com, download the Adobe Reader for Palm OS. This allows you to read .pdf files on your Pilot.
The maps come from ratp.fr, as outlined above.
The program called <b>Métro</b> is at nanika.net/metro
Here's an eBay link that will show you all Palm Pilots under $20 that have at least 8mb memory:
<b>http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q1811635B</b>
From adobe.com, download the Adobe Reader for Palm OS. This allows you to read .pdf files on your Pilot.
The maps come from ratp.fr, as outlined above.
The program called <b>Métro</b> is at nanika.net/metro
Jun 27th, 2005, 02:08 AM
#32
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 358
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
mez05, it's definitely doable, actually much more practical than the métro. The only caveat is the relative unpredictability of the bus. Since I presume you will be onwards to some station or airport, be generous in your timing. But, as I posted before, prams and strollers are commonplace on a bus. So a suitcase, it's small beer...
