Last time we blew it and got stuck
 

The last time I was in Paris we stayed in Saint Denis and after all the tour bus operators stopped(6:30PM) we had to walk back to the Metro station and our train zipped past our stop taking us to Charles Degaulle airport. After "talking" with many cabbies we finally got one to take us back to our hotel.<BR>Apparently a lot of Metro stops close after a certain time. I can't remember seeing that posted anywhere.<BR>How can I avoid this again.<BR>We are staying in Saint Denis again this time and would rather not see the airport this time. Any genuine ideas would be appreciated !<BR>

My question: Why are you staying in the St. Denis area?

Yes, the metro does stop at a certain time--public transport doesn't run all night in any city I know of, I'm afraid, but I guess if you aren't used to using it, you might not think of that. All metro stops close for the night, not just some. Usually, a last train will be around midnight to 12:30, as they usually end at the last point around 1 am or so, I think.<BR><BR>Paris does have night buses that do run all night, but there are very limited routes and schedules. These are called Noctambus and they run 1 am to 5:30 am. There is one that I think goes out past St-Denis, line P, so you might be able to get a map and schedule of that bus on the RATP web site under plans/schedules or somewhere (www.ratp.fr). I would not stay out in St-Denis if I wanted to stay out that late. If you have to, I would rearrange my plans and not stay out that late. The RATP web site gives you the metro schedule also for the last train to St-Denis. As I said, I think if you plan to leave central Paris around midnight, you'll be fine.

I just re-read your post and it sort of sounds like you just got on the wrong train, as they don't stop at 7 pm, not until midnight. If the train you are talking to went to CDG, that is the RER, not the metro, and RER trains have expresses that don't stop at every stop. This is easy -- you just look at the schedule on the sign above the quay to make sure it stops where you want to go, the stops will be lit up for each train. this can happen any time, not just at night. In fact, I think the metro is usually more convenient to St-Denis than the RER, in any case. YOu should take the metro line 13 to St-Denis, not RER D1, then you won't have to worry about it skipping some stops. Line 13 stops at the Basilique and Porte de Paris.

Thanks, Christina.<BR>I will look into that.<BR>As far as staying in St. Denis. I don't like driving in that mess in Paris.<BR>I would rather stay a little out of town and Bus or train in. <BR>Cheaper hotels too !!<BR>

Your right Christina, I think it was the RER not the Metro, now that you say it.<BR>I think I know what I did wrong.<BR>Metro yes, RER NO !<BR><BR>Thanks again !!

well, I don't want to give you a bum steer, some metro stops do close around 8 pm, some of the minor ones in the city but there will be another close by, in that case. Here is the URL for the metro line 13 schedule, showing the last train gets to the St-Denis stops around 1 pm http://www.citefutee.com/informer/ligne13.php<BR>Why don't you print this out, it should help. I like St-Denis, actually -- the cathedral and museum are great -- but it's not quite as convenient for sightseeing in town, that's all.

Christina,<BR>Your kind of help is what makes this site great... <BR>Hip, hip, hooray<BR><BR>Thank you<BR>

you're welcome. I just looked at that schedule, and I hope you can figure it out (not sure if you know French -- dernier=last, premier=first) and there are arrows showing directions of train. Right side is times going out at end of day. However, I did notice that it appears there are two diff. schedules at end of day, and even diff. stops. They are only 6 minutes apart, but one line goes from La Fourche to Brochant, it appears, skipping the St-Denis metro stops, whereas the outbound line on the left has the St-Denis stops. I wouldn't want you to again skip over St-Denis and get mad at me, so I thought I'd point this out. I don't think I've ever had a metro line that had different stops like that, at least not in the part I was interested in (I have on the RER), so I'm not sure how the train might be distinguished so that you can be sure you get on the right one. Maybe there is some sign on the car or something, I really can't recall (assuming I am correct in reading that schedule, and that's what it means) -- so, to be safe, you might ask your hotel receptionist or someone about how that works to make sure you get on the right train late at night if it isn't real obvious in the station. For all I know, that line has two diff. sets of trains all day, I really don't know as it's been several years since I took it so I don't remember.

Just be sure you are on a track for Direction St.-Denis Universit&eacute;, and I think the front of the train will say St.-Denis Universit&eacute; (NOT Asni&egrave;res-Gennevilliers). (That is my guess, however, because I have never had to take the forked lines out past the forks.) You just have to remember to look at the front of the train as it pulls in.