A last minute change in train plans have us arriving at Paris Austerlitz station at 5:20 on a Saturday. How long should we plan that a cab ride to the 7th will take?
Thank you!

I'm not sure you can plan with any real accuracy because of the variables. It depends on where in the 7th, I'd guess between 3 and 5 miles, traffic, likely not as bad as a weekday. But I've had to wait a long time in a taxi line or walk away from a station in Paris to find a taxi. It will likely be faster by metro if you can manage it.

We will have arranged transportation beforehand so cab should be waiting for us. That doesn't sound too far at all. Traffic of course would be a factor. Our apartment rental agency is only open until 7:00 which is why I'm a little concerned. Thanks for your help!

It makes all the difference that you'll have your own taxi available. You should have plenty of time. The longest it should take, traffic aside, is 15-20 minutes.

We took a taxi from that station to the 6th on a Saturday 3 weeks ago. We waited about 30 mins for at taxi - but the ride only took about 10-15 mins.

Stu Dudley

You might consider taking bus line 63 from Austerlitz if it is going close to your destination.

Oops, I forgot to add the route map.

http://www.ratp.fr/informer/pdf/orie...loc=bus_paris/

While I love the buses in Paris, I make it a rule, after 2 unfortunate delays within a week, to never use a bus if I must be somewhere at a particular time. One incident involved the bus being emptied unexpectedly in an exceedingly inconvenient spot and left to our own devices. The other, a combination of metro not stopping and a bus not arriving that made me very late. Under the circumstances, I'd arrange the taxi and leave the buses for a time when you have no appointments. Otherwise, I, too, recommend the buses highly.

Thanks so much everyone!

MmePerdu, I know of such bus incidents as well, but I also know of many more incidents of taxis being totally stuck in traffic for huge amounts of time. At least on the bus or in the metro, the meter is not still running all that time.

Frankly, the metro would be the most reliable means of transportation since you are arriving in the middle of rush hour. Or perhaps the RER C which links Austerlitz directly to the 7th arrondissement with no fewer than 3 stops there: Invalides, Pont de l'Alma and Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel.

I agree with everything kerouac says, and concur on using the metro (or RER) as I mentioned in my first response above, as the most reliable possibility of all.

One more point occurs to me, as taxis can be stuck in traffic, so can buses. Taxis do have the advantage in those cases of changing route. The buses just sit there. Still, if were're talking time, the metro is least effected, although if you have luggage both bus and metro may be tough on crowded vehicles.

I suspect Lucy will be taking her chances with the taxi, can't blame her if she has luggage.

Yes, probably. Hindsight will come into play afterwards.

As I recall from our taxi ride - there were special lanes for taxis & buses on our route. The taxi was in these lanes for much of the trip. No traffic delays.

Stu Dudly