tomarkot

A recent knee injury has us thinking about alternative transportation when we're in Paris over the Christmas holidays. At this point, climbing stairs, though doable, is painful. Has anyone used the bus system recently and found it a satisfactory alternative to the metro? If so, we'd appreciate your feedback. Our hotel is in the 6th, at the intersection of Rue Dauphine and Rue Buci. Thanks so much!

Andrew

I haven't used the bus in Paris recently but I can't imagine why you couldn't use it instead of the Metro. In some cases it may be more convenient. The trick may be finding your way around.

Here's a helpful website for using Paris's public transit system:

http://www.ratp.fr/itineraires/en/ra...herche-avancee

If by chance you will have a smart phone, laptop, etc. this might make getting around way easier.

StCirq

I prefer the bus.

tomarkot

Andrew, thanks for the link.

StuDudley

We avoid the metro - almost always taking the bus. Much more to see from the bus. Get the Metro #2 map from a metro station - it has all the bus routes & pick up locations indicated. More & more buses are running at night now.

Stu Dudley

PatrickLondon

There's also the RATP interactive map (just click on the "Bus" logo:
http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/

MaineGG

We find the buses much more pleasant and convenient than the Metro most of the time. Bus stops are clearly marked as to which buses stop there, and most stops have digital readouts indicating when the next bus will arrive.

If you will have internet access while you're there, in addition to the site provided by Andrew, you will find the RATP interactive map very useful. Here's the English language version:

http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/carteidf.php?lang=uk

For both these RATP sites, I recommend "playing with" them before your trip so you can use them easily and quickly when needed.

If your trip covers Monday through Sunday, you might consider getting the Navigo Découverte weekly pass. Here's the information on that:

http://www.ratp.fr/fr/ratp/c_21137/f...is-et-semaine/

Unfortunately, this information is available in French only.
For information in English, see:

http://parisbytrain.com/paris-train-...go-decouverte/

This pass requires a small photograph. We took photos of each other with our digital camera, printed them on copy paper, and they were acceptable when trimmed to size.

Michel_Paris

Agree with bus being more scenic, but adjust your schedule accordingly.

Last trip I took a few Paris Walks guided tours, starting at 10AM. Leaving from the 16th arrondissement at around 9:30, I could make it to St Paul metro stop before 10. By bus...

Similarly, I like to, if possible, go back to my hotel at end of day, drop off stuff, rest, then go for dinner, possible back into centre of city. By bus...

nukesafe

I agree with most of the pro bus posters here. We almost never take the Metro, unless we absolutely must get someplace quickly. The frenetic pace of the crowds in the tunnels and on the stairs just does not suit the pace my aging legs want to travel, nor my travelling style.

I enjoy strolling the streets of Paris; gazing into shop windows and at the passing parade. When approaching a bus stop I almost always give a sigh of relief when the sign says I have eight or nine minutes to wait. Gives me time to look around, drop into a nearby store, or just sit on the bench for a bit.

kerouac

The bus system is fine for lots of destinations. The metro is better for others. Elevators are being installed in a few stations, but they are not very common except for recent line 14 which is fully accessible from street level to platform level with elevators. Naturally, lots of stations have excellent escalator service, including all the way up to street level, and the RER is even better in this department.

Using buses, you will lose a certain amount of time but will be compensated with the pleasure of the view.

tomarkot

Thanks for all the helpful info. It sounds as if there are others who might prefer the bus. Since we'll be in Paris in late December, who knows what the weather will be? But, in case it's bitterly cold or raining (hope not!), do the bus stops have shelter? Also, what about Hop-On, Hop-Off buses? In general, are buses heated? Thanks again to all.

AlessandraZoe

There are frequent shelters--just not at all. Buses are heated.

Agree that buses are great from some locations to some other locations. Metro sometimes better and sometimes worse--stairs and corrospondances can be a hassle.

Nevertheless, I go on record as hating Hop On Off bus.

MaineGG

Many bus stops are shelters with a bench, if you'd like to sit while you wait. Not sure about HOHO bus stops but don't remember seeing any shelters for them.

I agree that the bus isn't always the most efficient way to get to your destination, but if it's painful to climb stairs, I would avoid the Metro when possible. There are indeed escalators in many stations and elevators in some, but if you don't know, you can arrive in a station where there is neither an escalator nor elevator and have to climb many stairs to reach the street. The most common situation, as I recall, is that there will be an escalator up most of the way, then a flight of stairs to reach the street. We have encountered stations occasionally where the escalator is not working. On the RATP site you can find which stations have elevators.

AnthonyGA

Buses are slower and more variable in their speed than the subway trains, but they are also more scenic. Their frequency of service and the number of people they carry varies significantly by route and time of day, and they don't operate over as wide a range of hours as the subway. They are all friendly to people with mobility problems, with either one or zero steps to negotiate to get on and off. They accommodate wheelchairs at almost every stop, so a person who is simply avoiding steps can easily get around on the buses with no problem.

The routes tend to be very convoluted, so you have to look carefully at a map to figure out which routes might serve you. Every bus stop with a shelter has a map for every line that serves it, and most also have an electronic display telling you how long you'll have to wait for a bus. Despite the complexity of the routes, they are optimized for traffic, which means that you often find a route that goes right where you want to go, or close to it.

TDudette

My dear hub found a book with all of the bus routes at a newspaper stand near Pompidou Centre. We used it to get all over. Yes, do look online for the lines near your "home". I think you'll find the bus stop maps to be very user-friendly.

You will still have 2 or 3 steps up and back down on the bus but that's so few less than metro steps and, as others have said above, you see what's going on from bus windows.

When I had breathing problems, we took a taxi to the furtherest point on our day's itinerary then slowly worked our way back. How is your walkring?

tomarkot

Walking is OK. . .it's just multiple steps that are problematic at this point. It sounds like getting a good map with bus routes is a must. Since we're staying in St. Germain, near the Odeon & St. Michel metro stops, we were hoping that a couple of buses might run through there. We notice that from the St. Michel and Odeon stations, there are a few sights we want to reach that are doable without changing metros. So, if it's only one entrance and exit, that might be doable. And then, there are always taxis.

Thanks to all for being so generous with your ideas.

StuDudley

The bus numbers that access a stop are indicated on the outside of the stop. Often, there is a "cluster" of stops in the immediate area and it is sometimes difficult to figure out where your specific stop is located. It may be around the corner & out of sight or across the street. At stops where this is the case, they usually have a "blown up" street map of the area, indicating the location of the other stops.

Stu Dudley

tomarkot

Thanks, Stu. Your explanation is helpful.

PatrickLondon

I wouldn't worry too much about shelter while you're waiting for a bus. In most of central Paris, most bus stops are rarely more than a few steps from a cafe!

You'll see from the RATP interactive map that if you zoom into the Odeon or St Michel areas, not only are the bus routes shown, but if you click on the area names, you get an option to display a district map showing the bus stops in the area.

tomarkot

Thanks, PatrickLondon. We hope that the temps/weather are fairly pleasant for that time of year. But it's good to know that there are multiple cafes for refuge. If we're concerned about weather, one might wonder why we would choose to visit Paris during winter. We've spent the past few years in New York City during Christmas week. It often gets a little frosty there, but usually no rain. Since we love Paris, and have visited several times in spring or summer, we thought it would be wonderful to experience the city with its Christmas lights and festivities. Frequent flier miles really helped us make the decision!