Jhoanna

We're visiting Paris for the first time next week and want to take the RER at CDG to our hotel 2 blocks from the Louvre. We will have some baggage. Is it advisable to take the Metro if we arrive mid-afternoon?

Bob Brown

Hi. It all depends on how much you have. The Metro in my estimation is not very baggage friendly. Lots of steps and tunnels. Mid afternoon is probably the best time for the Metro in terms of crowds, but I don't think I ever got on a Metro car where I found a seat!! <BR>I think the question is this: Can you carry what you have up a long flight of stairs? If the answer is NO. You might want to consider the van service at 89 francs per person that takes you right to the hotel. <BR>You make reservations in advance; calla toll free number, and the receptionist tells you where to wait. You may reserve over email and use your credit card. <BR>If you can carry the stuff up steps, then you may be fine.

kathy

Treat yourself and take a taxi - the taxi stand is right out in front of the airport doors after you get your baggage - what you spend is worth the convenience and you can see the sights as you drive in. Paris is pretty inexpensive these days so make up the $35 - $40. you spend on a cab somewhere else.

elvira

The RER works great if your hotel/place you're staying is on the line or you can change to the metro at an 'easy' stop. Unfortunately, the metro trains that run along the right bank flow out of...shudder...Chatelet. This metro station is HUGE (picture Grand Central station times two plus Shea Stadium when/if the Mets win the Series) and, with baggage plus jet lag, an absolute nightmare (even bright-eyed and perky, I try to avoid this station). You could get off at Gare du Nord, change to a metro line then change again, but it won't be pretty. <BR> <BR>Arriving mid-afternoon, traffic will be another nightmare, which the RER avoids. My suggestion is to take the RER to either Gare du Nord and from there take a taxi (there's a taxistand right outside). You could also go as far as Chatelet - and immediately escape to the outside - and grab a taxi there (I don't know where the stands are, or if there are any nearby). You could also go as far as St Michel - someone on another post says there's a cabstand at that stop but I have never seen it (you'd have to cross back over the river). <BR> <BR>If you take a taxi or AirFrance bus or RoissyBus, you're going to have to deal with traffic tie-ups (and in the case of the two buses, still have to take a taxi to your hotel).

Kris

The Louvre is a pretty big place so it depends which side of it you are two blocks from! My hotel is also two blocks from the Louvre, however having looked at a metro map, I know that Chatalet is actually the closest stop to our hotel--which also happens to be on the RER line straight from CDG. I would check out a metro map online, maybe at www.red2000.com and see how close you are to Chatalet. Most of the metro and RER traffic in mid-afternoon will be heading the opposite direction from you, but the stations will still be very crowded, making changing trains difficult. So you will be better off either just using the RER or going direct in a taxi or shuttle. Oh, and if you are staying at the hotel Ducs de Bourgogne, let me know how it is after you return!

Margo

Jhoanna: <BR>Here is detailed information on getting from CDG to Paris city. <BR>Private shuttle buses: Airport Shuttle: http://www.airportshuttle.fr/ E-mail: [email protected] Toll-free from U.S.: (888) 426-2705 Tel: 0145385572 Fax: 0143213567. Visa, MC. Hrs.: 6am-8pm. 1st pickup for the airport is 4am and the last departure from the airport is 8pm. All the staff speak English. When you arrive at the airport, remember to call their toll-free number 0-800-505-610 before you collect your luggage. This gives their driver time to get to the pickup point before you go through customs. Cost 125F pp or 95F pp for 2 or more. Children ages 3-12 at 1/2 price. Their 8-seat buses can be reserved for a total cost of 650F. They usually make 4 stops in Paris, however, they try to arrange the stops close to each other to avoid having to take the passengers all over Paris before they get to their hotel. Any problems, contact Judy Nguyen or Mark Harris. I tried this service to and from the airport and had no problems either way. <BR> <BR>Magic Shuttle: http://www.magic.fr/pas/ E-mail: [email protected]/pas Tel: 0149627878 Fax: 0149627879. Visa, MC. They add 2% surcharge if amount is less than 500F. Rates for CDG airport costs 150F for 1 & 190F for 2. Call for rates on 3 or more people. They usually make 2 or 3 stops in Paris. Rates are cheaper for Orly airport. They offer various types of shuttle services to & from CDG and Orly airports. Any problems, contact Isabelle at Magic Shuttle. <BR> <BR>Catching a shuttle is convenient and affordable but you might get impatient if your driver has to make 3 other hotel stops before dropping you off or picking you up at yours. These stops can be anywhere within the 20 arrondissements of Paris, and depending on traffic, this could take awhile. I just relax and submit to the ride while enjoying looking out the window. It is sort of like a free tour of the city. <BR> <BR>RER: RER line B3 (Roissyrail) suburban regional express trains depart regularly from two points at the airport: Terminal (aérogare) 2 (2A-gate 5, 2B & 2D-gate 6) and the SNCF train station. If you arrive at Terminal (aérogare) 1, from arrival level gate 28, catch the free shuttle (navette) bus (10 min.) to the SNCF/RER Roissyrail station for RER line B3. Trains leave every 15 to 20 min. from 4:55am-11:55pm (Roissy to Paris) and 4:56am-12:15am (Paris to Roissy). RER line B3 takes you southward to central Paris. It stops at the Gare Nord, Chatelet-les-Halles, St. Michel and Denfert-Rochereau métro stations. You can transfer to other RER lines or a métro from these stops. Length of trip: 35-45-min. Costs about 65F pp, 1st class and 52F pp, 2nd class. This mode of transportation makes sense only if you don’t have a lot of luggage and you are traveling with two or less. <BR> <BR>Air France Buses: 24-hour information (in five languages) Tel: 0141568900. Buses to and from place Porte Maillot/Palais Congres (métro: Porte Maillot) and the Arc de Triomphe (ave. Carnot, métro: Charles de Gaulle-Etolie) depart every 20 min. from 5:40am to 11pm for terminal 1 or 12 min. for terminal 2. Length of trip: 60 min. Costs about 65F pp. Buses to and from the SNCF Gare Lyon (20bis, blvd. Diderot) and Gare Montparnasse (in front of the Hotel Méridien) depart every 30 min. from 7am to 9pm for both terminals. Length of trip: 50-70-min. Costs about 75F pp. From Roissy, the bus stops between terminals 2A & 2C and between 2B & 2D and at terminal 1 arrivals level outside exit 34. Tickets can be purchased on the bus. <BR> <BR>Roissybus: Tel: 0148041824. <BR>Hrs.: 8:30am-5:30pm. <BR>Schedule of Roissybus from CDG Airport: Departure from Terminal 2 daily: every 15 min. from 6am to 8pm and every 20 min. from 8pm to 11pm. Locations of Roissy bus at CDG airport: Terminals 2B & 2D, gate 11; Terminals 2A & 2C gate 10; Terminal 2F gate H, arrival level; Terminal T9; Terminal 1 gate 30 arrival level. <BR> <BR>Schedule of Roissybus from Paris center: Departure from Opera daily: every 15 min. from 5:45am to 8pm and every 20 min. from 8pm to 11pm. Locations of Roissy bus within Paris: RER Auber, métro Opéra Garnier; and in front of American Express office on rue Scribe (9e). <BR> <BR>Length of trip: 45-60 min. Costs about 50F pp. Buy tickets on board. From Opera, you can catch the métro or a taxi to your hotel. Note: The buses do not stop in front of all the terminals at Roissy. <BR> <BR>Taxis: Length of trip: 40-60 min. Costs about 260F in the daytime and 290F at night. Of course, this amount depends on the amount of traffic. Extra charge for luggage. All complaints should be addressed to Service des Taxis 36, rue des Morillons, 15e. Tel: 0155762000. Métro: Convention. <BR>http://www.HelloEurope.com <BR> <BR>