Paris Itinerary - transportation questions
Apr 25th, 2013, 01:07 PM
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Paris Itinerary - transportation questions
First-timers in Paris; any help with transportation questions would be much appreciated!
Day 1 (Sunday) Eurostar from London to Paris - staying at Hotel Le Relais Montmartre. Would it be best to take a taxi from Gard du Nord or take the metro from Gard du Nord to Blanche metro station (blue/#2)? Sacre Coeur/ 9pm Moulin Rouge
Day 2 (Monday) What is best way to get from Montmartre to Hotel Splendid Tour Eiffel. Again, taxi or metro? Drop luggage off at hotel (take metro from La Motte-Picquet-Grenelle to Charles de Gaulle metro). Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees to Pont Alexandre III bridge. Cross bridge to Esplanade des Invalides and back to hotel on Avenue de Tourville (5pm Tour meeting). Dinner in Rue Cler area (I read that it is "dead" on Mondays but hopefully something will be open) and then walk to Eiffel Tower/Trocadero. Take Bateux Parisienne river cruise.
Day 3 (Tuesday) Take Bus #69 by Eiffel Tower; get off at Hotel de Ville stop. Tour around Ile de la Cite and Ile St. Louis (Notre Dame, etc.). Then continue to Jardin du Luxembourg ; eat in St. Sulpice area. Take Mabillon metro back to area of our hotel.
Does anyone have any experience with Bus #69? Should we take all the way down to the cemetery? Just thought it would be nice to be above ground to see some sights.
Any comments/suggestions much appreciated! Thank you!!!
Day 1 (Sunday) Eurostar from London to Paris - staying at Hotel Le Relais Montmartre. Would it be best to take a taxi from Gard du Nord or take the metro from Gard du Nord to Blanche metro station (blue/#2)? Sacre Coeur/ 9pm Moulin Rouge
Day 2 (Monday) What is best way to get from Montmartre to Hotel Splendid Tour Eiffel. Again, taxi or metro? Drop luggage off at hotel (take metro from La Motte-Picquet-Grenelle to Charles de Gaulle metro). Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees to Pont Alexandre III bridge. Cross bridge to Esplanade des Invalides and back to hotel on Avenue de Tourville (5pm Tour meeting). Dinner in Rue Cler area (I read that it is "dead" on Mondays but hopefully something will be open) and then walk to Eiffel Tower/Trocadero. Take Bateux Parisienne river cruise.
Day 3 (Tuesday) Take Bus #69 by Eiffel Tower; get off at Hotel de Ville stop. Tour around Ile de la Cite and Ile St. Louis (Notre Dame, etc.). Then continue to Jardin du Luxembourg ; eat in St. Sulpice area. Take Mabillon metro back to area of our hotel.
Does anyone have any experience with Bus #69? Should we take all the way down to the cemetery? Just thought it would be nice to be above ground to see some sights.
Any comments/suggestions much appreciated! Thank you!!!
Apr 26th, 2013, 07:30 AM
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Justine, your repeated plugs for Taxibeat are really tiresome. And totally unnecessary. There are two well-knows, reliable taxi services in Paris - www.taxisg7.fr and www.taxisbleus.fr - that can be called, texted, or emailed for reliable pickup.
PLUS, the OP doesn't need a taxi. She needs buses or the métro. For all information about public transport in Paris, Diane, use www.ratp.fr - very wise to familiarize yourself with public transport before you head to any foreign city.
PLUS, the OP doesn't need a taxi. She needs buses or the métro. For all information about public transport in Paris, Diane, use www.ratp.fr - very wise to familiarize yourself with public transport before you head to any foreign city.
Apr 26th, 2013, 08:34 AM
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Diane - not sure if this helps - just my opinion. As I recall ,the"walk" from thetrains to the #2 line at Gare du Nord is not short.... if you have a lot of baggage, a taxi may be the easiest solution. As for buses, yes being above ground is nice, but the METRO is generally much faster.
Apr 26th, 2013, 09:25 AM
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I came into Paris on the Eurostar two years ago, having never been previously. I had every intention of taking the metro to the same stop you are asking about (Blanche), even though I figured it was a long walk, given what I had seen map-wise online. I was never able to find my way. If you speak French, it might be easier; but I do not and was totally lost. Ended up going outside and some kind soul saw me hopelessly looking at my maps and put me on the appropriate bus. I would not suggest that with luggage, however, as it was a packed bus. I would suggest a taxi.
Apr 26th, 2013, 10:38 AM
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That was my first question: how much luggage will you have? Does your luggage have wheels? I've seen people trying to carry around 26"/larger luggage with no wheels and that's not exactly the best way to travel,unless one is trying to lose weight!
I'm not too clear on exactly where you are trying to go in Paris via the metro system. If you take the metro/bus, get a "carnet" which is a package of 10 tickets. You can transfer from metro line to metro line or bus to bus - but not metro to bus or the other way around - within the metro/RER system. If you get on the metro, be sure to know what is the LAST station on the line and in the direction that you want to go. It might be a bit confusing the first time but it gets easier and by the time you leave Paris you'll be old pros.
Learn the name of the station that you want to go to or write it down, if you don't speak French.
One of the best websites for use of the Paris metro system is this one:
http://parisbytrain.com/
Another great resource for many cities in the world is google maps. Just go into the webpage for Paris. On the left you will see "Get directions" click on that. You'll see some squares: one is for a car, the next is a tram, the next is a little man walking. Click on the tram - this will give you the public transportation route(s). Put in your start point and your end point, click on "get directions". Sometimes google maps will give you two or more choices for your route. Click on each alternative to see which would work best for you.
Good luck! If you have more questions, just come and ask.
I'm not too clear on exactly where you are trying to go in Paris via the metro system. If you take the metro/bus, get a "carnet" which is a package of 10 tickets. You can transfer from metro line to metro line or bus to bus - but not metro to bus or the other way around - within the metro/RER system. If you get on the metro, be sure to know what is the LAST station on the line and in the direction that you want to go. It might be a bit confusing the first time but it gets easier and by the time you leave Paris you'll be old pros.
Learn the name of the station that you want to go to or write it down, if you don't speak French.
One of the best websites for use of the Paris metro system is this one:
http://parisbytrain.com/
Another great resource for many cities in the world is google maps. Just go into the webpage for Paris. On the left you will see "Get directions" click on that. You'll see some squares: one is for a car, the next is a tram, the next is a little man walking. Click on the tram - this will give you the public transportation route(s). Put in your start point and your end point, click on "get directions". Sometimes google maps will give you two or more choices for your route. Click on each alternative to see which would work best for you.
Good luck! If you have more questions, just come and ask.
Apr 26th, 2013, 04:41 PM
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From Nord, do yourself a favor and take a taxi. Have the address written down, pay the metered fare and €1 per bag. Friends love your hotel, by the way.
The #69 route is probably the most scenic one. You can look it up on rapt.
Our favorite restaurant near the Eiffel Tower is Suffren. Note that the twinkling lights are lit for a few minutes hourly on the hour after dark.
The #69 route is probably the most scenic one. You can look it up on rapt.
Our favorite restaurant near the Eiffel Tower is Suffren. Note that the twinkling lights are lit for a few minutes hourly on the hour after dark.
Apr 26th, 2013, 05:45 PM
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Is there a reason why, as first-time visitors to Paris, you have chosen to stay in Montmartre, which is fine, but hardly close to the center of the city? I wouldn't want to be traveling back and forth to Montmartre on a first visit to Paris, personally.
I've taken the 69 bus many times, most of the time to get from point A to point B, but it's true it goes by a lot of the major sites and just happens to give a good overview of the city from a tourist's point of view.
I've taken the 69 bus many times, most of the time to get from point A to point B, but it's true it goes by a lot of the major sites and just happens to give a good overview of the city from a tourist's point of view.
Apr 27th, 2013, 09:56 AM
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Sorry, I must not have been clear. We are only staying in Montmarte one night. Since we arrive at Gard du Nord and have tickets to the 9pm Moulin Rouge show that night, we felt it would work out well. The other two nights will be at Hotel Splendid Tour Eiffel.
http://www.hotel-splendid-paris.com/uk/index.php
We will each only have one small wheeled suitcase. A taxi from Gard du Nord to Montmatre sounds easiest. Would we then be able to purchase a carnet of tickets at the Blanche metro station when we are ready to leave Montmartre for the Eiffel Tower area? Thank you so much for everyone's help and the links. I will check them out. The restaurant tip also very helpful!
http://www.hotel-splendid-paris.com/uk/index.php
We will each only have one small wheeled suitcase. A taxi from Gard du Nord to Montmatre sounds easiest. Would we then be able to purchase a carnet of tickets at the Blanche metro station when we are ready to leave Montmartre for the Eiffel Tower area? Thank you so much for everyone's help and the links. I will check them out. The restaurant tip also very helpful!
