Hannahmegan

Hi,

Could someone please give me some advice about how to catch the Paris Metro to different monuments?

Ideally, we will be staying in an apartment close to the Eiffel tower. Which line would we catch to get to Notre Dame one day, Monmatre the other? How much would it cost also, and how do you pay/buy a ticket?

Your help would be MUCH appreciated

pariswat

Hi
Have a look at ratp.fr

Or just ask anybody and take one of these maps at your hotels you ll see metro lines and rer lines

Inside Paris the cost of a ticket is about 1 euro when you buy a bundle of 10.

clarkgriswold

Just use google maps. Put in the name of the monument, it will find it on the map. Then click "directions" and put in the name of your hotel, or the name of the metro near your hotel, or "Eiffel Tower". Then at the top click the 3rd option (travel by metro) and the instructions will come up.

When you enter the metro , your ticket is good until you exit to the street. So if you have to switch trains along the way, as long as you don't exit the station you just use the same ticket for the 2nd train.

Parisbytrain.com has a good overview of the metro system.

PatrickLondon

I also like this as a beginner's guide:
http://goparis.about.com/od/transpor..._and_Buses.htm

There are a number of Youtube videos that would show what it feels like.

And you can play around with the interactive public transport map at:
http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/

When in the metro system remember (a) the number and signposting colour of the line you want (b) the endpoint for the direction you want to go. At the entrance to each platform is a listing of the stations served by trains going in that direction.

So for your examples, to get to Notre Dame (depending on which station you are near) take the RER C and get off at St Michel Notre Dame (using the metro for that route involves changes, which almost always involve lots of stairs and corridors). To get to Montmartre, it would be line 6 to Charles de Gaulle Etoile, change to line 2 for Nation, change at Pigalle to 12 Aubervilliers Front Populaire and get out at Abbesses.

Staying near the Eiffel Tower isn't the most central option or the one with the most simple public transport options for other parts of Paris.

f1racegirl

An above ground option to get from "close to the Eiffel Tower" to Notre Dame would be to take bus 69 to the Hotel de Ville stop.

If you have a smart phone or tablet I would suggest installing the RATP app. I use it all of the time.

kerouac

One useful thing to know is that there is not a single monument in Paris that is not close to a metro station, so all you really need is a metro map and you're good to go.

Unfortunately, the Eiffel Tower area can be considered one of the least practical for getting around, depending on your exact location. If you are close to metro lines 6, 8 or 10, you'll be fine.

Travel_Nerd

Most guidebooks and monument websites will also list the closest metro stops as well to the applicable monument. Paris is probably one of the best city I've seen for this description as how extensive the metro system is.

Regardless, it is rare to be in Paris and really not be close to several metro lines by just a few blocks from your hotel or applicable monument.

topeater

We found the Paris metro very easy to use, at least easy in the sense of everything is fairly well marked. You just need to keep in mind the end point of where you want to go and catch that subway. It's much easier to identify for tourists than the NYC subway marked uptown or downtown!

One of the things we were surprised about was how quickly the doors closed. We were used to NYC where there is an announcement, "step away from the closing doors". In Paris, I think there was a little bell and the doors snapped shut! Plus, I found out the hard way, that unlike NYC, it you put your hand or arm to stop the door shutting (in order to make an entrance for your spouse that is moving to slow) in Paris, it shuts anyway, capturing your arm and leaving your spouse on the outside anyway! I witnessed a family getting on the subway with their young daughter about the same time as the bell. The people on the subway pulled the daughter in to save her from getting hit by the doors. The parents were left on the outside.

Of course, we were using the subway during the Christmas season, so perhaps this isn't always true, but we found most people did not step back from the opening as they wanted to get off ASAP. At times, especially on very crowded cars, we found we almost had to push our way in to get to the back of the car which at times, had very few people. Can someone that lives there explain this? Or was it just the season? Our other trips have been during glorious weather, so we haven't taken the subway.

Also, a word of caution, if you use a map on your cell phone, be sure and put it back in wherever you are carrying it and zip up. We caught someone trying to take the phone out of my husband's coat pocket.

I'm not complaining about the system at all, just trying to explain some things you may find different if you are used to using subways in the US.

FrenchMystiqueTours

To learn how to get around Paris (and the Île-de-France region) by métro/bus/RER use www.ratp.fr. Here is a link to a route planner:

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

Here is an interactive map of the system:

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

Since parts of this website are only in French you can also use www.transilien.com or www.vianavigo.com. Via Navigo probably has the most complete English website. Keep in mind that all these sites are time and date sensitive and they will use Paris time, not your local time.

Another thing to keep in mind is that they all default to the next available departure. So you may get one route that looks very complicated (multiple métro/bus connections) but scroll forward through the next few departures and you'll often find the simplest connections for your journey.

To learn about the various types of tickets, transport passes and fares look here:

http://vianavigo.com/en/tickets-and-fares/

A good website to learn how to use public transport in Paris is www.parisbytrain.com. It will likely answer any of your questions about what is the métro, what is the RER, what kinds of tickets you need, how to buy tickets, what kinds of passes are available etc.

Buy a good detailed map of Paris of around the scale 1:12,000 and it will show all streets and street names, museums, monuments, gardens, parks, sites, attractions and the location of all RER and métro stops. A handy booklet to buy is called ''Plan de Paris par Arrondissement, L'Indispensable''. It is available in the Relay bookstores you'll find in the main line train stations and RER stations. It can be bought in many other places as well, such as bookstores, magazine/news stands, many touristy souvenir stores, larger supermarkets, tabac stores etc.

In any métro or RER station with an information booth you can get free maps of the Paris transport system and use those in conjunction with your street maps to figure out how to get around and determine where you are.

You can figure out walking times and distances between sites by using a mapping website like www.mappy.com or a similar website.

You can look at the Paris tourist office website for info about what to see and do in Paris as well as learn about the various passes for visits and public transport: http://en.parisinfo.com/

kerouac

You can also find a lot of videos on YouTube about the Paris metro so you can see exactly how it works.

PalenQ

Paris is very walkable too - many main sights are within a short walk of each other and IME what you see on the walk between them is often as neat as the site itself - the Eiffel Tower area if you are a walker is not a bad poke from the Champs-Elysees and Place de la Concorde area with Louvre, Orsay Museum, etc all nearby.

I rarely take the metro in Paris and buses are also a good alternative - at least you can see something besides metro cars and walls and stations.

annhig

if it hasn't been mentioned before upthread, another very good option between the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame is the batobus which takes you along the Seine a bit like a bus, as the name suggests:

http://www.batobus.com/en.html

a one day pass lasts all day.

PalenQ

One tip for metro - keep your ticket until you are completely out of the system as you may need to put it into turnstiles to get out the exit door and be careful in busy stations when going thru turnstiles as pickpockets thrive such crowded places - carry nothing of value in your back pockets or day pack.

ssander

I concur...the RATP phone app is very good.

Suggestion: Make a list of the sights you want to see and the Metro stops (always given in any guidebook or on their websites). Carry it with you. Once inside the system, there are maps on the wall, so you can easily find your way.

[Actually I always carry a list on my phone that also includes location, telephone, and opening hours of sights...helpful for making last-minute or on-the-go adjustments to my sightseeing plan.]

On short distances -- ones that would be only one or two Metro stops -- it can be faster to take the bus, especially on weekdays -- and a much more interesting ride. Of course, this depends on the proximity of the nearest Metro station vs. bus stop.

The RATP site has a great bus map with streets as well as individual lines maps and schedules.

http://www.ratp.fr/informer/pdf/plans-bus/plans_bus.php

Click on <strong>Grand plan des Bus avec rues</strong> for the map with streets.

Enter the bus number in the field box <strong>Afficher un plan de ligne de bus</strong> to download/display a PDF of the line map.

ssander

fuzzbucket

I sincerely hope someone will be available to give you detailed instructions in English when you try to use the washing machine in your apartment...

StCirq

Yes, if you think the ratp is complicated, just wait until you try the appliances in your appartment.
Bon courage!

PalenQ

Or douches!

giro

As a follow up to keeping your ticket until you exit; the metro police may be set up to check your ticket and you will be fined if you don't have it.
A 10 ticket carnet is most economical.
From Eiffel Tower area to monmarte the best way to travel is from the trocadeo which is also imo the best viewing point for the tower.