hi everyone,

we are arriving in paris (orly) on a thursday at about 3:30 in the afternoon.

am i right to assume that rush hour will be heading out of the city as opposed to into the city?

i'd really like to just take a cab.

but if there are cheaper options (we're paying for 4 people) and if it's heavy traffic time, i need some recommendations.

paris shuttle offers a private car at 65 euro for 3 people (I think it will be more for 4!)

thanks to all you paris experts!

The Orlybus takes you to Denfert-Rochereau for 6,30€, where you can get a taxi, Métro, bus...or walk to your hotel. Where are you staying?

Here's a map of Paris showing the train network (1.5mb PDF): http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...eur&fm=pdf Denfert-Rochereau is in grid square D5.

we have an apt in the marais very close to the pompidou center.

not sure where Denfert-Rochereau is, but can look on the map, but do you know how much transport from there to our apt might be?

thanks, robespierre!

Do you have walkable rollaway luggage? You can take the free shuttle to the RER C station Pont de Rungis and take the line C to Notre Dame, then walk depending on your exact address.

Or take the bus for about 6 bucks to Villejuif-Aragon, the terminus of Métro line 7 which deposits you at Châtelet-les Halles, a bit closer to where you probably stay. That bus waits in its own bay outside the terminal.

Or you can just splurge on a taxi - a mini-van (hockey-mom type), for the four of you that won't break the bank - maybe 50 or 60 Euros, something like that?

Learn your way around www.ratp.fr - take a moment and you will be rewarded, not just for this airport journey. It even brings up customized walking directions if you learn to ask nicely, it's a great resource

And google maps, of course.

Take a cab.

It has been a coupe of years since I flew into Orly, but a taxi cost us just over €25 to our apartment in the 5th. Orly is a lot closer to the center of Paris than CDG, and if you are going against traffic it is a quick trip. If there are four of you, it could cost less than the bus/metro.

I agree with that, why go through so much rigamarole even if you could save a few euro on public transportation. And it will not be much, if any. I'd just take a taxi, Orly isn't that far.

If OP's party plan to acquire any kind of transit pass, the savings could be substantial. And if the pass is for Zones 1-3, the difference is between 25€ (minimum) and 0€.

A single train ticket to the Métro nearest their hotel is 2,20€

thanks everyone for all the details.

actually, this is a short stopover for us in paris, and we won't be doing any day trips out of paris, so i don't think we'll be buying any transit passes.

what i really wanted to do is the easy thing -- take a cab. so i'm glad a couple of people validated that that would be a good idea.

thanks again