Paris - Whats the best mode of transportation ?
 

Hi again,<BR><BR>Whats the best way to roam around (cheaply) in Paris ? Any tourist buses or anything ? <BR><BR>We had been to Barcelona last year and they had this tourist bus where you could hop on and hop off any number of times. Does Paris have anything similar to this ?<BR><BR>Finally, whats the best way to get to Versailles (sp?) from Paris ? Any suggestions ?<BR><BR>Thanks !

Walking and the metro are the best ways to get around Paris....hands down. Their metro system is the best I've ever encountered...very easy to use...even for a first timer.<BR><BR>You can take the train very easily to Versailles.<BR><BR>Have fun!

A hired bicycle at 10 euros a day is convenient.<BR><BR>[email protected]

In addition to the above suggestions, yes, there are hop-on, hop-off buses in Paris.

Kau:<BR><BR>The best way to get around Paris is to walk - it's a relatively small city. There is a l'Open Bus which is roughly equivalent to the Big Bus in London, though I've never taken it - it allows you to get on and off at various stops and I believe provides commentary.<BR><BR>The bus and m&eacute;tro system in Paris is wonderful. Just get yourself a carnet of tickets and familiarize yourself with the routes by checking out the www.ratp.fr system before leaving, and you should be able to get anywhere.<BR><BR>You can check out the RER train connections to Versailles on the rATP website. It's very easy - takes about half an hour to get there, a bit more, depending on where you're originating from within Paris.

Thanks all. Does anyone know the website for the trains that I can get more info from ? Especially the train to Versailles ?<BR><BR>Thanks !

YOu don't need to get much information on the train to Versailles as it leaves constantly, at least once every half hour, if not more, so you don't need to plan for it. The best way is the RER suburban light rail train to Versailles Rive Gauche station. Just get on line C5 at the Invalides RER station. You can buy a ticket at the ticket window at that station, if you don't have a transportation pass that covers zone 4. It doesn't cost very much, maybe about 5 euro or so, as I recall.<BR><BR>The hop-on-off bus has a web site www.paris-opentour.com

Kau,<BR><BR>Web site for public transportation within and around Paris: http://www.ratp.fr/ParisVisite/Eng/index.htm<BR><BR>To get to the Versailles palace, enter Chateau de Versailles as the destination in the route finder. You will arrive at Versailles Rive Gauche station, from which the chateau is about 10 min walk.<BR><BR>Enjoy!<BR>Andre

Ben Haines must be a brave man; I would be very nervous about riding a bicycle in Paris traffic.

I sit upright, give huge hand signals, and at night have lights everywhere, including my helmet. in short, what keeps me alive in London kept me alive in Paris.<BR><BR>Ben haines<BR>

Kau, Christina is correct about wanting line C5 on the RER to get to Versailles, but depending on where you're staying, Invalides may not be the most convenient station to take it from. If you're staying in the 4th, 5th or 6th arr., the St. Michel station would be much closer to your hotel. It costs 4.90 euros each, round trip, from St. Michel. Also, if you don't have a Museum Pass (which covers admittance to Versailles), then you can purchase a combination ticket at the metro station for the train ride plus admission which saves you some money on the admission to the palace. I'm not sure how much this was, as we had the Museum Pass and therefore only wanted the train portion. Hope this helps.<BR>

I would suggest the the hop on, hop off bus as your first mode of travel simply because it familiarizes you with the city. It helps you get a sense of where the sites are that you want to visit and if they're within walking distance of each other, or a little more more spread out than you had anticipated. My suggestion would be to do that for the first day and then hop on the metro. The metro is very easy to use.