Sure you can. But I would not, personally speaking, because of the obvious reasons (it's a hassle).

A lot of train-averse people take the <b>Roissybus to Op&eacute;ra</b> and then a <b>taxi to the hotel</b>.

Or do the same thing you would if your ultimate destination were someplace with no air service: train, then taxi. The RER B line goes right down through the middle of Paris, on the border between the 5th and 6th <i>arrondissements</i>. The Luxembourg station is especially easy to negotiate, since there are no interchanges with other lines there.

Check my <u>Bus Primer</u> to see how close you can get to your hotel with a city bus ride.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p?tid=34987572

I've done it but some metro stations have LOOOOOOOOOONG flight of steps that can make the trip unbearable. It's only a couple of minutes' exercise though.

Sounds like the OP's hotel is right next to the metro stop, but for anyone else reading this thread, consider how far your hotel or flat is from the metro stop. We had to walk about 6 blocks pulling our luggage, which is no big deal, except there were lots of cobblestones involved, which the wheels of the luggage didn't like.

There are a lot more bus stops than M&eacute;tro stations, which makes the distance one has to schlep luggage that much shorter. I don't believe any of them have stairs.

With a little planning, it's often possible to alight from a bus in the same block as one's hotel, which is rarely the case with the M&eacute;tro. That's why I designed my bus guide (see above) to be hotel-centric.

If you have a PDA or Smartphone, nanika.net/metro will do much of the plotting for you.

Unless you already have a feel for the bus system, I don't think the commercial bus maps are much good. They're more like references for the seasoned rider.

Having only done taxis over and over again between central Paris and CDG, last summer in a bit of &quot;cheapness&quot; we decided to take the RER to CDG. It was pretty much commuter hours. Our route was simple starting at St. Michel (actually we entered at Cluny which was easier due to escalator and almost no steps). We had a large rolling duffle, a fairly large rolling suitcase, and two carryons., one fitting on top of each of the other two upright pieces. The car was not that filled so we got a place at the narrow end of the car and our luggage was pretty much out of the way. As the train progressed it got more crowded, and then less crowded on our way to the airport. We had no problems at all. And in the end we had gotten from the 5th to CDG in far less time than we ever have in a taxi, and at a tiny fraction of the cost. Would we do it again? In a heartbeat!

It depends on your luggage, the time you'll be traveling, your stamina, you tolerance of inconvenience - and if you value saving a few dollars over dragging your luggage all over hell and gone.

It is certainly doable. It is often quite inconvenient.

I, personally am allergic to luggage on city public transit. (I have reached the stage where I am not interested in being pack mule woman to save $40.)

And - I'm a New Yorker who rides the subway (much more crowded than Paris metro) all the time. Just not with luggage.

Yeah, we took the advice of folks and in Venice took the VERY CROWDED vaporetti from the train station to a location kinda sorta near our hotel. No where to sit, so here we were, standing on a boat with a lot of luggage. (Then, of course, we had to carry it up and down the stairs of the bridges until we got to our hotel.) On the way to the airport, yes I was willing to pay $100 for a water taxi!

Several such trips teach you how many things you don't really need in your baggage, and it changes the way you travel for the rest of your life. :)

We're planning on taking the Roissy bus to Opera and then a taxi to our apartment in the Marais. But is it easy to catch a taxi at Opera?

There are always taxis waiting for the buses to arrive. You should be out of the bus and in the taxi in less than three minutes.

To train or not to train ----
Thanks to all of you for your comments and recommendations. Everything considered, I think we'll take the Roissy bus to the Opera and a taxi to our hotel, although the hotel isn't very far away -- maybe 10 blocks -- too far to roll luggage but maybe too close for a taxi? Any comments on this? I don't want a repeat of a previous experience with an irate taxi driver who didn't want a short fare.

I have never considered myself to be traveling for the convenience of taxi drivers. Tell him to drive you to your hotel or you will report him for breaking the rules (by law, taxi drivers are prohibited from refusing short rides). Mention his name and badge number from the credentials in the cab.

When pushed, I push back.

Missiepie...Yes, it's horrible if the long escalator is out of order. I've been going to Paris almost annually since the mid 70s and most of the time have taken the RER. And more than a few times, the long escalator has been out of order.

And as far as packing light...as Kurouac inferred, many times I did pack light...one medium suitcase and it was a pain to have to lug it up the very long escalator. Then came the metro stairs and at my destination more metro stairs. Maybe it's fine for guys, but it was strenuous for me.

Now, that I'm in my early 50s, I've decided to spend the extra money and take a more convenient form of transportation like many other people do. There are people from all parts of the world on not only the RER. Happy Travels!

The key to using public transportation (if you want to do so) is to choose a hotel for its proximity to a station whereby you do not have to change to additional conveyances. In Paris, we use the RER-B only and walk 400 meters (5 minutes' walk). In Venice, our hotel was 60 meters from the Ca'Rezzonica vaporetto stop. In Rome, we booked a taxi but it was 15&euro; per person, so not bad (and made up for that by using the public bus for sightseeing, since we were 2 blocks from a 'terminal' of several lines).

Robespierre, Thanks for the heads-up about the taxi drivers. I wish I had known to note his name/number and report him. He was quite vile when he realized that we wanted only to go to the Air France bus terminal, not Air France at the airport.

Do I, Thingorjus, take the RER B from CDG to St. Michel in the 5th? My hotel is near the Cluny Musee.

Thin

Absolutely perfect route for the RER, with a Cluny exit to come out.

Absolutely. When you get off the RER at St. Michel, do some searching for the signs to the Cluny metro and exit -- I didn't think it was terribly well marked. But it is infinitely better and easier than exiting from St. Michel and fighting the crowds. You will only have something like 10 steps from the Cluny station up to the street. The rest is escalator and long flat almost empty corridor.

&quot;exiting from St. Michel and fighting the crowds&quot;.....

I am no sure, but I think St. M. exist/ entrance is closed for a while .
?????