Stroller on Metro?
 

Hello to all Fodorites!

My wife and I through a series of circumstances(yes I do know how it happened, lol) are going to be traveling with a 3 month old infant in Paris. We are taking a stroller that an infant carrier snaps into. In situations where we feel like we cannot walk to a particular location should we take the metro or a taxi?

All the metro steps (and there are usually lots of them) will be difficult with the stroller, carrier, and child. I would opt for a taxi or bus if you're traveling a distance.

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

Hi,
I assume the infant carrier is a baby car-seat type thing? If so, and you want to take a taxi, make sure it can be legally used in France. I believe that means it must be rear-facing, and must carry a certification label (you should be able to check with the manufacturer whether it is certified for use in France).
Another idea might be to pack a lightwieght baby sling or fabric carrier of some sort - I find mine invaluable when travelling on public transport.

When mine were that age, we carried them in those sling-like backpack things and had no problems on the métro with a fold-up lightweight stroller. We never took taxis. We took a lot of buses, though.

If the infant seat "snaps" into the stroller doesn't it also "snap" into a base that has to be locked into the car itself? Are you planning on bringing the base with you as well?

I believe that in Paris, like most major cities, you can hold your child on your lap in a taxi or public transportation. That is a personal choice.

We took our 11 month old to Paris and tried the metro once -- and only once -- because it was a nightmare. We ended up just pushing the stroller and walking every where.

I would look into a baby bjorn or something similar.

Have fun!

We also took our 11 month old to Paris, but 11 months is a lot different than 3 months. We brought a stroller and pretty much ditched it after the first day because of the Metro (hundreds of steps!), dusty composite paths, cobblestones and skinny sidewalks. We switched to our baby backpack, but at 3 months I don't think the neck muscles are strong enough for a backpack.

I'd really recommend a front carrier and/or baby bjorn, and that way you can take the Metro any time you go some place farther than walking distance, although I encourage the long walks: it's Paris(!), and the fresh air and movement will be good for baby and naps. Have fun!

Agree with the others. Get a baby carrier and ditch the big stroller. It will be a nightmare on the Metro.
For small babies, I like the Ergo (with an infant insert) and the Moby Wrap.

I should have mentioned that we have been enduring a rugged baby Bjorn training regimin (ok we have just worn it around a little extra to get us and plastic baby used to it) to prepare for the trip and we do plan on using it as much as possible.

"plastic baby" :))

Having just returned from Paris 2 weeks ago and attempting to master the bus this time, I think the bus could be your best bet. There are places for your stroller near the doors in the middle, very easy to park and stand with baby while in the stroller. You may want to give it a try. Hope this helps.
Susan

I would definitely take a stroller so the baby can sleep in there while you are eating in a restaurant or otherwise. The baby bjorn is great (is baby not born yet, hence the practicing with a doll?) but you will want to take it off at some point. Also the stroller is nice since it has a basket that you can throw your stuff into.

If you are talking about the carseat that snaps into a frame with wheels, that should be no problem on the metro. Just unsnap it so you are carrying the carseat down the stairs for the metro and have your wife carry the lightweight frame. Trust me, that is a lot easier than carrying a stroller with a 30lb toddler in it through the metro like I have done. It is handy to have the carseat/stroller for cabs as well. For most of those, you don't need the base as you hook the lapbelt through the back of the seat. Try it at home first so you are a pro. The metro is a bit of a nuisance with a baby so if you are just thinking about a few trips I might walk or take a cab but it is certainly doable if you need to get somewhere specific on it.

Three months is a great age for baby travel. The baby will be sleeping all the time and they are very portable. Also cute enough to get lots of nice attention!

We took our two year old to Paris in October and found it extremely family friendly with good facilities (changing rooms, etc) all around.

There are lots of posts on the forum with tips about traveling with a baby. If you click on my name you'll find some or do a search for "infant" or "baby".

Congrats!

Sally, I so needed your post! The baby is born, LOL (plastic baby, since we are plastic travelers). He will be three months old when we are there, so your advice we just perfect. Thanks to everyone!

Congrats on your son then! I will top my posts. The "Rome and a Baby" one may be helpful for packing tips although our daughter was a little older at the time (9 mos) and the Paris one ("Elmo in Paris") for thoughts on Paris with a slightly older child (2). Have a great time.

I forgot you could do it this way now - here are reports:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ed-monster.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ravel-tips.cfm

LOL @ plastic baby... that threw me for a loop. I thought why not just do the egg thing??? Welcome to the 21st century parenting class???? I get it now. :)

I don’t have a kid and I haven’t travelled with one. But from a bystander POV, I saw several Parisians giving priority seating to ppl with babies/strollers near the doors. Several trains (if not most or all) have a placard noting priority seating for families or disabled or expectant mothers. In the event the train wasn't clearly marked, it is a common courtesy that is widely observed. On a side note: I never once saw a wheel chair on the metro, probably due to the lack of access in those old school stations I am sure.

I have yet to see a local not offer up their seat. The few times I saw someone not give up their seat, they were (yup you guessed it) American.

~Jay

There are thousands of strollers on the metro. Almost every station has a special gate for entering with a stroller, since obviously you could not get one through a turnstile.

Whenever any single parent is using a stroller on the metro, you will see total strangers spontaneously help to carry the stroller up or down stairs.

^Right????? And ppl (Americans) say the French are rude. They have a certain decorum that is sometimes hard to find stateside.

I don't mean to bash Americans (I am American) or make blanket statements; I just want to illustrate that the above mentioned decorum is one of the reasons of thousands why ppl fall in love with Paris in general.

It is the small things in life that really count.

OPer: you should do fine on the metro! If you can deal with the stairs, you will be just fine. The idea of learning the bus system is a good one too as mentioned above... (that is my next research project for my next trip - gotta figure it out before I go in the fall!!!)

~Jay

The thing about using buses with a stroller is that only two strollers are allowed at one time, and even so it is impossible when the bus is full (strollers get on through the middle door). So if you are taking buses, there are times when you need to let one or more buses pass, whereas it is nearly always possible to fit onto the metro (sometimes you need to determine if one end of the train is emptier than the other, which is very often the case).