Taxi Help
 

Mentioned this before but still concerned about it...

We need to leave the Hotel Familia and get to Gare Lyon next Tuesday morning. I am afraid, once again, that we will not be able to get a taxi to take us that short distance. Last time we stayed at the Familia we had to get to Gare Austerlitz and wound up taking the Metro which thoroughly exhausted my wife (up & down stairs with luggage).

Would offering an amount of money upfront be the answer? Also is there a map indicating where taxi stands are located in Paris?

Why not have the hotel pre-arrange the ride? They may have a private car service contracted or they may just deal with a specific taxi company, or quite possibly they may have their own cars to transport guests around town.

At the very least the driver will know ahead of time what the deal is. S/he won't be waiting in queue for an hour just to get a short fare. They will actually work until the time to pick you up. Big difference to the drivers.

Do not walk to a taxi stand and wait for a cab. Your hotel will be able to get you a taxi to the station. Mention it to the desk clerk the night before but they will probably tell you to let them know 10 minutes before you need to leave. What was the reason the Familia couldn't get you a taxi last time.

Before I'd take the Metro with luggage I'd take the bus. Again the hotel will be able to help you with the bus route.

If the Familia is not willing to call you a cab, here are two taxi companies with people who speak English. You can book the night before.

Taxi Bleu (English)
01 49 36 10 10
G7 Taxi (English)
01 41 27 66 99

Barnum,I hope you'll post a review on the Familia. I'm booked to stay there in Oct. I can't afford our regular hotel anymore and the Familia website looked good.

As for the taxi, I've used G& with no problems in the past. Be aware though , that you will have money on the meter when the cab arrives as they set the meter from their starting point.

You don't need to offer some amount of money up front. Have the hotel arrange for Taxi Bleu, or some other company, to pick you up and take you. This is totally normal. It doesn't matter what the distance is. The taxi will arrive with something like 2-3 euro already on the meter. Not an issue.

I'll repeat - don't go to a taxi stand. We stayed in a 5th floor apt with lots of windows that looked out to he Eiffel Tower, and also a taxi stand on the street. We spent hours & hours admiring the views. We rarely saw a taxi at the taxi stand.

Stu Dudley

I don't know why you are so worried about this, it isn't just a couple blocks. What happened the last time, did you go to a taxi stand? If so, no wonder.

Lots of maps have taxi stands on them, like the Streetwise one, but I, as well as others, will tell you that is a bad idea. Why are you doing that, anyway, if you are staying in a hotel? If it is the couple euro charge, you are being pennywise and very pound foolish.

oh, if you are talking about bribing a taxi driver by the money upfront, sure, it may work if it is a big enough bribe (just call it a tip). But if it's just prepaying, that isn't the issue and won't do it, I don't think taxi drivers think most people run out without paying. If you are using a taxi stand, sometimes taxis don't come to them for a very very long time, and they may spurn you for someone else. If you are doing this to avoid the small meter charge, then your bribe/tip probably isn't going to amount to much.

Last time we were at the Familia we had to go to Gare Austerlitz, and the gentleman at the desk said that a taxi driver would not drive us there. Was too close. We wound up navigating the metro with bags, and eventually made it, but my wife was wiped out. She has trouble with stairs, and there many levels to negotiate. Might mention I am no spring chicken either.

Will let you know how this works out. Looking at metro map it would be even more difficult this time (Gare Lyon would be a couple of changes).