hello all,

Normally we take the paris shuttle when we arrive in Paris, but this time we are staying in the 9th, close to the 18th , and wonder if a taxi might not cost an arm and a leg as its closer to airport. What do you think?

Pat

Shuttles run 16 to 19 Euro per person..or about 38 Euro for 2 people. I get a taxi to the 6th for 45-50 Euro ..Not really that much difference and you are not riding all over town with other drop-offs.

yes, I think so -- I stayed in that approximate area a couple years ago and the taxi fare was only around 35 euro. My driver came down from the north, through St Denis porte, I think.

Why not take the Roissy bus for 8.50E ea
(you can pay on bus) which goes to
Rue Scribe behind Opera House in the
9th & THEN take a taxi?

A bus to rue Scribe sounds reasonable, in my experience years back most taxis in Paris used to be correct, taking the best route between the Airport and the hotel.
Lately I had a couple of so, so experiences, most of them left me if not broke with a bad feeling, a bad taste in the mouth. That is why may be it is a good idea to do what Rhea suggests, my question is , Is it easy to get a taxi in Rue Scribe?

For those of you that might think I am wrong: we flaged a taxi late at night at the Champs Elysees (Rond-Point)
and He asked us where we were going to and then he refused to take us. Which I think is ilegal.

I know this because another taxi with an old fashioned French driver, guessed what happened, drove towards us, picked us up, and asked us if the other guy had refused to take us..... He was mad as hell with the reply. Times are changing fast I am afraid.

I've had a couple recent taxis go different routes than I expected, also, and I asked them in French why they were going that way instead of the other way. It was obvious I knew my way around Paris, etc., but whatever explanation they gave, I couldn't understand or it wasn't very clear. I thought my fare was a little higher than normal, but within 5 euro, so I didn't get upset as I didn't really know if they had a real reason or not. For all I knew, there was some major construction or blocking the other route, and they knew that, etc. YOu never know.

IN any case, it is illegal to refuse a fare except in some conditions. They obviously had a reason they didn't want to take you, though, which you haven't suggested. Some taxis (everywhere) don't want to take people a very short distance, as they lose their place in the taxi queue. I don't really blame them for that, actually, when it's only a few blocks.

What has irritated me is when one French cab driver refused to take me from the train station in Avignon to my hotel which was about 2 km away (or at least a mile). I had baggage, also, more than one piece. It told me it was too close so I should walk. Well, excuse me, I don't feel like walking and am willing to pay -- what do you expect if you are waiting at the train station and people want to go to the center of town? Anyway, another guy took me, also, in that case.

As for the Opera, no, I don't think it will be easy to get a taxi right on rue Scribe. There is no taxi queue there. YOu probably can not too far away in front of the Intercontinental hotel, though, taxis seem to always be in front of nice hotels. The official taxi stand is a couple blocks away. It depends on the time of day, also, as I wouldn't want to compete with a bunch of people needing taxis from the opera house, for example.

Then, again, you will be running into the same problem of trying to get a taxi to take you a short distance, probably less than 1 km. I wouldn't do it, myself and think that is overkill just because you think you don't like the drivers at the airport.

Then there's the train for 8,10€ - and no question about getting a taxi from Gare du Nord.

Hi Cristina, the taxi that refused to take us was not in a line, he simply was in the street moving, ...we were not going to a few blocks way , but not kilometers either, but he was a sob.
Yours too apparently in Avignon.
I also speak French, and know my way in Paris fairly well and I honestly believe that lately things have changed even if they might guess that we know our way they would do their best to squeeze a little. That is why I am more reluctant to take taxis now from the airport , something I have been doing for years. Last time we took the shuttle but it was not that go either.
In summary I am looking for a better way, but I do not wish to carry my suitcase up and down.

I meant it was not that good either,


Robespierre : Your advice seems good....have you try it personally?

I always use the RER to get to my lodgings in Antony, whether I fly in or ride the Eurostar. It's fast, clean, and convenient.

I don't use the taxi part, because where I stay is right around the corner from the train station.

thank you all for your information and suggestions.

P