Transport within Paris
 

Bonjour All,

I am new to Paris, do not have a very good direction size and will most appreciate intimate advice with specific directions/instructions on how to get around Paris & Val D'Europe/Disneyland, the cost and which tickets I should buy. We are 3 adults and 1 toddler (2yo)

1. CDG Terminal 1 to Val D'Europe
2. Val D'Europe to Chatelet- Les Halles
3. Louvre-Rivoli to CDG Terminal 3
4. Day Trip from Louvre-Rivoli to Versailles
5. Day Trip from Louvre-Rivoli to Provins

Is Notre Dame, Conciergerie, St Chapelle within walking distance of Louvre-Rivoli?

For Transport 1: private taxi seems to be the most convenient solution
- VEA shuttle cost E20pp = 60 Euro
- RER A then RER B cost E15.80pp = 47.4 Euro (change train at Chatelet Les Halles)
- TGV train cost E18pp = 54 Euro (change to Terminal 2/wait for train/Change to shuttle bus at Disney to Val D'Europe)
- Taxi private shuttle = 70/65 Euro for 4 of us including car seat
Please advise if www.ezyshuttle.com or http://www.isprestige.com/rates.php is better. I think ezyshuttle has better reviews in tripadviser.

For Transport 2:
I will take the RER E6.70 to Chatelet Les Halles though I think our private apartment is nearer to Louvre Rivoli. Can anyone advise if it is easy to reach rue du roule from Les Halles RER? I do not know how to change from a RER train to a metro train. I think a Mobilis E16.10 (Zone 1-5) will not be necessary?

For Transport 3:
I think I will take a taxi or private shuttle. Usually a private shuttle will be cheaper?

For Transport 4:
Louvre Rivoli to VERSAILLES RIVE GAUCHE E3.45. I am not sure if I should buy a Mobilis at E11.20 (Zone 1 to 4)

For Transport 5:
http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/ShowTo...de_France.html
http://www.beyond-paris.com/provins.html
Time to get there: 1 hour 30 minutes
Transport Method: Translien Train from Gare d'Est
Approximate Price: Train price is around 11.05 Euro or a mobilis 18.50 Euro (Zone 1-6) will be better?

Many thanks!

A private shuttle is a terrible idea in Paris, often unreliable and more expensive than the wonderful, highly regulated taxi system.

For public transport, learn your way around: www.ratp.fr and www.parisbytrain.com

StCirq, that is not what I research in Tripadviser. If I take a taxi, it will come up around 90+Euros to Val D'Europe.

I used http://www.transilien.com/?siteLanguage=en instead.

<< If I take a taxi, it will come up around 90+Euros to Val D'Europe. >>

Val d'Europe is not in Paris. You're referencing something quite different. You asked about going from Paris to CDG and wanted to know if you should use a taxi or shuttle. Now you're introducing something new. Do you want to change #3, above and no longer need to know about going to CDG from Paris?

Private shuttles are not cheaper than taxis from central Paris to CDG. Shared shuttles, RER, or the Air France bus are cheaper.

Correction: With 3 adults and a child it's not cheaper to take a shared shuttle or the AF bus and I would not take the RER with luggage and a child.

<i>Is Notre Dame, Conciergerie, St Chapelle within walking distance of Louvre-Rivoli? </i>

Yes

Private shuttles are not cheaper between Paris and anywhere else but as adrienne points out, Val d´Europe is not Paris. From Paris to CDG, have your hotel call a taxi for you. Avoid the use of shuttles in Paris.

I am staying 3 nights in Val D'Europe and 7 nights in paris.

So I will be travelling from 1. CDG to Val D'Europe, 2. Val D'Europe to Paris and 3. Paris to CDG.

I am not sure if a private shuttle from central Paris to CDG will be more expensive than a taxi or not. I'm staying near Louvre Rivoli - how much will it cost to go to CDG from this area?

However, a taxi from CDG to Val D'Europe seemed to cost more from trip reports made in Tripadviser.

<< I am not sure if a private shuttle from central Paris to CDG will be more expensive than a taxi or not. >>

Three people have told you to take a taxi and yet you're asking the question again within this thread. I don't understand.

StCirq has been to Paris about 100 times during her adult life.

Sarastro divides her/his time between the US and Paris.

You misunderstand me.

I said that people has commented in trip reports that a taxi from CDG to Val D'Europe has cost them more than a private shuttle and our hotel's website has also shown that the usual cab fare is in the range of E80-E100, whereas the private shuttle I have gotten cost only E70 but I am not sure if that is the case for a taxi within Paris or from CDG to Paris. I am not asking the same question again.

ANd you are not reading or understanding what people are saying.
Sarastro says From Paris to CDG, have your hotel call a taxi for you. Avoid the use of shuttles in Paris.

Paris to CDG will be about 50E.

but that is the same cost as my shuttle from Paris to CDG as well i.e. 50E.

Do chill.

I think ezyshuttle.com is not a shared shuttle. It is a private car shuttle and the good thing is that it provides a baby car seat. Usually taxis in singapore does not provide such baby car seats so I am not sure if that is the same case in Paris as well.

Pardon my ignorance if that is not the case here. From what I see, the prices are similar.

WHERE did you ever say that--you just keep talking about "private shuttle". AND yes, you ARE asking the same question again and again and again.

I do notice that you were not willing to give the shuttle information in the beginning.

Gretchen, I just wanted to make myself clear. If that offends you, I do apologize. But I really don't see why you get so offended. Chill.

And I did put up the two links to the private car shuttle companies.

1) Normally I would never recommend a shuttle but I know from reading Trip Advisor that many of the regular visitors to Disney use Ezyshuttle from CDG to Disney and they are generally pleased with the service.

2) If you can manage your luggage then taking RER A from Disney to Châtelet-les-Halles is cheap, quick and efficient. Buy individual tickets. When you get off the RER A take the escalator to the main concourse area and look for signs for Place Carrée/Forum-des-Halles and Porte Pont-Neuf. You want to exit through the Porte Pont-Neuf, which is only a block from rue du Roule. There are escalators the whole way from the train right up to the street. Here is a tip to make getting off the RER and out of the station easy. When you get on the RER A at Disney get in the very first car on the train. When you arrive in Châtelet-les-Halles take the escalator that is nearest to the first train car and when you get to the top of the escalator the exit turnstiles/barriers are to your right. Go through them and up the short escalator and walk straight ahead and you'll be in the Place Carrée. To your left you'll see the escalators leading up to Porte Pont-Neuf.

3) Take a taxi.

4) If you don't have Navigo passes or Paris Visite passes just buy individual RER tickets to get to Versailles and back.

5) I didn't look at the link but it must be outdated as there is no longer any zone 6, only zone 5. Use one day Mobilis passes for this journey for zones 1-5 which cost 16.10€. Use www.transilien.com to check train schedules. When you arrive in Provins there is a bus to bring you to the upper town, or you can walk the 1.5km to reach the upper town. The Provins tourist office website is loaded with info about sites, attractions, events and festivals.

http://www.provins.net/english-version.html

Click on the "How To Come" tab and scroll to the bottom of the page and you can click on the link to the pdf doc that shows the bus schedules from the train station to the tourist office in upper town:

http://www.provins.net/how-to-come.html

Stop in the tourist office and get your map that shows the tourist trail through town and other info. There may also be taxis outside the train station if you want to use those to get to the upper town.

For your stay in Paris perhaps you want to look into Navigo passes foe zones 1-2, depending on how much you plan on using public transport and what dates you arrive and depart. You can "top those up" to get to Versailles

Darn. Hit the submit button by accident. As I was saying:

You can "top those up" to get to Versailles and Provins by doing a Complément de Parcours. Look at the vianavigo.com website for more info about that and check "Navigo Semaine":

http://vianavigo.com/en/tickets-and-fares/

If you get a decent rate on a shuttle to the airport, it could be the same or a bit less than a taxi, and you don't have to worry about traffic. If it were 60 euro or less, that would be a good shuttle fare, I think many charge around 70 euro now (this is in Paris).

Thanks FrenchMystiqueTours for your kind help!

That information was so useful, especially part 2 & 5. I will check out the vianavigo.com website.

Thanks so much again.

You're welcome Louise and I hope you enjoy your trip.

Hi FrenchMystiqueTours,

Can I check with you how best to avoid the crowds on a sat or sun? I will be arriving in Paris on Friday afternoon.

I am intending to go to Provins on a sunday. What itinery should I fill on the saturday?

Regarding Louvre, I cannot make up my mind to go either on the same Friday evening (after 6pm - but I am not sure if 3+hrs is sufficient time), or early morning Sat or next Wed. If we go out of the Louvre for lunch or dinner, can we come back again with the same ticket after evening?

Thanks.

I have just checked out the vianavigo.com website - can't see they have one for zone 1-6 and the rates for it though I am sure they have one.

But i note that the weekly pass is from Monday to Sunday? I am arriving in Paris Friday & will be leaving the following Friday - can still use this weekly pass?

For Saturday I'm afraid I'm not much help with itineraries as my advice is to see do whatever ever interests you. If you spend some time learning how to get around Paris by public transport and have some ideas of the sites you want to see then pick one to start and then move on to others until you don't have time to see anymore. Don't rush to see everything but take your time enjoying what you do see.

I can't answer your Louvre question as I really don't know when to best avoid crowds there. I usually enter through the Carrousel du Louvre, buy a ticket from a machine and go right in. There are always huge crowds around Mona Lisa, Winged Victory and a few other well known exhibits but I find crowds manageable otherwise. Lots of people but enough room to move. Crowds then as you move up to higher stories.

As far as avoiding crowds on Sunday I don't know that that is a problem. There may be a lot of peope there, or there may not, but crowds are nhuge there nor are they anything to be concerned with. If you are planning going to one of the shows (falconry, horse shows etc.) then you might want to buy a

Darn! Hit the reply button AGAIN! As I was saying:

If you are planning going to one of the shows in Provins (falconry, horse shows etc.) then you might want to buy a ticket ahead of time as I believe audience size might be limited but I don't know for sure.

As I said earlier, there is no longer a zone 6, there are only zones 1-5. Look at the RATP interactive map and you'll see that.

In regards to a weekly pass, as it states it can only be used from Monday to Friday so if you arrive on a Friday you shouldn't buy it until Monday and then you'd have use of it until the Friday you leave. But you'll have to decide how much you'll be using public transport and do the math and see if it is more cost efficient than just buying carnets of 10 tickets (which cost 13.70€). In case you weren't aware, a carnet is just 10 individual tickets that you purchase at a discount vs. just buying single tickets, which cost 1.70€ each.

To learn how to get around Paris by métro/bus/RER use www.ratp.fr. Here is a link to a route planner:

http://www.ratp.fr/itineraires/en/ra...herche-avancee

Here is an interactive map of the system:

Here are some other Paris tips:

Buy a good detailed map of Paris of around the scale 1:12,000 and it will show all streets and street names, museums, monuments, gardens, parks, sites, attractions and the location of all RER and métro stops. A handy booklet to buy is called ''Plan de Paris par Arrondissement, L'Indispensable''. It is available in the Relay bookstores you'll find in the main line train stations and RER stations. It can be bought in many other places as well, such as bookstores, magazine/news stands, many touristy souvenir stores, larger supermarkets, tabac stores etc.

I also like to have a full size fold out map as well since the booklet I mentioned only shows one arrondissement per 2 pages, so you can't see the whole city at a glance and can't see where one neighborhood is in relation to another.

In any métro or RER station with an information booth you can get free maps of the Paris transport system and use those in conjunction with your street maps to figure out how to get around and determine where you are.

You can figure out walking times and distances between sites by using a mapping website like www.mappy.com or a similar website.

You can look at the Paris tourist office website for info about what to see and do in Paris as well as learn about the various passes for visits and public transport: http://en.parisinfo.com/


http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/carteidf.php?lang=uk

These are great information FrenchMystiqueTours.

Thank you so much!

Forgot to thank Christina as well. Thank you. And the others too.

I think I have finally resolved the major routes. Now just need to sort out the schedule of where to go.

Offended? Chill? Yes.