Transportation in Paris
 

Any suggestions on how to get from where the Eurostar drops us off to Paris hotel? Have read about rip off taxis... Help!

I have never been "ripped off" by Paris taxis. I do suggest that you google the directions from the train station to your hotel so that you have some general idea of how far and what direction you should be going in. If you demonstrate some knowledge of where you are going, I think you will be less likely to be taken for a ride, so to speak. Again, I have always had excellent experiences with Paris taxi drivers.

Same experience with French taxis--I have never been ripped off. Go to the taxi rank/queue outside the station. Often there are dispatchers at Gare du Nord but if not, the queue is orderly. Meter should read around 2.20 euros entering the taxi. Extra charges are posted in the rear passenger window in English.

If you phone for a taxi from an apartment, for example, the initial reading may be much higher based on where the taxi was located when it accepted your call.

If you are fit-ish and don't have much luggage, there are good RER and metro connections from the gare.

well - for one - since we have no idea which hotel you chose, its sorta hard to give you useful advice. (the Eurostar "drops you off" at Gare du Nord BTW)

There are lots of ways to get around Paris - on foot, by taxi, on a bus, the Metro, RER, etc etc. Where are you staying?

One way you might end up paying much more than the "norm", so to say, is if you use a transportation other than those in the taxi rank that must comply with the city (?) taxi regulations.

The way it was presented to me at Gare du Nord Eurostar was a man showing off "official" looking price list showing how much to various Paris destinations, pointed to the "long" official taxi rank-- they could not accommodate your luggage, the number of passengers, blah, blah and pointed to a row of "taxis" outside the official taxi rank. I knew it was the scam because I already knew how much it was supposed to cost to my hotel and never to take taxis not at the official taxi rank.

We have always gotten in line outside the Gare du Nord and have never been ripped off. Just wait in line and have your hotel written on a piece of paper or the web site address for the driver. This really helps if you don't speak french. We usually stay near Opera Garnier and if it's nice we take a leasurly walk to our hotel. We don't take a lot of luggage.

Have never been ripped off by a taxi in Paris - and only once in all of europe - in Prague. And he didn't succeed, just tried unsuccessfully.

I have seen an American couple who were convinced they were being cheated in Rome - when in fact they were just being charged the regular fee for so much luggage.

Do understand the rules - so you don't feel cheated when the driver is just charging you properly.

What is the address of your hotel? It might be within walking distance, train or bus distance, or taxi only.

You've been ripped off already.

Whatever lazy journalist or charltan guide writer has been churning out nonsense about ripoff Paris cabdrivers is a crook - taking money in return for inventing falsehoods.

Can you tell us the writer's name?

I'm neither a lazy journalist nor a charlatan guide writer, but I've been ripped off a few months ago, getting an official taxi from Gare du Nord. It was only by a few Euros, and perhaps I should have spoken up when I saw he was taking us an extra couple kilometers out of the way, but I just wanted the ride to be over safely for me and my daughter.

I suppose I should have said, "Hotel ... at ... which is 800m from this taxi stand", and that might have done the trick.

For those prepared to try other public transport:

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/cv/carteparis.php

Taxis are a good choice. Also public transportation very often in different buses that stop in train stations I have encounter many locals, including older women, hopping in with a suitcase. This was true in the 63
from our hotel in St Germain to the Gare de Lyon.