The Paris Metro
The Metro in Paris is color-coded and easy to follow. Most stations sport a noticeable 'M' sign. Look for stations marked with intricately designed letters forming the word "Metropolitain." These signs helped inspire the art nouveau movement around Europe and are quintessentially Par-eee.
The first trains of the morning get going around 5:30 a.m. and the last trains leave their base stations around 12:15 a.m.. Be sure to hold onto tickets, as you may need to show them to transit inspectors. (You can toss them when you pass the 'Limite de Validite des Billets' signs on the way to the exit.) Exit signs are indicated in blue with the word SORTIE. Connections are indicated with orange CORRESPONDENCE signs. Some ticket windows close at 10 p.m. For nighttime travel, buying tickets ahead of time is a wise move.
The Reseau Express Regional, or RER, is Paris' suburban train system. The RER passes right through the center of the action. It travels much faster and with fewer stops than the Metro. The RER is ideal for longer city trips (for instance, to Versailles). There are five lines (A through E) with branches indicated by numbers. RER hours are identical to those kept by the Metro.
Tickets for the RER, the Metro, and the bus are €1.40 each. A "carnet" of 10 tickets costs €10.90. A "carnet" for children between four and 10 years of age costs €5.45. The "Carte Orange Hebdomaire" costs €16 and is good for a week of travel. Prices quoted above are for travel within Zones 1 and 2. For those in Paris for a day or two, the Carte Mobilis will give you unlimited access to the two inner zones of Paris for €5.50 for one full day. Note that the Mobilis is valid for a full day, not 24 hours, so it is best to start using one at the beginning of the day.
"Paris Visite" tickets, intended for tourists, provide admission for unlimited travel on the bus, Metro, and RER. Additionally, the "Paris Visite" card provides discounts on sightseeing trips, bicycle rentals and major stores. A one day pass good for travel in zones 1 through 3 costs €8.50. A two day card costs €13.95, a three day card costs €18.60, and a five day card costs €27.20. For children, a one day card costs €4.25; a two day card costs €6.95; a three day card costs €9.30; and a five day card costs €13.60.
Buses in Paris
The bus in Paris is slower than the Metro, but it's also a great (and cheap!) way to see the city and acquaint yourself with Paris' streets and sights. The RATP provides free 'Grand Plan de Paris' maps, which indicate bus lines. These maps are available at all Metro stations.
The Paris bus system is extensive, comprised of more than 80 lines. Passes for the Metro and the RER also work for buses. Stops are easily identified by red signs and brown benches under a small shelter. Try to get a ticket before you get on the bus, as this both avoids confusion with bus drivers and the possibility that the driver will not be able to make change.
Upon entering the bus, you will see the machine meant for passes. If you have a Metro pass, insert your ticket into it, printed side up, with the arrow pointing down. The machine will stamp your ticket. Voila! You're set.
Most major lines are wheelchair accessible. At least some, though not all, buses on each line have wheelchair lifts. Buses keep the same hours and charge the same fee as the Metro (see above).
Traveling by bus during late hours, when the Noctilien buses take over the city, is a special experience. Central lines are often crammed with late-night partiers, with stragglers racing after the bus. The Noctilien service runs from 12:30 a.m. until 5:30 a.m. Noctilien's 35 routes depart from the Gare d'Est, Gare Montparnasse, Gare de Lyon, Gare Saint-Lazare, and Chatelet. Transportation passes will work on the Noctilien buses. Individual tickets cost €1.40.
RATP's tour bus, the "Balabus" is a sightseeing route around nearly every major sight in Paris. The stops, which have "Balabus" or "Bb" indicators, are the same stops as the normal bus lines. The fare varies (from one to three metro/bus tickets) according to the length of journey, and travel passes valid for the zones traveled are also accepted. The full loop takes about an hour and a half.
Paris Tramways
Also a part of the RATP, the Paris tramway currently includes three functioning lines. Line T1 connects Saint Denis to Noisy-le-Sec and runs parallel to Paris's northern city limit. Line T2 connects the western Parisian suburbs of La Défense and Issy-les-Moulineaux. The newly-opened line T3 operates in the South of Paris, connecting the Boulevard Victor RER station and Porte d’Ivry.
The Parisian tram, like many others in western Europe, is clean and efficient and offers a pleasant ride. The tram serves as an alternative to the perpetually congested peripherique highway that circles the city. Visitors wishing to travel between suburbs will find the tramway to be the cleanest and quietest way to get around in Paris.
Taxis
Taking a taxi in Paris is, frankly, a bit of an inconvenience. Unlike other major cities in Europe, Paris does not allow would-be passengers to simply hail a cab from the street if the taxi in question is anywhere near an official stand.
Lines can be really long at night. You can expect to wait up to an hour for a taxi, especially after the Metro closes on Friday and Saturday nights. Taxis often wait outside of popular nightclubs and restaurants after dark. During the day, taxi drivers wait to greet visitors outside of train stations and airports.
You can always call a taxi to pick you up, but know that the meter will start to run the moment the taxi starts heading your way.
For one to three people, the initial charge within Paris city limits is €2. Within Paris, the rate per kilometer is €.77 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. The per kilometer rate increases to €1.09 Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until 10 a.m, Sundays from 7 a.m. until midnight, and on public holidays. On Sundays between midnight and 7 a.m., the per kilometer rate increases to €1.31. A minimum journey charge is €5.20.
Extra fees are charged at train station taxi ramps. There is also an extra fee charged at the airport terminals if you are coming with extra luggage. Drivers charge extra for a fourth passenger.
Drivers expect tips. Typically, tip about €1 for a trip under €15. For longer trips, a 5% to 10% tip is appropriate.
Bikes in Paris
In the summer of 2007 Paris added a whole new element to that whole romantic image of the Parisian bike with a loaf of bread in its basket. They made it easily accessible to all. Well, maybe not the basket and the loaf of bread but the bikes anyway. Over 10,000 of them.
Mayor Bertrand Delanoë (current Cheapo hero)launched Vélib', a massive public biking initiative which allows bikers to borrow a bike from one of 750 pick-up spots around town and drop it off at any other center within 30 minutes. (If you need more time to get there, you're charged by the half hour thereafter.) Joining the program is super cheap: €1 a day, €5 a week, or €29 a year. Check out our blog for more information and links to news articles about this new program that can be described as nothing less than Fa-Bu-Lous.
One slight drawback. As of August 1, 2007, Vélib' is experiencing a slight snafu. The rental kiosks only accept credit cards with a European micro-chip. We think the program is still swell though, and it will be far sweller when they get this problem cleared up (which, rest assured, they are working on). And never fear Cheapos we will know (and thus so will you) when they do. |
