Getting around Paris

Paris has many railway stations. Gare du Nord is for traffic northbound, Gare de L´Est eastbound, Gare de Lyon southbound and Gare d´Austerlitz and Gare Montparnasse, south-west-bound.
 
Even if you don’t need to take a train from Gare de Lyon, dine in the world’s most beautiful station restaurant, Le Train Bleu.

The fastest, easiest and cheapest way to get around – even though often packed in rush hour. A total of 14 lines, all with their own number and colour. Buy tickets at the ticket window or from the automated ticket machine and then push it through the slot in the turnstile barrier. You are free to chop and change lines as long as you do not exit the barriers anywhere. You can also buy a "carnet" of 10 tickets. Métro trains run until 03.00 in the morning.

If you want to travel quickly and easily to and from Paris and the outer lying suburbs, for example Charles de Gaulle airport or Disneyland Paris, take the RER. This is an express train which only stops at a small number of stations in the inner city, such as Ch. de Gaulle-Etoile (Arc de Triomphe), Châtelet, Gare du Nord, Gare de Lyon and St Michel. Five lines. Travel on the same ticket you use for the metro, but watch for the different zones.

Paris has a large bus network that is a little difficult to comprehend. The easiest way is to check the route/timetable at the bus stop nearest to your hotel. Same tickets as used on the metro. Punch them in the machine in front of the driver. Word of warning! New ticket for each new journey, even if you are only going one or two stations/stops before you change.

Get you from place surprisingly quickly, even in rush hour. The easiest thing is to ask your hotel, restaurant, etc. to ring for a cab or try a taxi rank. If you remember the following, you won’t be irritated unnecessarily:

 

1. even if a car in a taxi rank is empty, the driver may refuse to drive you. Perhaps you want to go in the “wrong” direction, perhaps he (for it is usually “he”) is just about to have lunch.

 

2. When looking for a taxi on the street, don’t just check that the sign on the roof is switched on – also check that the little orange light inside is on. If it is, the car is taken.

 

3. Never try and get in the front seat. This is the place for the driver’s dog, lunchtime baguette or anything else of importance, but never passengers!

If you want to get to know Paris quickly, take a sightseeing bus. With Parisbus you can hop on and off the English-style double-decker busses at the major sights and see things at your own pace. Cityrama and Paris Vision operate fixed, guided two-hour tours.

Either take the Batobus, where you hop on and off at eight different sights, or why not try a Bateaux Mouche – see Things to see and do in Paris.