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4. Transportation >
Transportation Updated January 21 2003
Buses ( autobus)
Bus transport around Paris is efficient though not always fast. Stops are marked by red and yellow signs, with the bus mumbers posted, and you will find bus itineraries displayed under bus shelters. You can obtain a general bus route plan from metro station ticket offices.
Most buses run from 7am to 8.30pm, some till 12.30am . Service is rueduced on Sunday and public Holidays. Special buses for nightowls , the" Noctambus", run along ten main routes serving the capital from 1.30am to 5.30am every hour, with Chatelet as the hub.
Bus journeys may take up one , two or three tickets, depending on the distance. You can but a ticket as you booard, but it is cheaper to buy a book of tickets (carnet) from any metro station. You can also buy special one-three-or five-day tourist passes or the weekly ticket an carte orange. Show these special tickets to the driver as you get on: don't put them in the punching machine.
The Metro
The Metrois the least expensive. You get ten journeys for the price of six if you invest in a carnet ( book) of tockets, also valid for the bus network an for the RER providedthat you stay within Paris an don't go to the outer suburbs. A special ticket called Paris Visite, valid for three or five days allows unlimited travel on the bus or metr, and reductions on entrance fees to various attractions.
A "Day Ticket" (formule 1) , is valid for metro RER, buses, suburban trains and airport buses.
For longer stays , the best bet is a weekly ticket ( coupon Hebdomadaire): note the validity runs from each Monday to Sundy. Be sure to ask for the carte orange to go with it - an have a passposrt photo ready to stick to the carte orange.
Whatever your ticket, remember to collect it after putting it through the machine at the metro entrance gates. ( Although most of the gates won't open until you do).
Metro services start at 5.30am adn finishes at around 1am .
Train
the SNCF (French Railways Authority) runs fast.
The high speed TGV operating on selected routes are excellent, but more expensive than the average train. Seat reservation on TGVs is compulsory, and you have to pay for it.
The Main Train stations in Paris
Gare du Nord
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for the Eurostar to London, and for Belgium and Netherlands
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Gare de l'Est
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Eastern France an Germany
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Gare Saint - Lazare
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Normandy and Clais
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Gare d'Austerlitz
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Southwestern France and Spain
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Gare Montparnasse
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Western France
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Gare de Lyon
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Provence, Switzerland and Italy)
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You must get your ticket punched before boarding , by inserting it in one of the orange machines (called a machine a composter) on the way to the platform. If it is not clipped and dated, the ticket collector is entitled to fine you on the train.
Taxis
are reasonable priced thought there will be extras for putting luggage in the boot ( trunk) and for pick up at a station or airport. Also, taxi's can refuse to carry more than three passengers.
You will find taxis cruising around, or at stands all over the city. Rates differ according to the zones covered or the time of the day. You will be charged more between 7pm and 7am, and on Sundays.
From the AirportsRoissy - Charles-de-Galle (CDG)
is about 15 miles northeast of the city and has two terminals, CDG 1 for most international flights; CDG 2 mainly for AIr France flights.
Orly (ORY)
for most domestic and may Europrean flights is about 9 miles to the south, with two buildings, Orly- Sud and Orly-Quest.
Regular buses link the two main airports with Paris and each otherm and run frequently from 6am to 11pm.
The city terminals for Charles-de-Galle airport are at Porte Maillot, near l'Etoile, and at Opera (Rue Scribe; you can also board the bus at the Arc de Triomphe ( Avenue Carnot).
Roissybus
from Opera takes about 45 miutes.
Orly is served by buses to the Invalides city terminal (40 minutes journey) and by the Orlybus ( every 15 minutes to/from Denfert/Rochereau RER station ,taking about 30 minutes).
RER Trains
run about every 15 minutes from about 5:30am to 11:30pm between CDG and Gare du Nord; the trip takes 35-40 minutes. Orly is served by Orlyval trains which connect with RER line B (opposite platform) to central Paris.
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Paris Guide4. Transportation