I am planning on taking the RER train to the metro to the hotel when arriving for the first time in Paris...Is this a good idea or should we just take a taxi? We are 2 women traveling alone.
Thanks...
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Depends on what time you arrive and how many bags you have.
During rush hours (or late at night) i%26#39;d say no if you have a lot of bags...as that line is soooo busy.
My DH home town is on that line (RER B) so I ride it when I am visiting his parents. It%26#39;s not dangerous but be aware of your surroundings.
It is a convenient line takes you to Gare du Nord and Chatlet.
Other things tourists need to know when sitting in the seats that fold up just near the doors make sure you stand up when it gets crowded near the door to make room for passengers.
Figure out what you stop (and the stop just before yours) is before getting on the train so you will be ready to get out. Some of the stops are on the opposite side of the train (I think Gare du Nord is)
Taking the metro is the most economical and the fastest for sure. Taking a cab could take forever depending on the traffic (it has taken us an hour sometimes to get into the city from my inlaws place).
There are always Shuttles too! Speak with your hotel they could always arrange something for you.
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Depending on personal prefences, priorities, special needs, amount of baggage, budget...using any of the public transportation airport transfer alternatives is a great idea. ***BUT** all options do not necessarily suit all situations and final destination addresses within Paris equally well. Some will just %26#39;..work..%26#39; better for you than others.
What is your hotel%26#39;s name or address in Paris ??
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You%26#39;ll save a lot of money taking the train, and probably a little bit of time.
But if you aren%26#39;t a veteran traveler, you might find it worth the expense to take a taxi, given that you%26#39;ll be very jet-lagged. The ease and convenience of a taxi directly to your hotel should not be underestimated.
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If this is your first trip to Paris, I%26#39;d go with a taxi. It%26#39;s just easier when you%26#39;re jet lagged and unfamilar with the city. On subsequent trips, you might opt to take the RER. It%26#39;s dead easy, but you%26#39;ll understand the layout of the city in relation to where you%26#39;re going a bit better. You can then spend your euros on more macarons :)
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We took the RER and metro on our recent arrival to Paris. It was fine for us, but not easy by any means. The ride on the RER was fine--though the walk from the ariport terminal to the RER station is fairly long. We were able to purchase our RER tickets at the airport using our US credit cards at an automated ticket kiosk. The ride on the RER was pleasant. Plenty of seats, clean, and effecient.
We did run into problems with the metro, though, and it wasn%26#39;t much fun. The ticket machines at the airport would not accept our US credit card even though it is possible to purchase metro tickets at the airport. (I can%26#39;t remember if there was a window with a person who sold them at the airport). We decided to proceed on the RER and buy metro tickets when we arrived in Paris. The metro station in Paris was HUGE. It felt like we walked or rode conveyer belts forever. The biggest problem we had was that we had difficulty purchasing tickets for the metro. The automated machines would not accept our credit card and the ticket window was closed (this was a Friday at 6pm). The only way we could purchase tickets was by cash and coins were required. There were no change machines to convert our paper bills to coins. Finally the lady at the snack shop took pity on us and gave us change so we could buy tickets. The whole fiasco set us back at least 30 minutes just trying to buy metro tickets. It was not a fun way to start out time in Paris. After our metro ride it was another long walk and more challenges trying to find our apartment, but we did (thanks to our Garmin).
A good comprimise may be RER to Paris and then a taxi to your hotel. Arriving in a new city can be disorienting both finding your way and learning how everything works. If you decide to take the RER and metro, you will be fine. Just be sure to prepare for a bit of an adventure.
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I have found that my U.S. credit cards don%26#39;t work in the automatic RER ticket purchase kiosks.
Apparently, it%26#39;s because those kiosks only process credit cards that have the electronic chip embedded in them (common in Europe, not common in U.S. credit cards)
So I feel your pain with the hassle of trying to have coins instead of paper money to use, I felt the same pain and hassle trying to make my credit card work on arrival a few years ago.
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Exactly. Sometimes our card worked and other times it didn%26#39;t. It was always a guessing game. I sort of expected that, what threw me was the lack of a manned ticket window at the metro station in Paris. I think it was just bad luck for us. The window was there with a message in French probably saying something like %26quot;on dinner break-back in 30 min.%26quot; or something. In London there was always someone there to assist you, but not in Paris. There were several times when our valid purchased tickets did not open the exit gate in the Paris metro. Really frustrating. My kids could climb over or under, but it was a little more challenging for me. But what other choice did we have--there was no one there to help.
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When I came in June with my kids, I did taxis to and from the airport/apartment. It was my only big expense, and worth it for the mental peace of mind. (Our apartment owner gave us the taxi number to reserve a few days ahead for the trip back.) With tip it was about 60 euros there and back (you are charged for passengers over three, and so much per bag.) BUT if you are two ladies, then you can split it, making it much cheaper. Consider a taxi for your first trip to Paris. (The taxi stand is very easy to find, or just inquire after you get your bags. Write down the name of your hotel and complete address and hand it to the driver.)
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Addendum: I meant 60 euros per trip, like airport to apartment, not total for both trips.
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If you are staying near any of the Air France Bus routes - they give a great service. They do a pick up at each of the terminals every half hour or so, there is a man at each stop who puts your luggage into the storage compartment underneath the bus. You can buy your ticket on the bus. When you get to your stop there is another man there to take your luggage out of the storage compartment and off you go whether it be by taxi or walking. Check out www.toandfromtheairport.com. Have a wonderful time!
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