Transportation and Travel

• In Paris and Suburbs
• Travel During Weekends and Breaks
• Day Trip Ideas
• To and From Airports
• Traveling in France and Europe

 

In Paris and Suburbs

Paris is crossed by 14 Métro lines (each stop denoted M°) and five RER (express suburban) lines, all numbered and named for their final destination (terminus).  A transfer in the metro is called a correspondance, and each trip requires just one ticket, no matter how many correspondences you make within 2 hours. One ticket costs 1,70€ and a pack of 10 tickets (a "carnet") is 12,70€. You can also get a Day Pass called a "Mobilis" for zones 1 & 2. This is 6,40€.

RATP is the organization that oversees transportation in the capital – the metro, buses, trams and some trains.  Their website has a very helpful journey planner. www.ratp.fr

Le Métro (M°)

The Paris metro system provides good, basic transportation throughout the city. It is divided into six zones. Central Paris is in Zones 1 & 2, but you may have to travel to another zone for your internship.  The metro runs from 5:30 am until 12:30 am during the week (Sunday to Thursday) and runs one hour later on Friday and Saturday nights (until about 1:30 am). Once you catch on to the system, which is not difficult, you can get almost anywhere in the city quickly.

When you arrive in Paris, you can ask for a free pass called the Passe Navigo. You can charge this pass monthly (62.90 euros) or weekly (19.15 euros) for Zones 1 & 2. You will need to bring a photo ID with you to get this. For the months throughout your stay, you will need to recharge your Passe Navigo at a Passe Navigo machine or at a ticket desk in metro and RER stations (note: ticket desk not available at every station if attendant unavailable). Always hold on to your Passe Navigo while riding the métro or bus until you reach your destination as there are periodical checks and if you are caught without you will be fined.

If the company of your internship placement refunds half of your metro pass, you MUST keep the receipt in order to be refunded. Not all placements will have this opportunity.

Paris Buses

Though not as fast as the metro, buses are a great way to see the city, and can be very useful in case the metro line you want is not running due to a strike or other problem. You will have to swipe your Navigo pass once inside the bus. Always keep your Navigo pass while riding the Métro or bus until you reach your destination as there are periodical checks and if you are caught without it you will be fined.

Taxi

There are more than 470 taxi stands in Paris, marked by blue signs with the word TAXI written in white.  They are generally located on street corners, outside railway stations and official buildings, and at airports. Take the taxi at the head of the line, and be prepared to pay the driver in cash, since credit cards and checks are rarely accepted. Taxis can also be hailed in the streets. Keep in mind that if the taxi has red lights on top it is full and if it has green the taxi is empty.

You can also call for a taxi (note: if you telephone for a taxi, you will be charged for the trip to your location, so the taxi will arrive with a charge on the meter).

Taxis

Alpha Taxi 01 45 85 85 85
Taxis G7 (English speaking) 01 41 27 66 99
Taxis Bleu (English speaking) 01 49 36 10 10

From one end of Paris to the other (i.e. the Latin Quarter to the 16th) a taxi could potentially cost around 20 to 25 euros.  This depends on drivers and availability.

Paris has an excellent transportation system and thus taxis – often very expensive – should be used minimally.  However, always take a taxi late at night…do not walk home alone!  Your safety is worth spending the extra money.

Keep in mind to pay attention to confirm that the taxi has a phone number on the windscreen and a true "Taxi" sign on top of the car. 

back to top

 

Travel During Weekends and Breaks

We hope that you take advantage of your free time by travelling as much as possible. When leaving Paris, it is very important that you notify us of your rough itinerary. We don’t need to know every detail, just the basics: Where are you going? What time are you leaving/returning? And who is travelling with you? You can send us a quick email or submit it via the Student Gateway. We recommend that you always try to travel with at least one other person.

Also, be careful who you allow to join your group. Make sure that anyone who joins your group is known well by someone you know.

Research your destination and consider postponing a visit to a place if there have been problems there recently. It is better to be safe than sorry. Check with the local U.S. Embassy for updates and safety reports of the countries you would like to visit.

For more travel information, check out these websites.

www.ryanair.com
www.eurostar.com
www.lastminute.com
www.hostels.com
www.easyjet.com/FR
www.booking.com

back to top

 

Some Day Trip Ideas from Paris

Hint: don’t forget to check the Club International de Jeunes’ website for their inexpensive excursions in and around France: www.club-international.org.

Versailles – the famous castle and garden
Getting there: Take RER line C direction, Versailles-Rive-Gauche-Château and get off at the Versailles-Rive Gauche stop.
Time: About 30 minutes from central Paris on the RER
Cost: A one day pass costs 25 euros, with full access to Chateau and its magnificent gardens.
Website: www.chateauversailles.fr

Reims - The Champagne capital and a historically rich city
Getting there: Trains run regularly from Paris’ Gare de l’Est SNCF station
Time: 45 minutes by TGV train
Cost: Train tickets around 30 euros each way (buy in advance to save)
Website: www.reims-tourisme.com

Monet’s Giverny - the painter’s gardens and home
Getting there: Take the SNCF train from Paris’ Gare Saint Lazare to the stop Vernon.  Once you have arrived in Vernon, you can take a taxi (15 euros one way) or a coach bus (2 euros one way) to access Giverny.
Time: About 45 minutes to Vernon by train
Cost: An SNCF ticket to Vernon will cost about 30 euros round trip.  A student visit of Giverny costs 6.50 euros.
Website: www.fondation-monet.com

back to top

 

To and From Airports

Taxis

Call Taxi Bleu 0 891 70 10 10 or sign up online www.taxis-bleus.com to reserve the day before. The cost from Paris to the airports is approximately 50 euros plus 1 euro for each piece of luggage.

Airport Shuttle

Door-to-door service, reserve in advance.

Costs 25 euros for 1 person, 19 euros each for 2 to 4 persons

Navette from Opéra to Aéroport de Paris-Charles de Gaulle
http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/fr-FR/Passagers/Acces-Plans-Parking/Paris-CDG/Acces/Transports-En-Commun/
With a Forfait Navigo it costs 10€ and takes 60 minutes to reach the airport.

Paris Shuttle
Tel: 01 53 39 18 18
www.parishuttle.com

Airport Connection
Tel: 01 43 65 55 55
www.airport-connection.com

The Blue Vans
Tel: 01 30 11 13 00
www.paris-blue-airport-shuttle.fr

RER (Réseau Express Régional: train service connecting Paris with Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports)

For Charles de Gaulle, take the RER line B, direction Aéroport Charles de Gaulle. Note which airport terminal you want, 1 or 2. For Orly, take the RER C to the Orly stop. A ticket for either airport is approx. 10 euros.

back to top

 

Traveling in France and Europe (Tours, travel agencies, etc.)

Boat tours of the Seine

Bateaux-Mouches from the Pont de l’Alma 
www.bateaux-mouches.fr

Péniches of the Canal Saint Martin and Canal de l’Ourcq 
www.pariscanal.com

Vedettes du Pont Neuf from the Pont Neuf
www.vedettesdupontneuf.fr

Bateaux Parisiens from the Pont d’Iena
www.bateauxparisiens.com

Tour Bus Companies in Paris

Cityrama
www.pariscityrama.com
Tel: 01 44 55 61 00

Paris Open Tour
www.ratp.info/sortir/opentour.php
Tel: 01 42 66 56 56

Travel Agencies

OTU Voyages

www.otu.fr
Student travel agency: flights, hotels, trains

Air France
www.airfrance.fr
Discounts for students under 25

SNCF
www.voyages-sncf.com
Book train tickets online

Ebookers.fr
www.ebookers.fr
Europe’s largest online travel agency

Bravofly
www.bravofly.fr
A website to find cheap flights

Trains

SNCF
Travel throughout France (and locations like Brussels and Amsterdam) with the SNCF TGV trains (high-speed). Their carte 12-25 costs 50 euros (as of Spring 2012) and can give you from a 25% to 60 % discount depending on the period. In all other cases, you get a 25% discount. If you choose not to buy the card, you can still get at least a 25% “Under 26” discount on most trains (called Découverte 12-25). www.12-25-sncf.com/smiles/programme/default.aspx
You can buy train tickets, and the carte 12 – 25, in Paris’ major train stations, at SNCF boutiques in Paris or online at www.voyages-sncf.com.

Eurostar
The Eurostar is the train that connects Paris (Gare du Nord station) and London in about 2.5 hours.  The SNCF’s “carte 12-25” isn’t valid on this train, but there is an automatic “Under 26” discount and an even bigger discount if you reserve your tickets at least 6-8 weeks in advance.  Make sure you arrive well in advance (at least an hour and a half) as you might risk not being allowed to board the train. Note: the tickets are not refundable or exchangeable.  www.eurostar.com

Thalys
For journeys to Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.
www.thalys.com

Bus

Eurolines
Low cost coaches
www.eurolines.com
Tel: 08 92 89 90 91

• Next >