Is there an easy way to figure out the various Paris metro lines before I get there? I have a map, but I%26#39;m intimidated trying to figure out the M, the T, the RER and so forth. We arrive by overnight train from Salzburg (at Paris EST?) and have to get to our hotel near the Soronne. KDKSail doesn%26#39;t advise taking luggage on metro, but there are five of us and we won%26#39;t fit in one taxi. We%26#39;d like to have a better feel for how to get around.
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I%26#39;ll take a stab at Metro 101.....
Yes, the Salzburg train terminates at EST. The Metro line 4 will take you to Cluny/La Sorbonne and Odeon, both stops near the Sorbonne.
So here%26#39;s how it works. When you get to the Metro station below Gare de l%26#39;Est, you%26#39;ll need to make 2 decisions. First what line you want, and second which direction you want to travel on that line.
Let%26#39;s say that you%26#39;ve looked at the street map of the 5th Arr and determined that the closest Metro to your hotel is Cluny/La Sorbonne.
Next look on a Metro map and see what line that station is on.
The signage for a Metro line always offers two things, the line number and the name of the last stop in that direction of travel.
Now you need to establish which direction to choose. The 5th is south of Gare de l%26#39;Est so in the case of line 4, you%26#39;ll be presented with two signs that will lead you to two boarding platforms, LINE 4-PORTE DE CLIGNANCOURT (to the north) and LINE 4-PORTE D%26#39;ORLEANS (to the south). The latter is what you want so follow the signage to that platform.
Get ready for a 10 second window to get on the train when the doors are released. The stops along the way aren%26#39;t announced on line 4 so you%26#39;ll need to follow your progress by reading the names of the stations leading up to your stop.
KDKsail is absolutely correct about baggage on the Metro. Other riders don%26#39;t appreciate the obsticles in the aisles when they%26#39;re clammoring to get on or off in the few seconde that the doors are open. The Metro train drivers can%26#39;t/don%26#39;t hold a train for anyone so it%26#39;s tough... unless you%26#39;re arriving on a Sat/Sun morning or very early (before 8AM). The trains are relatively uncrowded then.
In either case, you need to keep in mind that YOU also only have a few seconds to get on/off with all you%26#39;re luggage so plan carefully.
My advice is take two cabs. It%26#39;s less stressful and it%26#39;ll only cost around (probably less than) 10EUR each.
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I would highly recommend that you get a good portable metro/street map before you arrive. We bought the Streetwise Paris map from Border%26#39;s Books, you can find them at the big book stores or online at amazon.com. They are small enough to be taken with you on your daily journey but not so small that you don%26#39;t get ALL the information you need. The streetwise series has ALL the streets labeled and a clear metro map all on a laminated surface that can take the abuse of being yanked in and out a hundred times a day. We used it constantly and it was 100% accurate. I am now buying this series for all the big cities we are traveling to. Sit down in the evening and look at the map to get a comfort level for where you are going the next day. Then as you travel through the metro system, you can easily pull it out and confirm if you are on the right path.
We had 5 people--two young kids (6 and 9) and we all carried own piece of luggage through the metro without any problems. As I have said before, the French carry their luggage on the metro, so it%26#39;s isn%26#39;t a big deal. The worst part is the stairs that you will encounter--a small suitcase is important--if you cannot lift it easily, you should not attempt the metro.
There are several ticket options for the metro, but if you search this site, you can find out a great deal of information about this.
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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;Is there an easy way to figure out the various Paris metro lines before I get there? I have a map, but I%26#39;m intimidated trying to figure out the M, the T, the RER and so forth.%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
The best Metro map available is the one that%26#39;s free, and usually available at every Metro ticket kiosks and occasionally aboard some buses. It%26#39; the %26#39;..#2--PARIs-Grand Plan--lignes et rues..%26#39;. Unfortunately, it%26#39;s only available in Paris.
But in the meantime, for research and planning purposes, you can use the less detailed, on-line version of the same map at the RATP%26#39;s web site--
http://www.ratp.fr %26gt;%26gt; PLAN de LIGNES %26gt;%26gt; Plan de Metro
You should also spend some time poking around within the various features if this web site for ither very useful and practical public transportation information.
First you need to understand that the Metro runs pretty much exclusively within the City of Paris (and a bit beyond in places). Think of the Metro as if it was the %26#39;..local..%26#39; with lignes and stops everywhere in the city. All Metro lignes will be Numbered--from #1-thru-#14. The RER train system is primarily a regional/surburban system connecting the greater Ild de France to the City of Paris with several stops across Paris, All RER lignes will be Letered--form %26#39;A%26#39;-to-%26#39;E%26#39;. Think of the RER system as the %26#39;..express..%26#39; The TER train system is an SNCF train system with regional and inter-city train running only to and from SNCF (French National Railways) train stations in Paris and is in no way part of the Paris RATP Metro. RER %26amp; Public Bus system/network. For the immediate purpose, you can forget about the TER train system.
ALL Metro and RER lignes will be additionally designated for their DIRECTION of travel along the ligne by the termini of the ligne. As an example the #1 Metro ligne is either the La DEFENSE or the CHATEAU de VINCENNES ligne, depending on which direction the train is traveling along the ligne.
On the map, individual Metro or RER stations are indicated by Circles and named. Stations where two or more different Metro and/or RER lignes meet are designated by Ovals to indicate CORRESPONDENCE (connections and transfers) between the lignes at that station. In addition to these designations, different Metro and RER lignes are indicated on the map by diffenent Colored lines.
To figure out how the system works in practice, take a sample trip. In you case, from the SNCF train and also Metro station at GARE d%26#39;EST to your final destination in Paris, somewhere in the vicinity of La Sorbonne. You would need to leave your arriving SNCF train platform at Gare d%26#39;Est and make your way down to the Metro portion of the station. From there you would need to take the #4 Metro ligne, in the direction of Porte d%26#39;Orleans (simply follow the Magenta line for the #4 ligne to its end) to the SAINT MICHEL station. Since there is no other connecting ligne which will get you any closer to your final destination, you would need to either Exit (SORTIE) the SAINT MICHEL station and walk the rest of the way to your destination or take the underground CORRESPONDENCE (this would be useful if the weather was bad) indicated on the Metro map, acroos to the CLUNY-La SORBONNE, come up to street level and walk the rest of the way to your final destination.
In actual practice, the Metro/RER system is pretty simple and straightforward to use. Perhaps the only two words of French you need to navigate the system successfully are %26#39;..SORTIE..%26#39;--these are passages which lead to EXITS--and %26#39;..CORRESPONDENCE..%26#39; --these are passageway which lead to trains on the smae ligne in opposite directions or to other connecting Metro orr RER lignes serving the same station. In MANY locations within every station there will be general, system-wide, color-coded, numbered/lettered maps, numerous clearly marked ligne diagrams with both ligne numbers and train direction. If you can understand simple %26#39;..symbols..%26#39; and follow a colored line with finger or eye, you can find your way..excepting SORTIE and CORRESPONDENCE, no French required--not an advanced degree in Celestial Mechanics with a minor in Rocket Science.
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What great information. Thank you all for taking the time to post such thorough notes.
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After the dozens of posts about the Metro, I haven%26#39;t seen any on what may be the most basic of questions. I don%26#39;t need a week-long card, or a two-day card, or any of those - What if I simply want to go from point A to point B one time? Is there a machine to get a card from or do you pay a person?
Forgive me for such a simple question! ;-)
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No problem. Got 1-EUR-40 (1.40 Euros)? Go to any kiosk in a Metro/RER station and buy a ticket. It%26#39;s in English and just requires a few coins. if you think you%26#39;re going to make at least 5 round-trips, buy a %26quot;Carnet%26quot; (OON CAR-NAY-SEE-VOO-PLAY) and you%26#39;ll save 4 euros.
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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;After the dozens of posts about the Metro, I haven%26#39;t seen any on what may be the most basic of questions. I don%26#39;t need a week-long card, or a two-day card, or any of those - What if I simply want to go from point A to point B one time? Is there a machine to get a card from or do you pay a person?%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
Perhaps the reason why the topic of the single ticket (une billet) does not come up very often is because most visitors will ride the Metro or bus more than once or twice during the course of a visit. But if a single trip, point-to-point, is all you need then you may purchase a full price, individual ticket at any Metro ticket kiosk or vending machine for 1,40 Euro each. You can also purchase individual tickets and Carnets of tickets at some local Tobacs (as well as postage stamps). This single ticket is good for 2 Zones of travel (this will include ALL of the City of Paris) on either Metro or public bus. Though you can transfer for free for onward travel between different Metro lignes within the same station, there are NO free transfers between Metro and public bus or betyween individual public buses. Each time you board a bus, you must use a new ticket--one ride/one ticket.
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Thank you all so much.
I love this site.
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With 4 visits to Paris in the last 5 years, I know most of the
material posted by metromole and KDKSAIL yet I have
never seen it explained so clearly and concisely.
Thank You.
ps if you want to have an enjoyable experience
on the metro, do a little research before you
get to Paris, get the paper metro map (was
printed the last time by Printemps), try to
avoid rush hour, TELL YOURSELF YOU CAN DO IT,
and look at the map on the wall of the station.
If you get on the wrong metro or get off at the
wrong station, count it up to experience or
an adventure. Get off, cross over and your
solution will come in about 5 minutes (a metro
car taking you back to where you started) and
you can give it another shot.
When you are successful, PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK !!!!
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