OK, I have a question....is the RER the same as the Metro? Is the Metro safe for us to take from CDG into Paris with all of our luggage/belongings?
We will be staying in the Latin Quarter, so it should take a total of about 1.5-2hours to arrive at our destination going by this method: Arrive CDG-ride Metro/RER- transfer onto a Taxi/Bus to our location.
I think that option may be the least expensive, but is it safe? Any other options that will not cost too much?
Thanks for your help.
|||
To simplify, for most visitors the RER and Métro are equal. A ticket for the Métro will generally work (exception la Défense) for corresponding distances covered by the RER, however the RER will include destinations farther away from the city.
From CDG one takes the RER into Paris and subsequently connects thorough other RER/Métro lines to reach his final destination. For someone%26#39;s first visit into Paris, I recommend taking a taxi. If cost is an over riding concern by all means use the RER but use the same vigilance you would on any public transportation network with luggage.
Here is a list of all of the CDG to Paris options:
__________
1. Taxi - Depending upon number in your party, it may be the cheapest option. (information provided is for the outbound leg)
a. http://www.taxisg7.com/
b. Call yourself the day before pickup, hotels will call for you but you may pay extra for this service.
c. English speaking operator 01 41 27 66 99
d. Cost estimate: 50€+
e. Travel time about 1 hour
__________
2. Train – RER B
a. Adults 8.50€
b. Children 5.90€
c. Frequency – every 10-15 minutes
d. About 28 minutes travel time to Châtelet
e. http://www.ratp.info/
__________
3. Bus
a. Roissybus – CDG to Opéra
i. 9.10€
ii. 45 to 60 minute travel time
iii. Frequency – every 15 minutes from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and every 20 minutes from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
iv. http://www.ratp.info/
b. Air France Bus – CDG:
i. Line 2, Port Maillot – Arc de Triomphe
1. Fares – 15/24€ one way/return
2. 15% discount on one way for groups of 4 or more
3. Operates every 30 minutes from 5:45 a.m. to 11 p.m.
ii. Line 4, Gare de Lyon – Montparnasse
1. Fare 16.50/27€ one way/return
2. 15% discount on one way for groups of 4 or more
3. Operates every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
iii. http://www.cars-airfrance.com/
__________
4. Shuttles
a. http://www.paris-blue-airport-shuttle.fr/
b. http://www.shuttle-inter.com/
c. http://www.beeshuttle.com/
__________
|||
It might be good to specify your hotel address as %26quot;Latin Qtr%26quot; can be a rather vague label.
The RER into Paris is perfectly safe, as long as you are mindful of your belongings (biggest risk is pickpocketing)... Buy tickets only at official machine or window, not from strangers. You can get off at several stops within Paris - Notre Dame is usually the one for Latin Qtr, but the next one, Luxembourg, is sometimes closer - just depends on your address. Odds are you may be able to walk from the RER stop to your hotel, but do print a detailed street map off Google or some such tool.
The RER is a regional express train and is not the same thing as the Paris Metro (Metropolitain) subway system. Tickets within the limits of Paris are interchangeable for metro, bus or RER, and for tram system which is only on the outskirts of the city.
You should study a bit on at least two sites:
http://parisbytrain.com/
http://www.ratp.fr/
|||
RER and Metro are basically the same - RER run longer routes that go out of Paris - same tickets for both.
They are very safe and well sign posted.
One way from CDG into Paris is 8.60 eruos. RER B is the line that comes from CDG once you get into central Paris you can transfer as needed (no extra charge just keep your ticket).
I find the Metro the quickest and least expensive way to get into the city - but I travel light.
You will have to carry your bags yourself for some long distances and up and down stairs. I find it good exercise after a long flight!
If you have more luggage than you can easily manage or there are more than two of you then a taxi is likely a better option. I think they run around 50 euros (varies on number of persons etc).
Search on the forum and you will find other info about shuttles/taxis
|||
While not necessarily the same thing, they do have things in common.
The RER is the train that connects the outlying areas of Paris with the city. The Metro is the public transportation within the city. They do use the same ticketing system
The RER is very safe to take into Paris and will be the cheapest way to travel. Depending on the number of people in your party, a taxi will be more direct and may cost the same, less or just a tad more.
|||
The RER is basically a commuter train that makes some stops in the city, runs to suburbs and outlying towns, is a little faster and runs on a schedule, albeit with only a few minutes between trains. The metro is basically a subway system that is primarily but not totally in the city, and stop every few blocks or so in the city. At some stops, like Gare du Nord, Chatelet, St. Michel, and many others, you can transfer between the two.
I took the RER to CDG last month. You do need to be alert for pickpockets and keep your street-smarts about you but I, a middle-aged single woman, was perfectly fine on it. If you have lots of luggage it isn%26#39;t practical, and if you%26#39;re nervous about it being your first time in Paris, then take a taxi in and decide then if you want to take the RER back. The metro, or subway, doesn%26#39;t run to CDG, only the RER does. You will need a separate ticket for the CDG-Paris run.
For most of what you do as a tourist, the same ticket will be good for the RER and the Metro. If you buy a carnet, be aware that you need to keep the ticket if riding the RER in order to exit the station. On the Metro, you can exit without the ticket, although it is a good idea to keep it in case the transit police are checking for turnstyle jumpers.
Your hotel website probably has directions for taking the RER from CDG to their location. If it involves a transfer to a metro line, I would suggest you just take a cab in, as I stated above. Time enough to get used to riding the system without dealing with jet lag as well.
|||
Public transportation is not idiot proof. Neither is a taxi.
More than 99% of users consider the metro and RER to be safe, even when they are carrying baggage.
|||
One of the most important differences between the metro and RER is the ticket system.
- on the metro, you can travel with the cheapest ticket (€1.60 or €11.60 for a set of ten) on the ENTIRE metro network.
- on the RER, you can use the same tickets, but there is a zone system, and if you travel outside the zone(s) you bought a ticket/travelpass for, you can get fined. The cheapest tickets (as mentioned above) are only for zone 1 - central Paris. To travel further, you%26#39;ll need a point-to-point ticket or a travel pass for more zones.
A consequence of this system, and the fact that the metro network can stretch into zone 2 or even zone 3 in some places, is that certain destinations can be reached cheaper by metro than by RER - for example La Défense.
No comments:
Post a Comment