Transport

Tube

Paris is the centre of 8 radial zones for public transport (zone 1 is Paris 2-8 are the suburbs). The cost of the ticket depends on the number of zones you want to travel through. Zone 1 is related to Paris but all metro tickets are available for zones1&2. The metro is made up of 14 lines identified with the number or the name of the first and the last station (e.g. 3, Galliéni – Pont de Levalois). You have also 5 RER (suburban trains) called by a letter (RER A, RER B...).

In order to travel on the RATP (the state-owned company managing the metro) network, you must be in possession of a valid ticket at all times. Tickets must be validated in the turnstiles, found in the entrance of all metro and RER stations. When boarding a bus (with a metro ticket you can get on any bus) you must show your ticket to the driver if it is a travel card, or validate you metro ticket (not the travel cards!) in the machines provided.

A single ticket, 1.30 €, is valid for one journey. They are sold in any station or bus, either individually or as a book of 10, called a “Carnet” (10 €). A single ticket can be used for metro, RER and bus alike to any destination inside Paris as long as you don’t exit the underground (interchange is allowed in the metro and RER but not by bus). Fares from journeys outside Paris depend on the length of the given route, the departure and arrival station. You can buy your tickets in most of the stations, metro, RER or SNCF stations.

A travel card (monthly or weekly) is called a “Carte Orange” and allows access to all transport in and through zones identified in the area around and inside Paris without limitation. This travel card is made by a card with your name and a ticket (weekly travel card can be purchased a few days in advance). Price examples (1/07/00)are displayed below:

Zones	Weekly	Monthly
1-2	14.50 €	48.60 €
1-5	28.90 €	95.50 €
1-8	40 €	132 €
3-6	20.40 €	67.30 €

An annual travel card is called “Carte Intégrale”. You can pay in one shot or by standing order every month. If you loose it, it can be replaced immediately in any station for free (which is not the case for other travel cards unfortunately!). Its price is about 10 ½ months the price of 12 monthly travel card.

And good news, your company will pay to your salary half of the cost of a monthly or annual travel card.

Train

You can reach a train from 6 main train stations (Gare Montparnasse, Gare d’Austerlitz, Gare de Lyon, Gare de l’Est, Gare du Nord, Gare St Lazare). The state-owned company is called SNCF and manages most of the suburban and regional trains as well as main lines and TGV (high speed train) and international trains such as Eurostar (London) or Thalys (Amsterdam).

In order to purchase a ticket, you can go to train stations, travel agencies, automatic ticket machines or through the Internet (where you can enquire and validate your order). You can also use the telephone:

You can buy your ticket more than 2 months in advance and collect your ticket from any ticket office or ask for it to be delivered at home (+1.3 €).

If two of you make a return journey together, whether or not have any direct family link, you can benefit from a 25% discount on the basic fare.

Taxi

If you call a taxi from any telephone including a taxi-stand telephone, you will be charged for the journey made to pick you up. The driver may also add a charge for extra luggage, a fourth person or an animal.

If you have a preferred route, inform the driver of this. Tipping is optional. Cheques and credit/ debit cards are not usually accepted.

Meter starting amount: 2 € (+ luggage + additional charges)

A few numbers:

Coach

The coach is not frequently used in Paris. You will find an international coach station at Galliéni (near to the metro).

Airports

You have 2 airports around Paris: Roissy-Charles de Gaulle (RER B, north of Paris about 8 € for a single ticket from Paris) and Orly (RER B, south of Paris; it’s quicker to get off at Anthony and take the OrlyVal – about 19 €).

For cheap flights, you can try

With a car, you will notice obviously right at the beginning (except if you come from Hong-Kong or Australia) that you drive on the right side of the road! Saying that, you might want to hire a car:

Parking

We can give you some advice about parking downtown. It’s forbidden to park nearby a main boulevard with “axe rouge” (red road) sign. Parking is allowed during daytime (after 6pm during the week and after 1.30pm on Saturdays) in most of the areas with ticket machines. You can ask for a resident card and you can park your car in the area where you live for the price of a single ticket during all working day. Good news: parking is free throughout Paris in the month of August.

When you drive, remember that for most of the roads priority is given to traffic on the right hand side.

Insurance

It is compulsory to have car insurance. There are many insurance companies, which can provide car insurance (http://www.matmut.fr, http://www.agf.fr, http://www.axa.fr). You can also look for through the Internet or the yellow pages.

Map

As anyone, you will buy an A-Z of Paris to find your way (is it possible to live without this book?).

If you need a specific map, you can find your way in France with www.ismap.com.