If you are visiting the City of Light, you will need to think about how you will get around. Paris’ metropolitan area sprawls over more than 6,600 square miles over 20 arrondissements. With attractions, historical sites and amazing restaurants spread throughout the city, the likelihood is you will have to rely on a mixture of transportation options. You should plan your visit out in advance by creating an itinerary and grouping things you want to see and do together by geographic area. This will ensure that you do not have to travel across the city several times per day during your visit. Once you have your itinerary drawn up the next decision is how to get around Paris, we have put together a list before of the best options when it comes to exploring this cosmopolitan city.
Walking
Yes, Paris is big and yes you are unlikely to see everything you want to see on foot (unless they are all in the same smaller area of course) but that doesn’t stop the City of Light from being an extremely walkable city. It is one of the most walkable cities in the world. As with any major city, the best way to see it is to submerge yourself in it and what better way than walking its streets and admiring the historical and often famous sites you pass. Plus walking is of course free, allowing you extra cash to spend on other things during your trip.
Bike
Another great way to see the city while getting to where you want to be is by bike. It is unlikely you will have your bike with you while visiting Paris, but not to worry, The Vélib’ Métropole bicycle service, introduced by the City of Paris, provides manual (green) and electric (blue) bikes for people to hire. You can buy passes for the bikes which range from 1 to 7 days. With approximately 15,000 bicycles and over 1000 automated ‘service points’ throughout Paris, hiring a bike is a very accessible option, even if you are not familiar with the city.
Metro
If walking or cycling is not your thing, or you are unable to do either of these, then you should consider taking the Metro. Paris has one of the best-run and most efficient underground systems in the world. It has 16 interconnected lines which run under the whole city and beyond. Therefore, making it one of the best ways to get around Paris. You will find it to be clean, safe, comfortable and very inexpensive. The Paris Metro runs from 5:30 am – 12:40 am Sunday to Thursday and 5:30 am – 1:40 am on Fridays, Saturdays and days before a holiday.
Bus
There are 58 lines that pass through the city, making the bus service an option when deciding how you will get around Paris. It is a little bit more difficult to work out than the Metro system, but still offers a reliable and reasonable transport option. Buses run Monday to Saturday from 7.00 am until 8.30 pm, with some lines also operating between 8.30 pm and 12.30 am. Several open-top hop on hop off bus operators also offer many routes throughout Paris. Taking one allows you to jump off whenever you see an attraction you wish to visit.
Taxi
Like most major cosmopolitan cities, you will find taxis throughout. Taxis are a great transport option to get around Paris. There are nearly 18,000 licensed taxis in the city and unlike the metro, buses etc, you can grab one any time day or night. You can hire a taxi from any of the almost 500 official taxi ranks that are dotted around the city. You can also wave down a taxi from the curb, although it is illegal for a taxi to pick up passengers within 50 meters of a taxi rank or by telephoning a taxi company. Uber is also available in Paris, which can be booked via the app.
Boat
Just like the hop on hop off buses in Paris, there are also hop on hop off boats along the Seine. You have the option of either choosing to sit back and spot the cities major sites from the waterway or jump off close to the ones you want to visit. There are a number of hop on hop off river stops. These include the Eiffel Tower, L’Académie Lime, Musée d’Orsay, Quai Malaquais, Quai de Montebello, Quai Saint-Bernard, Quai de l’Hôtel de Ville, Quai du Louvre and Concorde – Quai des Tuileries. Resaecrh in advance the closest stop to the attraction(s) you wish to visit.
Do Not Hire A Car
We love hiring a car while travelling and exploring our destination at our own pace. However please keep in mind you are better off using public transport than trying to drive yourself around in Paris. It is a busy city, especially during rush hours. This means the traffic can be horrendous. If you choose to hire a car be prepared to not get very far very quickly. Also, Paris is second only to Cairo in terms of being a danger to drivers who don’t know the city. This needs to be considered particularly if you are not used to driving on the other side of the road, like us Brits.
No Comments