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Is it better to take bus or metro in Paris?

While the metro subway system is extensive, it's generally safe and easy to use once you familiarize yourself with it a bit. Trains usually arrive on time; buses are well-appointed and spacious, and commuter express (RER) trains service the city's most important stops in record time.



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The best way to get around Paris is on foot and by metro. The elegant arrondissements are practically made for pedestrians. Still, Paris is very big, so you should take the efficient metro to travel long distances.

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Metro. The Paris Metro is our preferred way to get around the city when we travel around central Paris. This is because it is fast, affordable, has a regular service, and it covers the majority of the attractions in the city centre. The Paris metro system is currently made up of 16 lines and 302 stations.

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BUYING A METRO TICKET IN PARIS They accept cash or credit card (though for Americans, make sure it's a chip & pin card!)

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Tipping in France is not mandatory. Even though it is always appreciated, it's up to the customers to decide if they want to tip or not. Unlike other countries, the price of the service is included in the total cost of the bill. You will never be asked to tip, but it's common to leave one if the service was good.

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The Navigo Daily Pass. It is valid for one day, from 12 am to 11.59 pm. You can buy this pass up to 6 days in advance, and it will start working after the first validation and until the end of the metro service that same day. The cost of this pass is 8,45€ (zones 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5), and 20,10€ (zones 1-5).

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Also, Uber's rates in Paris are not particularly cheap, they could be more than a taxi, but doubt if they'll save you anything. Taxis are better in Paris, especially from the airport.

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It's a relatively compact city, so combining your own two feet with low-cost public transportation is the best way of of getting around in Paris. In fact, it's one of the best walking cities in the world, and it also has one of the best public transportation systems.

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You can purchase tickets (or various passes such as Navigo) at métro station with a credit card for use on bus or métro, but you cannot use credit card on the bus to pay for your fare. If you have not previously purchased a ticket or pass before you board the bus, then you can pay with cash (Euros).

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Using Uber in Paris is a good option in many situations, even if you're on a budget. Between the airport (CDG) and the center of Paris Uber turns out to be cheaper than RER tickets for 4 people, and it's also a lot more pleasant.

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Line 13. Line 13 serves important stations particularly for tourists, such as Montparnasse Bienvenüe, Invalides, Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau, Saint-Lazare, Place de Clichy and the Basilique Saint Denis. Line 13 is the longest metro line in the Parisian network (24.3km).

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Tickets sold as “skip the line” on other websites do not offer any further benefits. To make sure you queue as little as possible and don't pay more than the official price, we recommend that you plan ahead and buy your ticket in advance at the Eiffel Tower's online box office.

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First thing to do: ask for a carnet of Métro tickets (group of ten). Don't buy Métro tickets one by one. Also, consider a Navigo transit pass. The Paris Métro is among the great transport bargains of the world: over 300 stations all over the city, and you can travel from one to another for 1.90€—or even less.

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Tips and tricks to staying hydrated. Yes, tap water in Paris is perfectly safe to drink and is readily available wherever you go, even at public water fountains. As long as taps aren't labeled eau non potable—meaning “not for drinking” in French—everything else is potable.

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As for dinner, we're a bit more flexible. We don't eat as late as our Spanish neighbors by any means, but most people won't sit down to dinner before 8 p.m., and in most places, looking for a full dinner after 10:30 p.m. can get complicated, as well.

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However, if you have the Paris Pass on your vacation you can use the public transport network of the city (bus, RER, metro or streetcar Montmartre tram) for free within zones 1-3. The Eiffel Tower is located in Zone 1.

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This train is called RER. The RER is a means of transport dedicated to Paris and its suburbs. The RER C is a train that can directly lead you to le château de Versailles. It usually takes between one hour and one hour and a half to get to the castle depending on your initial location.

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