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Is Paris Metro like London?

In Paris, the Metro moves people around the city centre; the RER and Transilien ferry them in from the suburbs. In London, though, there's no such division: the Tube plays both roles. The Central line, say, acts like an RER route in the Essex suburbs, but a Metro route in Zone 1.



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The Paris metro really is quite easy to use and even if you end up going the wrong way or if you need help finding the right platform, other passengers are happy to point you in the right direction. Just be sure to start with a simple “Bonjour, excusez-moi”!

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It is also one of the world's oldest train systems, having been opened in 1900. Luckily, Paris has renovated the metro several times since it's opening, making it easier and easier to use for non-French speakers. Signage is both French and English, as are voice announcements.

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The Paris metro really is quite easy to use and even if you end up going the wrong way or if you need help finding the right platform, other passengers are happy to point you in the right direction. Just be sure to start with a simple “Bonjour, excusez-moi”!

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It is definitely possible to travel to France while only speaking English. Especially in the more tourist oriented areas, it really is not a problem to only speak English. While France has less English speakers than other European countries, it was still relatively easy to manage.

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There are two ways to buy Paris Metro tickets: at station ticket windows or vending machines. If you're using the vending machine, pay with euro coins, or a European debit or credit card that has a smart chip. If you're carrying euro bills or a non-European credit card, head to the staffed ticket windows for payment.

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Paris enjoys a dense public transport network with trains, buses, and trams that mostly operate efficiently and to schedule. Nothing is perfect, however, and there are drawbacks such as overcrowding on buses and trains during peak hours and a Metro service that lacks air-conditioning.

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Paris has been voted the most beautiful city in the world in a new ranking. Travel website Flight Network compiled the list of 50 cities by surveying more than 1,000 travel writers and agencies around the world. The French capital came top, followed by New York in second place and London in third.

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Both agreed that Paris had more affordable housing and better weather. But London was seen by both cities as cleaner, better for employment, and with friendlier people. Residents rated their own cities as better for culture, transport, and food.

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Paris is known for its walkable city centre with many areas being pedestrian-only, whereas London has much more traffic on the roads and the distance from one neighbourhood to the next is too vast to call itself a walkable city.

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Unlike the New York City subway system, which still uses physically-present human conductors for each train (two per train), much of the Paris Metro is fully automated, cutting back on human error, streamlining the time it takes to get from one stop to another, and decreasing the amount of money spent on hiring and ...

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The list was topped by the reliable, safe and comfortable public transport in Berlin. 97 percent of Berliners raved about their city's transport network, with their metro U-Bahn offering travellers 175 stations across nine simple-to-navigate lines.

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The Metro trains run on rubber wheels for the most part, so the trains themselves are quiet. It is the enclosed spaces with lots of people, the occasional accordian player and seller of chocolates or tissues who add to the noise. But in tunnel, compared with a train in Sydney's underground areas, much quieter.

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Weekdays, the metro operates from 5:30 a.m. to about 1:15 a.m. On Friday and Saturday evenings, as well as on the day before a bank holiday, trains run until about 2:15 a.m. The RER operates daily from 5:30 a.m. to about 1:20 a.m.

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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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Complete your plans today by reserving a ride with Uber in Paris. Request a ride up to 30 days in advance, at any time and on any day of the year.

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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. In fact, drinking water from the fountains of Paris has been encouraged.

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No, the French do not hate American tourists. In fact, France welcomes millions of international visitors each year. And many French enjoy meeting people from other cultures and countries, including Americans. There are, however, unspoken cultural norms and expectations that American tourists often ignore.

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