Before going to Paris, the central tip that every traveler can recommend: prepare carefully for the routes you are going to take. Often when arriving somewhere unprepared, the price you pay can hurt your pocket. So write down these tips that can save your age through the city of light.
Starting point: WALK WELL INFORMED! If you want to use public transport in Paris, the app Citymapper. The app, in addition to indicating the best route, signals if the transport is experiencing any problems or delays, which is not uncommon in Paris. For you to have an idea, in February we faced two days of strikes and protests within the yellow line in the most tourist city in the world. So stay tuned.
TRAIN/RER B – NAVIGO
To leave Charles de Gaulle airport, be prepared for a long walk, after all, we are talking about the largest airport in . Often to get to the train station it is necessary to take a bus offered by the airport itself. Pay attention to the signposts.
Arriving at the RER boarding area, you will see several self-service counters for purchasing Paris es and, if you already have your NAVIGO card, just recharge it at the machines.
However, if you still don't have the card, you need to go to the counters with attendants. Here is my personal tip on how to save money in Paris on transport:
the Navigo Discovery is a public transport card in Paris. Anyone can do it, just take a 3×4 photo and an identification document. The cool thing about this is that its WEEKLY top-up costs around €22 + the €5 card issue fee (which is valid for 10 years).
BUT ATTENTION TO TWO DETAILS:
1- the card starts on a sunday, that is, if you make the on a wednesday your right to use it is valid until sunday. Here is the question of calculating how many days you intend to move around the city.
2- Sign your name on the card and avoid fines in case of inspection.
The fact is that in Paris you pay for the areas covered, that is, to leave Charles de Gaulle airport, buying a single ticket to the center, the cost will exceed € 10 per way. In this regard, from my own experience, once I was in the city, I recharged my weekly and even using it only at 19 pm connection, IT STILL PAID FOR IT. With the you are free to walk as many times as you want and you don't have to worry about the zones you are going through. After all, to go to Disney and also to Versailles, single es can become expensive.
After you make your card Navigo Discovery just go to the train boarding. By using the CityMapper app you can already select where you are and where you want to go. But here is an example of a route from the airport to the Louvre Museum (which can fluctuate depending on the reality of public transport in Paris, hence the importance of the updated app):
Take the RER B and walk 4 stops to CHÂTELET – LES HALLES station. Then take Metro line 1 towards La Défense and walk one stop to Louvre-Rivoli station. Simple and easy (and the card is valid on all these transports). On a single ticket, this trip would cost more than 10€, that is, adding the return trip would already give the weekly load of Navigo. Apart from the other routes you will take in the city (which in my experience will be many!).
BUS/ROISSYBUS
I confess that I have never used this method of transport in Paris, but if you choose RoissyBus the current fare is €13,70 and it goes straight to Opera station (60 minutes). Here, counting the round trip, we are already talking about more than 25€ just for the airport-center and center-airport stretch.
TAXI
Another alternative that I have never used, but if you are not alone and prioritize the comfort of transport, the price of a taxi in Paris is based on the area covered. A taxi from Charles de Gaulle airport to the center of Paris is €50. Regarding taxis, the tip is to wait in the queue outside the airport, because the values of the queue inside can be more expensive (BE CAREFUL!).
Summary: If you are a traveler who intends to use public transport in Paris (which, in my opinion, is one of the best in the world due to the logistics of tourism in the city), get the card Navigo Discovery, but the deadline until Sunday.
And finally, don't be afraid to get lost in the city. At first it can be difficult to understand the dynamics of transport, but soon you're like a Parisian. Enjoy and enjoy your connection or vacation in the most touristic city in the world! Oh, and don't forget the 3×4 photo for the card!
