SETTLING IN - CultureShock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette - page 165

carte is for residents only, but just about everybody who uses
public transport has one.
The Métropolitain
Paris has one of the best underground transportation systems
in the world. The métro is inexpensive, generally clean and
efficient. It has 16 lines and 370 well-maintained stations,
conveniently located in all parts of the city. It is rare to find
oneself more than a five-minute walk from a métro .
The métro starts running at 5:30 am and the last train leaves
around 12:30 am. Rush hours are from 7:30-9:30 am and
5:00-8:00 pm. To calculate journey time, count the number
of stops from the beginning to the destination and multiply
by 1.5 minutes, adding five minutes for each transfer.
Remember, however, that the métro runs less frequently
in the evenings and on weekends.
Entrances to many métro stations are marked with a
large 'M' in a yellow circle; some older entrances even
have charming grill-work. Each métro line is identified
by a different number and colour on the subway map,
and each quai (platform) has well-lit signs indicating the
sortie (exit), terminus of the train and correspondance
(interchange point). For example, a white sign indicating
'M6 Nation' is the Number Six line heading toward the
last stop of Nation; the opposite direction is labelled 'M6
Charles-de-Gaulle-Etoile'. The correspondance signs are
orange. Sortie signs are blue with white lettering. When
there is a choice of escalator or stairs, these are also shown
in blue and white.
Large diagrams of the métro system are at the entrance
to each station and along the quais . In each car there is a
schematic of the stations and correspondances on that line.
At the exit of many stations, either just inside or on the
street, there is often a map of the quartier .
L'Autobus
With some 2,000 city buses and 1,700 arrêts d'autobus
(bus stops), the bus system is efficient though slower than
the métro . Riding the bus, however, allows a good view of