Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Transport
ARRIVING IN PARIS
Few roads
don't
lead to Paris, one of the most visited destinations on earth. Practically every
major airline flies through one of its three airports, and most European train and bus routes
cross it.
Paris is the central point in the French rail network, Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer
Français (SNCF), with six train stations that handle passenger traffic to different parts of
France and Europe. Each is well connected to the Paris public transportation system, the Ré-
gie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP). To buy onward tickets from Paris, visit a sta-
Vitesse (TGV) - require advance reservations. As with most tickets, the earlier you book, the
better your chances of securing a discounted fare. Mainline stations in Paris have left-lug-
gage offices and/or
consignes
(lockers).
On public transport, children under four years travel free and those aged four to nine years
(inclusive) pay half price; exceptions are noted.
Flights, tours and rail tickets can be booked online at
www.lonelyplanet.com
.
SPEED- OR CENT-SAVER?
Increasingly popular as a means of getting to/from all three Paris airports is the excel-
vance and split the ride with other passengers going to the same place as you.
For those seeking speed, not a cent-saver, the hot choice is a taxi moto(motorbike
taxi), whereby you leap on the back of a bike, driver and helmet provided, and zip past
the traffic into town at lightning speed. Companies include
Paris Motos
( 06 75 67
Charles de Gaulle Airport
www.aeroportsdeparis.fr
)
, 28km northeast of central Paris. In French the airport is com-
monly called 'Roissy' after the suburb in which it is located. A €1.7 billion project to create
a high-speed train link between Charles de Gaulle and Gare de l'Est in central Paris is on the
