Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Transport
The SNCF has made many of its train carriages more accessible to people with disabilities.
A traveller in a wheelchair can travel in both the TGV ( train à grande vitesse; high-speed
train) and in the 1st-class carriage with a 2nd-class ticket on mainline trains provided they
make a reservation by phone or at a train station at least a few hours before departure. De-
tails are available in the SNCF booklet Le Mémento du Voyageur Handicapé (Handicapped
Traveller Summary) available at all train stations. For advice on planning your journey from
station to station, contact the SNCF service Accès Plus ( 08 90 64 06 50;
www.accessibilite.sncf.com ) .
Line 14 of the metro was built to be wheelchair-accessible, although in reality it remains ex-
tremely challenging to navigate in a chair - unlike Paris buses which are 100% accessible.
For information on accessibility on all forms of public transport in the Paris region, get a
copy of the Guide Practique à l'Usage des Personnes à Mobilité Réduite (Practical Usage
Guide for People with Reduced Mobility) from the Syndicate des Transports d'Île de
France ( 08 10 64 64 64; www.stif-idf.fr ) . Its info service for travellers with disabilities,
Info Mobi ( www.infomobi.com ) , is especially useful.
Taxi company Horizon ( 01 47 39 00 91; www.taxisG7.fr ) , part of Taxis G7 , has cars es-
pecially adapted to carry wheelchairs and drivers trained in helping passengers with disabil-
ities.
Visas
There are no entry requirements for nationals of EU countries. Citizens of Australia, the USA,
Canada and New Zealand do not need visas to visit France for up to 90 days. Except for
people from a handful of other European countries (including Switzerland), everyone, includ-
ing citizens of South Africa, needs a so-called Schengen Visa, named after the Schengen
Agreement that has abolished passport controls among 26 EU countries and has also been
ratified by the non-EU governments of Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. A visa for any of
these countries should be valid throughout the Schengen area, but it pays to double-check
with the embassy or consulate of each country you intend to visit. Note that the UK and Ire-
land are not Schengen countries.
Visa fees depend on the current exchange rate, but transit and the various types of short-
stay (up to 90 days) visas all cost €60, while a visa allowing stays of more than 90 days costs
€99. You will need: your passport (valid for a period of three months beyond the date of your
departure from France); a return ticket; proof of sufficient funds to support yourself; support-
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