PARIS - France 2014 - page 90

A taxi can fit three people comfortably. Cabbies are legally required to accept four
passengers, though they don't always like it. If you have five in your group, you can book
a larger taxi in advance (your hotelier can call), or try your luck at a taxi stand. Beyond
three passengers, expect to pay €3 extra per person. For a sample taxi tour of the city at
night, see here .
Rates: AllParisiantaxisstartwith€2.50onthemeterandhaveaminimumchargeof
€6.50. A 20-minute ride (e.g., Bastille to the Eiffel Tower) costs about €20 (versus about
€1.30/person to get anywhere in town using a carnet ticket on the Métro or bus). Drivers
charge higher rates at rush hour, at night, all day Sunday, for extra passengers (see above),
and to any of the airports. Each piece of luggage you put in the trunk is €1 extra (though it
won't appear on the meter, it is a legitimate charge). To tip, round up to the next euro (at
least€0.50).TheA,B,orClightsonataxi'srooftopsigncorrespondtohourlyrates,which
vary with the time of day and day of the week (for example, the A rate of €31.04/hour ap-
plies Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00). Tired travelers need not bother with these mostly subtle dif-
ferences in fares—if you need a cab, take it.
Scenic Buses for Tourists
Of Paris' many bus routes, these are some of the most scenic. They provide a great,
cheap, and convenient introduction to the city.
Bus #69 runs east-west between the Eiffel Tower and Père Lachaise Cemetery
by way of Rue Cler (recommended hotels and restaurants), Quai d'Orsay, the
Louvre, and the Marais (recommended hotels and restaurants). For more on this
route, see the sidebar on here .
Bus #87 also links the Marais and Rue Cler areas, but stays mostly on the Left
Bank, connecting the Eiffel Tower, St. Sulpice Church, Luxembourg Garden (re-
commended hotels and restaurants), St. Germain-des-Prés, the Latin Quarter, the
Bastille, and Gare de Lyon.