How do I figure out how to get from one station to another?
The rail lines can look confusing, but once you study the metro map youll see that its actually a well laid out ordered system that is easily navigated. You have 3 ways to figure out how to get to where you want to go.
First, download and print a map of the metro before you go. You can also get one at the station but its a good idea to plan the stops you want to get to before you go. You can download a map of the metro on the RATP website at http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21879/tourists/
Secondly, find an app for your phone that allows you to figure out the best route on the RER. This makes it much easier to figure out which lines to take, but if youre familiar with navigating maps then you can skip this step. There are several free and paid apps which do an admirable job.
Finally, when you enter a station, theres usually a map that you can reference. There are frequently several entrances to a metro station, especially in the center of Paris so you may have to walk around a little to find it, which is why we recommend having your own map.
Once you know which station you want to go to, remember to note the last stop on that line to figure out which platform you want to go to. Platforms are marked according to the last stop in the direction the train goes to on that line. So if you are getting on line 6, there will be two platforms at each station, one going towards Nation, and the other going towards Charles de Gaulle Étoile. Head to the appropriate platform depending on which direction you want to travel on that line.
And a final tip, those signs in the metro and at public places in green with white printing of a person going upstairs or toward an arrow are not exits, they are "sorties de secours" (emergency exits).
I hate trains, what other alternatives are there for exploring Paris other than walking?
A good alternative to the metro for travelling around Paris is the L'Open Bus Tour. This is a fleet of hop-on and hop-off double decker bus that does rounds between the most popular spots in the city. Advantages of this over the metro is that youre above ground all the time, seeing the sites as you drive by, either from the covered lower deck of the bus or the open upper deck. There is a headphone jack with multi-language commentary of the sites youre passing through which is very useful as well. However, if you need to get from place to place fast this might get to be a frustrating option depending on the traffic and time of day. Also, if the weather turns hot these busses can get uncomfortable.
A one day pass cost 31 and you can add on a second day for 3.
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