Editing Bordeaux (section)

==<FONT COLOR="#660066">'''TRANSPORT'''</FONT>==

*<FONT COLOR=800000><BIG>'''How to get to Bordeaux'''</BIG></FONT>

{| class="wikitable" perrow="9" width="80%" align="center" style="border:2px solid black;" style="text-align:center;" 
|+ '''Distances Table: European Cities'''
|-
| '''Amsterdam''' <br/> 1 099 km || '''Athens''' <br/> 3 333 km || '''Barcelona''' <br/> 638 km || '''Belgrad''' <br/> 2 222 km || '''Berlin''' <br/> 1 632 km || '''Bern''' <br/> 889 km || '''Brussels''' <br/> 888 km || '''Copenhagen''' <br/> 1 805 km || '''Dublin''' <br/> 1 425 km 
|-
| '''Helsinki''' <br/> 2 601 km || '''Lisbon''' <br/> 1 394 km || '''London''' <br/> 994 km || '''Luxembourg''' <br/> 956 km || '''Madrid''' <br/> 744 km || '''Oslo''' <br/> 2 393 km || '''Rome''' <br/> 1 557 km || '''Stockholm''' <br/> 2 436 km || '''Vienna''' <br/> 1 793 km
|} <br/>

{| class="wikitable" perrow="9" width="80%" align="center" style="border:2px solid black;" style="text-align:center;" 
|+ '''Distances Table: French Cities'''
|-
| '''Agen''' <br/> 140 km || '''Angoulême''' <br/> 120 km || '''Bayonne''' <br/> 192 km || '''Biarritz''' <br/> 204 km || '''Bourges''' <br/> 443 km || '''Brest''' <br/> 651 km || '''Caen''' <br/> 644 km || '''Dijon''' <br/> 765 km || '''La Rochelle''' <br/> 183 km 
|- 
| '''Lille''' <br/> 805 km || '''Limoges''' <br/> 225 km || '''Lyon''' <br/> 574 km || '''Marseille''' <br/> 647 km || '''Metz''' <br/> 907 km || '''Montpellier''' <br/> 482 km || '''Nantes''' <br/> 347 km || '''Nice''' <br/> 803 km || <FONT COLOR="CCOOOO">'''Paris'''</FONT> <br/> 585 km 
|-
| '''Perpignan''' <br/> 447 km || '''Poitiers''' <br/> 251 km || '''Reims''' <br/> 719 km || '''Rennes''' <br/> 461 km || '''Rouen''' <br/> 707 km || '''Strasbourg''' <br/> 1 085 km || '''Toulon''' <br/> 708 km || '''Toulouse''' <br/> 244 km 
|} <br/>

[[Image:voiture.jpg|thumb|right|Fasten your seatbelt!]]

'''By Carpooling'''

You can find a driver or passenger to share the ride and cut on travel cost. In France carpooling is very popular and is called "covoiturage". Try envoiture.fr to get to Bordeaux'''[http://www.envoiture.fr/covoiturage/0/Bordeaux/b.html Envoiture.fr]'''. <br/>

'''By Car'''

Bordeaux is at 2 h 30 from Toulouse. 2 h from Biarritz and La Rochelle. 1 h 30 from Angoulême and Agen.

Although you might need a car to tour around Bordeaux, it is not a good idea at all for the city centre.
Bordeaux is one of the few cities in France to have free parking bays. But, like in most cities, it's not easy to have one. Generally, if you're lucky, you could find a parking spot near the centre for free in a small street.

Instead, we advise you to leave your car at one of the many [http://www.infotbc.com/sites/default/files/PLANTRAMFEV2010.pdf "Parc relai"] and use the tram and bus system. You will be charged 3 euros (2010) to leave your car at the car park and get a daily tram tickets for each and every person in the car! That's 3 euros for the car parking and up to 5 people to travel! You can not get a better deal (a regular one way ticket valid for one hour is 1€40).

'''By Train'''

The main [http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&q=gare+saint+jean,+bordeaux&ie=UTF8&hl=fr&hq=&hnear=Gare+Saint-Jean&z=16 railway station], "Gare St-Jean" near the centre of the city, has 4 million passengers a year. It is served by the French national ([http://www.voyages-sncf.com/ SNCF]) railway's high speed train, the TGV.
It gets to [[Paris]] within 3 hours (about 50 € for a  one way trip).
You can connect to  major European cities such as [[Lille]] direct, [[Brussels]], [[Amsterdam]], [[Cologne]], [[Geneva]] and [[London]]. The [[TGV]] also serves [[Toulouse]] (about 30€ for a one way trip)and [[Irun]].
A regular train service is provided to [[Nantes]], [[Nice]], [[Marseille]] and [[Lyon]].
The Gare St-Jean is the major hub for regional trains ([http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/Aquitaine/fr/Default.aspx TER])to [[Arcachon]], [[Limoges]], [[Agen]], [[Périgueux]], [[Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques|Pau]], [[Sarlat]] and [[Bayonne]].
The [[Sarlat]] line stop at [[Saint-Emilion]].

'''By Plane'''

Bordeaux is served by an international airport, [http://www.aeroportdebordeaux.fr Aéroport de Bordeaux Mérignac], 8 km away from the city centre in the suburban city of Mérignac.

A private shuttle bus takes you to the main train station close to the city center within 45 min for an 8euro fee.

However, regular bus [http://www.infotbc.com//timetable/01/TBCAEROG/backward#timetable Liane 1] will also take you to the very centre of Bordeaux within the same time...for 1€40!

[[Image:hitchhicking.jpg|thumb|right|Smile=More chances]]

'''By Hitch-hiking'''

In France, hitch-hiking is a great experience. Althoug it is illegal on motorways, French drivers generally accept hitch-hikers. Getting to Bordeaux is easy. Gettin out is a little bit more tricky : you first have to get passed the ring road.
Towards Paris: 
Go by foot until Aquitaine bridge or take tram A eastbound towards La Gardette or Floirac and stop at "buttinière"

http://membres.lycos.fr/bpierret/hitchike.htm

*<FONT COLOR=800000><BIG>'''Transports inside Bordeaux'''</BIG></FONT>

'''Tramway & Bus'''
The city is very accessible thanks to its very easy tram and bus system.
- Ticket of 1 trip = 1€40 (valid for up to an hour after validation)
- Ticket of 5 trips = 5€05 (can be used by several people at a time)
- Ticket of 10 trips = 10€10 (idem)

More details: [http://www.infotbc.com TBC network]

<FONT COLOR="FF0000"><u>'''TIPS'''</u></FONT>
- Each trip is valid <u>1hour</u> (Unlimited access to the whole tram and bus network during 1 hour).
- It's the same ticket for tram and bus.
- You can use one a 5 or 10 trip ticket for several people and save money!
- If you do not use all your tickets, leave them in your "left items box" for the next couchsurfer to use ;-)

[[Image:velo.jpg|thumb|right|Too easy!]]

'''Bicycles'''

There are many beautiful biking paths around Bordeaux and we now (2009) have a great daily rental system available at each street corner : V3 (pronounce V cube - [http://www.lacub.com/ CUB=Communauté urbaine de Bordeaux]).
Using your credit card, you can use a bike and pay by the hour (first 30 mins are free of charge).
Grab one somewhere, leave it at another V3 spot. [http://www.vcub.fr/stations/plan More info here]

''If you need a bike for a long period (months) get one for free !''

{| class="wikitable" perrow="2" width="60%" align="center" style="text-align:center;"
|'''Cycles Urbain'''<br/>13 Cours Pasteur<br/>05 56 44 23 24‎<br/>Mon.-Sat.: 9am-1pm; 2:30pm-7pm||'''Pierre qui Roule'''<br/>32 Place Gambetta <br/>05 57 85 80 87<br/>Mon.: 2pm-7pm; Tue.-Sat.: 10am-7pm<br/>[http://www.pierrequiroule.fr/magasins.php Prices]
|}

<FONT COLOR="FF0000"><u>'''TIPS'''</u></FONT>: Every first Sunday of the month is car-free day in the centre of Bordeaux. Bicycles can be borrowed for free at Allées de Tourny (ID card and caution required). You can take your bike in most local and regional trains (on the timetables, look for the [http://www.velo.sncf.com/ bike symbol]).