Editing Paris (section)

==<FONT COLOR="#CC0000">'''TRANSPORTS'''</FONT>==

===<FONT COLOR="#330099">'''Airports'''</FONT>===

The main Charles de Gaulle international airport[http://www.paris-cdg.com] in Paris has three terminals. Terminals 1 and 3 are located close to eachother and the free "CDG-VAL" shuttle train connects travellers between Terminal 1, 2 and the "RER" (commuter train) station. [http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-GB/Passagers/Access-maps-car-parks/Paris-CDG/Access/public-transport/public-transport.htm How to get from Paris-CDG to Paris center].
The secondary Paris-Orly airport is also very well connected to Paris center (Orly-Val + RER and bus). [http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-GB/Passagers/Access-maps-car-parks/Paris-Orly/Access/public-transport/ How to get from Paris-Orly to Paris center].

The third airport used to reach Paris is Beauvais airport (60 km from Paris center). Used only by low-cost companies. You will find information about how to get to Paris center from the airport on [http://www.aeroportbeauvais.com/bus.php?lang=eng Beauvais airport shuttle webpage]

[[File:124758243 44fe3110d1.jpg|thumb|280px|right|]]

===<FONT COLOR="#330099">'''Metro / Bus / Tramway / Local Train'''</FONT>===

Most public transportation (regional train RER / Tramway / Metro / Bus) are managed by [http://www.ratp.info RATP] (Paris transport authority). Some RER and suburban trains (called [http://www.transilien.com/web/site/lang/en Transilien]) are managed by SNCF (national French railway company).

==== Here are the tips ====
* Always better to get a pass on Mondays as Paris weekly passes are valid for a calendar week (from Monday to Sunday). Thus this will make you save some money if you can plan your arrival a bit before the weekend.
* Plan RER (map of the RER (express metro = commuter train) which give you access to the Surburban Members), Zone 1 to 4: Starting from one of the city in those zone, it takes maximum 40 mn to reach Paris.CLICK [http://www.ratp.info/orienter/cv/cv_en/carteparis.php HERE ] FOR THE MAP.
* Last Metro : the last trains leave from both terminals around 0:30am. Depending where you want to take it on the line you have to calculate at what time the last train will start from your station. Fridays and Saturdays night last trains leave one hour later (i.e. 1:30am). 
* Night buses: there is a night buses service called "Noctilien". They start from teh center of Paris (mainly from the Châtelet area) and have routes that go well into the various subburbs.

[[File:235006479 2b2fd43681.jpg|thumb|280px|right|]]
==== Passes ====
There are some public transport passes in Paris: Weekly, Monthly and yearly:
[[File:Tickettplus.jpg|200px|left|]]
* '''Weekly:''' Good idea if you stay from 3 days. (or 2 days and if you took the subway a lot).
* '''Monthly:''' Think about it if you re planning to stay over 2 weeks.
* '''Yearly: :D'''

There is also a pass for 3 days for three zones.
When travelling between UK and Paris the [http://stpancras-international.co.uk international train] usually costs less and is friendly to the environment. 
Never take a pass at the Airport! (Only "Zone 1" to "zone 5" pass). Instead, take a single way to the station of your host (don't use automat, ask the kiosk for a ticket), and from there, take a pass. Ask your host in which zone he is living and ask for a pass "zone 1 - Zone X (of your host)"<br />

BE AWARE THAT PARIS IS SMALL AND THAT MOST OF THE TIME YOU WILL BE WALKING AND NOT USING MUCH OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. FOR THAT REASON AND IF YOU ONLY STAY IN PARIS FOR A SHORT PERIOD (UNDER A WEEK) JUST BUY A BUNCH OF 10 TICKETS CALLED "CARNET" (CHEAPER THAN BUYING THEM ONE BY ONE) AND THAT SHOULD BE QUITE ENOUGH AND CHEAPER THAN PASSES.

==== Map of the Local Train's (RER) & Metro's and Tramway's Network ====

Metro are lines 1 to 14. RER are lines A to E. Tramways are lines T1 to T3.
[[File:Metro paris.JPG|800px|center|]]


You can also see a comprehensive map of [http://www.ratp.fr/informer/pdf/orienter/f_plan.php?loc=reseaux&nompdf=rer&fm=gif RER network].

===<FONT COLOR="#330099">'''Le Velib (The Bicycle)'''</FONT>===
[[File:Velo du Paris - velib.jpg|thumb|320px|right|]]
[http://www.en.velib.paris.fr/ Velib web site]

Vélib is a "free" bike system that anyone can use in Paris, provided one has a credit card with a chip. BUT if you do not understand the rules, it may be very expensive instead of being almost free. Here's what you should know in order not to get trapped by the Vélib' system :

In order to use Vélib' bikes, you have to allow the Velib system to debit your bank account with the cost of your subscription AND of each travel you'll do with a Velib bike during your subscription time. The subscription fee is cheap : 1,7€ for 24h, 8€ for 1 week, or 29€ for 1 year, and during your subscription time, you can use a bike as many times as you want (but only one at a time, of course). Each travel will be charged to you according to its duration : it can be free, for a short travel, or outrageously expensive for longer travels.

By "travel", you should understand the time spent between the moment you pick up a bike from a Velib' service point and the moment you drop it off at another Velib' service point. (There are hundreds of Velib service points, everywhere in Paris [http://www.parisavelo.net/ Watch the Map])

Each time you pick up a bike, the central computer of the Vélib' system starts metering the time you keep the bike with you, until you drop it off at any Vélib service point. Here's how the cost of your travel will be worked out :
- the first 30 minutes are free
- the second half hour costs 1€ (even if it's not
entirely used : for instance, a 31 min travel will
cost 1€, exactly like a 59 min travel)
- the 3rd half hour costs 2€
- the 4th half hour costs 4€
- each of the following half hours costs 4€

'''For example, if you pick up a bike at 7:02 am, and ride it all around Paris, fastening it to trees whenever you take a stop in order to visit a monument or have a drink, and then drop your bike off at a Velib service point at 22:35 at night, here's what will be charged to you : the travel time will be 32 half hours (real time included between 15h1/2 and 16h), which will cost
: 0 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4.... = 119 € !'''

BUT if you only use Velib bikes to go from a place to another, and drop them off at Velib service points each time you stop somewhere, and provided each trip lasts less than 30 minutes, you can use as many bikes as you want, for free (except for the 1€ or 5€ of subscription).

* [http://www.geovelo.fr/ Geovelo.fr: Itinerary calculator]
* [http://www.parisavelo.net/ Parisavelo.net: All velib stations on Google Maps, with colored icons indicating their status]

* [[Velib_Paris#Le_Velib_.28en_fran.C3.A7ais.29|Le Velib expliqué en français]]
* [[Velib_Paris#Il_Velib_.28In_italiano.29|Il Velib in italiano]]
* [[Velib_Paris#Der_Velib_.28auf_Deutsch.29|Der Velib auf deutsch erklärt]]


See also [[Cheap travel from Paris]]