GETTING AROUND

France boasts efficient, modern and affordable transport services across the country. Here is a brief introduction to how they work, as well as some links to more information…

PARIS

The capital is criss-crossed with a network of bus, underground and overhead rail (RER) services, all run by a single public authority, the RATP. The English pages of the RATP website are a good source of maps, route planners and other transport information. The RATP also has an information line in English on 0892 68 77 14.

The Carte Orange monthly single ticket (for métro, bus and RER) has now been replaced by the magnetic Navigo pass, the equivalent of an Oyster card in London. Most employers will subsidise 50% of the cost of any travel pass.

'THE METRO'

The Paris metro is 100 years old but still running better than most of its counterparts. Tickets are relatively cheap (€1.50) and allow unlimited travel for a period of 90 minutes. Avoid the queues and save money by buying your tickets in bulk (a carnet). Metro lines are numbered and the direction is indicated by the name of the terminus station. Trains run from 5.30am until around 1am, and until 2:15am over the weekend.

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BUS

Most routes operate from 6:30am to 8:30pm on weekdays, with some lines going on until around midnight. Many lines don't operate on Sundays and public holidays.

Tickets are the same as for the metro and can be bought in metro stations or from the driver.

Noctiliens, the night bus service, runs every ten minutes, all night long at weekends. A special fare applies.

BATOBUS

Batobus
A boat shuttle service along the river Seine that stops at seven major sites: Eiffel Tower, Musée d'Orsay, Saint-Germain des Prés, Hôtel de Ville, Louvre and Champs-Élysées. It's an original way to travel for those who don't want to go underground.

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BICYCLE

People are being encouraged to give up their cars, the metro and buses in favour of the humble bicycle. With the launch of Vélib, 20,000 bikes have been placed in 750 or so special racks around Paris. To get one, just swipe your ordinary Navigo card and pedal off wherever you want to go.

Bikes can be picked up and dropped off at any rack around the city. The subscription fee is minimal: one euro for a single go or 29 euros for an entire year. The first half hour of cycling is free but, if you fail to return the bike after 30 minutes, you will be charged an extra euro, and the charges increase the later you are.

Cycle mania is catching on, and Paris city hall plans to double the amount of Vélib stations dotted around Paris by the end of 2007. Several other French cities have a similar scheme (Velov in Lyon, Cyclocity in Toulouse and Rennes).

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TAXIS

Taxis are licensed by the local prefecture, which imposes strict rules on roadworthiness and fares. Private minicabs do not exist and all cabs operate in the same manner and charge the same fares in each area. Taxis are allowed to charge extra to take on a fourth passenger, but will often refuse to do so.

Hailing a cab on the street can be troublesome and taxi ranks are few and far between. If you have a train or flight to catch in the morning, always book a cab in advance the day before. Two of the largest taxi companies in the capital are G7 and Taxis Bleus. For the rest of France, find your local service by using the interactive map on the national taxi portal: www.taxi.fr (in French).

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OTHER FRENCH CITIES

Every French town and city has a public transport service, and regional coach companies operate bus lines in rural areas. Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes and Toulouse all have metro services.

Other cities, such as Nantes and Strasbourg, operate a tramway service.

CAR RENTAL

If you need to rent a car, try one of the following companies:

• Auto Europe
• Avis
• Hertz
• Europcar
• Rent a Car
• Easycar

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TRAINS

National and inter-regional transport is covered by the state-run railway network, the SNCF.

French trains generally run like clockwork and fares are cheaper per kilometre than most other European countries. The SNCF operates a high-speed train (TGV) service linking most French regions. This mode of transport is a generally cheaper and more reliable form of inter-city transport than flying. International TGV services also link Paris with London (by Eurostar) and Brussels and Amsterdam (by Thalys).

Information about all SNCF services including train times is available online or by phone on 3635. Internet sales have become increasingly popular and many special offers, only available online, allow travellers to print their own ticket directly from the website. Last-minute bargains are posted on the website on Tuesdays.

Eurostar
Eurostar trains run between St. Pancras in London and the Gare du Nord in the centre of Paris. The journey now takes just two hours and 15 minutes.

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BY AIR

The largest carrier is Air France, which connects Paris with other major French cities. For flight reservations and information call 0820 820 820 (€ 0.12 per min).

Budget airline Ryanair also serves many French cities and has flights both to the UK and to other European destinations.

For other companies, contact the appropriate

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