Hi all,
We will be traveling to Paris with a 5 and 2 year old and wanted advice on transportation from Eurostar to our hotel near Opera metro stop. Do we call a taxi? If so, should we bring our own car seat or use a service with a car seat?
We could also bring luggage on Metro, but is that safe?
On the way to the Airport (CDG) I think we can take the bus, so no car seat issues.
Thank you!
G7 Famille reportedly offers this service:
https://www.g7.fr/en/discover-our-services/taxi-g7-famille#
We could also bring luggage on Metro, but is that safe?
I would not want to wrangle two youngsters plus luggage in the Metro system...it is difficult enough to schlep luggage on Metro without kids...
JoJoRabbit is on point. Use the G7 Famille app. I wouldn't dare try the metro with luggage and little ones. Crowds, plus often lots of steps.
Crowds plus steps, plus con artists looking to separate the most vulnerable looking from their wallets. It's sad to say but true - especially on the RER out to the airport.
Note that the link that JoJo Rabbi helpfully provided includes the English-speaking phone line for G7 listed.
Taxis Parisiens, such as Taxi G7, are exempt from the car seat requirement for children. Arriving on the Eurostar, the official taxi queue is just a few steps out the side of the terminal. Make sure that the driver starts the meter, there are no fixed fares.
Taking a taxi to CDG, if you want a car seat to be included in the car, you will need to contact the taxis company well in advance to allow them to plan for it.
You don't say when you're traveling, but trains and busses at this time of year are standing room only until around 10pm within the major tourist areas of Paris.
I would travel with an inflatable booster seat for the two year old and just use a taxi from the queue with the regular seat belts. If the five year old is very small, you could use the travel booster for them as well.
The only safety concern for the metro is stairs and little kids and stuff. Pickpockets will be at every tourist site you visit so the only solution to securing valuables is to not be a walking buffet. No valuables in pockets -- for transit situations like this I use a money belt under my clothes for money, cards and passports and my phone is in a lanyard carrier under my jacket. Don't put small valuables in backpacks and be sure you always have your hand on things like a computer bag.
but I'd get a cab, use the portable booster seats for the kid or kids, and stow my stuff and then head out and use the metro for getting around Paris once the valuables and bulky stuff is stowed. The 2 year old is free; tickets for the 5 year old are half price if purchased on a Navigo Easy card. If you are there a week or so. Mon-Sun, then a Navigo Decouverte pass for the three oldest of you will give you unlimited bus, metro and RER in the Ile de france.
