Transportation from Gare de l'Est to Louvre area

I think the Metro is very safe. Thousands take it every day with no ill effects. And it only costs 1.70 euro a ride, less if you buy a 10-pack of tickets called a carnet. From Gare de l'Est take the No 7 line direction Villejuif and get off at Palais Royal/Musee du Louvre.

Is that the ICE train from Frankfurt arriving at Est at 4:50 pm?

I don't know what you are after with the question about safe.

Millions use underground railways around the world - in Washington DC, Toronto, New York City, Boston, London, Munich, Frankfurt, and Paris to name a few, and the vast majority of journeys are safe.

It is safer to fly than any other method of travel, but railways of all types come a close second.

You are far more likely to be in an accident crossing the street to the station than you are riding the transport. 7 stops on the number 7 Métro, direction Mairie d'Ivry or Villejuif - Louis Aragon.

You'll be fine. The most important part is to keep an eye on your belongings in the train station upon arrival. But that's something you should do always on all parts of your trip (keep valuables in a money belt, only keep enough money for the day accessible, keep important things in front of and close to your body -- not in a backpack. . . etc etc).

Paris is a very safe city; there is virtually no violent crime involving tourists. Pickpockets are common on all forms of transport and in museums and any crowded place e.g. Eiffel Tower. Pickpockets are not a safety issue; most times you will not even be aware of them until you discover your wallet is gone. So don't travel with a wallet in a pocket or valuables in a backpack (the pickpockets dream) or be careless with your luggage especially computer bags or purses.

I am an old lady and have traveled across Paris by metro at midnight without concern. The metro is full of people at all hours as are the central streets. I am not sure why you think the metro would not be 'safe' in the middle of Paris in the middle of the afternoon. You will have to climb stairs, so be sure you can easily control and manage your luggage on stairs without leaving yourself vulnerable to pickpockets.

I will agree that the Metro is "safe." But if you're arriving at a train station with luggage, it may not be convenient or pleasant to schlep your luggage up and down stairs, particularly if you have to change lines. You are also more vulnerable to pickpockets when you're freshly arrived at an unfamiliar place, and thus more easily distracted.

I live in New York and take the subway all the time, but if I have luggage I often splurge on a taxi.

Once you've stowed your luggage at your hotel, you can take the Metro to your heart's content. And for your return, you'll be much more familiar with the city and the Metro, and you may feel comfortable taking the Metro at the end of your trip. So, you won't use your whole budget on taxis - just one or two rides. From Gare de l'Est to the Louvre area, it won't be expensive (there are online taxi fare calculators if you need to get an estimate).

Do have the full written address (including the 5 digit postal code) handy, to show the driver.

Thanks everyone! I did mean safe with luggage in an unfamiliar city. It will be daylight and many people around, but I will have luggage and two young adults in tow. I didn't think about stairs in and out of the Metro either.

Three people + luggage + discomfort with a new city = taxi. The extra cost per person is only a few euros, and the convenience and peace of mind is definitely worth it.

I agree totally with Harold (who is usually right), especially with three of your sharing the taxi. And thanks for clarifying about "safety." Personal danger isn't an issue, theft can be.

And you won't get a "taxi tour of Paris," you'll get a fast direct trip to your hotel. At the Gare, look for the official taxi stand and let a dispatcher put you on one. Don't go with anyone who approaches you in the station offering you a ride.

Here is info about Gare de l'Est from the "Paris by Train" website, with a link to a station map showing where the taxis are. The text relates more to arriving at the station to get an outbound train, but you can figure it out. The main website has a lot of good info about Metro and RER too.

@ comurphy6...If you get into Paris Est at 16:50 on Sunday after a ride of almost four hours and you're not familiar with navigating the Metro from Est, I would suggest also to go to the hotel by taxi. Forget the hassle, more so if you don't have Metro tickets already. This is when splurging on a taxi is called for. I stay at a small hotel at Gare du Nord, takes a few minutes walking there from Est. On a Sunday in the summer after 17:00 you can bet it's going to be crowded going to the Louvre as you try to board.