UBER in Paris?

As I say in your other post official Paris taxi's work well. Taxi's G-7 has an app if you prefer, and an English phone line too. Very efficient, and properly insured too. Bogus taxi's are such an issue to the city that there is a large task force that looks for non-qualified drivers.

Actually the metro is not at all complicated. Get a metro map, follow the signs and Bob's your uncle. And what do you mean by "dicey" ? Dangerous? Unreliable? Neither applies. But if the metro frightens you use the bus. Bus maps are available at metro stations.

I'm a huge uber fan, and used it once in Paris, but you owe it to yourself to use the Paris metro. If you use the metro in one city in Europe, Paris should probably be the one. SUPER cheap, cool art-deco stations, nice city coverage, lots of locals.....

The Metro is Paris is NOT complicated and not dicey if you just stay aware. In my opinion Paris has one of the best city public transportation systems in the world. It's so easy to use and goes everywhere.

The Metro in Paris is very easy to use, and often the quickest way to get around as it's not affected by traffic. I'm not sure what you're referring to as "dicey"???

I just returned Monday from 9 days in London/Paris. The only thing that really makes the Paris Metro more difficult is the language barrier. Even that is not a problem except when there are service interruptions and you can't understand the announcements being made. We experienced a long delay because of an outage on the metro line to Versailles. Oh and on the last day, trying to catch the train to CDG, the first one was so packed we could not get on. We really had to push to get on the second and then it was a long slow ride to CDG.

I came close to using Uber and the app does work, but you do have to turn on your Data Roaming. The most dicey aspect of my transportation was being met at Gare de Nord by all the taxi hucksters. If the price they quote you seems high, negotiate. I easily got my ride for 5 down from 60 to 44 euro because that is all the initial cash I had from currency exchange of pounds.

Not to get this thread sideways from the original purpose but if you are at Gare du Nord or anywhere else in Paris, get your taxi from the official taxi line and not from hucksters who approach you. Even if you negotiate the proposed fare down, and by the way real licensed Parisian taxi drivers do not negotiate the fare, chances are you have overpaid tremendously for the ride. Forty-four euros for a trip for 4 from Gare du Nord to just about anywhere in central Paris was a major rip-off.

"Complicated and dicey" -- sounds like a description of driving in Paris!

I felt safer in the Metros of Paris and Rome then I did in the Subway in New York.

I am a 60+ female solo traveler. I find the Paris Metro extremely simple. If by dicey you mean dangerous, I have never felt any fear or discomfort in the Metro system. You need to use common sense as in any big city (or anywhere else for that matter). Use a money belt, be aware of your surroundings, and you are fine.

As another contributor suggested, study your metro map and know where you are going. You just need to know what color line you want (and number). The direction of the train is labeled according to the last stop on the line so use that name to determine which train to get on to be headed the right way. Then get off when you reach your stop. Stops are listed inside each train car so you can follow your path and know where you are.

Taxis in Paris are top-rated and reliable. Taxi drivers pass difficult government exams, have to know all the streets by heart, have to know what hours of the days deliveries are allowed on what streets so they can get you to your destination safer and faster. I'd never use a non-licensed driver in Paris. Dave from Dallas thought he did well because he negotiated but that was part of the game. Never use a driver who approaches you. What would happen in case of an accident? So bottom line: the public transportation and licensed taxis are your best bets.

OTOH, I would use Uber in my hometown where the taxi companies and drivers are not the quality of Paris taxis.

Just to echo what JHK said. You should never be in a position (well never say never, I guess, but I can't think of anytime) to be negotiating a taxi fare within Paris. Ignore the touts and go to the taxi line. Or hop on the non-dicey metro if luggage allows (i.e. if it's light and manageable!).

My guess would be by 'dicey' is that they have heard the stories about the pickpockets who work the subway...

My husband and I visited Paris last August and used Uber many times, with no problems. It was about 50/50 whether our driver spoke much english, but i always put the address of the location we were going into the app and the language barrier was never an issue! Clean, safe, same as in the US!