First trip to Paris. My family of four will be arriving via Eurostar at the Gare Du Nord at appx 2:30 pm on a weekday in late June. We will be toting one bag of luggage apiece. We have the option of using either the Metro or RER to get to our hotel. If we take the metro, we'll transfer (4 to 14) at Chatelet. If we use the RER, we'll transfer (B to C) at Saint Michel Notre Dame. Which mode of transport do you think would be less of a headache?
Thanks, Cal
For Cal's destination, with four people and four pieces of luggage, his taxi fare will probably hit $30-35...compared to @$7 for the RER.
Since two lines use St-Michel Notre-Dame and four lines use Chatelet, I'd pick St-Michel Notre-Dame.
I assume your hotel is near the Bibliotheque Francois Mitterand stop? If so, then the RER is probably the best route. You'll encounter fewer stairs and fewer people. The Chatelet-Les Halles station is the busiest in Paris, with a lot of walking involved to make transfers.
Four people, four bags, first time in Paris. Hmmm. Take a taxi. You don't want to have to figure out the Paris transit system, especially with complicated transfers, in this situation. Cost: probably less than 20 Eu. Ease of mind: priceless.
We take a cab to/from Gare Du Nord to our hotel in the Latin Quarter. Cost o/a 20Euros. When I'm by myself I take the metro. BEWARE of unofficial taxi drivers who will come up to you inside the terminal when the Eurostar arrives. Take only the offical taxi (directly outside to your right - follow signs). You will have to wait for a taxi (we waited 1/2 hour)since alot of people off the train opt for a taxi. For four people cab fare is very reasonable. Once at your hotel and settled in you can figure out the metro easily (and I mean easily). Yes you will take the occasional wrong turn and so what. Even if you get on the correct line going the wrong way you just get off, cross over and get back on going the right way (yes yes I've had to do that).
When you do use the metro, be sure every person knows exactly what you'll do if you get separated--whether everyone will meet at the next stop, meet at the final destination, or whether those who got on the car will return to get those who didn't.
Simple as it sounds, the two of use were separated on our first trip by the crowd and the closing doors, and we had to guess where we were meeting up. We guessed the same and all was fine, but after that we made sure we both knew the stop we were heading to before we boarded every time, and that we would meet there.
Have to agree with the other posters and use a taxi. Getting around the metro with luggage, even one piece, is a pain in the backside. Taxis, like everyone said, will be cheap divided by 4 people. If you don't want to use a taxi, go for the RER.
Take the Metro. It's easy, if the luggage isn't too big, especially at 2:30, you won't encounter an unwieldy amount of people and you'll be taking it again so it will get you used to the system which is quite easy to use. The only caveat to using the system is to know the termination point. That obviously will determine which car to get on. We just got back from Paris and used the metro all the time.
Callan -
The transfer at St. Michel between the B and C will be the least difficult from a distance aspect and stair aspect (escalators at St. Michel RER). Also - the time of day you will be traveling is not a busy one.
Chatelet is a difficult station to manage - it is my least favorite in Paris and can be daunting when trying to navigate language, luggage and family.
Bon chance.
All,
I greatly appreciate the excellent advice. I think we'll do the RER. The small town boy in me is still fascinated by subway/train systems, so when I'm in NYC, DC, or San Fran, I always make it a point to figure them out and use them as much as possible. We won't have any gigantic luggage. The biggest reason I was asking is because I saw a YouTube video inside Chatelet that made it look like a cattle stampede, but I don't know what time of day it was shot.
cal
Callan,
I haven't done the RER stop you asked about but I can second Jona's mention of Chatelet being a pain. We were just in Paris last week and went thru there and it was a madhouse and we didn't have luggage we were toting around.
Callan, it sounds as if you've made up your mind but not more than 2 weeks ago we took the RER into Chatelet, transferred to the Metro which took us to Etienne Marcel and had no trouble. Either way you just follow the signs. Either way you going to love the transportation system in Paris. Enjoy
