A group of 4 of us are going to Paris in May. Each will have a suitcase & a small carry-on. I was thinking of using Inter-service Prestige Shuttle, but the postings all lean towards using a taxi. We will likely need a minivan taxi. Do we just get in line & go for the first minivan taxi, do we wait till we're first in line and let others get the "smaller" taxis until a bigger one gets the front? Or do we just use the shuttle?
Posted by
Gig Harbor, Washington, USA
1864 posts
What I have read on other travel sites is that you stand in line waiting your turn. If the next taxi up isn't the right size, you yield to the people behind you until a van-sized taxi shows up.......... It might be simpler to take two regular taxis. We used taxis twice last summer from CDG into Paris, fare was about $60, but fares vary depending on day of the week and time of day......... It's a good idea to print a map showing the location of your Paris accommodation, because the taxi driver will probably not know exactly where it is. Once he sees the map, he will probably have a GPS to use.......... None of our taxi drivers spoke any English except for "Hello," so it's also a good idea to have an index card that says, "Bonjour, please take us to this address. " (show map). You could probably get more specific information on the tripadvisor Paris forum, where many Parisians answer questions like this. Hope this helps a bit.
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9436 posts
There's a thread titled "Super Shuttle Paris" just below yours at the moment worth reading. In it, Pat recommends Shuttle-Inter.com which I would use instead of a taxi.
Posted by
OP
St. Petersburg, FL, USA
104 posts
I appreciate the reply and may end up with a shuttle, but assuming that I don't, what is the proper etiquette at a taxi stand?
Posted by
Anacortes, WA, US
56 posts
My recollection is that there is almost always a taxi dispatcher at the head of the line. As you approach him, catch his eye and hold up four fingers. He will do his magic trick and make the appropriate taxi appear for your party. If no dispatcher is there, when you get to the head of the line, turn and hold up the appropriate number of fingers to the next driver in line. Believe it or not, the drivers can figure out your parties size by the number of digits you hold up even if you do it in English. He will either nod and load you, or shake his head and load the next smaller group. They talk to each other on their radios, and a larger cab will be there shortly to pick you up. I, personally, would not consider a shuttle. They can be a hassle, and when you are jet lagged you don't need any of that.
Posted by
San Francisco, California, USA
12 posts
Take the taxi! Taxi stand is right outside baggage claim. Just walk out there and the person standing on your side of the sidewalk will direct you to the next cab/minivan. Write down the address of the hotel/apartment you are staying at on an index card (include the number that looks like a zip code - that tells the driver what neighborhood/arrondissemont it is in). Worth every penny to have a vehicle that takes you directly to your destination. Prepare to pay a 3 euro "surcharge" for extra (4th) person... you can expect that whenever you catch a cab in Paris.