Transportation Options in Paris
pedestrians on Champs-Elysee
Paris visitors have many options for getting around the town. Some are both functional and fun. Others are downright unrealistic. Let’s take a brief look at each of the Paris transportation options from unrealistic to sensible:
- rental car – Don’t even think about it. Traffic is a nightmare and navigation is nearly impossible.
- taxi – This is a very expensive option and not always a pleasant experience.
- mass transit – The Metro, RER (versions of Underground/subway) and buses might be a fast and reliable option but not a safe one. Pickpockets are absolutely rampant in Paris and their favorite stomping grounds are the Metro/RER stations. They especially thrive on places where tourists congregate. The Gare du Nord terminal is especially notorious for thieves.
In-Seine pedestrian options
- bicycling – Paris is making efforts to improve the bicycle infrastructure. So in some places, at some times, it is an acceptable option. Avoid rush hours, weekends & holidays, and biking in Paris can be a pleasant experience although occasionally stressful. Paris bike trails are available, but often crowded.
- walking – This is probably the best option, if possible for your particular situation. Paris is a fairly walkable city and even more so if you know what you’re doing and where you’re going. Pedestrian-only streets and paths are springing up everywhere. (more on this below)
Let’s take a closer look at bicycling and walking in Paris.
bikers near the Louvre
Bike Paths in Paris
Paris is not one of the better cities for bike paths. Although there are many trails and roads that allow bikes, they take second and third fiddle to cars and pedestrians. However, if you are very patient and even more careful, you can bike your way around Paris. After all, many locals do it on a daily basis. If you decide that biking Paris is going to be your thing, then please watch out for the following pitfalls:
bike path along Seine River
- cars – They’re everywhere. Admittedly, most of them are very patient of cyclists. But, as always, it only takes one who is not so patient or courteous. And there are quite a few speed-demon motorists in Paris.
- pedestrians – As I wrote above, Paris is a walkable city. Therefore, it is absolutely cram-packed with pedestrians. about a fourth of those are locals who are often in a hurry to get to work or play. The rest are tourists who are not in a hurry and are not paying attention to bicyclists.
- thieves – You must lock your bike, even when leaving it for a short while.
What’s that you say? You didn’t bring your bike with you to Paris? Well fortunately for you there is the…
Velib Bicycle Rental Program
Velib rental station
Just like Bikeshare programs in the U.S. and Boris Bikes in the UK, Paris has a bicycle rental scheme called Paris Velib bike share. In theory, it’s a great program that allows both locals and tourists to rent bikes, on a short-term basis to get around Paris. The price is right at only around €1.70 per day. Stations are located all over Paris, and you can pick-up a bike in one place and drop it off at another, so it is also very convenient. So why do I say it’s a great program “in theory?” Because I tried, numerous times to rent one of the bikes and, each time, it rejected not one but both of my credit cards. Just the week before, I had used the London Boris Bikes/ Santander Cycles with no problem. Plus, the same credit cards were accepted by Paris merchants right before and after I attempted to rent the bikes. The cards worked fine at other businesses. So I can’t continue this review of the Velib Bike Rental program because I never got to use the bikes.
Walking Paths in Paris
pedestrian bridge over Seine River
Now this is where Paris shines. Other than the notorious pickpockets, Paris is well-suited for walking around. The Seine pedestrian path alone makes Paris a great option for walkers, joggers and hikers. It is a beautiful path. Or more precisely, it’s a beautiful series of paths along the Seine River. In some places, there are as many as four footpaths running parallel to each other along the river w/ two different paths, at two different levels on both sides of the river. Plus, crossing the Seine River is a breeze with all the pedestrian bridges and raised pedestrian sidewalks on most of the other bridges. And if that isn’t enough, there are a whole slew of pedestrian-only streets all throughout the city. And for still more walking pleasure, foot travelers can visit nearby towns such as Versailles for further rambling excursions.
