Paris Travel Answers

Rich, I'm testing my own pathetic knowledge here as I want to make sure I remember correctly.... It was my understanding that a metro ticket allows you to go anywhere the metro does - so in your case you're fine taking Line 1 (Chateau de Vincennes - Le Defense) to the La Defense station. It's the RERs that have zone restrictions to pay attention to. Floggings cheerfully accepted if I'm wrong here.

you the ticket zone 1-3 and will have no problems. Metro line 1 or RER A will bring you into the city of Paris.It will cover all 3 zones. if multiple trips you can get a carnet of 10 zone 1-3 comes out a bit cheaper than individual tickets and the whole family can share them. Cheers

by the way I got confused with your la defense zone 3, the Paris zone map was change a while back and it is now zone 2. see the RATP see example trip here ratp.fr/itineraires/fr/ratp/... the carnet of 10 will save you 30% of price so if you buy the zone 1-2 you will be ok, now if you take the bus then it is zone 2 as well and see more walking a bit to Neuilly take bus no 73 you will have for the price of a metro ticket a grand tour of the best in Paris see itinerary here ratp.fr/informer/pdf/oriente... hope it helps

That's what I thought, just wanted to make sure. One other quick question. We will be arriving in Paris at Orly and will more then likely hop on the OrlyVal for the expensive but quick ride to the Rer. We will take that to the Chatelet station and then switch to the other RER line to take us to La Defense. My question is at the Chatelet station are the RER lines on the same level or will we have to go up or down to the other one?

Yep, I had a feeling you may have been looking at an outdated metro map - the current one is here: ratp.fr/informer/pdf/oriente... That's the trouble with the net - all the outdated, incorrect stuff sticks around forever!!!!

Where is Pedmar? he can answer this.

well heck who is pedmar? gwened is here ::) orly is in zone 3. orlyval to Antony and then metroRER to your final destination Chatelet les Halles is a complicated station multiple lines and lots of passageways, the RER and Metro are at different levels all marked. better take the bus bus 68 example here ratp.fr/itineraires/fr/ratp/... hope it helps

I thought I read somewhere that transferring from RER B to RER A at Chatelet only required going up one escalator and down another. It's the transfer between RER and metro that I think is the maze. I think we may have done the maze here on our last trip.

Yes it's a maze but OK if you follow the signs. RER A to B is easy. Getting to the Metro is signposted , as are busses, just open your eyes and be careful. Signs are usually up high on walls and from the ceiling, but not very big.. Every year before the summer rush, RATP people pick up the dessicated bodies of lost tourists from the mysterious bowels of Chatelet...

Hi, Yes, about RER. To get RER A from RER B at Chatelet is very easy as you say. It's not true for other directions. Regards

Yes, I wonder where Pedmar is - he hasn't been on the forum for ages and he was so helpful.....

But now we have a gwened so helpful he may as well be Pedmar's twin! :O)

ok so nice to remember folks around here. One day you will remember gwened ::) yes for me and others who live around here is easy but for first time visitors using it ,its indeed a maze. But Riorich55 you have been in a maze before hehehe!!! if not you can try your perfect lol! Cheers

Alas poor Pedmar I knew him well!

thumbs up!!!

One short addition: The Metro line #1 ends at La Defense. If you are going there, there is no extra charge and no need to take bus or taxi. However, the La Defense area covers a lot of territory and you may need to go further than the end of Line #1. In that case, you need to spend a bit more money. I suspect the cheapest way would be to take bus or taxi to the La Defense Metro stop and then use the Metro (or bus) from there to wherever you want to go in Paris. And gwened is correct, the carnet of 10 Metro tickets is a real bargain even after they raised the prices January 1st. It's 12.70 euros for 10 tickets but they go a long way if you plan well. Have fun in Paris.

We are good! We are staying right at the end of the line at the Hilton La Defense. We used 2 carnets on our last trip so very familiar with them also. Thanks!

Have a great trip, Rich!

you wont have a problem at the Hilton La Defense ::) but remember what I said if want to see more the bus is great, metro is ten meters underground... the bus 73 is considered a tourist attraction bus by the RATP, lovely Paris for the price of a metro/bus ticket lol!!! Just walk from the esplanade to the end of it starts ave Charles de Gaulle at Neuilly sur Seine. Its my business hangout area ::)

well I guess when we meet will have to give some Paris walkabouts lol!

For La Defense the metro station (line 1) is in zone 1-2, the RER which is located at the same place is in zone 3.

no the zone have change, both are on zone 2.see RATP Cheers

that would make more sense, but if I look at this map ratp.fr/informer/pdf/oriente... La Defense is still zone 3

the map is outdated, when you book your trip it shows the new zones 2 I know i worked there lol!!!