Paris is served by two main airports: Orly in the South and Charles de Gaulle in the North.

Most American flights arrive at Roissy/Charles de Gaulle, and internal French flights mostly arrive at Orly-Ouest. The largest and main airport serving Paris is Charles de Gaulle, situated 23 kilometers (14 miles) northeast of Paris. Air France direct buses and RER line B link Charles de Gaulle airport to Orly airport (journey time is approximately 50 minutes). The Air France Bus leaves every 15-20 minutes (during the hours of 5.40 - 23.00) and deposits passengers at Porte Maillot, Etoile/Place Charles de Gaulle, or Gare Montparnasse. Travel time is about 25 minutes if traffic is clear; an hour or more during rush hours. The RoissyBus departs every 15 minutes between Roissy Terminal 2 and Opéra (between 5.45 and 23.00). The average travel time is 45 minutes. An RER/TGV station serves the airport directly. Trains leave every 15 minutes (between 5.30 and 23.30) to downtown Paris. Travel time is 35 minutes to Gare du Nord.
The second airport, Orly, is located 14km (nine miles) south of the city, on the A6 motorway. It has two terminals: Orly-Sud (Orly South) and Orly-Ouest (Orly West) which are linked by a shuttle (navette). Orly Sud handles mainly international flights and Orly Ouest mainly domestic flights.

The Air France Bus leaves every 15-20 minutes (between 5.40 and 23.00) and deposit passengers at Gare d'Austerlitz, Gare Montparnasse, or Gare St-Michel. The journey time is about 40 minutes. There is also a direct bus to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport. The Orlybus service (bus departs next to the RER stop), to and from Denfert-Rochereau, departs every 15 minutes; The travel time is about 45 minutes. The JetBus service to Villejuif Louis Aragon has regular departure times and similar travel times to those of the OrlyBus. The OrlyVal is a conductorless train with a frequent connection to Antony.

RER Line B + Orlyval (connection in Antony)
Daily : 6.00 to 22:30
Sunday : 7.00 to 22:55
Frequency: every 4 to 8 minutes

Fare : €17 approx (increases in fares occur often)
From Châtelet (Central Paris) to Orly by metro the average journey takes 30 minutes
Combined ticket (Metro, RER, Orlyval)
Fare : €9 approx
By RER train it is even cheaper:
Average trip time between the Gare d'Austerlitz and Orly : 35 minutes.
Single fare : €6 approx
Combined ticket (Metro, RER, Aéroports de Paris Shuttles)

Train departures from Roissy Charles de Gaulle to Paris

Roissy CDG Terminal 1, take the Green shuttle to the shopping level
Roissy CDG Terminal 2, take the Blue shuttle : Fares : €8 approx
Combined ticket (Metro-RER- Aéroports de Paris Shuttle )
Frequency every 4 to 15 minutes

Parking

Disabled passengers benefit from a 50% reduction on parking fees in the P1, PAB, PCD, PT9 and PF car parks by showing their invalidity card with their parking ticket to the car park cashier at the car park exits.

Reserved parking spaces are located on level 3 of the P1 Car park (33 places), on level -3 of the PAB Car Park (24 places), on the levels -1 and -2 of the PCD Car Park (35 places at each level) and the PF Car Park (36 places on 3 levels).

Taxis

The centre of Paris can also be reached by taxi from either Roissy-Charles de Gaulle or Orly airport and the journey will take around 45 minutes. If you want to travel between Roissy/Charles de Gaulle Airport and Orly the fare costs around €46.
From Charles de Gaulle airport to the centre of Paris, it costs around €36 in taxi fares.

Train

Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français (SNCF) is the national railway service. Paris has six major stations: the Gare du Nord; Gare St-Lazare; Gare de l'Est, Gare de Lyon; Gare Montparnasse and Gare d'Austerlitz. Each station has cafés, restaurants, banks, bureaux de change, ATMs and car hire on the premises or nearby. The Gare du Nord is the French terminus of the international high-speed Eurostar train service. All of the major train stations in Paris are directly linked to the métro network.

The Eurotunnel allows drivers and passengers of cars and buses to cross the Channel in specially adapted trains. The journey time is approximately 35 minutes from Kent in Southern England to Nord-Pas-de-Calais in Northern France. The tunnel is linked to the UK and French motorway networks. Tickets can be purchased on the day of travel at check-in or can be pre-booked at the Eurotunnel call centre.

Tel: Eurotunnel 0870 5353535 from the UK to make a booking. For up to date information about travelling: 08000 969992

Ring 0900 50405440 from The Netherlands: and 070 223210 from Belgium.

Web site: www3.eurotunnel.com

Eurostar: www.eurostar.com 0870 1606600 for train travel without a vehicle. Trains run direct to Paris from London Waterloo or Ashford in Kent

French railways: www.sncf.fr For information telephone: 0033 (0)153901010 from the UK The following premium rate line has details of late running trains: 08366 76869

Bicycles can be carried on some trains, check with the station you intend to depart from. They can also be sent ahead for a charge of around €45. Check the website for further details (There is an section in English).

RER Tickets

The cost of RER tickets depends on the distance traveled. Ask for information at the main railway stations

Métro

The metro system has 15 lines and the system is very well planned as every building in the centre of Paris is within 500 metres of a métro station. The métro lines extend into zones one and two in central Paris and trains run from 05.30 to 00.30. Free transport maps are available at métro stations, bus terminals and the tourist office. Single tickets can be bought from ticket machines or station staff but if you're staying more than a few days, the weekly Carte Orange is worth buying. Travellers must produce a passport photograph when purchasing this weekly or monthly pass and then it can be used anytime by the holder. A carnet is another cheap way to travel: buy ten single metro tickets at once and you save money.

Prices
One metro ticket: €1,30
Carnet of ten tickets: €9,60
Reduced price (children etc): €4.80
If you plan on staying within the Paris city limits, you'll only need a ticket for Zones 1-2. La Defense and St. Denis lie within Zone 3. Both airports lie within Zone 5.
There are numerous options and discounts. Here are a few examples:

The Mobilis card is a one-day unlimited use card.(Prices subject to frequent changes)Zones 1-2 cost €5. Zones 1-3 €6.70 and Zones 1-8 €17.95

The Paris Visite Card (Zones 1-3) costs:
€8,35 for one day

€13,70 for two days
€18,25 for three days
€26,65 for five days

Paris Visite Card (Zones 1-5) includes transport to the airports:
€16,75 for one day (€8.35 for children)
€25,65 for two days (€12.95)
€37,75 for three days (€18.25)
€5,70 for five days (€22.85)

Cartes Musées et Monuments cost €15 for one day per person, giving unlimited access to many museums and galleries. 3days costs €30 and 5 days €45.

The Carte Orange allows unlimited Metro and bus line use for one week or one month. It can't be used by anyone else as your photo is attached. The week-long Carte Orange costs: €13,75; ask for a 'hebdo'
The month-long Carte Orange costs: €46,05; ask for a 'mensuel'.

If you are 26 or younger, you can take advantage of Ticket Jeunes which allow you to use the Metro and buslines on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays at a reduced rate.

Zones 1-3 cost €3,20 for the day and zones 1-5 cost €6.40.

If you plan to use public transport to and from the airport, you will need to ask for a Carte Orange, or Carte Paris Visite which includes the airport zone. For example, your Paris Visite card will say, "Aeroports inclus".

You can also purchase your airport ticket separately: Line B of the RER or Roissy Bus (departing from Opera) costs €8,00.

Buy a copy of the book of maps: Paris Classique (around €9 Euros) or the Plan de Paris, which lists all the arrondissements and streets in detail as well as the bus lines and Metro stops.

Most buses run from Monday to Saturday between 06.30 to 20.30. However, some lines continue until 00.30. Services are reduced by about half on Sundays and bank holidays (jours feriées). Night buses (Noctambuses) run on 13 routes from Monday to Saturday from 01.00 to 05.30 hourly but there is a reduced service on Sunday. They go between Place du Châtelet by the Hôtel de Ville and the suburbs.

For information on the internet, including ticket prices,family reductions etc.

www.citefutee.com/informer/achat-titres.php

For a route planner try:www.citefutee.com/orienter/itineraire.php

Children up to the age of four travel free as long as they don't occupy a seat. From age 5 to 10 children pay 50% of the adult fare.

Tickets

The same tickets can be used for bus, métro and RER (within zones one and two only). Night buses require separate tickets. One ticket is sufficient for a bus ride or an RER journey (within zones one and two) or a métro journey (with changes (correspondances)). Separate tickets are needed for changes between buses or between bus and métro/RER. RER tickets must be purchased for RER journeys beyond zones one and two. Tickets can be purchased from stations and tabacs, and should be validated on entry and kept until the end of the journey to avoid fines. For longer stays, the Carte Orange (with a weekly coupon (coupon hebdomodaire), for sale at all métro stations, allows a week's travel in zones one and two. There is also a monthly Carte Orange for zones one and two. The Carte Orange ticket should be validated at the métro turnstile and displayed to the bus driver.

Taxis can be hailed at airports, stations and at taxi ranks (arrêts taxis) but can be hard to find, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. A yellow light displayed on the roof shows that the taxi is available for hire; an orange light means that the taxi is in use. Taxi's have three different rates: Tariff A for daytime journeys; Tariff B for journeys after 19.00, on Sundays, holidays and in the suburbs and Tariff C (the most expensive rate) for the suburbs and airports at night and districts outside Paris during the day. In addition, there are extra charges for being picked-up from a home/business address, being picked-up at a mainline station, waiting time, a fourth passenger and for luggage.
Taxis can be hailed in the street or telephone:
Alpha Taxis: 01 45858585
Artaxis: 0142035050
Taxis G7: 01 47394739

Travel by Car

The A16 leads directly from Boulogne (near Calais) into Paris. The E19 motorway leads from Brussels into Paris (via the A2 and A1). Lille is linked directly to Paris via the A1. Paris is surrounded by the often congested Périphérique ring road. Speed limits are 130kph (81mph) on motorways (marked with an 'A') 110kph (68mph) on dual carriageways separated by a central reservation. When it is raining the speed limit on all motorways is 110 kph. National roads are marked with a 'N' and minor roads with the letter 'D'. Typical driving times from Paris: Bordeaux - 6 hours; Marseille - 7 hours 30 minutes.

Driving in central Paris is not advisable. Most hotels don't have garages, finding a place to park is difficult and illegally parked cars are usually towed away. There are frequent traffic jams, and Parisian drivers tend to be impatient if you have slow responses behind the wheel. Having said that, most official street-side parking spaces are clearly marked 'payant', so you can pay by the minute. Paris also has numerous underground and covered car parks in the city centre, these include the Arc de Triomphe, place de Concorde and near Forum des Halles. But be warned, many municipal garages close at about 23.00 and some are also closed on Sundays. Parking is usually free at weekends and on weekdays before 09.00 and after 19.00.

Hire Cars

Hertz

Hertz have numerous locations in Paris. Try: 11 Place Louis Armand Tel: 0153466740 Metro: Gare de Lyon www.hertz.fr

Avis

This company has 25 centres from where you can hire a car. They include: 34 Ave Villiers Tel 0147665580 Metro: Malesherbes or Monceau Reservations centre: 0820 050505 www.avis.com

Europcar

The airport branch office is very useful for recently arrived passengers: Go to the Terminal Air France building on Esplanadedes Invalides. Metro: Invalides Tel 0144110380 www.europcar.fr

If you want to hire a chauffeur (car plus driver) Les Chauffeurs de France offer both from one day to three months. 7 rue du Lincoln Tel: 0140740154 Metro: George V Book a day ahead. The cost of a driver is €23.80 per hour, with overtime charged after 7 hours. They can supply car hire (Renault Safrane) if you book ahead, which costs more. Minimum hire of the car is one day.

Bicycles

Paris now has 130 kilometres of cycle lanes and it is advisable to use them if they run along your route, as you can be fined for not doing so. The parks have some good cycle routes if you want to avoid traffic and on Sundays a few Quais along the River Seine are closed to motor traffic (but cycling through the pedestrian crowds may offer different hazards…)

Places to hire bicycles: Maison Roue Libre 1 Passage Mondétour Tel 0810441534. rouelibre@wnanadoo.fr

Open from 9.00 to 19.00 Closed 15th December to 15th January
Paris Vélo 2 Rue du Fer á Moulin Tel 0143375922 Metro: Censier Daubenton.

Cylcobus also have a few branches, such as the ones in Place de la Concorde or Porte d'Auteuil. Rental from €3.10 for one hour, €11.50 for a day, €17.50 for the weekend and €129.60 for a year.

www.ratp.fr/parisvisite/fr.index.htm for cycle tours organised by the RATP

Travellers can't take bicycles on the metro but some SNCF and RER weekend services permit them.

Rollerblading events

Paris comes alive on Sunday afternoons and Friday evenings when thousands of rollerbladers take to the streets en masse. You can watch or join a group at Friday Night Fever starting from Gare Montparnasse. At 22:00 rollerbladers take off for an 18 mile tour around the city (with police escort).
Rollerbladers Association: Loi 1901 23-5 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau Tel 01 44549442

Rollerblades can be hired from: Galerie Point Show 66 Ave Des Champs Elysées Telephone 01 42891889 Metro: Franklin d. Roosevelt (All telephone numbers are local: dial 0033 before the number and omit the first zero if ringing from abroad).

For police call 17 and Ambulance call 15.
SOS Medecins (doctors) call 01 470 77777
The American Hospital in Paris 63 Boulevard Victor Hugo Tel 01 46412525. Metro: Neuilly.
The Hopital Franco-Brittanique de Paris is at 3 Rue Barbes Metro: Levallois-Peret. 01 46392222
Gynaecology/maternity Tel 0146392235
Secretary for a British GP: 01 46392234
www.english-doctor-paris.com or www.hbh.free.fr

If you are a British citizen, to obtain refunds for health care, go to the local Sickness Insurance Office, (Caisse Primaire d'Assurance-Maladie).Ensure that tour doctor or dentist is 'conventionne', which means that they work in the French health care system. After you have seen the doctor, get a signed statement of the treatment given (feuille de soins) as you can't claim a refund without this. You will be charged for any treatment but if you have brought a signed form E111 from the UK (available at any GB Post Office), you can claim around 70% of standard doctor's and dentists' fees and around 35%- 65% of the cost of prescribed medicines. Further details are available in the 'Health Advice for Travellers' leaflet which comes with from E111. Otherwise, contact your health insurance company about claiming for health care whilst abroad.