On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 10:00:42 +0200, "Ralf Hermanns"
wrote:

My question is: What is the best way to get from Charles-de-Gaulle Airport
(landing: 20 min past 8pm, weekday) to the Porte de Bagnolet, and what
prices can be expected?

Thanks to all of you, esp. Paul, for the excellent advice on this trip. I do
appreciate it a lot, I did not at all expect that much detail and info -
"admits to working for LU"... I am very confident, you could change and work
for RATP anyday!

Thanks for the kind comments but I try to be helpful as I know how
confusing it can be trying to get to grips with transport systems. You
haven't heard me speak French so I think RATP might struggle a bit with
me working in their offices.

Let me ask one more thing, if I may: You said, I needed 3 ticket for each
person on the Bus 351 - where did you find this bit on Information? I turned
the German and English Version of www.ratp.fr upside down, and even took a
deep look into the french page, but I did not find it.

You need to go to the "s'infomer" (inform yourself) section and then
select "titres de transport" (tickets and passes). Under the "ticket t"
option (which I assume translates to single trip tickets) look for the
text on buses and trams.

If my translation skills are working properly what that says is that
nearly all bus and tram routes in Paris and the Ile de France require
one ticket to be stamped for one trip, without interchange, for a
journey of any length. There is then a list of exceptions that includes
the 351. The text then adds that the cost of a trip on these routes
varies by length.

This basically means most bus routes are now flat fare in Paris but this
was not previously the case. You had to validate one single ticket per
section travelled. You therefore needed to consult a map to work out how
many sections your trip traversed and then check to see how many tickets
for that number of sections.

Now I then went to the line diagram for the 351 (click on 351 on the
page or use the link below) to count the sections. Your trip starts in
section 7 at the airport and then finishes at section 1. This equals 7
sections. If you then read the text under the 351 at the left of the
diagram you will see that you need to validate

1 ticket for 1-3 sections
2 tickets for 4-6 sections and
3 tickets for more than 6 sections.

http://www.ratp.info/picts/plans/gif...ue/300/351.gif


And how is it done, in reality? Upon boarding (we are 4) I move to the
Validator machine, and stamp 12 tickets? If a fare inspector wants to
validate us, each one gives 3 tickets? Or do you have to stamp them as you
run along the route?

There is a validation machine beside the driver and you simply take one
ticket and stamp it and repeat until you have enough tickets validated.
You do it all at the beginning and I would simply hand over all the
tickets if you do get a ticket inspection. It's years since I have
experienced a ticket check in Paris though so I would be amazed if you
encounter one.

As I said last time you can buy a ticket on the bus but this will be
more expensive than the Carnet option and it is always useful to have a
carnet in your pocket.

I have been to France before (as someone noted, I am from Germany, and it is
only 280 miles by car) but I have never flown there. The only reason I do
fly now is my old parents want to see Paris (hey, I told them London is
better, but the did not listen), and have never before flown in their lives,
so I connected that, and want to make sure that I am well-prepared for
everything. Once I am into central Paris, I know my way quite well. I do
understand and read french, I just cannot speak or write it very well...

Depending on how much you will be using public transport during your
stay then carnets or a Paris Visite may be useful as a ticket option.
The Paris Visite is the tourist ticket so that is an expensive option. I
usually buy a Mobilis ticket which is the Paris One Day Travelcard
ticket - partly because I stay in the suburbs and thus have a RER return
trip before using Metro and Buses.

The first time you buy one you get a Mobilis card with a serial number
on it and you write your name on this - there is no charge for this. You
also get a magnetic ticket onto which you write the serial number and
date. You can chose various zone combinations but 1 and 2 will work
for central Paris. If you go to La Defense by RER you need Zone 3 but by
Metro Line 1 zones 1&2 work (don't ask!). This is a bit more expensive
as an option that say a Carnet but I like the fact you can ride at will
for a day in the zones you've chosen and not worry about running out of
carnets or having to queue for RER or SNCF tickets if you venture out
further. You can also buy different zone combinations per day and if you
are sure about your travel plans can pre-purchase Mobilis tickets and
just date and serial number them as you need to use them - no queues!

--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!