Transportation & Reach
The capital city of France has experienced many enhancements in its
transportation system over the past centuries due to its crucial role as a
center of international trade and tourism. The developments are still
progressing at a rapid pace today making Paris the center of an AutoRoute
system, high-speed train network and through its two major airports, a hub
of international air travel as well.
For transportation networking, the city is divided into five zones with
differential ticket prices. Each zone is well connected by extensive public
transportation network.
Paris Airports:
Being the capital and most important city of France, Paris is international
and national air travel hub. It is mainly served by two airports.
- Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG): 24 km northeast
of Paris, it mostly carries international flights. The airport has three
terminals.
- Paris Orly Airport (ORY): About 18-km south of Paris, it
handles both charters and international flights.
- Le Bourget Airport: It is a much smaller airport, at the town
of Beauvais, 70 km (45 m) to the north of the city. The airport is used
by charter and low-cost airlines and nowadays hosts business jets, air
trade shows and the aerospace museum.
Paris Railway Transportation:
Paris is the central hub of national and international rail network of
high-speed (TGV) and normal (Corail) trains. Six major railway stations
connect this network.
- Gare du Nord: It looks after international travel for northern France
and northern Europe comes under this station as well.
- Gare Montparnasse: This station serves western France, primarily
Nantes & Brittany. It is also the terminal for TGV Atlantic service
from Paris to Bordeaux.
- Gare de l'Est: It serves Strasbourg, Luxembourg, Basel & central
Europe.
- Gare de Lyon: It looks after passengers for Lyon, Marseille, Cote d’Azur,
Geneva & Italy.
- Gare d'Austerlitz: It has Loire Valley, southwest France and Spain
under its purview.
- Gare St-Lazare: It is for going or coming from England and Normandy
via Dieppe.
Local Transportation of Paris:
The public transport networks of the city are coordinated by the Syndicat
des transports d'Île-de-France (STIF) formerly known as Syndicat des
transports parisiens (STP).
The members of the syndicate include the RATP that operates the Parisian:
- Metro: It is one of the most important methods of
transportation in Paris. It comprises of 16 lines & 380 stations and
is connected by national rail network. While RER & SNCF operates:
- Suburban Rail Lines: These are two tangential tramway lines
in the suburbs. Line T1 runs from Saint-Denis to Noisy-le-Sec, line T2
runs from La Défense to Issy.
- Private Operators Managing Suburban Bus Lines Another interesting
mean of public transportation is:
- River Cruise: It is an excellent way to get an overview of
the city. Boats leave every half an hour, but are less frequent in
winter.
Hotels & Accommodation
Due to the volume of business travelers and numbers of tourists, the hotels
are as full during off-season as during the peak season.
The bustling city boasts some 2,000 hotels spread evenly throughout its
region. These hotels range from deluxe places like Ritz and Crillon to a
wide range of moderate and inexpensive choices for the rest.
| Hotels of Paris |
Average Rates |
| 5-Star |
$390-500 |
| 4-Star |
$260-390 |
| 2-Star |
$130-260 |
| Budget Hotels |
$ 75-130 |
