chunky649

I'm finding bits and pieces of info, but I would like more detailed help from the experts here:

I'm spending 3 days in Paris (my second visit). Landing in CDG AF1341 at 12pm on a thursday. My hotel is in Saint-Maurice (Best Western), which I can get to by subway.
I only have a backpack and a small duffel (all carry-on), and I am relatively mobile (I can walk...)

I'm researching public transport in Paris, and is mostly interested in spending free time riding the local bus as cheap sightseeing.

One of the area I'd like to save some money is to take the 350 or 351 bus from
CDG to Paris.

1. Where do I get on this bus at CDG?
2. I think the cost of the bus is 5.2euro. However, I believe the Carte Mobilis works? If yes, can I buy this pass at the airport? Where?
3. If the Carte Mobilis won't work on these buses, I assume I just pay cash to get on the bus? Once i get off, I can get the Carte Mobilis at any Metro station?
4. Anyone know which is the better bus to take if I want to get close to my hotel and maybe walk the last mile or so? (or perhaps a more direct Metro ride)?
5. General question: where can I see a map/description of how far I can go by bus (where is zone 1 and 2) with the Carte Mobilis Zone1-2? I.e. can I get to La Defence by bus with this card?

chunky649

In addition, I'm planning on visiting Versailles one day by bus 171 from metro line 9. I assume the Carte Mobilis do not work? How much is that bus ticket?

GuillaumeD

You will arrive @ 2F(1) from AMS. There should be a station close to the TGV station. After passing the customs, go right to the train station. Don't go downstairs with elevators, go upstairs and you should find your bus stop (between 2F and 2D)

Mobilis is only for one day. You should also look after Paris-Visite.
At the station, if you go downstairs, you will have RATP desks and vending machines. If you go for Paris-Visite, go to the counter as you will need a card with the ticket.

CDG is in zone 5 and out of there, you can only use bus 350 and 351 with mobilis.
With Paris-Visite, you can also take RER and Roissybus which should be more convenient.


350: 1h30 to Gare de l'Est. Bus every 20min
351: 1h30 to Nation. Every 30 min

Roissybus: Less than an hour and every 15min (not from the same stop, in the undergroud gallery between 2E and 2F)
RER: 40 min to Chatelet, every 10 min


La Défense is in zone 3. But you can go for free with the Métro Line 1. RER is impossible as you need to "validate" your ticket to exit. By bus, if there is a control, you are screwed.

Go to ratp.fr website. Here you will find the suburb train map where you can see the different zones.

If I understood, you arrive on a thursday @ noon and leave the next saturday. From CDG?
If you only need to go to the suburbs for CDG and Versailles, go for single tickets: 8€*2 by RER + 6€ RT for Versailles

Mountain Trader

I never thought of going to Versailles by bus. You're doing this for the adventure, right, since there's a quick, direct RER train out there?

Please report back if you actually go ahead with this plan as I'm curious as to the mechanics and also what you see along the way.

chunky649

Yes! I hate taking subways because I don't see anything...

The bus is for adventure. I noted the directions to Versailles by bus or by train. I'll report back if I take the bus.

And thanks to GuillaumeD for his answers.

My trip is only ~3 days (Thursday 12pm to Sunday 11am airplane to airplane)

I think I will buy the carte mobilis and take the bus to a subway, transfer to my hotel, a short break, then just spend the rest of the day riding the bus around Paris. Does that sound like an economic use of this Carte Mobilis? I assume because I am starting out at the airport, I have to get the more expensive Zone 5 Carte Mobilis?

I'm also considering getting a Museum Pass, in which case, I will spend a day (Friday) at the Louve, Arc dT, maybe Notre Dame, then the next day at Versailles. For Friday/Saturday, I won't need the Carte Mobilis. I'll just buy the pack of tickets in that case.

cbender

FYI, the train to Versailles is mostly above ground and out in the open. Parts of the route are surrounded by sound barriers, but some is open.

Mountain Trader

Since the OP is into bus rides, I highly recommend taking the Paris public bus #63 which runs from Porte de la Muette to Gare de Lyon. You get to ride thru the high end 16th arronndissement, past Trocodero with a great view of the Tour Eiffel, down to Pont Alma, across the Seine with another view of the Tour, then along the Seine (get a seat on the left in this direction), past Assemblee Nationale, then along Blvd St Germain. There's more-Google and you'll find it.

Another is the firts half of the route taken by bus #52, starting near the old Paris Opera Palais Garnier, winding thru many great shoppoing streets, going around the Arc de Triumphe-again, Google for the whole scoop.

nrr

Bus #171 goes from Point de Sevres to Versailles, but gets one closer to the main gate than either of the 3 train routes. One of the very popular train routes ends up at Versailles Rive Gauche (this route passes through Saint Michel, Orsay Museum stops) and is not too far from the main gate. The other two link Gare Montparnasse and central Versailles (far from the Chateau), Gare St. Lazare and Versailles Rive Droite, a bit closer than central Ver.
PS: You will need a 5 zone Carte Moblis, but should work on #171 (the main restrictions for CM's are airport access).

chunky649

Thanks for the great advice. I am back from my 2.5 days in Paris. I got pretty tired of walking for 5-6 hours each day, and since I got the Carte Mobilis, I simply looked at the bus route at each bus stop and if I see something that looked interesting (or if I'm really tired), I got on the bus. I don't remember if I got on 63 or 52, but I got on at least 5 or 6 different ones along the river, near Opera, near Pantheon, etc...

chunky649

I am back from my trip. Here is my adventure with public transportation.

At CDG, it was not difficult to find the train station, where I was told is the only place I can get the 5-zone Carte Mobilis for ~euro14. However, this was after lining up for the change making machine (many ticket machines didn't take paper money and non-chipped credit cards), and then finding out the machines didn't sell carte Mobilis. So my total wait time was over 1 hour... if I knew where to line up (the ticket office), the wait would be under 20 minutes.

The city bus stop (for 350 and 351) was on the 5th floor of the train station. Turn left and go outside to look for the bus stand. The stand will clearly show the bus numbers, route, and schedule, and the approximate time the next bus will arrive. There is a bus approximately once per 30 minute on average.

The bus ride took ~1.5 hours to get to the final stop! There was traffic, and the driver took a 15 minute break at the Rossy stop (some bus terminal). The ride show you some very non-tourist suburban neighbours, commercial, industrial, residential. It wasn't very pretty nor interesting. At the end of the ride, I got off and went into the Metro and took that to my hotel.

On another day, I took the subway to the end of line 9, then took the #171 bus to the Chateau Versailles. It took under 40 minute from the Metro station, and the ride was pretty. However, my destination was 2 zones away(I had to pay 2 tickets + the subway ticket...) The bus stop across the street from the entrance to the Chateau. I took the RER train back and that was easy. (I just followed the crowd walking ~10 minutes to the station). The view was mostly non-existent due to barriers. The view was pretty the last 5 minute before arriving at INVALIDE station.

On my way to CDG on sunday, I took 351 bus from Metro line 6 (NATION stop). The bus was 10 minutes late according to the schedule. I watched the driver leisurely strolled to the parked bus (It was the second bus of the day). The bus took 5 tickets for going to CDG (zone 5). I got to the airport terminal (it stopped at at least 4 different stops at T1, T2abc, 2def, etc.) after ~1 hour. The view along the ride was more suburban Paris. It was not very different from other modern suburban cities.

So in conclusion, I don't recommend taking the bus to/from CDG unless you have lots of time and want to save that extra 2 euro per person compared to the RER train.

trflyer

I am arriving CDG 6/1 on UA. Can anyone advise as to the airport location of the "Airport Connection" bus from CDG to the address 16 de l'Exposition in Paris? Thanks, in advance.

Tamino

I have never heard of the Airport Connection Bus. There are the Air France buses, the Roissybus, or the RATP buses, none of which would take you near this address; and I assume you mean 16, rue de l´Exposition in the 7th.

Consider a taxi, from the official taxi queue - about 55€. Do not accept offers from clandestine drivers soliciting from within the terminals.

You could also take the train. From Terminal 1, take the CDGVAL to Roissypol, purchase a ticket to Paris - 10€ - and take the next train. At Châtelet, transition to RER A to Auber, at Auber transition to Métro 8, direction Balard, exit at Ecole Militaire. Keep your ticket until you exit Ecole Militaire.

trflyer

Yes, the 7th. Thank you for your reply. Alternatively, what bus is best from the United arrivals terminal at CDG to the Arc de Triumph?

Yahillwe

Are you going to the Exposition hall? That would be tricky and you'd need a taxi or find the RER that stops there.

If you're going to the 7th, then I would take the AF bus to the toile, then take the 92 bus (2 euros) to St Domonique-Bosquet stop. Get off, cross the street on St Dominique, it will be on your left by the fountain.

Tamino

I might suggest the Air France bus #2 to Etoile/Arc de Triomphe. Cost is 15€