3 Pockets of Savings For Transportation in Paris

Grand avenues, cafes perfect for people watching, renowned art, architecture and cuisine and a sparkling Eiffel Tower are just some of the many draws to Paris. However, the City of Light doesn’t always come cheap. Hotels, meals out and those museum entry fees can add up quickly. In order to have more money to enjoy Paris and all that it has to offer, including plenty of macaroons and baguettes, you shouldn’t be overspending to get around town. From the airport down to the Louvre, here are just a few ways to cut back on your transportation costs and in turn have more money in your pocket to spend on the sweets, sounds and sights of Paris.

Ditch The Airport Cab Ride: A taxi from the airport into the center of Paris can cost €50 to €70. This rate can increase depending on the time of day, if it’s a Sunday or if you are traveling on a holiday. Rather than fork over the price of a fine meal in the City of Light, you can save at least €40 by taking the train instead. The RER B train links Charles de Gaulle Airport and the city for €9.50. Trains run every 10 to 15 minutes. It is also possible to go by bus from the airport for about €10. If you ditch the airport cab ride, you could have an extra €50 in your pocket to spend on actually enjoying and appreciating Paris.

Take Your Savings Underground: The Paris Metro system is easily one of the most affordable transportation options in town. Rather than taking cabs across the city and paying a hefty fare, a single standard Metro ticket costs €1.70. If you are planning on riding the Metro more than once, you can save a great deal of cash if you don’t buy single metro tickets. Rather, you will want to buy the 10 pack of tickets, selling for €13.30. This yields a savings of €3.70 per ticket on 10 journeys.

If you plan on taking the Metro buses and regional trains in the area, you might make to consider the Paris Viste Pass. The pass allows you to travel unlimitedly on the Metro and bus system through Paris’ Zones 1 through 5. It also includes unlimited travel on the RER and SNCF lines in the greater Paris region. In addition, the pass also includes your train travel from Charles de Gaulle Airport and discounts at museums and other attractions. You can buy the pass for one, two, three or five day increments. A one-day adult pass through the 5 zones costs $38. The two-day adult pass costs $57. The three-day pass costs $80 and the five-day pass costs $97. Again, the pass would only make sense if you plan on seeing a great deal of Paris in a short period of time.

Pedal Around and Save: While you can take the Metro all around Paris, you can also save some money by pedaling around the city too. Vélib’ is the main bike sharing program in Paris, run by the Paris Town Hall. Not only is it the biggest bike-sharing program in the world but also it is an affordable way to get around Paris. There are over 20,000 bikes in the system across 1,800 bike stations. These stations are located every 300 meters and available 24/7. If you just want to pedal around Paris for the day, a 1-day ticket will cost €1.70 for the entire 24 hour period. If you are planning on staying a bit longer in Paris, you might want to consider the €8 ticket that lends seven consecutive days of pedaling. The first 30 minutes are always free on the service.