How To Get A Room When Paris Is Sold Out
If you are travelling in Europe and need to get a room in Paris there’s a few basic’s that every traveler should know. These tips will help you to buy, trade, and exchange in the city of Paris and get around like a local.
People from most countries need only a valid passport to enter and exit France. No other documents are necessary for visitors remaining in France for less than 3 months. One of the best resources for newcomers to the city is the Paris Tourism Office, which provides information about Paris and surrounding areas.
For more information about Paris and Paris Hotels and accommodation, call or write to the Central Paris Tourism Office located at 127 Av des Champs Elysees - 75 008 Paris Tel #: 011.33.1.49.52.53.54 or 49.52.53.56. The Paris Tourism Office is open daily from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, except May 1st (Labor Day).
If you are travelling on short notice during a the summer and fall travel season and hotel rooms are in short supply, the Paris Tourism Office can assist you to Get a Room in Paris from a local small or boutique hotelier even if the major hotel chains and hotel suppliers are completely sold out.
What is the Paris VAT Tax?
Tax is almost always included with the posted price in stores (TTC or "toutes taxes comprises" means all taxes included). The basic VAT tax (20.6%), included in all retail prices, is one of the main reasons why items in Paris are generally expensive.
What You Should Know About Service Charges or “Tips”
What the French would consider the "Tip" is always included in the price at eating and drinking establishments in France (to the tune of 15 - 20 %).
Arrival in Paris Airports
Paris is approximately 7 hours away from New York City, 11 hours from Los Angeles, 1 hour from London and between 1 and 3 hours from most European Cities. There are 2 international airports in Paris : Orly (ORY) and Roissy Charles de Gaulle (CDG). By taxi, bus or RER (railway), the airports are within one hour (20-50 min.) from the center of Paris.
How to Get Around Paris Like A Local
Subway and Metro: easy to use and relatively safe, it is the most popular - and less expensive - form of transport. The R.A.T.P. (transport authorities) offer several different types of fare : single ticket 7 FF (for 1 trip) - booklet of 10 tickets 48 FF - weekly pass used with the "carte orange" (personal travel card) 57.00 FF - "Formule 1" ticket for the day 25.00 FF for Paris and the Paris-Visite ticket for 3 to 5 days in 1st class : 85 FF or 135 FF (Paris and inner suburbs). The different lines (15) are identified by both their number and direction. The subway serves Paris and its inner suburbs. Before you get a room in Paris consider how far your hotel is away from the nearest Metro Stations. Area maps are available online and close to the exit and entrance of each Metro Station. The first trains leave their terminus at 5:30 am and the last trains stop at 1:15 am. See this Metro and RER Map for more detailed information.
Use The Paris RER Subway
The Paris RER is a network of lines serving both Paris and the suburbs. Working the same way as the Subway, it is divided into 4 lines (A, B, C, D) each one being subdivided into several forks (A1 to A5 for example). The Subway tickets are valid for Paris and inner suburbs use. For outer suburbs, different rates apply, depending on how far from Paris your destination is. Within Paris, RER communicates with the Subway Network. It's usually faster to take the RER than the subway. Parisian airports, numerous suburban cities and some attraction areas outside Paris are served by the RER : Roissy Charles de Gaulle Aiport (Line B3), Orly Airport (lines B4 and C2), Eurodisney (line A4) and Versailes (Line C5). See Metro and RER Map for more detailed information. For more information about the subway map click here.
Take The Paris RATP Metro and Bus Line
Taking the bus is an excellent way to discover Paris. RATP (transport authority) operates both Metro and Subway. The same tickets are therefore valid for those two types of transportation. There are more than 2,000 buses operating daily in Paris along 58 different lines. If you plan to use the Paris Bus routes to see the city, check out the Parsi bus routes before you get a room. Most hotels are within a few block of a bus route but occasionally it will require a cab ride to get to the nearest pickup location for the bus line you need. Great for short trips, there are however often stuck into the traffic at rush hours. Most of the buses operate from Monday to Saturday, between 6:00 am and 8:30 pm. Tickets are available at Metro Stations, tobacconist's shops and from the bus drivers (one at a time only). Free maps are available at Metro stations and more information is available about the RATP routes here.
