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Welcome
to Hotels-in-France.net: your guide to France Hotels and Travel Information
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Transportation
in France Getting There Air France, France's national carrier, and scores of other airlines link Paris with every part of the globe. Other French cities with direct international air links include Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Strasbourg and Toulouse. Paris is the country's main bus and rail hub, with services to/from every part of Europe. Buses are slower and less comfortable than trains, but they are cheaper, especially if you qualify for the 10% discount available to people under 26 or over 60 or hunt around for discount fares. The completion of the Channel Tunnel in 1994 has meant travel between England and France - on the silent, ultra-modern Eurostar rail service - is now quick and hassle-free. The Chunnel also has high-speed shuttle trains that whisk cars, motorbikes and coaches from England to France. By sea, the quickest passenger ferries and hovercrafts to England run between Calais and Dover, and Boulogne and Folkestone. There are numerous routes linking Brittany and Normandy with England; Saint Malo is linked by car ferry and hydrofoil with Weymouth, Poole and Portsmouth, while Roscoff has ferry links to Plymouth. Ferries also ply the waters between France and Ireland (Cherbourg-Cork), the Channel Islands, Sardinia (Marseille-Porto Torres), Italy (Corsica-Genoa) and North Africa (Marseille-Algiers, Marseille-Tunis, Séte-Tangier). Getting Around France's domestic airlines link most urban centers, but flights can be quite expensive. Occasionally discount tickets will work out cheaper than overland travel so it can be worth scouting around if you've got a big hop in mind. Train service in France is efficient, punctual, and comfortable. It is one of the most popular ways to get around, allowing travelers to view the countryside in a swift, but leisurely manner. Operated by the state-owned SCNF (Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer), it reaches almost every part of the country. The high-speed TGV (train é grande vitesse) makes possbile travel between some cities (eg Paris and Lyon) faster and easier by rail than by air. For added convenience, the Paris Charles-de-Gaulle and Lyon Saint-Exupery Airports have high-speed train stations. The price of train travel in France depends on whether you choose first or second class, as well as on the time and date of travel. If you are buying a ticket in France, there are a large number of reduced fares or passes for seniors, families and youth. If you are planning your rail travel before you go, there are a variety of affordable and flexible passes and packages available for the U.S. traveler through your travel agent or Rail Europe, including the France Railpass, the France Rail 'n Drive, Eurail and other good-value offers. (links = yes - but you have to see with Bernard Crouset) As a guide, the minimum prices for the following journeys by TGV are:
linked by 964 356 km (599,240 miles) of roads and 31 940 km (19,847 miles) of railway. Inter-regional bus services are limited but buses are used extensively for short-distance travel within regions, especially in rural areas with relatively few train lines (eg Brittany and Normandy). Smaller towns without train stations are generally linked by bus service to the nearest station. Guidelines Tickets In France. Every passenger must validate his own ticket before boarding the train -- failure to do so can result in a fine. A large number of orange machines are located at the entrances to the platforms as well as in other train station locations. Once validated, the ticket is only good for that day. On board a conductor will check your ticket.SNCF services: Collection and delivery of luggage to your hotel. Baggage registration Station porters Tickets delivered to your hotel Buses. All SNCF stations have nearby bus stations. A train/bus combination is a trouble-free way to travel in France. Whether for nearby excursions or regularly scheduled connections, contact the SNCF or the local tourist office. Finally, the Eurolines bus company operates services between France and major European cities. Tel: 011 33 (0) 1 49 72 51 51. Reservations and Information in France - SNCF direct line Tel. 33 (0) 8 36 35 35 35 (2.23F/min) from 7a.m. to 10p.m., 7 days a week. - Ticket offices and automatic ticket machines in railway stations SNCF offices or travel agencies. Having your own vehicle can be expensive, and is sure to be inconvenient in city centers where parking and traffic are problematic. Be warned that most driving in France is done with the horn, or 'French Brake Pedal', as it is often called. As a rule of thumb, don't be timid or overly respectful once on the road as this technique will often confuse the natives. Renting a car is expensive if you walk into an office and hire a car on the spot, but prebooked and prepaid promotional rates are reasonable. France is a superb country for motorcycle touring, with winding roads of good quality and lots of stunning scenery. It's also an eminently cyclable country, due largely to its extensive network of secondary and tertiary roads that are relatively lightly trafficked. Another relaxing way of seeing France is to cruise its canals and navigable rivers by houseboat. These usually accommodate four to 12 passengers and can be rented for a weekend or several weeks. Local transport includes the cheap and efficient Metro and RER underground networks in Paris (there are also metro lines in other cities), trams, buses, téléphériques in the French Alps, expensive taxis (especially outside the major cities) and river shuttles. |