How to use the RER

Earlier this month, I spent a week in Paris (my first trip). The Metro was very easy to use, but I never quite understood how to use the RER. I did manage to take the RER once, but I wasn%26#39;t really sure I knew what I was doing. Fortunately, I was heading in the right direction. Is there a web site or does anyone have practical, step-by-step information on how to use the RER? I noticed that some of the lines fork and I want to make sure I know what I%26#39;m doing for my next trip. Thank you!

|||

Always look at the board overhead at the RER platform. It will tell you the exact route that train will take, with all the stops listed...

Les

|||

You can pull the timetables for 2 of the RER lines at

www.ratp.fr (see Horaires)

You choose the end of the line for which you want the timetable.

Highlight the trains that show the stop you want.

Each train has a %26#39;name%26#39; like EWLK or VICK or somesuch.

When you%26#39;re standing on the quai waiting for the RER to come, notice the signboard hanging above. The stops for your desired station must %26#39;light up%26#39; for the next train, or it means that train is the other line (that you don%26#39;t want). As the train pulls in, you can compare the %26#39;name%26#39; to your timetable for extra confirmation.

You can get a particular timetable (per train) at

www.transport-idf.com/frontal…

|||

This is great information. Thanks for your help!

|||

Some helpful links:

How to Use Paris Public Transportation / The Paris RER -- Lines, Routes, and Hours

…about.com/od/…Metro_and_Buses_6.htm

Who%26#39;s Afraid of the RER?

www.metropoleparis.com/1998/320/320rrerr.html

How to Use Public Transportation in Paris / A Visitor%26#39;s Guide to Parisian Mass Transit (pdf file, 41 pages)

www.atkielski.com/PDF/data/ParMetro.pdf

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 4:33 am, September 06, 2009