A One-Way Ticket to Paris, s'il vous plaît!
- Andreia Teixeira
- Aug 7, 2019
- 4 min read
After several changes of plans, we made it!
We got our bags ready, and a one-way flight to Paris and we were ready to make the trip we’ve been dreaming of for a while. The starting point was slightly modified, as we spend some time in Caldas da Rainha and our plane would take off from Porto. So, what could we do to get to Porto fast and as cost-efficient as possible?
If some Eastern European countries are well known for the numerous opportunities hitchhikers can find, Portugal made it a bit more challenging. We tried finding a ride by using a sign in three different places, but not with much luck. It seemed no one was going our way that afternoon. Fortunately, an old gentleman saw us with our backpacks and approached us. He said he can’t give us a ride to where we needed, but he could take us closer to one of the city exits that was more convenient in catching a ride. It took less than five minutes to get there, we expressed our gratitude and took a place on the edge of the road.
A couple minutes later, we got a ride. Pedro, a kind fruit-truck driver. He had a different route, but he gave us great information, advising us not to waste time trying to hitchhiking further on that day, as it was already late. He offered us a ride to Nazare, gave us some apples and bananas and made sure we were safe and got our bus tickets to Porto.
We took a bus with Rede Express to reach Porto for our flight the next morning. Luckily, we are still considered to be in the “Young” category (under 29 years old), so our tickets costed only €27 for both. To check out the available routes and prices, this may help: https://www.rede-expressos.pt/en
We had a quick stop in Porto, visited a friend and then headed to the airport. Calculating metro timings and so on can be tricky, so here´s the metro´s map that may help when you get a chance to visit Porto
We were off, a bit sleepy but excited to get to Paris, our 2h 15min flight with Vueling flew. Even better was the last-minute fare we bought of €18 each from Porto to Charles de Gaulle Airport. And for those worried about the size of their luggage, all the tickets include cabin bag + a smaller bag for free, yay!
Our stay in Paris was short, just three days and work did interfere with our plans of wandering through the city. But we were happy with what we visited and to be hosted by a friendly Moroccan man, whom always had a beer in his hand. He surely tried speaking with us in English, he was great, gave us ice-cream and some typical Moroccan couscous dish.
So funny fact, one of us always gets into a pickle and guess what… She got herself stuck in the bathroom the first night. so we went to the rescue, the man broke the door knob, and had the simple idea of putting some WD-40 oil in which with one turn that adventure was over.
We shared a room with a friend, a sweet Romanian girl, who joined us in our marathon through Paris, on the last minute. Yes, that is right we did a marathon across the city, switching trains, buses, metros and walking about 12k. So, if you find going to the gym boring, try traveling with us. :)
Solving the Parisian RATP enigma
A very organized system, the Parisian public transportation network (RATP) might become a bit confusing, what is important to keep in mind:
-There are several sections in which the Paris area is divided and this impacts the prices of the tickets you need.
-If you plan to spend time exploring the center area, things are easy. But if you plan to see Disneyland, Versailles Palace or simply if you want to adventure in the outskirts of the city, you will need to know a bit more about what kind of ticket you should buy.
The simple “T+”, one-trip ticket, valid for 90 minutes, will cost you 1.90 euros
- if bought from the machine. If you plan to travel more, a carnet (packet of 10 tickets) might suit you more, for the price of 14.90 euros.
It can be used for a single trip on the metro, RER, bus, tram, in the main areas of Paris (1-2).
You may use the same ticket to switch from RER trains to metro, but you will have to buy a new ticket if you wish to catch a bus or tram to continue your trip.
For trips from the city center to zone 3-5, ticket prices vary, depending on the distance.
Keep in mind: when exiting the RER stations, you need to scan your ticket again, so make sure you don’t lose it.
Find more details in the RATP on the available day-pass or week-pass, for you to find the best choice, depending on the number of days, places you want to see and preferred means of transportation in Paris.
Maps, routes and more for the Parisian buses:
Metros, trams and RER details:
If you don’t know what to choose to get out of the airport, their page will update you with the most common options, depending on where exactly you need to go to. We opted for a 2 euro bus ticket and a 50-minute trip, as we had some time to spare, but limited budget. Check this link to see what is the best alternative for you: https://easycdg.com/bus-cdg-de-gaulle-airport/
Isabela Turcanu
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