Trip costs

• Entering France
• Which currency can I use?
• Travelling to Paris
• Airport-Hotel Transfer
• Hotel Rates Per Night per Double/Twin Room in EUR (for 2006)
• Transportation in Paris
• Eating out
• Admission to museums, theatres etc.

Entering France

A valid passport is required of all U.S. citizens and foreign nationals entering France. EU citizens don´t even need a passport, just their national identity card. No visa is needed for American visitors staying less than 90 days, unless you are a student planning to study in France. For longer stays, you must apply for a temporary-stay visa, long-term visa or residence card.

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Which currency can I use?

The euro. On 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries.
Currency can be exchanged at banks, bureaux de change and some hotels, though you will get a better exchange rate at the ATMs. Major credit cards are widely accepted, travellers cheques too, particularly in major tourist destinations.

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Travelling to Paris

Airline tickets

Low fare airlines flying to Paris:

EasyJet
SkyEurope
Wizzair
Jet2
Air Berlin
Germanwings

Regular airlines flying to Paris:

British Airways
AirFrance
KLM

Arriving by Car
Petrol is no longer cheaper in France. Unleaded 95 is about the same price as in the U.K. Diesel now 1.014 EUR (71.41 pence) and Petrol (95) now 1.149 EUR (80.92 pence) in France. (June 2005).

Railways
Homepage of the French Railways: www.sncf.com/indexe.htm
Online Timetable:

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Airport-Hotel Transfer

Tourists can choose from several possibilities:

From CDG: Air France bus, RER, TGV train, taxi, limousine
From Orly: Orlybus, JetBus, OrlyVal, Airport Shuttle, taxi
From Beauvais: Bus, Shuttle Service, taxi
From Bourget: Bus, RER

RER
Tickets are sold by one (1.4 €) or by 10 (10.5 €). They can be used for "section urbaine" (within city limits), but to reach suburban zones in RER, special tickets are required.

Bus
Costs about 9 EUR

Airport Shuttle
About 16-25 EUR

OrlyVal
Costs 30-40 EUR

Taxi
The fare is around 30-40 € except for Airport Beauvais, the cost can be very hight, avoid taxis to go to Paris.

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Hotel Rates Per Night per Double/Twin Room in EUR (for 2006)

Average rates in 2006

2* hotels: 80-120 EUR
3* hotels: 120-200 EUR
4* hotels: 200-450 EUR
4* L hotels: over 450 EUR

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Transportation in Paris

Public Transportation
Public transportation is really good. The network covers all Paris, vehicles run from 5.30 a.m. to approximately 12.45 a.m.
Single tickets cost 1.40 EUR. Several kinds of passes are available.
More info: www.ratp.info/informer/anglais/index.php & www.discoverfrance.net/France/Paris/Paris_metro.shtml 

Taxi
Tarif: a fix of 2 EUR plus an amount per km (doubled on Sunday and by night after 7 p.m.). The average cost within Paris is 8-15 EUR. Some drivers accept credit cards. The best way to find a taxi is to go to a taxi rank, generally at the corner of the street. But if its roof light is on, you can call a taxi by the street when you are lucky.

Driving a Car

Car rental:
Car traffic is crazy like in every major European city. Rent a car only if you are or can get used to getting around in a metropole.
Car rental rates are high - starting at 33 EUR / day (in case of 7-day car rental, taxes and additional surcharges may apply.)

Parking:
If you see the word Payant, then a parking fee must be paid. Payment machines are located at intervals along the street, where coupons may be purchased for 15 minutes to 2 hours of parking time. You must leave the coupon inside the vehicle, visible through the windshield on the driver's side. Parking prices vary throughout the city but the average fee is 1,50-3 EUR an hour. Coins of 0.20, 0.50 and 1 EUR may be used for the pay-and-display parking machines. Paris also has numerous underground and covered car parks in the city centre, costing around 2,50 EUR per hour or about 15 EUR for periods of 12-24 hours.
The fine for non-payment is about 12 EUR. If you decide to park in the street, please note that as a general rule it is payable from Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Night time and Sundays are free.

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Eating out

Breakfast
Usually consists of baguette, croissants and jam with coffee, tea, hot chocolate or orange juice.

Restaurants
Restaurants open for dinner around 19:00, and small local favorites get crowded after 21:00. To minimize smoke and crowds, go around 19:30. If a restaurant serves lunch, it generally begins at 11:30 and goes until 14:00, with last orders taken at about 13:30. If you're hungry when restaurants are closed (late afternoon), go to a café; they serve all day.
If you ask for the menu at a restaurant, you’ll get a fixed-price meal. Menus, which offer three or four courses, are generally a good value if you’re hungry. These menus give several choices for the appetizer, main course, and dessert. These are almost always cheaper than ordering à la carte. Many restaurants offer several set menus at different price levels. Look for a menu du jour (a set menu of the day), which will generally be freshest and best.
If a restaurant doesn’t post its prices outside, move along.

Prices:
Paris restaurants (à la carte): 20-35 EUR
City Center Restaurants (à la carte): 30-60 EUR (or even more)
Set menu: 15-35 EUR (depending on the location of the restaurant)
Breakfast: about 12-20 EUR (for 2 persons).
Drinks:
Small coffee: 2-3 EUR
Beer: 3 EUR
Bottle of wine: 20 EUR (when dining)

Note: Drink your coffee or coke standing at the bar as sitting down doubles the price.

Tipping:
In bars and restaurants service is included. Nevertheless, if you were satisfied you can leave a tip on the table (1 or 2 EUR in a middle-class restaurant, more in a select one, some 10 cents at a bar terrace.) But do not forget: tipping is not obligatory.

Fast food restaurants
This type of restaurant has developed over the past few years. You will find the big restaurant chains (McDonalds, Burger King, Quick etc.) and take-aways (pizzas, kebabs, crêpes etc.). Prices between 3-12 EUR.
Vegetarian pizza: from 10.00 EUR (for 2 persons)

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Admission to museums, theatres etc.

Admission to galleries and museums in Paris is from 5 to 11 EUR.
Most museums are free for children under the age of 18 however it would be wise to carry ID. Museums are generally closed either on Mondays or Tuesdays.

With La Carte Musée there's no admission charge, no need to wait in lines and no limit to the number of times you can visit more than 70 museums and monuments in Paris and in the Paris region.
More info: www.parismuseumpass.fr/flash/hp_en.html

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