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Buses
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Bus near the Louvre : Click to enlarge picture
Bus
Buses are often rather neglected in favour of the métro, but can be very useful where the métro journey doesn't quite work. They aren't difficult to use and naturally you see much more, plus journeys are getting quicker with the introduction of bus lanes. Free route maps are available at métro stations, bus terminals and the tourist office; the best, showing the métro and RER as well, is the Grand Plan de Paris. Every bus stop displays the numbers of the buses that stop there, a map showing all the stops on the route, and the times of the first and last buses. Generally speaking, buses run from 6.30am to 8.30pm with some services continuing to 1.30am. Around half the lines don't operate on Sundays and holidays – the Grand Plan de Paris lists those that do. You can buy a single ticket (€1.30 from the driver), or use a pre-purchased carnet ticket or pass. Press the red button to request a stop – the arrêt demandé sign will then light up. A number of bus routes are designed to be easily accessible for wheelchairs and prams.

From mid-April to mid-September, a special orange-and-white Balabus service (not to be confused with Batobus) passes all the major tourist sights between Grande Arche de la Défense and Gare de Lyon. They run on Sundays and holidays every fifteen to twenty minutes from noon to 9pm. Bus stops are marked "Balabus", and you'll need one to three bus tickets, depending on the length of your journey: check the information at the bus stop or ask the driver. The Paris Visites, Mobilis and Carte Orange passes are all valid too. Night buses (Noctambus) run on eighteen routes every hour (extra services on weekends) from 1am to 5.30am between place du Châtelet, west of the Hôtel de Ville, and the suburbs. Details of the routes are available on www.citefutee.com/orienter/noctambus.php.


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