Let’s talk a little about public transportation. I have been told that Paris has the best public transportation in the world, and I have not been disappointed. Before I came on this trip, my use of public transportation has been very minimal. To be honest, I have only used it a couple of times in D.C. At first, the Paris metro system was a little overwhelming; there are people everywhere, a whole rainbow worth of lines to sort out, and let’s not forget the canyon of a gap between the metro and platform. However, once you get use to the stressfulness of the Paris metro, it is actually pretty great. You can literally get from one side of the city to the other in a matter of minutes. Trains stop at stations every couple minutes and are always on time. The metro also weaves throughout the whole city; therefore, it is available to all people and does not exclude people from certain areas.
I have noticed that each station is a little different. Some are very nice with lots of sitting room, well-lit platforms, and plexiglass walls between the platform and tracks. However, some other stations are not as nice/safe. These stations have very narrow platforms, no plexiglass walls, and are dimly lit. Considering the focus of maintaince in Paris, I am sure that all stations will be renovated in the future to be a little more safe and pleasant for the public.
So far, the metro has been the only form of transportation that I have had the opportunity to use in Paris. However, I have seen many other forms of public transportation including taxies, light rail, bikes, scooters, and buses. Considering the traffic in the city, I still feel that the metro would be the fastest option. Bikes and scooters may seem like a great option because you can weave throughout traffic, but I would be very worried about getting hit by a crazy Paris driver. (Update: We saw someone on a scooter get hit by a car today!)
I could not imagine having to navigate the city without the metro. It is fast, easy, and cheap, which leads to its popularity among the public. I do not believe that public transportation can get much better than this. In fact, riding the Paris metro with the class reminds me of the show The Magic School Bus. We just hop on the “magic metro” with Dr. Smith and then within minutes our class has been transported to an amazing site, I never thought I would see in person. The only things missing are an educational music number and a cute green lizard.
