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Revealed: The fastest way to get across Paris

The Local France
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Revealed: The fastest way to get across Paris
A woman rides a bicycle on a cycle path lane in Paris. (Photo by AFP)

Car, moped, public transport, or electric bicycle - which means of transport is the quickest way to get across Paris?

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One intrepid reporter for French daily Le Parisien decided to find out. 

The challenge was simple. Which mode of transport would get the journalist from the heart of Fontenay-sous-Bois in the eastern suburbs to the newspaper's office on Boulevard de Grenelle, west Paris, fastest?

Over four separate journeys, each one in the middle of rush hour, the electric bicycle was quickest and easiest. More expensive than conventional bikes, electric bikes do come with a government subsidy.

 

The journey was described as ‘pleasant and touristy’ on a dry but chilly morning going via dedicated cycle lanes that meant the dogged journalist avoided having to weave in and out of traffic.

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It took, in total, 47 minutes from start to finish at an average speed of 19km/h, on a trip described as "comfortable" but with a caveat for bad weather. The cost was a few centimes for charging up the bike.

In comparison, a car journey between the same points took 1 hour 27 minutes - a journey not helped by a broken-down vehicle. Even accounting for that, according to the reporter’s traffic app, the journey should - going via part of the capital’s southern ringroad - have taken about 1 hr 12.

Average speed in the car was 15km/h, and it cost about €2.85 in diesel - plus parking.

A "chaotic and stressful" moped trip took 1 hour 3 minutes, and cost €1.30 in unleaded petrol.

Public transport - the RER and Metro combined via RER A to Charles-de-Gaulle-Étoile then Metro line 6 to the station Bir-Hakeim - took 50 minutes door to door, including a 10-minute walk and cost €2.80. The journey was described as "tiring".

READ ALSO 6 ways to get around Paris without the Metro

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