Paris, gentle mobility

Metro, RER, buses, trams, hybrid taxis, river shuttles, Veli’b, not to mention the electric two, three, or four-wheelers… Between its exceptional public transport network and the development of new mobility, Paris is reinventing the way people move, as well as the discovery of its neighborhoods thanks to the concept of ecological walks.

One certainty: no need for a car in Paris!

Indeed, the French capital boasts an exceptional public transport network: metro, buses, RER, trams, or trains… On the RATP website, it is now possible to choose your route based on the most eco-friendly mode of transport in Île-de-France.

An integrated route comparison tool allows you to compare greenhouse gas emissions caused by travel, depending on the chosen mode of transport. For example, a bus consumes half the energy and emits half the greenhouse gases of a private car, while traveling by metro, tram, or RER allows you to consume five times less energy and emit fifty times fewer greenhouse gases.

Do you know about the green taxis, like Urban-Cab or Verture? Verture has a fleet of the least polluting eco-sedans on the market thanks to its hybrid engine technology (electricity-petrol).

Moreover, the company compensates for each trip by purchasing CO2 reductions from Climat Mundi, a carbon footprint specialist, which can thus fund projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Another good news: on board each of these vehicles, you’ll find a flat-screen TV with TNT channels, a DVD player, an iPod charger, a universal mobile charger (BlackBerry, laptops...), a bottle of water, daily newspapers and magazines, a baby seat… Proof that eco-friendly can be comfortable!

Neocab: eco-friendly car with a driver

Ecovisit Paris offers an eco-friendly guided tour of Paris and its region + an exclusive historical and ecological Ecovisite of Paris: your driver will comment on the most beautiful monuments of Paris through historical anecdotes and concrete environmental initiatives: ecological green spaces, LED usage, green walls, Paris’ Climate Plan, etc.

Even cleaner, the Urban-Cab is a curious white and bright green three-wheeled vehicle that acts as a taxi.

Simply hail them in the street around Bastille, the Louvre, Concorde, Saint-Michel, and Notre-Dame.

Operating on the same principle as the cyclobulle (modern tricycle with electric assistance), these electric vehicles transport you without any CO2 emissions. They are even authorized to circulate peacefully in the historic center of Paris. With a speed limit of 25 km/h, you can admire the City of Light in complete tranquility!

Another silent and non-polluting transport, as loved by both Parisians and visitors, the two-wheelers, allows you to travel a 371 km urban bike network. A star of the genre, the Vélib’ offers automatic bike rentals with 20,600 bikes available at 1,451 stations.
Scattered across the entire Parisian territory, with a notable concentration around public transport hubs, there is an average of one station every 300 meters.

Inspiring many cities around the world, this original service is available 24/7. For less effort, opt for the electric bike, which can be rented at small establishments like Vélo Electro in the 19th arrondissement.

The two-wheeler allows for real proximity to the city, rediscovered with the eyes of a child. Attention enthusiasts: the Paris Rando Vélo association organizes a free 2.5-hour walk (20 to 25 km) every Friday night through the streets of the capital. Hundreds of cyclists gather each week around 9:30 PM at City Hall.

For a thorough city tour, contact Paris à vélo c’est sympa!, whose guides will guide you by bike – or even by scooter or on foot – through contrasting neighborhoods.

The same concept applies to the organization Ça se visite! which offers original urban rides on two wheels with the “Neighborhood Revealer Guides.” Examples of themes: "Crossing the Amazing Clignancourt," "Mix of Cultures in Belleville," "Rue Oberkampf and the La Fontaine au Roi District," "The Hidden Side of Canal Saint-Martin," and more.

The concept of Paris Charms and Secrets focuses more on proximity and meeting locals, this time by electric bike.

Finally, the river routes provide an eco-friendly and poetic means of transport: you can board a Batobus every 30 minutes (stops at Eiffel Tower, Orsay Museum, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Notre-Dame, Jardin des Plantes, City Hall, Louvre, and Champs-Elysées), as well as the famous Vedettes de Paris, which take you on charming cruises along the capital’s bridges, including one themed around ecology called "Port en Seine."

A new addition on the Seine, Voguéo is a shuttle service linking Austerlitz station to Maisons-Alfort (Val-de-Marne), with stops at Parisian landmarks like the François-Mitterrand Library (13th) and Bercy (12th), with tickets costing €3 each. In the coming years, the network will be expanded so that Paris, along the water, continues to look even more beautiful!

For suburban getaways, combine transport with tourist shuttles: Baladobus in regional natural parks, Chateaubus in Seine-et-Marne.

The association "Au fil de l’eau" offers, during the season, river crossings at Choisy, Champigny, and Vétheuil (experimentation at Boulogne) and quiet navigation on electric boats.

For suburban getaways, combine transport with tourist shuttles: Baladobus in Regional Natural Parks, Chateaubus in Seine-et-Marne.