France, and Europe in general, has a much better public transportation system that the US. Trains, taxis, buses, and discount airlines are all great ways to get around. Here is some information about each. I’d suggest trying to get trains first, buses second, then taxis. If none of this is possible, search for some cheap flights.
Trains
These are probably the easiest and cheapest way to travel short to medium distances in Europe. SNCF, the French train system, has a website which allows you to look up times and prices. However, the website won’t show information for trips requiring more than 3 layovers. The interface is also a little tricky. Bahn.de, the German train site, is easier and better to use, allowing you to move easily between departure times and train types, giving you total times, layovers, and train type information, but it will not give you prices for trains outside of Germany. The TGV is fast, and also the only way to get between certain places in France (like Paris and Metz), but is more expensive. Also, for Eurail holders (which you should get), it requires a seating reservation of 3 euros, and often times if you try to obtain one close to the departure date they will be all out. Normal trains, such as Corail and TER, do not require a reservation, but you must find a seat without a little reservation tag above it.
As a general rule of thumb, do NOT plan on taking the last train from anywhere to anywhere else. It’s a great way to get stuck somewhere without lodging and spend a night in the train station or McDonalds. This is especially true for longer trips. If you do this too much, eventually one of your first connections will be late and you’ll miss your next (and last) train. For longer trips outside of France, such as to Italy, Spain, or Eastern Europe, an overnight train is probably a good idea. On top of your Eurail pass, you’ll have to pay around 40 euros for a “couchette”, or a sleeper car. You’ll get a fold-down bed in your compartment, which you should try to fold out and sleep on. If you don’t have a Eurail pass, these trains are much more expensive, in the range of 150-200 euros for 1 way.
And don’t forget to “Composter” your ticket in the little yellow boxes, or you’ll be fined!
Buses
Buses can be a great way to get from place to place cheaply. The Metz bus system is the best way to get around Metz quickly and painlessly. The “U”, “8″, and “11″ lines all serve the dorms, although the 11 must be picked up from the street between the dorm and Cora, while the other two can be got from the stop near GTL. Buy the 10-trip cards from a Tabac or the main TCRM station, located in the square “Republique”. For outside of Metz, there are buses in other places, like Paris and Normandy, but the times aren’t always regular and usually there is another mode of transportation which is better.
Taxis
Taxis in France rarely stop if you try to wave them down. Instead, they accumulate at taxi stations, located throughout the city. This is true all over: Paris, Metz, Lyon, or anywhere else. Rates vary, with Paris being kind of expensive. If you call a cab, they will charge you from wherever they start to come pick you up onward. There are taxi stations in Republique and around the cathedral, as well as some other places.
Budget Airlines
Try RyanAir for really cheap flights, although they hide their charges to make the flights seem even cheaper. They have check-in, baggage, and confirmation fees, as well as high taxes. The general rule with airlines is: always book FAR ahead. If you’re planning a trip to somewhere far away, say Greece, try to plan at least 2 months in advance to get relatively cheap flights. CzechAirlines is another cheap alternative. AirFrance isn’t too bad, either.
