10 apps to avoid most of the traffic jams
A national strike has resumed in transport, particularly in the SNCF and the Paris Transport Authority (RATP). SNCF announces in a press release: “Due to a national inter-professional social movement, train services will be severely suspended from 7:00 PM on Wednesday, January 18 until 8:00 AM on Friday, January 20.”.
In Paris, the RATP also involves very disrupted transport – which can prevent travelers from picking up their mail, for example. This can prevent many travelers transiting in Paris. Users of lines 2, 3, 2bis, 5, 6, 7, 7bis, 9, 12 and 13 have to face reduced speeds and many closed stations.
Traffic on lines 8, 19 and 11 of the metro has been completely stopped. RER A and B also see a 50% reduction in the number of trains running. Buses and trams are also heavily disrupted, but unfortunately, even on lines where no disruptions have been announced, the overall network situation must lead to severe saturation.
In other words, traveling by public transport should be very complicated until the weekend. The best advice is to prefer to work remotely or postpone your trip. What if you can’t? Fortunately, there are several mobile apps that should alert you to specific disruptions in your journey. Others will allow you to bypass the difficulties with alternative modes of transport.
The best applications SNCF / RATP holidays :
- SNCF Connect
- Hello RATP
- City map
- Bolt (VTC)
- FREENOW (VTC)
1. SNCF Connect to be notified
The SNCF connectivity app now goes beyond a simple app for booking trains or consulting timetables. This app also allows you to consult the alternative transport offer available around your station / during your journey. This allows, for example, to switch from a train to a soft mode of transport.
In addition to this rather practical functionality during the SNCF strike, the app shows live the latest information messages from the carrier about the social movement. This makes it easy to be alerted to malfunctions. However, given the difficulties, we recommend that you only use SNCF Connect to access these messages and the transport offer.
Buying a ticket and traveling between this Thursday and Friday is strongly discouraged unless absolutely necessary. You can download the program by clicking on the banner below:
SNCF Connect
Author: OUI.sncf
2. Hi RATP, to avoid surprises in Paris
© RATP
The RATP application is very useful both to consult the alternative transport offer in Paris and to get the latest information about the public movement that seriously affects the transport authority. At the time of writing, several lines were completely closed to traffic. Although strong disruptions are expected across the network.
By going to Bonjour RATP’s traffic tab, you can consult the updated status of the network and thus avoid the worst-hit lines. However, depending on the situation, you may prefer to completely avoid the RATP transport offer during peak hours until the weekend. Like SNCF Connect, the RATP app also lists alternative modes of transport – allowing you to get around the capital faster.
You can download Bonjour RATP by following one of the links below:
3. Citymapper for alternative transport suggestion
© Lemon squeezer
Citymapper is a popular travel app. Wherever you are, it gives you a reliable view of public transport offers, alternative modes of transport, car rental and taxis. This allows you to design a trip by juggling these modes of transport. The advantage of Citymapper is that once you define the conditions of your multimodal trip, you will get a fairly accurate time to reach your destination.
The icing on the cake is knowing exactly how many calories you’ll have burned at the end of your trip. And the total price your trip will cost you. Citymapper is great for getting around Paris, especially on vacation. However, the app also works great in almost all major cities in France.
You can download Citymapper by following the link below:
CityMapper
Author: CityMapper Limited
4. Bolt, driving service
© Bolt
The Uber brand is well known, especially to those who use ride-hailing services in Paris. However, the carrier’s rate in 2023 is often higher than the competition, so we recommend you test drive the Bolt this Thursday and Friday. Bolt offers more motorized transportation options than Uber.
If you are traveling with a pet, this service is also more convenient, which can prevent you from using alternative taxis and VTCs. Bolt has a more open policy in this area. Do not forget to notify the driver when booking a ride. In addition, Bolt is also self-service electric bikes and scooters. Comfortable.
You can download Bolt by visiting one of the links below:
5. FREENOW, VTC made in France
© Freenow
First launched under the Chauffeur Privé brand, then Kapten, FREENOW is a French-made transport app. With Freenow, you can order VTC service quickly. Also find a car sharing vehicle, scooters, scooters and electric bikes.
Apart from Paris, FREENOW is also very present in Lyon, Nice, Bordeaux, Cannes, Lille, Marseille and Toulouse. At the beginning of 2023, more than 150 European cities are also covered by the service. You can download the app for FREE via the link below:
6. Uber, which needs no introduction
© Unsplash / Maria Shalabaiyeva
We no longer offer Uber, the benchmark for VTC services. Riding with Uber is very simple: you open the app, choose your destination and then the type of VTC you want to borrow (more or less luxurious, more or less expensive). Prices are modulated in real time based on time, available VTC offer and crowd.
Due to the holiday, the fares charged by Uber may be slightly higher during the worst hardships. If so, we recommend that you carefully compare the price of the races with the price of competing carriers such as Bolt and FREENOW.
You can download Uber by visiting the link below:
Uber
Author: Uber Technologies
7. Lime, crossing Paris by scooter
© Lime
Lime is one of the first operators of self-driving electric scooters to land in Paris. And since then, the latter has remained one of the biggest players, although long-term threats to this transport proposal (there is talk of a ban on electric scooters in Paris) have forced it to diversify with a range of bicycles.
However, be careful: ideally plan to wear a helmet for your safety. It should also be noted that it is forbidden to use the sidewalks on electric scooters in Paris. Users are only required to drive on the road.
Lime is here to download:
8. Dott, alternate
© Dott
Dott is another major player in electric scooters and electric bikes in Paris. The equipment offered by Dott is particularly well maintained and has the latest safety devices – to reduce the risk of accidents on scooters and bicycles to 0% in a city like Paris.
Please note that the service is intended for persons over 18 years of age. You are required to ride on the road or cycle paths (including scooters). It is forbidden to use sidewalks. For your safety, wearing a helmet is strongly recommended.
Download the Dott app:
9. Bird, to give you wings
© Bird
Another big operator in Paris and other cities: Bird. The app lets you pick up scooters and e-bikes from a nearby brand within minutes. All you have to do is scan the QR code on your scooter or bike with your smartphone.
Once everything is in order in the Bird app, press the accelerator to start and brake to slow down. As with competing services, it is very important to follow traffic rules (these rules may vary for these vehicles in some cities).
Also, park responsibly so as not to disturb other users. Download Bird via the link below:
10. Vélib’ to find a bike (if the service is not exceeded)
© Valib
Obviously, how can you not recommend Vélib this holiday season? Paris City Hall’s self-service bike offer has the advantage of offering well-maintained equipment at a particularly affordable price. Of course, to ride these bikes, you must use the road and cycle paths when they are available.
Wearing a helmet is strongly recommended. Note, however, that during peak periods the departure stations are often hopelessly empty (unless the arrivals are full…). Vélib’ is therefore one of the other options, subject to availability.
Download the Vélib’ app below:
…Of course, consider walking too
Especially in the inner city of Paris, distances are not great, either to go from one station to another or to cross the city on foot. So Google Maps and other GPS apps can help you easily navigate the capital and beyond without waiting for VTC traffic that never comes or searching for a free-floating mode of transport when everything is in a storm. .
Of course, if you need to transfer to Roissy or Orly airports, we are further away, in which case you will definitely have to either catch the RER or take a taxi. In the second case, do not hesitate to discuss the price of the race with the driver before getting into the car.
