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I must say, that taking public transportation in many cities is THE way to go when on vacation. Sure there are some cities where taking it isn't very easy, and that renting a car is probably easiest (like in L.A.), but overall, major cities in the world have great public transportation.
London has an amazing Underground system. I use it the moment I arrive. The times I have been there, I take the Picadilly line from Heathrow all the way to my destination hotel in the city. Yes, it takes a little longer than the Heathrow Express, but it's cheaper and since the flights I were on arrived around noon, the trains weren't very crowded at all.
Paris too has a great Metro system. The stations are quite beautiful and easy to navigate through. Unfortunately the line that goes to CDG airport wasn't convienient to take so we had to taxi it, but that wasn't too bad.
I got quite used to how the Undreground and Metro ran relatively quickly. Don't be embarassed to have a map with you and look like a tourist either, because I saw many many Londoners looking at maps all the time. You'll fit in just fine.
A tip: before you leave home, look at the subway maps, and figure out where your hotel is located in reference to a station. All the times I've been to Europe, an important part for me, was finding a hotel that was close (within walking distance) to a subway station. It makes all the difference in the world, after a long day of site seeing, to have your hotel be a mere few hundred yards from a station.
Anyway, the next time you decide to venture into a strange city, think twice about renting a car, and take the public transportation the city offers. And don't be scared of subways, they won't bite. Just be prepared by learing subway lines and maps before you go. Believe me, it helps!
London has an amazing Underground system. I use it the moment I arrive. The times I have been there, I take the Picadilly line from Heathrow all the way to my destination hotel in the city. Yes, it takes a little longer than the Heathrow Express, but it's cheaper and since the flights I were on arrived around noon, the trains weren't very crowded at all.
Paris too has a great Metro system. The stations are quite beautiful and easy to navigate through. Unfortunately the line that goes to CDG airport wasn't convienient to take so we had to taxi it, but that wasn't too bad.
I got quite used to how the Undreground and Metro ran relatively quickly. Don't be embarassed to have a map with you and look like a tourist either, because I saw many many Londoners looking at maps all the time. You'll fit in just fine.
A tip: before you leave home, look at the subway maps, and figure out where your hotel is located in reference to a station. All the times I've been to Europe, an important part for me, was finding a hotel that was close (within walking distance) to a subway station. It makes all the difference in the world, after a long day of site seeing, to have your hotel be a mere few hundred yards from a station.
Anyway, the next time you decide to venture into a strange city, think twice about renting a car, and take the public transportation the city offers. And don't be scared of subways, they won't bite. Just be prepared by learing subway lines and maps before you go. Believe me, it helps!
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