In nine or ten trips to Paris in the last 15 years, my wife and I have pretty much avoided using buses in Paris because it was too hard to navigate. The maps of the system have so many lines and stops but the streets the routes follow are not shown. It was daunting so we just used the Metro.
On our trip last month we used buses almost exclusively because we found the tool to make navigating Paris buses easy. It is a free piece of software that can be downloaded to PDAs, Pocket PCs, Smart Phones, etc., called Métro.
The software is available at the authors%26#39; site: http://nanika.net/Metro/
It is downloaded as a zip file. After unzipping, install the application in one of 30 or so languages and as many of the 250 or more city public transportation system databases as you need/want/have room for. There are three databases available for Paris: Bus, Night Bus and Tourist, which has the Metro and RER as well as tourist information.
Using the software is really simple: pick the origin and destination from drop down lists and hit GO. A fastest and fewest transfer routes come up along with all sorts of other information. Destinations can be stops or places of interest. You pull up the stops between where you got on and get off so you don%26#39;t have to worry about missing your stop. You can also reverse direction.
Métro functions list:
* Fully assisted station search (various lists selection or text entry options)
* Station list for each line
* Recently used stations history
* Operating hours management (in selected cities)
* Places of interest: tourism, night life, ... and detailed information (in selected cities)
* Line deactivation option (in case of strikes or works)
* Line colors in the stop list and in the calculation results
* Contacts list interface (enter your contact%26#39;s subway stations only once)
* Install only the cities you need (and save memory)
* Extension card compatibility
* City databases exchange through IR interface
* Two different routes suggested (fastest and least connections)
* More than 250 cities included, most of them with complete information (575 stations in London, 785 in New-York, 1600 in Tokyo, 839 in Paris), including suburban systems, buses, trams, ferries...
* Frequent updates (every month) for up-to-date information
* Available in 38 languages
I have used this software for several years--should have loaded the bus database earlier--and found it makes life easier if every city I visit.
Thanks to the authors, Patrice Bernard and Frank Van Caenegem.
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Okay....the programs for the PDA%26#39;s may indeed make navigation of the Paris bus system easy.......now how do you make learning the operation and navigation of still another overly-clever, consumer electronic device (designed..I%26#39;m certain in a workshop in the 8th Circle of Hell) as easy?
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