There is a very distinct different culturally and architectural between the public transportation services in London and Paris. Never once in London did we feel unsafe, like we typically do using public transit in Southern California. The stations also may have felt worn and well used in places in London, but never terribly dirty and definitely not unsanitary.
Arriving in Paris at Gare du North (where Gare means train station), we were immediately overwhelmed with ads and billboards as well as directional and informational signs, most of which we could not read at all. It would have helped to look up certain phrases – like knowing that “sortie” means exit or way out. We also had some difficulty asking for train tickets – the attendant at the ticket booth immediately said he did not English when we asked if there was a tap card – like the Oyster – that we could buy. We ended up at a ticket vending machine and got a book of 40 tickets instead. Probably too many, as we transferred to Gare du Lyon and we’re shocked by the smell, the heat, the unclarity of directions, and the sheer amount of people doing illicit things like jumping the ticket control machines or holding the doors open for multiple people to come through at once.
It didn’t help that I didn’t have the right directions and took us to Gare de Lyon, not even to Gare de Bercy or yet the closest train station of all that was visible from the front door of our hotel. We arrived exhausted, sweaty, and discouraged. (Trust me though, we felt more optimistic the next day.)
However, we found a cafe called Le Zinc near our hotel on Blvd. de Bercy that was open late, with a waiter who was very encouraging and willing to help us order in our almost non-existing French. We even learned how to place an order and ask for water! Not to mention the food was super delicious.
