But the unwritten code of conduct isn’t something that comes instinctively to the more than 4 million people who hop on board every day. In fact, each year 1.5 billion riders use the Paris Metro — that’s almost on par with New York City!

Even if you’ve ridden the subway in Chicago or New York, it’s still worth brushing up on how Parisians commute and get around the city.

Related: Will a Navigo pass save you money on the Paris Metro?

10 Paris Metro tips for riding like a local

Ready to buy a ticket and jump on the Metro? Here are 10 tips to help you fit in like a local while you’re sitting (or standing) on the subway.

1. Buy tickets in bulk

I only use the Metro occasionally, opting for a bike, and thus use the money-saving Navigo Easy pass with t+, contactless bundles of 10 tickets sold at a reduced rate (€17.35, a nearly 20% savings on buying tickets individually). You can purchase the Navigo Easy pass at all stations or RATP-approved stores, then add more tickets either in person or on your smartphone.

Local tip: If you do have a monthly or weekly Navigo pass that you simply touch to the turnstile, be sure to keep it in the bottom of your bag and try to swipe your bag across the turnstile, ensuring that the people behind you will have to wait while you swipe four or five times before the magnetic reader catches your card. That’s the sign of a true local.

2. Know when to sit and when to stand

In general, if you’re sitting in one of the fold-up chairs and staring into a sea of crotches, it might be time to get up and make some room. During peak hours, those folding seats should be off-limits. Feel free to throw the stink eye at anyone who thinks otherwise.

Also, offering your seat to an older person or a child is always appreciated, but don’t get carried away with it. Sometimes, guys, offering your seat to a 30-year-old, fit-as-a-fiddle woman could seem insulting or just kind of awkward.

3. Show generosity to performers… in the station

Generosity is a virtue, but illegality is not. It is interdit (not allowed) to perform in Metro cars, and performers usually have a permit to perform uniquely in the stations themselves.

When a performer comes on board belting out an Edith Piaf song or pumping their accordion, giving them money is supporting an illegal activity, and that’s just not cool (even if they are phenomenal). Save your coins for the respectful players in the stations that sometimes produce some amazing music.

4. Take the stares

Make eye contact — often. This is the Paris Metro, where staring is a national sport. Be warned, however, that looking at someone a few too many times will be interpreted as a come-on of sorts, as it may be intended, so be sure to look for your description on a Craigslist “missed connections” later that evening.

5. Keep it down

Do us all a favor and keep the loud discussions down. Engaging in a loud conversation or telephone call is a surefire way to stand out from the crowd. During morning and evening commutes, you’ll be the only one with your phone glued to your ear or chit chatting away at full volume with your friend. Read a book, listen to some music, or play Angry Birds, but save the drawn-out conversations for the café.

6. Be pushy

While you may have to push your way onto the Metro at any hour during the day, it’s especially common during the morning and evening commute. When the doors open, the wall of people can seem daunting, but giving an angry “pardon!” and a little elbowing will help you get aboard.
Touching isn’t balked at, so don’t be afraid to use your hand and physically reposition someone if they won’t move. Locals know the drill. And once in the train, squashed in the crush of people, you’ll often notice quite a bit of vacant space that has gone neglected. Locals love standing near the door, apparently. Laws of diffusion rarely apply.

7. Eat, drink and be exiled

Parisians eat at tables, at food trucks, or begrudgingly in the streets. Those who eat in the Metro are shunned and eventually sent to Belgium, so don’t do it. Plus, with the bouquet of aromas wafting through the tunnels, it’s not really the most appetizing of eating environments.

Know where you’re going before you get off!

8. Transfer strategically

Changing train lines once is acceptable, but annoying. Switching trains twice is sometimes necessary and really annoying. Switching three times is excessive and never required.
Know where you’re switching and where you’re going before you get off, to avoid that moment of lost panic that will signal to the pickpockets that you are, in fact, not a local. And avoid switching at the labyrinthine Chatelet-Les Halles for the love of all that is good.

9. All lines are not created equal

Locals have favorite Metro lines, but mostly they just hate certain lines. The 13 and the 4, both north-south lines, are among the most hated. Some revile the seemingly useless line 11, though it’s my personal favorite, catering to my needs. And taking the 1 is always like a trip to the UN, since it’s the most tourist-laden of them all. The 14 is a favorite because of its speed, and the 8 is often preferred to the more-crowded 9, since they generally go to the same areas.
So learn the lines using this Metro map, and be prepared to exhale frustrated and roll your eyes when someone says, “We have to take line 4!”

10. Love it

While the Paris Metro is far from perfect, it beats counterparts in New York and London by a landslide — at least this is what locals think. So when anyone disses the Metro because they have to wait six minutes for a train or because it smells like three-day-old urine, be proud and stick up for it, because love it or hate it, it’s the fastest and cheapest way to get you where you need to go in this town.

Your Paris Metro tips

Have a tip to add about the Paris Metro? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

More information

For more on the Paris Metro, visit the website of the RATP, the government agency that runs the Metro. The website offers information in English for tourists. RATP also has a handy app that provides everything you need to get around. Additionally, you can now use contactless payment methods like credit cards or smartphone apps to pay for single journeys directly at the turnstiles. Finally, if you’re currently planning a trip to Paris, be sure to swing by our guide to Paris for more articles on ways to save, plus reviews of recommended budget accommodations.

The post Paris: 10 tips for riding the Metro like a local appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Part of the Global Greeter Network, Paris Greeters is an all-volunteer organization made up of outgoing tour guides who are passionate about their neighborhoods and anxious to share the love with you and up to five other people.

Have you already explored every corner of the city and wonder what lies beyond its borders? There are also Greeters available for tours of surrounding communities outside of Paris but accessible by Métro (departments 92, 93, and 94).

Be prepared to be surprised as you can’t choose tours by area; sign up online here. The tours are free, but post-walk online donations are accepted.

Related: For more freebie tours, check out our previous post on free walking tours in Paris.

The post Free Walking Tours with Real Parisians appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

The program connects first-time visitors to Dublin with hospitable locals: 1,000 of them to be exact. These “ambassadors” arrange to meet first-time visitors over a pint (that means a Guinness) or a cup of tea. And the best part? The service is completely free – both to the visitor and the ambassador.

The Concept

The concept is a simple one: get introduced to Dublin by a local. Over a pint or a cup of tea, learn about their inside perspective on Dublin. Pick their brain on favorite pubs, where to listen to live music, or underrated attractions.

For a few suggestions from ambassadors for the City of a Thousand Welcome programs, check out these incredible videos, shot throughout different neighborhoods in Dublin.

How it works

Once you know the dates that you’re traveling to Dublin, check out the City of a Thousand Welcomes Web site. All you have to do is let them know when you’re coming, and you will be sent a guide on Dublin and matched with an ambassador.

The ambassador – who is a volunteer and Dublin resident – receives two vouchers for a pint or a cup of tea. Then the ambassador and the visitor agree on a time to meet for a chat. Sponsors of the program pick up the tab.

Who are these ambassadors?

A total of 1,000 Dublin residents make up the ambassadors for this program. They have been carefully vetted by the police and are enthusiastic about their city.

One of the marvelous things about the program is that no two ambassadors will give the same advice. You won’t think you’re getting an inside perspective only to show up somewhere filled with tourists. Share your interests with the ambassador, and they might just have a piece of advice that slots in with what you like to do.

One piece of fine print: according to the terms and conditions, all participants must be 21 or older.

Questions?

The City of a Thousand Welcomes launched in June 2011 and just had its first birthday. It is based out of the Little Museum of Dublin, a new museum on St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin city center. You can contact the general manager of the program with questions, or simply sign up for your free pint.

Free pint? Free advice? Music to any Cheapos ear.

The post Dublin: The “City of a Thousand Welcomes” program connects tourists and locals appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

But, fear not, there are some restaurants which offer typical Venetian food at reasonable prices. To spot these restaurants, stay away from the main tourist routes and look for the locals. If there are many Italians (or, even better, Venetians) sitting at the tables,  it is a good sign that it’s a well-priced place to go and try some food.

Here are three of my suggestions:

Trattoria Pizzeria La Rosa dei Venti
Fondamenta Minotto 164, Santa Croce
+39 0412440083

Tiramisu from Rosa dei Venti.

This place is always full of Italians. To get a table, either book first or go before 8 PM,when the locals go to eat. The trattoria offers a tourist menu (“menu turistico” — don’t be afraid by the name), which usually includes a first course (a pasta dish), a main course (meat and side dish), and a dessert all for €18.  (Drinks are extra.)

The menu varies every day and it is full of authentic Venetian recipes. Try the Antipasto di Affettato, a  plate of cold meats (delicious with fresh bread), the Risotto di mare, or the homemade Tiramisu.

Ristorante Pizzeria Le due Colonne
Campo Sant’Agostin, San Polo
+39 041 524 0685

Situated at the back of Campo San Polo, this is a very nice restaurant with limited space. (As indicated for the trattoria above, book first or make sure to go before 8 PM). The house specialty is the massive pizza, which start at around €7. The pasta is also quite good, and the portions are generous. Try the pasta alla carbonara, a creamy dish with plenty of bacon. You will find a lot of locals at the Ristorante Pizzeria Le due Colonne, and it is a friendly, very Italian, place.

Osteria ae Cravate
Santa Croce 36/36, Salizada di San Pantalon
+39 33 5638 5000

Just around the corner from the Rosa dei Venti restaurant, the Osteria ae Cravate is a charming place. You’ll find ties hanging throughout the restaurant (yes, ties – hence the name “Ae Cravate”- Italian for “tie”). There isn’t a written menu, but the owners speak English and will be happy to explain the dishes for you. (Ask for Sigfrido.)

The dishes change every day according to the ingredients in season. The restaurant specializes in fish. I personally recommend trying the selection of “cicchetti” (similar to Spanish tapas) and the Spaghetti allo scoglio (seafood spaghetti). An average meal is about €30 per person—including a good bottle of prosecco.

About the author: Monica Cesarato runs her own B&B on the Riviera del Brenta, just outside Venice. She also blogs about life in Venice and the Italian lifestyle http://www.monicacesarato.com.

The post Venice: Three budget-friendly restaurants popular with the locals appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Research and development

Although down-to-the-minute planning can be limiting, doing some research on the best hotels and hostels, and the best modes of transportation, is the key to saving your money later. If you can do research about your intended destination before you even get on the plane, all the better.

For me, the preparation began the day I realized I wanted to get the heck outta dodge and head back to Europe.

Through some crafty internet research and a few phone calls, I was fortunate to get hooked up with an artist residency that paid for my room and board while I was there. But I was expected to work an eight-hour day on a farm. (In my next post, I’ll explore ways that the average Cheapo can find similar kinds of set-ups.)

Here are my most important tips for a budget-friendly European experience, Wandering Cheapo-style:

1. One big meal a day is plenty.

Budget for cheap breakfasts (unless you’re in Ireland, and then that can be your big meal), grocery-store lunches (I love the sandwiches at Tesco in London), and then wolf down a bigger dinner if you like. This is especially important if you are going on a longer trip. Your money will drain fast, especially if you’re stopping here and there for bottled water, snacks, and aperitifs.

2. Make a budget for yourself that is weekly on a longer trip, daily on a shorter one.

Sometimes, you arrive in a city and find that there are great tours and museums that cannot be missed (Please don’t leave Paris without visiting the Louvre). Admission charges will quickly eat into your budget. But don’t fret. On a longer trip, think about your budget in terms of weekly caps. That way, if you go over your budget on one day, you can compensate on another day. Have fun, but keep disciplined at the same time.

3. Always have a notebook and pen handy.

Sometimes you’ll want to take notes on a place, or you’ll want to jot down the location of a cheap restaurant that you come across and want to check out later. You may need to get the e-mail of your new best friend in, say, Latvia, or the phone number of a good hostel that doesn’t offer on-line booking. Try to find a notebook with a pocket so you can collect train tickets, pamphlets and brochures, and other helpful info easily.

4. Talk to everyone.

I know that this may not seem like a budget tip, but it definitely can be. When you talk to other travelers, you find out where to go and when to go, what to spend time and money on. And when you talk to locals, you find out all sorts of money-saving insider tips about a place. You might even snag a free meal or a night’s lodging just by engaging someone’s interest. (It goes without saying, use your gut and follow your instincts along the way. If you feel uncomfortable around someone, think twice about accepting their hospitality.)

5. Everywhere you go, ask about discounts.

There are thousands of discounts to be had in Europe. If you’re a student, you’re pretty much set. Those of us who are late-blooming travelers need not worry either. Some museums and sights are cheaper – or FREE – on certain days of the week. Restaurants offer fixed-price menus at certain times of the day, often including a free beverage. Sometimes by picking up the right piece of paper in a city, or maybe a magazine or flyer, you can snag discounts on stuff. Ask, ask, and ask again. “Do you offer discounts of any kind?” You will often be happily surprised.

For more about Reinhardt’s travels, visit his blog: The Pork Chop Express.

The post Wandering Cheapo: Five tips for stretching your budget abroad appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Our favorite polyglot shepherd

You didn’t think we’d let the current award season pass by without creating our own EuroCheapo award category, did you?

Not only do we have keen eyes for hard-to-find budget hotels, but we can spot a fine photo-op while we’re on the hunt, too. This one comes from the French Alps. It was snapped while EuroCheapo staffer Pete was attempting (at no point, mind you, lost) to get back to Marseille for some bouillabaisse.

Mr. Sheep Herder proved to be quite a linguist, comfortably speaking to motorists in French, German, English, and Italian. Pas mal.

The post And the “Sheep Herder Of The Year” Award Goes To… appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.