Page 203 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

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are a number of special tickets à péage), which can be quite All the main international
available, including ones for over expensive, especially over long car-rental companies operate
60s, families, and under 26s. distances. There are some short in France. It is worth ringing
There are also special tickets for sections which are free, around before you leave for
those doing a lot of train travel. however, usually close to major France as there are many special
Automatic ticket and centers. Tolls can be paid with offers for rentals booked and
reservation machines (billetterie either credit cards or cash. prepaid in the UK or US. Good
automatique) are found at main Where only small sums are deals are often available from
stations. They take credit cards involved, you throw coins into a Autos Abroad, brokers who use
or coins. You can also check large receptacle and the change cars owned by other car-rental
train times, fares, and make is given automatically. companies. Booking in this way
reservations by phoning SNCF. Speed limits in France are can be very cost effective.
Both reservations and tickets shown in km/h. The limit in all
must be validated in one of the towns, unless shown otherwise, Buses
orange composteur machines is 50 km/h (30 mph). On major
near the platforms before roads, higher limits are usually Long-distance buses generally
boarding the train. shown. On the autoroutes, the operate only where there is not
usual limit is 130 km/h (80 mph), a good train service in operation
but this is reduced to 110 km/h (for example, between Geneva
Traveling by Road
(70 mph) when it is raining. and Nice). SNCF (the state railway)
France has one of the densest On-the-spot fines may be operates some bus routes and
road networks in Europe, with demanded for speeding issues regional TER (Transports
modern motorways which allow offences, and there are severe Express Régionaux) timetables
quick and easy access to all penalties for drink-driving. and tickets. Eurolines serves a
parts of the country. However, Sunday is usually a good time wider range of destinations
you can save money on tolls to travel in France, as there within France, as well as
and explore France in a more are very few trucks on the road. providing services to hundreds
leisurely way by using some of Try to avoid traveling at the of major cities across Europe.
the other high-quality roads, French holiday-rush periods, They also offer excursions and
such as RN (route nationale) and known as the grands départs. arrange accommodations.
D (départementale) routes. The worst times are weekends There are also many local
Most motorways in France in July, and at the beginning and buses, which run from the
have a toll system (autoroutes end of August. town’s Gare Routière.
DIRECTORY
Airlines Flybe Norfolkline Voyages-SNCF
Tel 0871-700 2000 (UK). Tel 0871-574 7235 (UK). 193 Piccadilly,
Air Canada ∑ flybe.com ∑ norfolkline.com London W1J 9EU.
Tel 08-26 88 08 81. Tel 0844-848 5848.
Tel 888-247 2262 (Can). Hop P&O Ferries
∑ aircanada.com Tel 08-25 30 22 22. Tel 08716-64 21 21 (UK). Car Rental
∑ hop.fr ∑ poferries.com
Air France Autos Abroad
Tel 3654. Qantas Transmanche Ferries Tel 0844-826 6536 (UK).
Tel 0871-663 3777 (UK). Tel 0845-774 7767 (UK). Tel 0825 304 304. ∑ autosabroad.com
Tel 800-237 2747 (US). Tel 13 13 13 (Aus). Tel 0871-522 9955 (UK).
∑ airfrance.com ∑ qantas.com.au ∑ transmache.co.uk Avis
Tel 08-21 23 07 60.
American Airlines Ryanair Channel Tunnel Tel 0844-581 0147 (UK).
Tel 08-26 46 09 50. Tel 08-92-56-21-50. ∑ avis.fr
Tel 800-433 7300 (US). ∑ ryanair.com Eurostar
∑ aa.com United Airlines Tel 01-70 70 60 88. Europcar
Tel 08-25 35 83 58.
British Airways Tel 0845-8444 777 (UK). Tel 08432-186 186 (UK). Tel 0871-384 1087 (UK).
Tel 08-25 82 54 00. Tel 800-864 8331 (US). ∑ eurostar.com ∑ europcar.com
Tel 0844-493 0787 (UK). ∑ united.com Eurotunnel
∑ britishairways.com Ferry Services Tel 810-630 304. Hertz
Tel 0825-86 18 61.
Delta Air Lines Tel 0870-535 3535 (UK). Tel 0843-309 3099 (UK).
Tel 08-92-70-26-09. Brittany Ferries ∑ eurotunnel.com ∑ hertz.com
Tel 800-221 12 12 (US). Tel 08-25 82 88 28.
∑ delta.com Tel 0871-244 0744 (UK). Rail Travel Buses
easyJet ∑ brittanyferries.com SNCF, Paris Eurolines
Tel 0843-116 0021 (UK). LD Lines Tel 3635. Tel 08-92 89 90 91.
∑ easyjet.com Tel 0844-576 8836 (UK). ∑ voyages-sncf.com ∑ eurolines.fr

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