Best way for getting from Gare Lyon TGV station to Paris city hotel?

Question

Am going to be staying at the Hotel Mercure Paris Porte De Versailles (69 Boulevard Victor). Going to be arriving on the TGV at the Gare Lyon city center station and will be visiting Paris for the first time. Any suggestions on options (taxi/shuttle) for getting from the TGV station - Paris Lyon - to the hotel esp. something that can be reserved in advance? What should I expect to pay for something like this? Also I am going to be arriving on 14th July (Bastille Day) - what options will I have available on that day since its a major holiday? I will have one heavy intl. sized bag with me so Metro/bus etc are not an option.

Answer 1

Uh, the hotel is quite far from Gare de Lyon. It is better to take the Metro, on holidays it is not crowded, and you carry only one bag. The trip in Metro takes only 39 min, from Gare de Lyon to Madeleine (train to St Lazare) on line 14 and from Madeleine to Porte de Versailles (train to Mairie d'Issy). The hotel is very very near the metro station.

Answer 2

If you don't want to take the Metro or a bus, that leaves you only one option: A TAXI.

The Gare de Lyon is in the southeast of Paris, and Porte de Versailles to the west, so you will have to cross most of the city.

Being that you arrive on the national holiday, you may be lucky and not have too much traffic... If so tell your driver to take you down the Champs Elysées, instead of the Boulevard de Ceinture.
That way you'll be on almost a straight line, and you will be able to do a bit of sight-seeing while in the taxi!
There are Taxi lines in front of each train station, so you should have no trouble getting one.

TheTour de France (bycicle race) will be in Paris on the 23rd. If you are still in Paris avoid the Champs Elysées and surrounding areas...as the race always ends there and collapses the traffic in the center of town.
I was there one year and nearly missed my flight home as the taxi couldn't find a way out and around all of the paraphernalia of the race. When he finally managed to, he drove the rest of the way to the airport like a madman!

Answer 3

I always use public transportation in Europe because I travel light and I'm cheap. If that's not an option for you, then just catch a taxi. They should be plentiful at the train stations!