'Swear by this': Easiest way to navigate public transport in a new city
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Getting around in a foreign country, or even just a foreign city, when you're on holidays can seem like a daunting task. But it doesn't need to be.
Google Maps is already well known and used around the world by locals and travellers alike to help them get from A to B.
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This is the easiest way to navigate the Metro in Paris. Getty
Using Uber or having a hire car is great, but sometimes public transport is the best way to get around a city. Not to mention, it is generally a much more cost-effective method to travel.
But using the wide mix of different transport websites or apps available around the world - especially if they're in a foreign language - can get very confusing.
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I've been to Paris twice in the last 12 months, and I swear by Google Maps to help navigate the city's extensive Metro system.
It is without a doubt the best way to get around Paris (because hello traffic!); there are currently 308 metro stations in Paris, served by 16 different lines.
And rather than using the in-station Metro map, or looking up individual lines via the app, I just used Google Maps to plan my trips.
It tells you which Metro line, which direction and the departure time. Supplied
You enter your destination and choose the little public transport symbol at the bottom (it's a small train), which then brings up your various options.
I usually filtered to Metro only (to avoid bus routes) and then clicked into the one that had the fewest transfers. Sometimes this might take an extra 5 or 10 minutes, but the less switching trains, the better.
The best part about the overall functionality is that it doesn't just tell you what metro to use. It gives you on-foot directions to the nearest station. It tells you which direction of the line you're travelling to follow.
Plus, it tells you which carriage to board and - the most helpful feature of all - it tells you which number exit is the best option for where you're going.
In this case it told us to look for exit number 5. Supplied
Knowing which exit to leave from made things so much easier. Getty Images/iStockphoto
We were travelling as a family, with a toddler in a pram, so knowing the way out the second we stepped onto the platform made things so much easier.
If you missed a certain departure, it also updated instantly.
I don't think we could have successfully navigated the whole system without it.
And because it calculated every part of your overall trip you knew exactly how long it would take you to get there. Perfect for when you have a timed entrance ticket to a popular attraction.
One thing to note though is that some countries, like South Korea and China, block access to Google Maps. So it won't work everywhere.
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