The most interesting way to explore the city is by walking. Bordeaux is quite a big city; however, most of the attractions are in the town center and you should be able to visit many of these sites on foot. Also, most of the town center is a pedestrian-only area.

Bordeaux is very flat and has lots of bike lanes so it is very easy to get around the city by bicycle. The city has a city-wide bike sharing program called VCUB, it is a cheap and easy way to see the city although the requirement to put down about a €200 deposit before taking a bike (which might cause problems if you do not have a bank/credit card that works well with the system). A daily (24 hours) or weekly subscription is about €1.50 (daily) or €5 (weekly).

You can book taxis in advance with one of the many taxi companies that service the area. Keep in mind that most of the city center is car-free, so taxis are only practical for longer distances. You must hail a taxi from a taxi stand, which can be found at Place Gambetta, the Grand Theatre, the Hotel de Ville, and the Place de la Victoire.

Electric Bus and Tramway - Three efficient tramway lines are available (A, B, and C) that crisscross the city and make it easy to get around, tickets cost about €1.50 and covers unlimited journeys within one hour of validation. The tram runs daily from 5:00 am to 1:00 am. Tickets are good on the tram, the city bus and the ferry that crosses the river. Don`t forget to validate your ticket once onboard.

The electric bus, called la navette du centre-ville, is the only public transportation on pedestrian roads. There are no bus stops for this one: to board an electric bus, wave your hand to the driver - the driver will stop the bus and let you on. When you want to go out, just tell the driver.

The bus network is organized around a few main places, where it is possible to take buses to almost every destination in the city:

Gare Saint-Jean (railway station, bus lines going to town center, university, and north of town, TBC agency), Place de la Victoire (bus lines going to town center, to the railway station, to the University, north and south-west of town), Place Gambetta (bus lines going to la Victoire, the railway station, west, north-west, north of town, TBC agency ), and Quinconces (TBC agency).

Single fare tickets (about €1.50) can be purchased from the driver on the bus although you shouldn`t expect to receive change. The best thing to do is buy packages of 5/10 tickets for about €5.90/€11.30 or a daily/weekly pass for about €4.30/€11.30 from TBC Agencies (French: Espace TBC) at Gare Saint-Jean, Gambetta and Quinconces, all trips are good for one hour of unlimited transfers - you must validate your ticket each time you change buses/trams. You can also purchase these tickets from the automated machines at the tramway stops, all machines will accept coins and some of them will accept chip debit/credit cards.

Note: Avoid the buses on peak hours (8-10 am, 4-7 pm) as the town center is usually totally jammed (and cars often block bus tracks), and buses are overcrowded.

Le Bus du Fleuve, as it is called, links the western and eastern parts of the city by a small cruise on the river. It is managed by the CGFTE, and you can therefore ride the ferry using a standard bus ticket. The bus goes from the Southern part of Quai Richelieu to the Place Aristide Briand, very close to the Aquitaine Bridge.

Getting around Bordeaux is easy. Trains, buses and taxis are plentiful. You don`t need to rent a car if you`re staying in the heart of the city. It`s also easy to walk here as the city streets are charming and well-kept. Parking is hard to find in many places and expensive.

The historic center of Bordeaux is a pedestrian zone where driving is not permitted. Paid parking applies to the rest of the center and the adjacent area on Monday-Saturday from 9:00 am - 7:00 pm. Maximum stay is 2 hour. Parking rates are about €2.50/hr in the city center.

Places to look for free spaces include the side streets north of the Musée d'Art Contemporain and west of the Jardin Public. Many hotels provide parking for a set price per night. There are large parking lots to the north of Esplanade des Quinconces and opposite place de la Bourse.

Paid and limited on-street parking applies in the center and unlimited parking in the car parks. Parking rates in the public car parks are about €2.00/hour.

Car parks in Bordeaux:
P1 - Mériadeck - Rue Claude Bonnier - 33000 Bordeaux
P2 - Des Grands Hommes - Pl des Gr. Hommes - 33000 Bordeaux
P3 - Front du Médoc - Rue Robert Lateulade - 33000 Bordeaux
P4 - VINCI Camille Jullian - Place Camille Jullian - 33000 Bordeaux
P5 - Tourny - Allée de Tourny - 33000 Bordeaux
P6 - Bourse / Jean Jaurès - 2, Place de la Bourse 33000 Bordeaux
P7 - Saint Christoly - Place Pey Berland - 33000 Bordeaux
P8 - 8 mai 1945 - Rue Jean Fleuret - 33000 Bordeaux
P9 - Gambetta - Rue Edmond Michelet - 33000 Bordeaux
P10 - Republique - Place de la République - 33000 Bordeaux