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Being one of the most beautiful cities in the world, it is essential for any visitor to Paris to be able to make the best of the opportunity and see as much of the city as possible. And getting around Paris is much easier than any other populated city.

Walking would be the best option, provided one has a good idea of the city layout, as it gives a visitor ample time to breathe in and absorb the beauty the city has to offer. Also, Paris proper is actually very compact, about 6km wide, and walking is reasonably easy. Of course if it’s too tiring there are always plenty of other travel options to choose from.

For safe and fast transportation the Paris Metro is the best option. Comprising of 200 kilometres of rail track it covers 370 stations. Lines are numbered 1-15 direction of which is indicated by the last station on the line. In order to reach a specified destination it might be necessary to change lines although this does not involve purchasing of additional tickets.

The RER trains extend public transport to the suburbs of Paris. The five lines A-E operate from about five thirty in the morning till about half past midnight (like the Metro) and Metro tickets can be used when travelling inside Paris. For travels outside the Paris area, such as to the airport and Disneyland Paris, special RER fares and tickets apply.

For a more entertaining journey try the Paris bus system; this offers better views of the city and makes it easier to get accustomed to the city layout. Maps indicating bus routes are available at bus shelters as well as the Metro stations. Buses generally function from 6:30 am till 8:30 pm with a few extending their services till past mid-night. Metro tickets can be used to travel in the buses as well.

Tickets for the Metro, bus and RER can be purchased at subway stations, bus terminals and registered retailers displaying the RATP sign, and a booklet of ten offers a good saving. And although using the Metro requires only one ticket the bus would require more than one depending on the number of stages of the journey. Special buses such as the Noctambus or the Roissybus have higher fares and ticket for these busses can be purchased only on the specific bus. A Paris Visit, a special pass, offers an unlimited number of trips on all types of Parisian public transport. So for those who wish to travel around a lot using the public transport system, this would be the best option.

A taxi is a good option if you are pressed for time or if privacy is preferred. Otherwise it’s not the most convenient option as it’s difficult to just hail one on the street. Taxis are generally found in multitudes outside train stations and airports and outside restaurants and nightclubs in the evenings. Taxis charge additional fees at train station ramps, for extra luggage and even for a fourth passenger. Removals Paris London

A Paris L’Open bus tour is an easy way to see the city. It provides commentaries in English and French and offers the flexibility of descending and ascending the next bus when the passenger is ready to continue with the journey. The full journey lasts two hours fifteen minutes and Paris Visit cardholders receive a discount.

Lastly, avoid the Metro and the RER during the rush hour: 8:00-10:00am and 5:00-8:00pm. Best option is to walk as even some bus lines can get really crowded. The most over crowded Metro lines are 1,2,4,11,12 and 13 and Metro lines 6 and 2 offer an added advantage of impressive views of the city as they run mostly above ground.

Larry Austin is a freelance journalist who writes on travel related topics such as hotel and destination reviews etc. He is currently working for roomsnet.com which offers visitors the option of world wide hotel bookings. roomsnet.com offers many Hotels in Paris for holidaymakers

Despite being one of the smallest countries in the European Union, Belgium is in the top ten largest trading nations worldwide. Its strength in exports and freight services is partly due to its central location and also a work force which is of above average productivity. With its central strategic location, Belgium is an important gateway between Europe and the world and the freight forwarding industry has evolved to capitalise on this important asset of central location. Surrounded by Germany, the Netherlands, France and Luxembourg, as well as being very close to Great Britain, Belgium is at the heart of a consumer market made up of some 454 million people, so it is one of the leading centres for international freight.

As well as freight services, its extraordinary strategic location has also led to Belgium having an important position in international politics, with the European Union, NATO and over 1000 international organisations having their base in Belgium.

There has been a remarkable development of trade and international freight transport from Bruges, Antwerp and the Walloon industrial basins that has its roots right back in the middle ages. It was in the 14th century that Antwerp started to develop as a port and today it is the fourth largest port in the world and the second largest port in Europe. Antwerp offers short transit times to all the world’s main destinations. In 2007, almost 17,000 ships carrying cargo of over 180 million tonnes docked in Antwerp. Antwerp is also the fastest growing port for container transport within the Hamburg – Le Havre range. As well as sea ports at Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Ostend, Liege, Brussels, and Ghent, Belgium has also established an efficient freight transport infrastructure made up of motorways, railways and waterways.

Belgium’s extensive inland waterway network, which is over 1500 kilometres long, connects the major Belgian sea ports to Europe’s inland waterways, which are another important facility for shipping companies. Belgium’s main rivers, the Scheldt and the Maas, and their connecting canals and tributaries, cover the whole country.This is the second largest system of waterways in Europe and offers very efficient transport for freight forwarding that is both environmentally friendly and cost-efficient for the shipping company or freight company. Removals uk France

Belgium has a long history of investment in its international freight infrastructure and shipping companies. Its solid logistics and freight forwarding networks always rank highly in international surveys. It was one of the first countries in Europe to use trains and it soon built up the densest railway network in the world. The rail network transports over 62 million tons of freight every year, with high speed trains running up to ten times a day to London, Cologne, Amsterdam and Paris.

Waterways transport has been improved by the creation of boat lifts such as that on the Canal du Centre. The port of Antwerp has built up large dock yards and locks and the Berendrecht lock is the largest lock in the world. There are no less than seven international motorways, covering nearly 2000 kilometres, which connect Belgium with France, Germany and the Netherlands, making international freight transport straight forward by road for freight companies. In addition, there are over 12,000 kilometres of regional road networks. The airports are also modern and efficient. Flight times to most major cities in Europe are under two hours and some 18 million passengers used the airport in 2007. According to the Association of European Airlines (AEA) Brussels International Airport is the most punctual airport in Europe. It also offers the fastest turnaround for air freight transport and handled nearly 800,000 tonnes of freight in 2007. The airports of Liege-Bierset, Charleroi, Antwerp and Ostend also serve many foreign destinations.

With regard to freight services, Belgium has developed the concept of combined transport. A number of container ports for inland shipping have been built and the port of Antwerp has been expanded recently with a tidal container dock, the Deurganck dock, which allows ships to be dealt with even more quickly. The high speed rail infrastructure to and from Antwerp port is also being extended further.

So Belgium is continuing to consolidate its position as the European bridge to worldwide business and a world leader in shipping companies and freight transport.

Stephen Willis is Managing Director of RW Freight Services a UK based freight transport company, established in 1971 and operating specialist freight services to and from Belgium