trip navigo planner

Winnipeg Transit 4+

City of winnipeg.

• #96 in Navigation
• 3.1 • 43 Ratings

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Description.

The Winnipeg Transit app gives you easy access to all the information you need to ride transit in Winnipeg. Get real-time schedules near you. Plan a trip using Navigo. Go live with On the Go. Find route maps and information. This is the official app of Winnipeg Transit. Key features: - Follow along a trip in real-time using On the Go - Plan a trip from origin to destination using Navigo - Find real-time stop schedule information - View route maps with destination-specific paths and direction-of-travel information - Get acquainted with unfamiliar stops using stop photos - See if your bus is equipped with a bike rack or wheelchair securement with assistance feature - Set custom preferences for walk settings and school routes - Save your favourite stops and routes for easier access to the service you use most often - Find current fare information

Version 1.5.0

Bug fixes and performance improvements

Ratings and Reviews

Peggo card in apple wallet.

Please make peggo card little advance and make it apple wallet friendly so that people can use it in case they we lost physical card.

Incorrect schedule

Application is showing incorrect info about bus schedule. I planned my trip to work. Bus didn’t come at all. I was forced to use taxi services instead.

Fantastic Experience

This is a must have for any active transit user…or the occasional user. Nice job Winnipeg Transit!

App Privacy

The developer, City of Winnipeg , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
• Identifiers

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, French

• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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New Winnipeg Transit app now widely available

Older online schedule information tools to be retired June 8; passengers strongly encouraged to make the switch

Now available for download on the  App Store ,  Google Play , and  in a browser , the new Winnipeg Transit app is bringing passengers the information they need to plan trips with a new look and feel, and improved functionality.

The  Winnipeg Transit app project team  has been taking in feedback from users since the app was launched in late March. The number of users is steadily growing, and passengers who are still using BUSguide and the older schedule information tools on winnipegtransit.com are encouraged to make the switch as soon as possible. A full transition will take place June 8, when older online schedule tools will be retired.

The new app features familiar favourites like the Navigo trip planner and options to login to personalize your experience by saving trip settings such as favourite stops and routes.

It’s also bilingual, making it easy for passengers to plan trips and look up schedule information in both French and English.

For those looking for a more old-school experience, the app makes it easy to export any stop schedule in a printable, PDF format.

Homeowner, renter and business information

Transportation and streets

How can we make this web page better?

Information collected will be used to improve our website. Do not use this form to submit a request for service or information because it will not be forwarded to departments for response. To submit a request for service or information, contact 311 .

All your travel plans in one place

Join over 16 million travelers on the world's highest-rated trip planning app. You'll wonder why you ever traveled without it.

You handle the booking, we'll take it from there

Unlike other travel apps, TripIt can organize it no matter where you book. We'll make sense of all your travel plans and create a single itinerary for every trip.

Plans are accessible on all devices

Adds travel plans from your Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo inbox

Sends plans to those who need to know through text, email or apps

Plans are always available, even offline

Get where you need to be, effortlessly

TripIt instantly creates a schedule showing you where to be and when. While on your trip, we'll help you find your way around.

Plots out your entire trip on a map

Shows your transportation options between two points

Locates the closest restaurants, bars, cafes, ATMs & more

As featured on

Take tripit with you.

Download the TripIt app and you’ll have one less thing to worry about remembering to pack.

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10 Best Travel TRIP PLANNER APPs To Have in 2024

In a fast-paced world where the stress of work and school is overwhelming, we all need a break to de-stress our minds. Traveling is one good way to take your mind off of stressful things – a breather. And a scheduled vacation gives you something to look forward to.

Whether it’s a local trip alone, a family holiday, or a getaway with your best friends, it just excites you to wish the day would come faster. 

10 Best Trip Planner Apps in 2024

The freeform app.

• TripIt: Travel Planner

Hopper – Flight & Hotel Deals

• Sygic Travel Maps Trip Planner

Roadtrippers: Trip Planner

Tripadvisor, travelspend: track travel expense & trip budget, tripcase – travel organizer app, travel planning apps for your next trip.

The Freeform app is an endless whiteboard that lets users add information from a variety of websites, photos, videos and files.

Because the boards are kept in iCloud, they can be accessed from any device anytime inspiration hits. While you and your travel companions plan your dream trip, the specifics can be shared with several individuals working together on the same whiteboard, making them an ongoing work in progress.

The Freeform app is free to iPhone users on iOS 16.2, iPad users on 16.2, and Mac users on Ventura MacOS Venture 13.1. 

Download the brand-new app here .

Read our full post: Apple Launches New Travel App Freeform – What to Know

Wanderlog Trip Planner App

Wanderlog is your all-in-one destination for planning future trips, sharing travel guides, and blogging past trips.

Its trip planning features are incredibly flexible: you can research destinations and activities, organize reservations by connecting your email, and map out a day itinerary with start/end times. You can also add notes and links all throughout.

Everything is stored offline so you can access your itinerary when traveling abroad. For road trips, it calculates the time and distance between places and exports them to Google Maps (and there are no limits to the number of stops you have on a trip!).

Plus, there’s a fun social component: collaborate with friends on itineraries, write your own travel guide, and blog about past trips. Wanderlog is available on the web and on your smartphone, so you can seamlessly plan while at home and on-the-go.

iOS  /  Android

TripIt: Trip Planner App

If you need any help organizing the dozens of itineraries, TripIt is the app for you. Users simply need to forward your flight, hotel, restaurant, and car rental confirmation emails to [email protected] and the app will create a free master doc for each of your trips. The best thing about this app is that you can get access to your itinerary anywhere, even without an internet connection. 

In addition, the Pro version will find you alternative routes for canceled flights and send out notifications for delayed flights, cancellations, and more from the airlines. 

iOS / Android

Rome2rio is a versatile travel planning app that simplifies the process of finding and booking travel options. It’s a handy tool for travelers seeking to explore various transportation choices between destinations. Rome2rio offers users a comprehensive view of travel options, including flights, trains, buses, ferries, and even driving directions.

Key features of Rome2rio include:

• Route Information: The app provides detailed information on different routes, including estimated travel times, costs, and the number of transfers required.
• Booking Integration: Users can book flights, train tickets, and other transportation options directly through the app, streamlining the booking process.
• Map Integration: Rome2rio integrates with maps, allowing users to visualize their travel routes and explore nearby attractions.
• Multi-Modal Travel: It offers options for combining various modes of transportation, making it easy to plan complex journeys.
• Accurate Pricing: The app provides real-time pricing information, helping users make informed decisions based on their budget.
• Offline Access: Rome2rio offers offline access to previously searched routes, which can be handy when traveling without a data connection.

Hopper is an amazing trip planner app to have on your phone. The app predicts airfares up to 1 year in advance, with 95% accuracy. It analyzes over billions of flight prices and hotels within the day – telling you whether to book your trip now or wait for just a little longer.

Here’s how it works: Key in your destination and a color-coded calendar will display the cheapest and most expensive date to fly. The app will then recommend you to either book the flight now or sit it out and wait for airfare to get cheaper. Also, you can filter predictions to custom-fit your trip – remove long layovers, extra fees, restrictions, and more. 

And if you worry about missing out the cheap flight bookings, don’t be! Hopper will send you a notification when fares have dropped to its lowest point.

SYGIC Travel Maps Trip Planner

Sygic Travel Maps , the new version of Sygic Trip Planner, is the first travel app to display all of the attractions and places a traveler needs to see and visit on a single map.

Sync your trips with the Sygic Travel app and find hidden gems in all cities you visit. The app boast a large database that allows you to find the best hotels, tourist attractions, museums, restaurants, bars, and stores wherever you go.

This mobile app also let you download offline maps and guides, which come in helpful when traveling to remote locations with poor or non-existing Wi-Fi.

It also has a dedicated section to worldwide places of interest for travel business. Get location information for individual cities, countries, continents, or the entire planet.

The app is available in 18 languages.

iOS / Android iOS

Planning on a cross-country road trip ? Roadtrippers is the app for you! Not everyone is fond of waiting long hours at the airport while sitting through your red-eye flight. Hit the road with your friends instead.

Roadtrippers provides everything you need to know on your road trip. Just enter your starting point, destination, and let the app do its work for you! From camping sites to rest stops, outdoor activities, exciting adventures along the way that you didn’t know existed. This app is the perfect buddy for your road trip regardless of your mode of transportation – a sedan, a rental car, or a huge family RV.

Most of us dream of going to places! But planning an amazing trip to places we have not been to is pretty hard as you don’t know where to stay, what to do, places to eat, and adventures to try. We mostly rely on recommendations, most of which are not even right, that we find online. 

TripAdvisor has over millions of travel recommendations on hotels, top dining spots, must-do experiences, and treasured gems to over 8 million destinations at your perusal. It is an all-in-one app that lets you book tables at restaurants and compares low prices on hotels and flights.

You can also follow friends and travel experts for advice that match your interests, watch videos, and read articles. In return, you can share your experiences, reviews, and helpful guides for other users too!

Setting up a budget for your trip is easy, however, sticking to it is hard. TravelSpend will help you with that. It starts with entering your budget and expenses over multiple days so you don’t go overboard. The app helps you in sticking to your budget effectively.

Being in another country is not a problem at all: enter your expenses in any currency and the app will automatically convert it to your home currency.

Track your travel expenses whether going on a solo around-the-world trip or backpacking holiday with your best friends. The app allows you to share your trip with your friends and track your expenses together. Pay debts, split bills, and check your balances – all in the app!

TripCase, a comprehensive travel organizer app, has emerged as a popular choice among travelers seeking a streamlined and efficient way to manage their journey details.

Here’s a breakdown of its key features and functionalities:

Centralized Itinerary Management : TripCase allows users to consolidate all their travel details, including flights, hotels, and car rentals, into a single, easily accessible itinerary.

Real-time Flight Alerts : The app keeps travelers informed with up-to-the-minute notifications on flight statuses, including delays, cancellations, and gate changes.

Itinerary Sharing : TripCase offers a sharing option that enables users to send their travel plans to friends, family, or colleagues.

Travel Directions and Maps : To aid navigation in unfamiliar locations, the app provides directions and maps.

Nearby Recommendations : TripCase offers recommendations for restaurants, attractions, and other services close to the traveler’s location.

Document Storage : For added convenience, the app allows users to store essential travel documents digitally, ensuring that important information like passport details, visas, and insurance policies are readily available.

Customizable Notifications : Users can customize their notification preferences, choosing what types of alerts they receive and how they are notified, tailoring the app to suit individual needs and preferences.

iOS / Android 

Hi, great List. I couldn’t travel without my Apps! I have one App you could check out =) Its called ” ATM Fee Saver” and it gives a list with all ATMs and their fees and limit. I found it super helpful and it really helped me to save some money. Best regards, Charlotte

Thank you for your suggestions! Those apps are very useful and various

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10 tips for planning your 2026 solar eclipse trip

Are you ready for the next total solar eclipse? As soon as the April 2024, eclipse across North America was over, eclipse chasers turned their attention to planning for the next one, which will be on Aug. 12, 2026 .

It will be the first total solar eclipse visible from Europe since 2015 and the first in mainland Europe since 1999. However, only five countries will experience totality — when the moon's shadow completely blocks the sun's face — on Aug. 12, 2026. That day, the sun will rise totally eclipsed from a remote part of Siberia in Russia before the moon's umbra moves across eastern Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain, clipping a tiny part of northeastern Portugal.

Related: 16 best places to see the 2026 total solar eclipse

The weather across the path of totality is helped by the time of the year, as August is the best month for clear skies across the region, although finding clear skies will still be a challenge. However, perhaps the most confusing aspect of this eclipse will be its height, at least for observers in Spain. You'll need to calculate sight lines in advance, which wasn't necessary for North America's total solar eclipse.

The prize, however, is the same: a totally eclipsed sun , for a maximum of 2 minutes, 18 seconds. Here are 10 top tips for planning your total solar eclipse experience in 2026.

1. Forget duration

Never judge a total solar eclipse by its maximum duration of totality. Although totality for the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse lasted over four minutes for some viewers, most total solar eclipses last two minutes or less. Moreover, the duration of totality is trivial. What's spectacular is that totality happens at all — and how dramatic it is. Instead, think about where you'll watch it from in the path of totality because the location does make a difference.

2. Fixate on the sky position.

At no point on Earth will the eclipsed sun appear higher than 26 degrees above the horizon during the August 2026 eclipse. It won't be much of a problem in Greenland and Iceland, but in Spain, the sun will be eclipsed just 70 minutes before sunset on Spain's Galician coast, where the sun will be just 11 degrees above the northwest horizon.

It will be visible lower in the sky and closer to sunset as the path of totality shifts eastward. The eclipsed sun will be barely 3 degrees above the northwest horizon from the west coast of any of the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Minorca and Ibiza). That could cause the sun to be lost in the haze and clouds of the horizon. Or, it could produce a rare, dramatic "golden corona." As with all eclipses, you must weigh risk versus reward.

3. Pay attention to sight lines on the Spanish coast

The sun will be eclipsed from Spain's east coast at just 4 degrees above the northwest horizon. It's possible to find locations on the coast with a clear view of the eclipse, but do not take anything for granted. In many coastal locations, the trick will be to get inland and onto higher ground. Either way, triple-check the sight lines of all locations.

4. Consider some landscape photography.

The 2026 eclipse will offer a short time to image the eclipsed sun balanced with the opportunity to see and capture the sun's corona low over landmarks, mountains and buildings. Expect images of an eclipsed sun above icebergs in Greenland; over the Sun Voyager sculpture in Reykjavik, Iceland; and through the arches of the Roman aqueduct bridge in Segovia, Spain. Many photography workshops will travel to Spain to catch the eclipsed sun close to the horizon. You can also check out our guides on how to photograph a solar eclipse and how to photograph a total solar eclipse with a smartphone .

5. Think about cloud cover

As solar eclipse meteorologist Jay Anderson notes on his website Eclipsophile.com , Valladolid and Zaragoza, Spain, and the Mediterranean coast have the highest chances of clear skies. That said, there are good reasons to be optimistic about clear skies in Iceland and Greenland, too, with the latter's Scoresby Sund often experiencing sunny weather in August. If the 2024 total solar eclipse taught eclipse chasers anything, it was to expect the unexpected.

6. Stay mobile

Trying to find accommodations in rural areas of Spain ahead of time might be tricky. Plus, there's no need to wake up inside the path of totality for this one because it occurs just before sunset. You'll have all day to travel somewhere that's forecast to have clear skies.

7. Don't obsess about the centerline

You don't need to aim for the centerline for this eclipse. Yes, it will maximize the duration of totality. However, not only is the maximum duration reasonably short, but there are diminishing returns the closer you get to the centerline. That's because the moon 's shadow is oval-shaped, so the totality duration tapers off gradually on both sides of the centerline. For example, Burgos, which is close to the centerline, will get 1 minute, 44 seconds, while Valladolid, which is halfway between the centerline and the southern limit, will get 1 minute, 29 seconds.

8. Prepare for a "Pac-Man" sunset.

The E80 motorway linking Valladolid to Burgos straddles the centerline in the most probable place for clear skies of the entire path of totality. It also represents the dividing line for a partially eclipsed sunset. From all locations west of here, the sun will no longer be eclipsed as it sets. To the east, it will sink below the horizon while still partially eclipsed. Locations farther east — such as Calamocha, Teruel and Zaragoza — will be good locations to watch an eclipsed sunset.

9. Plan for "shooting stars" and the Milky Way.

It's a coincidence that Aug. 12 is also the peak of the Perseid meteor shower in 2026. So, in theory, traveling to Spain could get you a total solar eclipse followed by a night sky full of "shooting stars" in completely moonless skies (because a solar eclipse, by definition, occurs during a new moon ). It's also the peak time for a view of the Milky Way streaming down in the southern sky. The Perseid peak will also occur in Greenland and Iceland, but there is no darkness in that region. In Reykjavik, Iceland, the sun sets at about 9:50 p.m. on Aug. 12 and rises around 5 a.m., but it never gets completely dark.

10. Head north for possible auroras

There's a lot of talk about whether it might be possible to see the aurora borealis — the northern lights — during the eclipse as seen from Iceland and Greenland. However, it's highly unlikely — the aurora is fleeting and unpredictable in terms of timing and intensity, and during totality, the sky does not get darker than a bright twilight. There will be a chance during the nights around the eclipse, but true darkness never arrives in August; from midnight, there are about three hours of nautical twilight when it's dark enough to sometimes see auroras.

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Do I need travel insurance for my summer vacation? It's complicated.

• Travel insurance can be complicated, but it's worth it if you have travel expenses that insurance would cover.
• You might not need travel insurance if you're taking a driving vacation and staying in a place where lodging is free.
• If you're leaving the country, you'll likely need travel insurance.

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If you're planning to travel somewhere this summer, you're probably thinking of buying travel insurance.

Kingsley Hopkins is. He's headed to Portugal and Iceland with his girlfriend, and he wants to make sure he's covered for things like medical emergencies or trip disruptions, "or if a volcano erupts," he said.

Check out   Elliott Confidential , the newsletter the travel industry doesn't want you to read. Each issue is filled with breaking news, deep insights, and exclusive strategies for becoming a better traveler. But don't tell anyone!

But getting the right travel insurance can be complicated. There's no one-size-fits-all policy, and Hopkins, an assistant editor at a book publishing company in New York, has been spending a lot of time thinking about how to protect his summer vacation.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Chances are, so have you.

Why finding the right travel insurance is so hard

Most surveys suggest this will be a record summer for travel. How much of a record? Demand is so high that some airlines are afraid they will run out of planes. Now that's busy.

At the same time, danger and uncertainty are lurking everywhere – wars in Europe and in the Middle East, the usual slate of natural disasters like hurricanes and maybe a volcano or two. It's no wonder people are giving some serious thought to insurance. 

Older travelers are particularly worried. And they should be, said PK Rao, CEO of INF Visitor Care . Claims by travelers over age 50 spike during the summer months.

Warning: American tourists are being profiled. Don't be one of them.

Try this pro trick for an affordable and stress-free summer vacation

"According to our claim data, medical emergencies tend to uptick during the summer, especially for those going on trips that involve outdoor activities," he said.

But there are so many choices out there, including credit card coverage, medical evacuation membership programs and standalone travel insurance. What should you get?

You need peace of mind 

But don't just reflexively start shopping for a travel insurance policy this summer. Instead, look for peace of mind – knowing that if something goes wrong, you'll be taken care of.

"Knowing you're protected from unforeseen travel mishaps – like delays, lost baggage and even medical emergencies – can make the trip that much more enjoyable,” said Daniel Durazo, a spokesman for Allianz Partners USA .

As it turns out, there are several ways to get the peace of mind you need. And there are times when you can safely skip travel insurance.

This is when you don't need insurance

Here's when you can skip travel insurance, according to experts:

• If you already have coverage. "You may already have travel coverage through your benefits at work, your credit card, or through group benefits with an organization," said Jiten Puri, CEO of PolicyAdvisor.com. If you do, there's no need to buy more coverage. You're all set.
• If you're not traveling far. If you're taking a driving vacation and staying in a place where lodging is free, like a relative's sofa, then there's not much to insure. "If you already have health insurance, it may cover you for a domestic trip, so you don't need to think about health insurance coverage," said Joe Cronin, CEO of International Citizens Insurance .
• If your trip isn't insurable. Traditional travel insurance covers conventional trips with prepaid, nonrefundable components like airline tickets and hotel stays. You might find that you either already have coverage through your medical insurance, or the trip is essentially uninsurable.

So think twice before saying "yes" to optional travel insurance that your online travel agency may offer you when you're booking a trip. You might not need it.

Here's when you need travel insurance

But most travelers should consider some kind of travel insurance coverage this summer. Here's when you need the extra coverage:

• If you have travel expenses that insurance would cover. "If you have many prepaid, nonrefundable expenses, it's best to take out travel insurance," said Lauren Gumport, a spokeswoman for Faye Travel Insurance ."This includes things like flights, hotel rooms, tickets and activities." The more conventional your vacation, the likelier travel insurance is to cover almost every aspect of your summer vacation.
• If you're leaving the country. "Your regular medical insurance might not extend coverage beyond your home borders," said John Rose, chief risk and security officer at ALTOUR . Also, many countries require travel insurance for entrance. They include Bermuda, Qatar, Sri Lanka, and some European countries.
• If you can't afford to lose your trip. "When considering travel insurance for your summer trip, evaluate whether you can afford to lose your vacation investment due to unforeseen circumstances like illness, weather disruptions or emergencies," explained Robert Gallagher, president of the US Travel Insurance Association (USTIA). "Can you afford the financial risk if you miss your cruise departure because of covered flight delays? What if you have to cut your trip short because of illness?"  

One of the most common mistakes travelers make is assuming their credit card will cover them. For example, I found that my credit card only covered my rental car as secondary insurance, which made it completely useless when I rented a car in Tampa recently. I had to buy a standalone policy from Allianz to cover the vehicle.

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How one traveler insured his summer vacation

So, how did Hopkins handle his travel insurance needs? Well, as I mentioned – it's complicated.

Hopkins said he always buys some travel insurance before he takes a trip, "but how much, and what I cover, varies," he explained.

He decided that his path to peace of mind in this case was to spend a few extra dollars: He made fully refundable flight and hotel reservations, just in case something went wrong. That would eliminate a lengthy claim with his travel insurance company or credit card.

But he still needed at least $50,000 in medical coverage with emergency evacuation because of his active schedule.

"We’re going to be doing a lot of hiking in Iceland," he said. "And you just never know." 

At the beginning of the year, he decided to buy an annual Medjet Horizon plan, a membership that would get him from a hospital in Portugal or Iceland to a hospital at home, in case something happened. 

For insurance, Hopkins checked TravelInsurance.com to find an affordable travel insurance policy. He found coverage through Trawick International that pays up to $50,000 in medical expenses and up to $200,000 for an evacuation.

"I’ve heard good things about them," he said. "Hopefully, we won’t need any of it."

How do I insure my trips?

I'm on the road about 360 days a year, so I'm always thinking about peace of mind. I currently use a Wells Fargo credit card with lots of travel benefits, and I have long-term policies through Faye and Cigna, which have worked fairly well. I also am a long-time Medjet Horizon member. If I rent a car, I turn to Allianz for my primary coverage.

I know – that's a lot of peace of mind. 

But I've also run into trouble and had to use many of those benefits. Medjet got me back home during the pandemic. Cigna covered me after a serious ski accident in Switzerland. My old Allianz policy took care of my medical expenses when I had to see a doctor in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a few years ago.

Like I always say, when it comes to having enough insurance, better safe than sorry.

Christopher Elliott  is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded  Elliott Advocacy , a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes  Elliott Confidential , a travel newsletter, and the  Elliott Report , a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can  reach him here  or email him at  [email protected] .

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

A survival guide to Paris transport closures for the 2024 Olympics

Paris will be in the throes of Olympic fever from July 26 to August 11 for the 2024 Summer Games. Public transport routes will be revised and vehicle access will be restricted just as millions of visitors are expected in the city. Both residents and tourists are urged to review the revised routes and plan ahead.

Issued on: 06/07/2024 - 17:23

Restrictions on access to certain areas will begin more than a week in advance as the French capital prepares for an ambitious opening ceremony that will take place over several kilometres along the River Seine – the first to take place outside of an arena in the history of the Olympic Games.

A massive security operation will be under way to secure the river route and ensure the smooth movement of the thousands of people expected to watch the ceremony from the upper and lower quays when it kicks off at 7:30pm on July 26.

As temporary spectator stands are set up around the city and the Seine undergoes a massive cleanup, several metro and RER stations will be closed from July 18 .

To plan a route with updated information, use the Paris transport system's online planner:

Read more RATP online itinerary planner

• For many areas of the capital, a “Pass Jeux” (Games Pass) containing a QR code will be needed for access. Request one in English by clicking here .
• A dedicated mobile application, Transport Public Paris 2024  (downloadable on Android and iOS ), has been developed to facilitate routes to competition sites and have real-time information on transport conditions.

Read more Metro and tram stations closures during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games

Coloured perimeters to control traffic

Before and during the Games, competition sites will be subject to traffic bans and restrictions. Four colour-coded perimeters will be set up around the sites, with specific rules for each. An interactive map of these perimeters for each day of competition can be viewed here .

• The gray perimeter, for competition sites

Athletes, ticketed spectators and accredited people (notably journalists) are permitted within this perimeter. No vehicles are authorised except Paris 2024 accredited vehicles.

• The black protective perimeter

An area for searches and pat-downs of any person entering the competition site.

• The red perimeter prohibiting motorised traffic

Free movement of cyclists and pedestrians is permitted. Only people with a digital pass (QR code) are authorised to enter by motor vehicle.

• The blue perimeter diverting motorised traffic 

Pedestrians and cyclists are allowed to move freely, but only people with a legitimate reason to go to an address located in the blue zone are authorised to enter by motor vehicle.

For the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, a Security, Insecurity and Fight against Terrorism (SILT) perimeter close to the river and docks will be in place from July 18 to 26, the day of the opening ceremony and kick-off for the Games.

To access the perimeter, a Games Pass QR code is needed – it must be requested from the online platform in advance. Only local residents, professionals and visitors (with proof of a hotel, museum, ticket or restaurant reservation) will be allowed to enter. Vehicle access will be strictly prohibited except in rare cases.

Read more A detailed list of transport closures by date (in French)

Metro and RER station closures

• Closures from July 18:

Metro line 1: Tuileries, Concorde and Champs-Élysées - Clémenceau stations

Metro line 4: Cité

Metro line 5: Quai de la Rapée

Metro line 6: Trocadéro and Passy

Metro line 7: Châtelet, Pont Marie, Pont Neuf and Sully Morland

Metro line 8: Concorde

Metro line 9: Alma Marceau, Iéna (July 24 only) and Trocadéro

Metro line 10: Javel

Metro line 11: Châtelet

Metro line 12: Concorde

Metro line 13: Champs-Élysées - Clémenceau

On the RER C line, the Musée d'Orsay, Champs de Mars Tour Eiffel and Pont de l'Alma stations will be closed.

• For the opening ceremony on July 26:

In addition to the limited transport service outlined above, several additional closures are planned for the day of the opening ceremony, depending on the time of day.

Metro line 6 will not take passengers between Charles de Gaulle - Étoile and La Motte-Picquet - Grenelle stations

Metro line 7 will not run between Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre and Jussieu

Metro line 9 will not run between Miromesnil and Porte de Saint-Cloud

On line 10, trains do not stop at Michel-Ange-Molitor, Michel-Ange-Auteuil or Javel-André Citroën stations (after 6pm).

Read more Olympic Games Opening Ceremony: security and traffic information

More stations will gradually close after 1pm on July 26:

On metro line 1: Hôtel de Ville and Saint-Paul

Metro line 4: Cité 

Metro line 8: Invalides, Tour Maubourg and École Militaire

Metro line 11: Rambuteau and Hôtel de Ville

Metro line 13: trains will not stop at Champs-Elysées - Clémenceau or Invalides 

The Solférino and Rue du Bac stations (line 12), Varenne and Saint François-Xavier (line 13), as well as Tour Maubourg and École Militaire (line 8) will be kept open for everyday travellers, but will be indicated as unavailable to spectators. Also, in case of crowds, trains may not stop at these stations.

Between 6pm and 9:30pm, line 6 will be completely closed, the terminus of line 5 will be at Bastille, the RER C will be halted inside Paris and the T3a tram will only run between Pont du Garigliano and Porte d'Ivry.

The number of metros will, however, be increased on other lines for the arrival and departure of spectators from the Opening Ceremony. When the ceremony ends, the eastern part of line 6 and the line 5 viaduct will reopen, as will the entire RER C line. The automated lines (1, 4 and 14) will operate all night (but Cité station on line 4 will remain closed).  

Gradual reopening

The gradual reopening of several metro stations will begin from July 27, the day after the opening ceremony, except for the following:

• The Champs-Elysées - Clémenceau station (lines 1 and 13) will be closed from July 20 to August 11 inclusive, and then again from August 22 to September 8.
• Concorde (lines 1, 8 and 12) and Tuileries (line 1) stations will be closed through September 1.

TGV and main train stations

The major Parisian stations remain open for travellers needing to take a TGV or a mainline train, but timetable adjustments will be in place to avoid overcrowding and delays around the Lyon, Bercy and Austerlitz stations, all three of which are located within the protected Olympic perimeter.

Austerlitz station will not be accessible by road, given the red perimeter. Pedestrian access is possible as well as special bus and taxi access.

Road access to Lyon and Bercy stations will be affected by the closure of the Bercy quay on July 26 for the Opening Ceremony. The Bercy bus station will also be closed on July 26 but will be in service for the duration of the Olympic Games (albeit running on restricted timetables).

Metro and bus prices to almost double 

Between July 20 and September 8, the single T+ ticket – which allows access to the metro, bus, tram and RER in Paris and some of its outskirts (zones 1-2) – will cost €4 euros compared to the usual €2.15.

For tickets purchased aboard buses, the usual price (€2.50 euros) will double to €5.

A Paris 2024 pass for unlimited travel will also be available for €16 per day, with rates decreasing depending on the duration. A weeklong pass will cost €70 euros, more than twice the usual price of a weekly Navigo pass (€30.75).

Access to hotels

Hotel guests – like local residents and those needing to access their places of work – will need to present a QR pass to access the secure perimeters by car. When requesting the QR code online, hotel guests will need to provide proof of ID for all those occupying the vehicle along with proof that the hotel is providing off-road parking. Ask your hotel for details. 

Olympic fan zones

Some 26 fan zones, each capable of welcoming 500 people, will be accessible free of charge. They will broadcast Olympic events and other entertainment on giant screens as well as offer catering and will remain open until 11pm. Medal-winning athletes will be celebrated at the zones located at Trocadéro and Parc de la Villette.

Closures for the Paralympic Games (August 28 - September 8)

The Summer 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games accelerated plans to improve disabled access in and around the French capital, although much work remains to be done to improve access in the longer term. The organisers of the Games committed to holding an “inclusive and accessible” competition for the estimated 350,000 disabled people who are expected to visit the French capital in summer 2024 and the estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people with limited mobility who will be using public transport each day.

Read more Anticipated transport closures for the Paralympics (in French)

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• What is BLUE

What are feeder routes?

Transit in southwest winnipeg, shaping a network, how will i plan my trip, the southwest transitway, frequently asked questions.

BLUE is a new rapid transit line providing frequent, reliable, high-speed service between Downtown, the University of Manitoba and St. Norbert.

BLUE travels along the Southwest Transitway in order to bypass congestion on Pembina Highway. Passengers can catch the BLUE rapid transit line at Southwest Transitway stations, as well as stops along Graham Avenue and Main Street downtown, and Pembina Highway south of Markham Road.

Frequency of BLUE Service

Feeder routes are shorter routes that take passengers from local communities to Southwest Transitway stations and major stops on Pembina Highway.

Feeder route buses are less likely to be delayed since they avoid areas of the city with congestion, like Downtown. Feeder routes in Southwest Winnipeg are three digits long, and start with a “6”.

Click the map to view a printable version of the new Southwest Winnipeg network

Thank you to everyone who provided input to Winnipeg Transit in the route-planning process — online, over the phone and in-person at the Ideas in Motion Bus pop-up events. The resulting network was shaped by your ideas.

You can plan your trips on the improved network using the Navigo Trip Planner.

You can also use the lists below to explore maps of the new routes and updated routes, and see how frequently they run.

Frequency of New Feeder Routes

Changed Routes

• 23 Broadway/William
• 29 Sherbrook/Stafford
• 47 Transcona
• 65 Grant Express
• 68 Grosvenor
• 74 Kenaston
• 78 Waverley
• 91 St. Norbert

By logging on to the Navigo Trip Planner! Winnipeg Transit’s existing trip planning tools are up to date with all routes and schedules for the new network in Southwest Winnipeg.

Completed in 2019, the Southwest Transitway is an 11-kilometre dedicated roadway constructed to keep the BLUE rapid transit line separate from other traffic, allowing buses to travel at speeds up to 80 km/h.

Passengers have access to a number of amenities along the Transitway, designed with an easier, more comfortable commute in mind.

Of the new Park and Ride parking spots, 665 are located adjacent to Seel Station.

Park and Ride

The launch of the BLUE rapid transit line brings passengers new opportunities to park their cars and hop on board Winnipeg Transit – more than 1,000 new park and ride spots have been installed at Seel Station and Clarence Station.

The parking spots are available for special events at attractions along the BLUE Rapid Transit Line, including IG Field, and are provided free of charge for anyone using Transit services.

Additionally, passengers can get dropped off at a Kiss and Ride located at Beaumont Station.

Active Transportation

A protected and accessible active transportation path runs along the full length of the Southwest Transitway, connected to existing active routes and illuminated at night to enhance safety and visibility.

Bike Lockers and Racks

Each station along the Southwest Transitway is outfitted with bike lockers, to allow for easy transitions from bike to bus.

For passengers who prefer to take their bikes with them, each of the 28 new articulated buses purchased for the launch of BLUE is outfitted with a bike rack capable of carrying two bicycles, in all seasons but winter. Online schedules display a bike icon to identify routes with bike racks on them.

Station Amenities

Winnipeg Transit is rolling out new digital displays featuring real-time passenger information at each of the stations, which are also outfitted with heated bus shelters.

Passengers riding the BLUE rapid transit line can take in public art projects along the route, thanks to a partnership with the Winnipeg Arts Council.

Métis artist Ian August’s ‘Rooster Town Kettle’, located at the Beaumont Station

For a map of where the art is located and more information about the works, check out this brochure produced by the WAC .

The new works launched alongside BLUE include:

• Rooster Town Kettle and Fetching Water by Ian August, located at Beaumont Station
• Furrows in the Land by Jeanette Johns, located at Seel Station and McGillivray Overpass
• ROW ROW ROW by Public City Architecture and Urban Ink, located at Clarence Station
• Salt Fat Sugar / Your Water is Safe by Bill Burns, located at Chevrier Station
• テンサイ (Tensai) by Cindy Mochizuki and Kelty Miyoshi McKinnon of PFS Studio at Plaza Station
• (Un)Still Life with Spoked Wheels by Warren Carther, located at Chancellor Station and Bishop Grandin Overpass
• Métis Land Use by Tiffany Shaw-Collinge, located at Markham Station

Q: I used to take the 181 home every day. Now I am told I have to take 2 buses to get home; is this correct?

A: Yes, you will have to take 2 buses to get home; the buses leaving the downtown area are expected to be more reliable as they will be running every 3-4 minutes to get passengers to a Transitway station. Feeder routes are also expected to be more reliable as they will not be travelling though the downtown area.

Q: Why do I need to transfer? I used to have a direct route to my destination.

A: Transfers are an important part of the design of a more frequent, reliable service using the BLUE rapid transit line, for multiple reasons.

In the past, Winnipeg Transit prioritized one-seat-rides between Downtown and a variety of Southwest Winnipeg communities during rush hours, because they were seen as being more convenient. However, the number of buses in Downtown Winnipeg can often cause delays on streets like Graham Avenue, especially during rush hour periods.

Further, some of these buses fill up with passengers who only need to ride for a short distance, meaning there may not be enough room left for passengers who want to ride further along the route to reach a specific community.

By separating service into BLUE and intersecting feeder routes, Winnipeg Transit has been able to increase capacity and maintain frequent service to and from Downtown.

This is in part because it is easier to coordinate one route — the BLUE rapid transit line — than it is to coordinate multiple routes in and out of Downtown.

It’s also because BLUE operates frequently enough to ensure delays of individual buses would only have a minor, localized effect. Winnipeg Transit has also ensured feeder routes are short enough to prevent delays.

The end result is more reliable service and better, more frequent travel options for our passengers.

Q. I don’t see my usual bus route on the map of the new network in Southwest Winnipeg. What happened to it?

A: The BLUE rapid transit line and 14 new community feeder routes take the place of a number of routes that no longer operate as of April 12, 2020.

The easiest way to find out your route options is to plan a future trip using the Navigo Trip Planner.

The following routes have ceased operating:

• 51 St. Vital Centre/University of Manitoba;
• 64 Lindenwoods Express;
• 72 South Point/University of Manitoba;
• 76 St. Vital Centre/University of Manitoba;
• 84 Lindenwoods/Fort Rouge Station;
• 86 Bridgwater/Fort Rouge Station;
• 94 Pembina/Wildwood/Whyte;
• 99 City Hall/Windermere;
• 109 St. Norbert Dart;
• 137 Richmond Super Express;
• 161 University Super Express;
• 162 Richmond Express;
• 163 Waverley Heights Express;
• 170 University of Manitoba/St. Norbert/Downtown;
• 180 Industrial Express;
• 181 Whyte Ridge Express;
• 183 Richmond West Express; and the
• 185 Osborne Village Express.

Q: Do the new feeder routes follow the same routes of those they are replacing?

A: Many feeder routes are similar to current neighbourhood express routes to Downtown, but instead terminate at the Southwest Transitway stations or Pembina Highway. Routes are 3 digits and start with a “6”. Feeder routes are much less likely to be delayed by traffic because they do not operate Downtown.

Q: What kind of bus service will operate on Pembina Highway after April 12?

A: Winnipeg Transit continues to operate two high-frequency routes along Pembina Highway, where passengers can also connect to feeder routes.

Starting April 12, route 60 Pembina operates more frequently on weekdays, with service scheduled every ten minutes during morning and afternoon rush hours.

Route 47 Transcona, which currently ends its trip Downtown, becomes route 47 Transcona/Pembina. It now extends south to replace the former 160 route, providing single-bus service from Transcona to the University of Manitoba.

Once route 47 reaches Downtown, it travels along Main Street and stage 1 of the Transitway before veering onto Pembina Highway at Jubilee Avenue. Route 47 no longer travels on Graham Avenue.

Q: I see that the 160 bus has been discontinued. Can you tell me why?

A: Yes, the 160 route has been merged with the route 47. This bus now travels from Transcona to the University of Manitoba, and no longer travels on Graham.

Northbound passengers who need to reach Graham Avenue can transfer from route 47 to the BLUE rapid transit line at:

• Union Station (Downtown)
• Jubilee Station
• Fort Rouge Station
• Osborne Station
• Harkness Station

Q: I see there is a new route 23. Can you tell me what this replaces?

A: Route 23 Broadway/William replaces the Broadway/City Hall portion of route 29.

Route 29 Sherbrook/Stafford now travels from the Health Sciences Centre area to the existing Windermere terminal – and new Beaumont Station on the BLUE rapid transit line – only.

Route 23 Broadway/William travels from City Hall to Union Station via William, Health Sciences Centre, Sherbrook/Maryland, and Broadway.

Q: I just tried to call the Dart 109 Bus, and no one is answering. Is this route still running?

A: No. As of April 12 the Dart 109 bus has been replaced by the route 91; it now runs all day from Pembina and Killarney into the St. Norbert area.

The 91 runs from:

• 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Weekdays;
• 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturdays; and
• 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays.

Q: I live near the Southwest Transitway. What’s been done about noise?

A: The City used feedback from residents in the project planning for the transitway. As a result, measures have been taken to mitigate noise and vibration for nearby homeowners. The concrete works for the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor were designed to minimize vibration from transit vehicles. A noise attenuation wall has been built, extending from Bishop Grandin to Markham, on City property adjacent to residents’ property lines.

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Navigating a busy Paris: Essential tips for travelers during the 2024 summer Olympics

T he highly anticipated 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are almost here, taking place from Friday, July 26, 2024, to Sunday, August 11, 2024. With the world’s attention on the City of Lights, Paris will be busier than usual during the popular, tourist-heavy summer months. RELATED: Going to Europe or somewhere hot this summer? Pack a wearable or portable fan to beat the sweltering heat

Preparing for crowds

Paris is expecting an influx of 10 million visitors during the Olympics, adding to its metropolitan population of 11 million. The central area, known as "inner Paris," houses around 3 million people. Paris is well-equipped to handle large crowds, having been a major tourist destination for centuries. Use a map or a mobile app to plan your daily excursions.

Navigating security zones

There will be a security zone around the Seine and adjoining areas on both the left and right banks. Residents and workers in these zones will need a pass, accessible via phone or a printed version, similar to measures during the Coronavirus pandemic. Numerous closures, like the Place de la Concorde since May 17th, will impact cars, public transit, and pedestrian access. Plan your daily itinerary carefully; walking might be necessary even if a nearby métro station is open due to potential overcrowding.

Staying cool and hydrated

August can be extremely hot in Paris, with stone pavements and buildings absorbing the heat. Bring a water bottle so you can always stay hydrated. Paris tap water is excellent and public fountains provide free, potable water. Air conditioning is not common in homes; check if your Airbnb or VRBO has it. Most hotel rooms have A/C, but not as powerful as in typical US chain hotels.

Smoking and vaping regulations

Vaping stores are plentiful, so there's no need to bring cartridges if you vape. Although marijuana is illegal, possessing a small amount results in a minor fine. Do not attempt to bring or buy it, as you risk jail or deportation.

Enjoying street art

Paris is renowned for its street art, especially in the Marais and Belleville neighborhoods. Keep an eye out for impressive works on building sides, some of which are collected by serious art enthusiasts.

Transportation tips

During the Games, the Métro/RATP ticket prices will surge from approximately 1.75 euros to six euros per ride. If you arrive in Paris before July 20 th , you can buy a Navigo card at current prices and load it up or add it to your phone wallet. Stay updated with the RATP app for the latest changes and prices.

Connectivity

Free Wi-Fi is available in métro and train stations, but not on moving trains. For reliable data, consider a prepaid 30-day tourist plan from Bouygues Telecom, Orange or another local carrier. These plans cost 30 to 40 euros and offer unlimited calls and texts within France and Europe. Storefronts across Paris can help set it up on your phone.

Cultural hotspots

Animé and gamer shops are widespread; explore and connect with new friends. Tattoo shops are also more common in upscale neighborhoods.

Supporting local communities

Many migrants, including families, live in tents in the outer arrondissements. Consider donating clothes to local churches or Caritas, a Catholic aid organization. Paris has a homeless outreach team working to tidy up the city for the Olympics.

Dining and shopping tips

French cuisine is exquisite, but for a quick snack, McDonald's offers clean bathrooms and free Wi-Fi, with breakfast deals around 2 euros. Wondering if you should leave a tip? According to the Paris Tourist Office , "in Paris, the bill in bars and restaurants includes a service charge, so you do not have to leave a tip. However, if you have been satisfied with your meal and the service you are welcome to do so. A tip in general amounts to 5 to 10% of the bill.

Tax refunds

For purchases totaling at least 100 euros at a single store, the tax refund process is straightforward. Store clerks will complete the forms, and you can scan the barcode at a PABLO kiosk at your departure point from the EU. Choose either a cash refund or a credit to your payment card within a few weeks.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can make the most of your visit to Paris this summer and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere during the 2024 Summer Olympics.

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How to plan the ultimate adventure to Peru, from the ancient Machu Picchu to the thermal waters of Cajamarca

From Andean peaks to Amazonian jungles and the ancient cities of the Incas, Peru offers the perfect base for an epic adventure.

A trip across Peru feels like passing through multiple countries and cultures merged into one. The topography is as diverse as it is dramatic; in just a few days, you can pass from the desert of the coastal lowlands to the saw-toothed, glacial peaks of the Andes Mountains and onwards to reach the emerald enclave of the world’s largest tropical rainforest. En route are thousands of 16th-century towns, Indigenous communities and archaeological sites, relics of ancient civilisations that have managed to capture the collective imagination like few others around the world.

Chief among those civilisations is the Inca, a superpower that ruled in the 15th century from modern-day Ecuador in the north, down to the Chilean capital of Santiago. Itineraries for first-time visitors focus on the heart of their empire, the Andean highlands of southern Peru. Tack on an extra week and you can discover the other big-hitting wonders of the country’s south, including Lake Titicaca, Arequipa city and the Nasca Lines. It’s a journey from mountains to dusty lowland desert: along the way, gaze at the barren Altiplano from a classic Pullman train carriage; sleep in a one-of-a-kind reed B & B; and glide above colossal geoglyphs in the   belly of a Cessna plane.

The Inca Empire was but a brief, 100-year chapter in the nation’s millennia-old story. And the north proves just how unparalleled that history is. Those with the time and curiosity to head beyond the staples are justly rewarded. Dusty cities and cloud-forest-fringed valleys conceal archaeological sites predating the Inca by hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Hikers will also find some   of South America’s finest trails in the high altitudes surrounding Huaraz’s glacier-studded national parks.

No matter where you go, Peruvian cuisine reflects this intersection of culture and nature. The gastronomy of Lima has risen to world-class status over the past two decades with dishes such as ceviche, where local fish is ‘flash cooked’ in lime juice — a form of marinating introduced by Japanese immigrants in the late 19th century. In the Andes, pachamanca is an ancient dish where potatoes and meat are still cooked by scorching hot stones.

Travel here is spectacular, but it can also be slow and, at times, frustrating. This is a country where distances are large and regional flights often require a connection through Lima. It’s a place that demands patience but the payoff is worth it.

Itinerary 1: The big hitters

The south is the tourism capital of Peru, and for good reason: it packs a punch while remaining easily navigable. This itinerary begins in the high elevations of Cusco, gateway to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. South east is Lake Titicaca, where the Indigenous Uros people constructed homes out of unlikely materials for survival. The white architecture of Arequipa, the country’s second city, breaks up the journey from highlands to lowlands before you finish on the Pacific Coast, where the Nasca Lines reflect another of Peru’s ingenious ancient peoples.

Along the way, you’ll experience many different types of transport. Buses, flights and a handful of comfortable trains shuttle between   destinations, all with the guarantee of superlative views. The high elevations along the way — peaking at 11,152ft   in Cusco and 12,507ft at Lake Titicaca — are no holiday for your body or brain, so drink plenty of coca tea, a great local antidote to soroche (altitude sickness).

1. Cusco Fly from Lima to Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spanish invaders built baroque churches and terracotta-roofed mansions over Inca palaces, but the Sacsayhuamán fortress has survived as one of the best displays of Inca architecture. Take a taxi to this archaeological site, located just above the city, where you’ll find walls constructed from a perfect jigsaw of boulders weighing up to 120 tonnes apiece.

2. Sacred Valley Named for its spiritual and agrarian importance to the Inca people, this valley remains the region’s breadbasket. Explore Moray, where stepped, concentric terraces acted as a sophisticated agricultural laboratory for the Inca, before heading to Chinchero market. Merchants gather here to sell handwoven llama and alpaca wool textiles, and you can sample roast guinea pig — a local delicacy. At the end of the day, head to the Inca town of Ollantaytambo, home to the ruins of an Inca fortress, and overnight at El Albergue , a family-run B & B in a historic hacienda.

3. Machu Picchu From Ollantaytambo, PeruRail’s Vistadome train races to Aguas Calientes, the town right beneath Machu Picchu. Spend a day here, exploring the centre and stay at Inkaterra , a hotel in 12 acres of cloud forest, home to 214 species of bird — including hummingbirds, the golden-headed quetzal and the iconic Andean cock-of-the-rock — and 372 of native orchid.

The next morning, head to Machu Picchu , the ancient citadel that’s become a symbol of the lost Inca Empire since being revealed to the wider world by explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911. Take the first bus to its entrance at 6am to watch the sun rise over its terraces and the brooding Huayna Picchu mountain.

4. Lake Titicaca The ticket back from Aguas Calientes to Cusco with PeruRail covers both the train to Ollantaytambo and the onward bus trip. From Cusco, settle into the observation car to watch the grassy plains of the Altiplano whip past during the 10-hour train ride to Puno, the gateway town to Lake Titicaca . Floating on its waters are the 120-or-so Uros Islands, feats of engineering first constructed from totora reeds by the Indigenous Uros over 500 years ago to escape Inca invasion. Uros people still live here and visitors can now overnight in their reed guesthouses. Book with All Ways Travel, whose profits go to local communities.

5. Arequipa A six-hour bus journey from Lake Titicaca, Arequipa is nicknamed White City for the volcanic sillar used to construct its baroque architecture. Arequipeño gastronomy is a source of pride, so head to a traditional picantería restaurant to sample rocoto relleno, a spicy stuffed pepper dish filled with meat, cheese and eggs, cooked over a wood fire.

7. Nasca lines A final eight-hour bus journey takes you down from the mountains and along the coast to reach the town of Nasca. Here, a tour by light aircraft gives you the best views of the Nasca Lines, giant geoglyphs showing hummingbirds, monkeys and other shapes etched into the desert over 2,000 years ago — although how, or why, remains a mystery.

Itinerary 2: Highlights of the North

Witnessing little international attention, northern Peru receives just a fraction of the visitors of the better-known south. Yet it’s home to some of the country’s richest archaeological sites, as well as natural wonders you’re likely to have to yourself.

Start in the Cordillera Blanca, an Andean sub-range of sky-reaching peaks, before making your way to the coast. Pre-Columbian artefacts abound outside the metropolises of Chiclayo and Trujillo, where museums are stacked to the rafters with gold, and adobe pyramids built between 100 and 800 CE still stand proud. Then, from the city of Cajamarca — where you can soak in thermal waters once frequented by Inca emperors — a road traces through the mountains to the green Amazonas region for the last stops on this itinerary.

Tourism is nascent in the north and the infrastructure reflects this. Domestic flights are either non-existent or require a stopover in Lima, so bus journeys often offer the most direct transit between destinations. They can be long, slow and occasionally hair-raising —   but as you whizz past adobe villages tucked into mountain passes and career alongside yawning valleys, you’ll feel like you’re travelling through time, too.

1. Huaraz From Lima, buses take around nine hours to reach this high-altitude city. Give yourself two days to acclimatise with short hikes around the surrounding Cordillera Blanca, then join Turismo Andino on a two-day trek to Lake 69 in Huascarán National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site. You’ll clamber high into glacier-sheathed mountains and through valleys splashed with   crystalline lakes — and stay overnight in a rustic lodge with pisco sours on tap.

2. Trujillo It’s a seven-hour bus ride to the dusty, 16th-century city of Trujillo . A local highlight is Huaca de la Luna, an adobe pyramid built by the pre-Incan Moche civilisation, whose use of human sacrifices is recorded in grisly friezes. Next, catch some waves at the nearby beach town of Huanchaco aboard a caballito de totora, reed boats first used by fishermen 3,000 years ago and considered by some to be the predecessors of modern surfboards.

3. Cajamarca Second only to Cusco for its elegant architecture and a six-hour bus journey inland, Cajamarca is where the fate of the Inca was sealed. To secure his release after having been imprisoned by the Spanish, final Inca leader Atahualpa supposedly called for his subjects across the empire to send enough gold and silver to fill a room, but was executed regardless in 1533. Los Baños del Inca , said to have been his favourite thermal waters, are just a few miles away and still open to visitors.

4. Gocta Falls Bring earplugs, an eye mask and a jumper for the long, 12-hour bus ride to Cajamarca: temperatures on board tend to be either glacial or sweltering. The six-hour hike to the base of Gocta Falls is worth the mud: one of the world’s tallest single-drop waterfalls, it plunges 2,530ft from clifftop to cloud-forested valley floor. Spend the night in a cabin with a view at Gocta Natura Reserve .

5. Chiclayo There’s more history on display a four-hour bus journey away, inside Chiclayo’s under-the-radar Museo de Tumbas Reales del Senor de Sipán . A 20-minute taxi ride from the city centre, it has a staggering, three-floor collection showcasing gold artefacts discovered in the tombs of a nearby Moche site. Afterwards, get lost in Mercado de Brujos (Witch Doctors’ Market), where you can find folk remedies said to help mend a broken heart, charms to attract wealth and everything in between.

6. Utcubamba Valley Finish your trip with a two-hour bus ride through the Utcubamba Valley and Leymebamba town, where the namesake museum features 200 mummies discovered in a local cave in 1997. They belong to the Chachapoya, warrior people who predate the Inca by over six centuries. Learn more about them at their walled city of Kuélap, where 400 circular houses are built on a high ridge.

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My First Trip to Norway, With A.I. as a Guide

Can artificial intelligence devise a bucket-list vacation that checks all the boxes: culture, nature, hotels and transportation? Our reporter put three virtual assistants to the test.

By Ceylan Yeğinsu

The assignment was clear: Test how well artificial intelligence could plan a trip to Norway, a place I’d never been. So I did none of my usual obsessive online research and instead asked three A.I. planners to create a four-day itinerary. None of them, alas, mentioned the saunas or the salmon.

Two assistants were, however, eager to learn more about me in order to tailor their initially generic recommendations, which they had spewed out within seconds. Vacay , a personalized travel planning tool, presented me with a list of questions, while Mindtrip , a new A.I. travel assistant, invited me to take a quiz. (ChatGPT, the third assistant, asked nothing.)

Vacay’s and Mindtrip’s questions were similar: Are you traveling solo? What’s your budget? Do you prefer hotels or Airbnbs? Would you rather explore the great outdoors or pursue a cultural experience?

Eventually, my chat sessions yielded what seemed like well-rounded itineraries, starting with one day in Oslo and moving on to the fjord region. Eventually, I locked down a trip that would combine the assistants’ information and go beyond a predictable list of sites.

This time around, my virtual planners were far more sophisticated than the simple ChatGPT interface I used last year on a trip to Milan. Though it offered more detailed suggestions for Norway, I ended up ditching ChatGPT in the travel-planning stage after it repeatedly crashed.

Vacay’s premium service, which starts at $9.99 per month, included in-depth suggestions and booking links, while Mindtrip, which is currently free, provided photos, Google reviews and maps. During the trip itself, each delivered instantaneous information by text and always asked if more specific details were needed. Sadly, only ChatGPT offered a phone app, whose information I found to be outdated (the $20-per-month premium version is more current).

I’m not alone when it comes to turning to A.I. for help: Around 70 percent of Americans are either using or planning to use A.I. for travel planning, according to a recent survey conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of the personal finance app Moneylion, while 71 percent said using A.I. would most likely be easier than planning trips on one’s own.

I decided to find out for myself in Norway.

A whirlwind day in Oslo

After I landed at Oslo Airport, all three assistants directed me to the Flytoget Airport Express Train , which got me to town in 20 minutes. I was delighted to find my hotel adjacent to the central railway station.

Choosing accommodations had not been easy. I was looking for a midrange boutique hotel, and the A.I. assistants generated many options with little overlap. I went with Hotel Amerikalinjen , Vacay’s recommendation, which it described as “a vibrant and unique boutique hotel in the heart of Oslo.” Its location was the main draw, but overall the hotel exceeded my expectations, blending comfort and style with the 20th-century charm of its building, which once housed the headquarters of the Norwegian America Line shipping company.

For the one-day Oslo itinerary, the assistants were in agreement, packing in the city’s top sights, including the Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Royal Palace , the Nobel Peace Center, Akershus Fortress and the Munch Museum. I shared my location and asked each assistant to restructure the itineraries to start from my hotel. But when I gave in to my own research instincts and pulled up Google Maps, I saw that the order they suggested didn’t make sense, so I plotted my own path.

By the time I got to Frogner Park at midday, I had already covered half of the sights, and after walking past more than 200 sculptures by the Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland, I was happy to sit down and admire his granite monolith of entwined humans.

For lunch, the assistants recommended high-end restaurants in the bustling waterfront neighborhood of Aker Brygge . But I wanted a quick bite in a more relaxed atmosphere, so I ditched A.I. and walked to the end of the promenade, where I stumbled upon the Salmon , a cozy establishment where I started with salmon sashimi that melted in my mouth and finished with a perfectly grilled fillet. How had my assistants not mentioned this place?

Next on my list was the Nobel Peace Center, the Opera House and the Munch Museum. The assistants had not recommended prebooking tickets, but fortunately, I had done so, learning, in the process, that the Peace Center was closed, a crucial bit of information that A.I. did not relay.

It was chilly for mid-June, and as I walked along the harbor promenade toward the Munch Museum, I spotted small floating saunas, which my assistants had not included. I went back to the ChatGPT phone app for recommendations. Even though I was eager to try a floating sauna, where people warmed themselves and then plunged straight into the frigid waters of the Oslofjord, I took ChatGPT’s suggestion and booked the Salt sauna, which is where I headed after spending a few hours at the Munch Museum, with its extensive works by the Norwegian artist and its sweeping views of Oslo’s harbor.

At the Salt cultural complex , a large pyramidal structure on the water, I was relieved that swimsuits were a requirement. In Scandinavia, saunas are usually taken naked , and earlier, I had asked ChatGPT for the etiquette at Salt, but it failed to give me a definitive answer. After sweating it out with around 30 strangers in Salt’s main sauna, I dipped into a cold-water barrel tub and then tried the smaller sauna options, which were hotter and quieter. It was the perfect ending to a long day.

Waterfalls, lush valleys, raging waters

Each of my assistants had different ideas on how to reach the fjord region. ChatGPT suggested taking a seven-hour train ride and then immediately embarking on a two-hour fjord cruise, which sounded exhausting. Mindtrip suggested taking a short flight to Bergen, known as the “gateway to the fjords,” and setting out on a cruise the next day, which was perhaps more efficient, but would also mean missing one of the most scenic train rides in the world. Vacay also recommended a train ride.

After conversing with the assistants, I decided on a shorter train journey (six hours) that would deliver me to Naeroyfjord , a UNESCO World Heritage site with lush valleys and thundering waterfalls. But to figure out the logistics for transport and accommodation, I needed live train timetables, which I found on my own, and information on hotel availability that none of the assistants had.

At this point, I was desperate for human guidance to navigate the region’s expensive and limited accommodations. This is where the pictures and reviews on Mindtrip were useful, helping me to understand that I would be paying premium prices for the spectacular setting of a mediocre hotel.

The train ride from Oslo to Myrdal was breathtaking: rolling hills, mountain villages, fjords, waterfalls. But nothing prepared me for the majestic one-hour Flam railway ride that followed. Vacay had described it as an “engineering marvel” with a breathtakingly steep descent as it passes picturesque villages, dramatic mountains, raging rivers and pounding waterfalls, complete with a dance performance featuring a mythological spirit known as a huldra.

The next morning I boarded a Naeroyfjord cruise, recommended by Vacay, on an electric, 400-person vessel. I was surprised by the serenity of the fjord. Later I learned from a tour guide that I had been lucky to visit when there were no large cruise ships. It was hard to imagine an ocean liner maneuvering through the narrow, windy fjord, but when I asked ChatGPT, it told me 150 to 220 cruise ships squeezed through the fjord each year, a detail that I felt the travel assistants should warn travelers about.

The cruise ended in the village of Gudvangen, where rain made me cancel a hike to a waterfall and instead try my hand at ax-throwing in the Viking Village Njardarheim. The assistants had told me that there were buses that left town every four hours, a time frame that had worked with my original hiking plan, but now I was stuck. Thankfully, I took note of the A.I. disclaimers to check all information and found an alternative shuttle bus.

On my way to Bergen, I decided to stop in the town of Voss, famous for extreme sports like skydiving and spectacular nature. All the A.I.-suggested hotels were booked, but a Google search led me to the lakeside Elva hotel , which had delicious farm-to-table food. I suspect it didn’t make the A.I. shortlist because it was new.

I ended my trip in Bergen, which, despite being Norway’s second-largest city, maintains a small-town charm with its colorful wooden houses and cobblestone streets. With only half a day to explore, I followed Mindtrip’s short itinerary, starting with a hearty lunch of fish and chips at the bustling waterfront fish market and ending with a funicular ride up Mount Floyen for panoramic views of the city and fjords. The A.I. dinner suggestion at the Colonialen was perfect: cozy vibe, live jazz and locally sourced dishes.

The bottom line

None of the A.I. programs were perfect, but they did complement one another, allowing me to streamline my travel decisions.

Overall, Mindtrip — with its polished, dynamic interface that allowed me to cross-check details with maps, links and reviews — was my favorite. While it gave some good recommendations, Mindtrip needed more prompting than Vacay, which offered a wider variety of suggestions in more detail. Unfortunately, Vacay doesn’t save chat history, which I discovered halfway into my planning after closing the website’s tab on my browser.

The biggest drawback was the absence of phone apps for Mindtrip and Vacay, which led me to rely on ChatGPT’s basic A.I. assistant when I needed on-the-spot guidance. Mindtrip, I’ve since learned, is planning to debut an app in September.

Still, there were times when I desperately craved the human touch. Before setting out on a trip, I always contact friends and colleagues for recommendations. This time, as part of the A.I. experiment, I refrained from reaching out to a Norwegian friend until after my trip, only to find out that we had both been in Oslo at the same time.

That’s one element of travel that I doubt A.I. will ever master: serendipity.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Ceylan Yeginsu is a travel reporter for The Times who frequently writes about the cruise industry and Europe, where she is based. More about Ceylan Yeğinsu

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