The bus terminal for Autoplus, the town's efficient public transport system, is also located on place de Verdun, and there is another local bus terminal at 44 cours des Dames. Once you've stowed your luggage, you can use bikes to get around: there are two free municipal bike parks, part of the Autoplus system and heir to Michel Crépeau's original no-identity-check, no-restrictions, pick-up-and-leave scheme: one (open all year, 9am–12.30pm & 1.30–7pm), in place de Verdun by the gare routière, the other on quai Valin (same times, May–Sept only), near the tourist office. You get two hours of free bike time after handing over a piece of ID; after this it's a generous €1 per hour. You can also rent bikes from the gare SNCF and from Motive Location, opposite the Maritime Museum (tel 05.46.31.03.66). Car rental is available from Ada/Budget, 1 av de Gaulle (tel 05.46.41.35.53), and Rent-a-car, 29 av de Gaulle (tel 05.46.27.27.27). Autoplus also has a nifty taxi system with flat rates between any two of 46 "bornes" – terminal posts with a card-activated calling system, operating 24 hours. You can buy the cards and find out the inexpensive going rate at Boutique Autoplus, 5 rue de l'Aimable-Nanette, near the tourist office (Mon–Fri 9am–noon & 2–6pm, Sat 9am–noon).La Rochelle is the area's hub for maritime transport, with boat tours of the town as well as services to the Île de Ré, Île d'Oléron, Île d'Aix and Fort Boyard. Companies include Océcars (tel 05.46.00.92.12), Croisières Océanes (tel 05.46.50.68.44, fax 05.46.44.52.69) and Interîles (tel 05.46.50.51.88); times and prices vary seasonally, and weather and tides may affect crossings.
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