Public Transport in Paris
Paris public transport is operated by the
RATP
and includes the métro subway system,
RER
trains, buses, night buses, Montmartrobus,
and the Montmartre funicular railway, all of which accept the same
tickets and passes (except see
RER Trains).
You can purchase individual tickets, booklets of ten tickets, or
Paris Visite
passes designed expressly for visitors and
offering unlimited travel.
For additional information call the
RATP.
Ask for an English-speaking person if necessary.
For ground transport between Paris and the airports, see
Arriving in Paris
and
Departing Paris.
The Métro
The Paris métro system
is a marvel of efficiency, providing safe and
fast transportation for more than nine million passengers each day
(more on safety).
It comprises over 200 kilometers of track and 370 stations.
Métro lines are numbered from 1 to 15, while the direction of
trains is indicated by the name of the last station on the line.
For example, eastbound Line 1 trains are identified
Château de Vincennes,
while westbound Line 1 trains are identified La Défense. A
map
of the métro system is available online.
To enter the
métro system, insert your ticket into a turnstile slot and go
through the turnstile, taking the stamped ticket: During your journey
you may be required to show it to a métro ticket inspector.
Follow the signs to the platform for the train you need.
You may change lines as needed to reach your destination, without
using additional tickets.
Métro trains begin running at about 05h30, continuing until about
00h30 (half past midnight).
Free maps of the métro system are available at each station.
RER Trains
Regional commuter trains extend the reach of public transport into the
Paris suburbs. Called the
RER,
the five train lines are identified by the letters A, B, C, D, and E.
There is an online
map
of the RER system. Like the métro,
RER
trains run from about 05h30 to about 00h30 (half past midnight).
Métro tickets may be used on
RER trains
while traveling within the métro system, that is, inside Paris.
Outside the Paris area special
RER
fares and tickets apply, including while traveling to or from
the airports, Versailles, and
Disneyland© Paris.
(See also Fare Information.)
Paris Buses
Paris bus routes are numbered, and begin operation at 06h30.
The last bus usually leaves the terminal between 20h30 and 21h30,
but a few lines run until half past midnight,
as indicated by signs at the bus stops. There are also night buses,
called Noctambus, which operate hourly between
Châtelet and the main gates of Paris from 01h to 05h.
The night routes are labeled with letters rather than numbers.
Maps of the bus routes can be found in bus shelters, inside the buses, and
online.
Most shelters display the name of the stop to help you keep
track of where you are.
If only a few people are waiting for the bus, signal the driver to stop.
A special bus called Montmartrobus,
bus line number 64, circulates in the
Montmartre district. Its fare is the same as other buses.
The Montmartre funicular railway travels up and down the hill
to La Basilique du Sacre Coeur, each direction requiring one ticket.
Fare Information
Single tickets are 1.30€ and can be purchased from bus drivers,
but a booklet of ten, called a carnet (kar-nay),
offers a good savings at 10.00€.
They are available at subway stations, some bus terminals,
and registered retailers,
usually tobacconists and bookshops, displaying the RATP sign.
You need only one ticket to use the métro but you may need
several tickets on buses depending on the number of fare stages you ride;
one ticket will take you to the end of the bus line.
Two tickets will take you anywhere inside the city.
Some special buses have higher fares:
Orlybus is 5.50€, while Roissybus is 8.00€.
Noctambus ticket prices vary, and can only be purchased on the buses.
RER
trains can be accessed with métro tickets for travel inside
Paris, but fares between Paris and the suburbs vary according to destination,
requiring the purchase of a ticket for each trip.
Paris Visite Pass
By purchasing a special pass called Paris Visite,
you can avoid waiting in lines to buy individual tickets, and
not have to worry about carrying enough cash for them.
A Paris Visite pass gives you an unlimited number
of trips on all types of Parisian public transport,
including métro trains,
RER
trains, buses, the Montmartre bus and funicular, and even
Île-de-France
SNCF
trains.
Passes are available for 2, 3, or 5 consecutive days, and 3 or 5 zones.
(Here's a
zone map.)
Passholders can also obtain special offers and discounts of up to 35%
at a variety of attractions in the Paris area.
Paris Visite passes can be purchased at main métro and
RER
stations, but they often do not have all pass types, and may speak only French.
A convenient online source for Paris Pass
is Conciergerie.com, which offers international delivery to your home or to your hotel in Paris.
Public Transport in Paris
