Getting Around Paris

The Paris Metro

The Metro in Paris is color-coded and easy to follow. Most stations sport a noticeable 'M' sign. Look for stations marked with intricately designed letters forming the word "Metropolitain." These signs helped inspire the art nouveau movement around Europe and are quintessentially “Par-eee.”

The first trains of the morning get going around 6 a.m. and the last trains leave their base stations around 12:30 a.m. (2:15 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays). Be sure to hold onto tickets, as you may need to show them to transit inspectors. (You can toss them when you pass the “Limite de Validite des Billets” signs on the way to the exit.) Exit signs are indicated in blue with the word “SORTIE.” Connections are indicated with orange “CORRESPONDENCE” signs. Someticket windows close at 10 p.m. For nighttime travel, buying tickets ahead of time is a wise move.

The Reseau Express Regional, or RER, is Paris' suburban train system. The RER passes right through the center of the action. It travels much faster and with fewer stops than the Metro. The RER is ideal for longer city trips (for instance, to Versailles). There are five lines (A through E) with branches indicated by numbers. RER hours are identical to those kept by the Metro.

Tickets for the RER, the Metro and the bus are €1.70 each. A "carnet" of 10 tickets costs €12. Travel is half-price for children between the ages of four and 10 and free for children under four. A ticket is good for bus transfers up to 90 minutes after validation.

The Mobilis day pass will give you unlimited access to the two inner zones of Paris for €6.10 for one full day. Note that the Mobilis is valid for a full day, not 24 hours, so it is best to start using one at the beginning of the day.

The “NaviGo” pass costs €18.35 for a full week of unlimited metro and bus transport inside zones one and two, with travel in additional zones going up by minimal increments. The ticket salesperson may try to tell you the pass is for “locals only” but anyone can purchase the card. The card itself costs €5, plus the additional weekly (the “week” runs Monday through Sunday) charges for the zone of your choice.

"Paris Visite" tickets, intended for tourists, provide admission for unlimited travel on the bus, Metro and RER. Additionally, the "Paris Visite" card provides discounts on sightseeing trips, bicycle rentals and major stores. A one-day pass good for travel in zones 1 through 3 costs €9.30. A two-day card costs €15.20, a three-day card costs €20.70 and a five-day card costs €29.90. For children, a one-day card costs €4.65, a two-day card costs €7.60, a three-day card costs €10.35; and a five-day card costs €14.95. Check the RATP website for fares for Zones 1-6.

Buses in Paris

The bus in Paris is slower than the Metro, but it's also a great (and cheap!) way to acquaint yourself with Paris' streets and sights. The RATP provides free “Grand Plan de Paris” maps, which indicate bus lines. These maps are available at all Metro stations.

The Paris bus system is extensive, comprised of more than 80 lines. Passes for the Metro and the RER also work for buses. Stops are easily identified by red signs and brown benches under a small shelter. Try to get a ticket before you get on the bus, as this both avoids confusion with bus drivers and the possibility that the driver will not be able to make change. Tickets purchased on the bus also cost a small amount more.

Upon entering the bus, you will see the machine meant for passes. If you have a Metro pass, insert your ticket into it, printed side up, with the arrow pointing down. The machine will stamp your ticket. Voila! You're set.

Most major lines are wheelchair accessible. At least some, though not all, buses on each line have wheelchair lifts. Buses keep the same hours and charge the same fee as the Metro (see above).

Traveling by bus during late hours, when the Noctilien buses take over the city, is a special experience. Central lines are often crammed with late-night partiers, with stragglers racing after the bus. The Noctilien service runs from 12:30 a.m. until 5:30 a.m. Noctilien's 35 routes depart from the Gare d'Est, Gare Montparnasse, Gare de Lyon, Gare Saint-Lazare and Chatelet. Transportation passes will work on the Noctilien buses. Individual tickets cost €1.80.

RATP's tour bus, the "Balabus" is a sightseeing route around nearly every major sight in Paris. The stops, which have "Balabus" or "Bb" indicators, are the same stops as the normal bus lines. The fare varies (from one to three metro/bus tickets) according to the length of journey, and travel passes valid for the zones traveled are also accepted. The full loop takes about an hour and a half.

Paris Tramways

Also a part of the RATP, the Paris tramway currently includes three functioning lines. Line T1 connects Saint Denis to Noisy-le-Sec and runs parallel to Paris' northern city limit. Line T2 connects the western Parisian suburbs of La Défense and Issy-les-Moulineaux. Line T3 operates in the South of Paris, connecting the Boulevard Victor RER station and Porte d’Ivry.

The Parisian tram, like many others in western Europe, is clean and efficient and offers a pleasant ride. The tram serves as an alternative to the perpetually congested peripherique highway that circles the city. Visitors wishing to travel between suburbs will find the tramway to be the cleanest and quietest way to get around in Paris. Visit RATP'S tramway site for more information.

Taxis

Taking a taxi in Paris is, frankly, a bit of an inconvenience. Unlike other major cities in Europe, Paris does not allow would-be passengers to simply hail a cab from the street if the taxi in question is anywhere near an official stand.

Lines can be really long at night. You can expect to wait up to an hour for a taxi, especially after the Metro closes on Friday and Saturday nights. Taxis often wait outside of popular nightclubs and restaurants after dark. During the day, taxi drivers wait to greet visitors outside of train stations and airports.

You can always call a taxi to pick you up, but know that the meter will start to run the moment the taxi starts heading your way.

For one to three people, the initial charge within Paris city limits is €2.20. Within Paris, the rate per kilometer is between €.86 and €1.35 depending on the day and time of the journey, with Sundays and daytime being the cheapest fares. A minimum journey charge is €5.60

Extra fees are charged at train station taxi ramps. There is also an extra fee charged at the airport terminals if you are coming with extra luggage. Drivers charge extra for a fourth passenger.

Drivers expect tips. Typically, tip about €1 for a trip under €15. For longer trips, a 5% to 10% tip is appropriate.

Bikes in Paris

In the summer of 2007, Paris made the Parisian bike with a loaf of bread in its basket easily accessible to all. Well, maybe not the basket and the loaf of bread but the bikes anyway. Over 10,000 of them.

Vélib', the massive public biking initiative, allows bikers to borrow a bike from one of 1,800 pick-up spots around town (and in surrounding cities!) and drop it off at any other center.

The first 30 minutes are free, and you’re charged for additional usage thereafter. Joining the program is super cheap: €1.70 a day, €8 a week or €29 a year. Though the program is a hit with the locals, tourists have found it difficult to use their credit cards to join.

Things got a bit easier in 2011, when Vélib' opened up their service to American cards—at least online. You can now register for a one or seven-day subscription on their Web site with any MasterCard, Visa or American Express card. You will then be given a code to tap into the kiosks at Vélib' bike stations.

Read more about our Cheapo assessment (and tips!) on our blog.

Related posts from our blog

• Paris Transportation: How to get around town for less
• Paris Walking Tour: Famous artists’ studios in Montmartre
• Paris Transit: Buying RER and Metro tickets with an American credit card
• Paris: Cheapo Bike Rentals Sont Partout!
• Paris: Walking tour of the Rue de la Paix

Updated and edited: June 2011