Paris Metro & Public Transport: Complete Tourist Guide
Getting Around Paris
Paris has one of the best urban transport systems in the world. Once you understand the logic, it's fast, cheap, and takes you everywhere. The confusion for first-timers is usually about tickets—once that's solved, it's straightforward.
The Metro
16 lines covering central Paris and some suburbs.
- Runs 05:30 to 01:15 (Mon-Thu, Sun), until 02:15 on Fri-Sat
- Frequency: every 2-8 minutes depending on line and time
- Clean, generally safe
- Air-conditioned on newer lines (1, 4, 14), not on older ones
- Line 1 and 14 are driverless and most frequent
Navigation:
- Direction = end station name. "Direction Château de Vincennes" = eastbound on line 1.
- Exits: each station has multiple exits. RATP app shows which exit is closest to your destination.
- Line transfers: métro corridors sometimes involve 5-10 minutes of walking underground
RER (Regional Express Network)
Faster than metro, covers longer distances and reaches suburbs.
Key RER lines:
- RER A: Versailles ↔ Marne-la-Vallée (Disneyland) — most used line in Europe
- RER B: CDG Airport ↔ Paris center ↔ Orly (via Orlyval)
- RER C: Versailles (Rive Gauche) ↔ Paris ↔ Versailles (Chantiers)
- RER D/E: Eastern and suburban routes
Important: Within Paris zones 1-2, regular metro tickets are valid on RER. For trips beyond zone 2 (airport, Versailles), you need a separate ticket.
Bus
- Extensive network, slower than metro
- Useful for scenic routes: bus 69 goes past Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Eiffel Tower
- Same tickets as metro (one trip = one ticket, no transfers to other bus/metro lines)
- Night buses (Noctilien) run when metro is closed
Vélib' Bikes
Paris bike-sharing system. 20,000+ bikes at 1,400+ stations.
- App: Vélib' (required for use)
- Day pass: €5 for unlimited 30-min trips or €3 for 24h access
- Good for short trips between nearby points
- Classic bikes free for 30 min, electric bikes cost extra after 30 min
- Helmets not provided (bring your own or skip)
Ticket Options
Navigo Découverte (Unlimited travel pass):
- €86/month, €22.80/week (from Monday)
- Covers all zones (metro, RER, bus, Transilien, some trams)
- Best for: 1+ week in Paris making 4+ daily journeys
- Buy at metro station ticket office with passport photo
- Weekly pass only starts on Monday—buy Sunday or Monday
Carnet (book of 10 tickets):
- No longer sold. Replaced by digital equivalents.
t+ tickets (single):
- €2.15 each
- €16.90 for 10 tickets (carnet price)
- Valid for 90 minutes of travel (including transfers within metro, but not to bus)
- Buy on the Île-de-France Mobilités app or at ticket machines
Paris Visite pass:
- Tourist day pass: zones 1-3 (€13.95/day), zones 1-5 (€29.25/day)
- Rarely worth it vs Navigo Découverte for longer stays
- Might be worth it for 1-2 days if making many journeys including RER airports
Airport tickets:
- CDG → Paris: €11.80 (buy at CDG airport)
- Orly → Paris: €14.10 (Orlyval + RER B combined)
Tourist Tips
- Tap in and keep your ticket until you exit (inspectors do check)
- Don't use same ticket twice—it deactivates on first use for metro
- Weekend metro: busier and sometimes slower; plan extra time
- Strike days: French workers strike. Check transport apps for alerts.
- Last metro: know what time it stops. Night buses continue but slower.
- Pickpockets: see our safety guide. Keep phone/wallet in front pocket on crowded lines.
The Navigo Decision
1-2 days in Paris: Buy t+ tickets (€2.15 each), or day pass 3+ days: Consider Navigo weekly (€22.80, Monday-Sunday) 7+ days: Navigo weekly is almost certainly cheapest
Example: 4 journeys/day × 5 days = 20 trips × €2.15 = €43. Navigo weekly: €22.80. Clear winner.
Explore Paris with Trevurs
Trevurs audio tours are designed to be listened to as you walk—take the metro to the right neighborhood and let local voices guide you through the streets. Download before you arrive; no data needed.