Planning to hop from one beautiful neighbourhood to another one using public transportation in Paris. Here’s a quick guide to get you started and things you should know if you do plan to travel within Paris using public transportation. Read on to know how to use the metro in Paris while visiting Paris. In this post, we also share the Paris metro map, zones, tickets, prices, and official website to refer to for the latest information. This is a complete guide on how to travel in Paris using public transport.
How to travel in Paris using Public Transport – Everything You Need to Know
How many zones are there in Paris?
There are 6 circular zones in Paris. There are five zones in Paris transportation Service. The Paris Metro operates exclusively in zone 1 and 2. The RER operates until Zone 6. Most of the popular tourist attractions are in Zone 1-3.
✦ 1-3 is enough to get around the center of Paris.
✦ Zone 1-5 is useful if you need to go to the Orly Airport, CDG Airport, or Disneyland Paris.
Note: Eiffel Tower is in Zone 1 & Versailles is in Zone 4.
What is the cheapest way to get around in Paris?
Metro – A single metro ticket costs €1.90 and can be used for one journey, including all connections. White-colored tickets can be purchased singly or in a book of 10 (“carnet”), at the ticket offices or machines at metro stations. Metro is the cheapest, easiest and fastest way to get around Paris.
What is the difference between Metro & RER?
Metro and RER are not very different. Réseau Express Régional, or Regional Express Network, refers to the rapid transit system which serves Paris and its surrounding suburbs.
If you are planning to travel longer distances, the RER is faster. Any RER ticket which has either the starting or ending station within the Paris center can be used for Metros as well.
Only multi-use Paris Metro/RER passes can be purchased online ahead of time. Single-use RER tickets can only be purchased at ticket windows, offices, and vending machines within Paris.
You can use basic Paris Metro tickets for travel on the RER. Travel beyond Paris Zone 1 on the RER requires a special ticket: a Billet Ile-de-France.
Which train goes to Disneyland Paris from Paris ?
RER A line goes to Paris Disneyland. One way ticket price is 5€ ( for Adults ) & 2.50 € ( for Children).
Does the Paris Metro go to the airport?
The RER B line is a direct rail link between Paris (Denfert-Rochereau, Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame, Châtelet-Les-Halles, Gare du Nord) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. A free CDGVAL shuttle connects the stations with the airport terminals.
You can find all the information about various options here.
How to travel from Paris to Versailles by train?
There are 3 ways to get to Versailles by public transport.
- Take the RER C train that crosses Paris and follows “the Seine” along the bank of the river.
- Train line L starts at Saint Lazare in the center-north of Paris, close to the famous department store of Galeries Lafayettes.
- Train line N starts in the south of Paris at Montparnasse in the chic and trendy district of Saint Germain des Pres on the 6th.
Operating Hours – Paris Metro
On weekdays, the metro operates from 5:30 a.m. to about 1:15 a.m. On Friday and Saturday evenings, as well as on the eve of bank holidays, trains run until about 2:15 a.m.
The RER operates daily from 5:30 a.m. to about 1:20 a.m.
When the metro is closed, night buses operate from 0:30 a.m. to about 5:30 a.m.
Public Transportation in Paris – Travel Passes in Paris
Sharing the most popular and common passes available in Paris. For a detailed guide, do check the official website and learn more about various passes.
T+ Ticket
✦ T+ tickets are the 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞-𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 transport ticket in Paris.
✦ This ticket allows you to make as many transfers as you want on the metro and RER networks for 2 hours (after the first validation), and for 90 minutes on the bus and tram networks (between the first and last validation).
✦ It is not valid in the RER and SNCF Transilien suburban train lines outside of Paris.
✦ Allows you to travel by bus, metro, tram, and RER (within Paris), and on the Montmartre funicular.
| Type | Price |
| 1 Ticket for Metro, Bus, or RER within Paris | €1.90 |
| Contactless t+ 10 tickets (as above) for adults (4-10 years) | €14.90 |
| Contactless t+ 10 tickets (as above) for the child (4-10 years) | €7.45 |
Note: Use the contactless options available now as you will save money.
Read more about the t+ Ticket pass and t+ Ticket Pass with Navgio Easy Pass to refer to.
Day ticket – Mobilis
Provides unlimited rides on the transport system of the Ile-de-France region for a stated number of calendar days in a selected region.
| Fare zone | Price |
| Zone 1-2 or 2-3 or 2-4 or 4-5 | €7.50 |
| Zone 1-3 or 2-4 or 3-5 | €10.00 |
| Zone 1-4 or 2-5 | €12.40 |
| Zone 1-5 | €17.80 |
Read more about the pass here.
Passe Navigo ( Monthly or Weekly Pass )
✦ An electronic travel card that is the cheapest mode to travel across Paris including metro, bus, RER, tram, and even 𝐀𝐋𝐋 the airports & Disneyland (zones 1-5)
✦ It is used by locals & comes in 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐥𝐲 or a monthly pass for unlimited travel.
✦ There are two versions of the card: “all zones” and ‘two zones”.
✦ For a weekly pass it costs €22.80 & travel card cost €5 which is non-refundable but valid for 10yrs
✦ You will need a Passport Photo to obtain the pass that can be purchased in airports, any Metro & RER stations. You also need to bring along a passport-sized portrait photo measuring 25 x 30mm (0.98″ x 1.18″). There are plenty of photo machines in the stations. You can get your photo printed in a photo booth at many subway stations and at the airport for € 5. It is mandatory to put your photo & name to avoid fines!
A convenient place to purchase these cards for many visitors is the RER train ticket offices at Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) or the major train stations in Paris like Gare du Nord. The key point about this product is that the week runs Monday to Sunday, with the last day for the sale of the week is on Thursday. So if you arrive on Friday wanting to use one for that weekend – you cannot.
Read more about the pass here.
| Fare Zone | Weekly | Monthly |
| Zone 1-5 | €22.80 | €75.20 |
Note: Weekly tickets are available from the Friday preceding the Monday starting the week of validity until the Thursday of the week included in the 7 days of validity.
PARIS VISITE PASS / PARIS TOUR TRAVEL PASS
✦ The Paris Visite travel card allows unlimited use of the transport system in Paris: Metro, Bus, RER, Tram, etc.
✦ Travelers can purchase a Paris Visite pass for different periods of 1, 2, 3, or 5 days.
✦ It can be purchased for two different zones: 1-3 and 1-5.
Paris Visite counts calendar days from the day of first use, just like other Paris tickets, not 24-hour periods. If you arrive at night and use the pass, that will be counted as one day.
It is worth purchasing if you are planning to travel more, go to Disneyland, travel to/from the airport, and are staying in Paris for just a few days. If this is your case, then we recommend purchasing the Paris Visite zones 1-5.
| Type | Price for Zone 1-3 Adult / Child* | Price for Zone 1-5 Adult / Child* |
| 1 day | €12.00 / €6.00 | €25.25 / €12.60 |
| 2 days | €19.50 / €9.75 | €38.35 / €19.15 |
| 3 days | €26.65 / €13.30 | €53.75 / €26.85 |
| 5 days | €38.35 / €19.15 | €65.80 / €32.90 |
Read more about the pass here.
Important Info
If you are planning to travel in Paris using public transport then here a few things that are important to note.
✦ W𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 in the weekly or visite Pass to avoid any penalty.
✦ You can use the Noctilien night bus network at night when the metro is closed. ( from 0:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m.)
✦ You can buy Metro Tickets up to 6 days in advance. You have to validate the tickets.
✦ Install the“Bonjour RATP” app for info about various routes.
✦ Visa and Mastercard credit cards are accepted for buying tickets at most Paris Metro ticket machines and ticket windows.
✦ Read all about various Travel Passes and their benefits here
✦ Visit the Official Paris Transportation Website (RATP) to get all the details about navigating Paris and the surrounding areas.
✦ You can buy the tickets online – www.parismetro.com
Do check out our video in Hindi to know more
We hope this post and video was helpful and it gives you an idea about how to travel in Paris using public transport.
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