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See the section “Public transportation tickets” for tickets, subscriptions, and other public transportation passes.
Tip! It’s highly recommended to purchase a Paris city pass, giving you unlimited access to the Paris Hop-On Hop-Off Bus for 2 – 6 days. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to visit over 60 attractions and museums with this city pass without paying additional entrance fees. So don’t be deterred by the price, because if you visit several popular museums or attractions, you’ll quickly get your money’s worth with this city pass. You can find out what’s included by clicking on “Read more” under the “Full description” section on this page.
Public Transportation in Paris
Public transportation in Paris consists of Subway/RER, bus, and tram. On the streets, you can recognize a subway/metro station by a sign with an M, ‘METRO’, or ‘Metropolitain’. RER stations are identified by a sign with an ‘R’, tram stops with a ‘T’, and bus stops with the name of the stop and the line number. Additionally, there are approximately 15,000 taxis operating in Paris.
Learn about the differences between Metro and RER in this PDF brochure.
You can find a lot of information about tickets and prices on the RATP website, the Parisian transport company.
Route planners and public transportation maps for Paris
A great free app from RATP for tourists in Paris is Next Stop Paris, also available in Dutch. It’s compatible with iOS and Android.
You can use the RATP route planner to figure out which metro you need to take in advance.
On the interactive map for metro, bus, and tram, you can quickly find where you need to go and where you can transfer. Check out the guide (PDF).
This interactive map shows all the zones in Paris and the surrounding areas.
You can find links to overviews of all RATP lines here.
Accessibility for disabled individuals on public transportation
There are only a few metro stations that are easily accessible without assistance if you’re in a wheelchair: all stations on metro lines 1 and 14, the metro stations Esplanade de la Défense, Barbès-Rochechouart, Gare du Nord (only the RER station), are the main ones. Additionally, tram lines T2 and T3 and all 60 buses with low floors are easily accessible, as well as the cable car to the Sacré-Coeur, the CGD-Val, and the OrlyVal. You can find an overview of the possibilities on this map (only in French). More information (in French) is available at www.infomobi.com.
Metro and RER in Paris
New metro system in 2022 in Paris!
In 2022, the ten-ride metro tickets will be replaced by rechargeable Navigo passes. Over time, individual paper tickets will also be replaced (the single tickets).
Here you’ll find our complete explanation of the Navigo Easy pass.
Explanation of the Paris metro
The primary mode of transportation in Paris is the metro. With sixteen city lines (metro) and five regional lines (RER-A to E), you can reach anywhere in the city and beyond. Metro and RER operate from 5:30 am to approximately 1:15 am, with service extending until about an hour later on Fridays and Saturdays. Pick up a free metro map at the metro station. It’s conveniently sized and easy to use to figure out which line you need to take. You can download the pocket-sized map or access it interactively.
How does the Paris Metro work?
Before starting your journey, check the map to determine which metro line you need. All lines are color-coded and numbered. At the metro station, insert your ticket into the gate or hold your pass to the electronic reader, then walk through the gate and (important!) take your ticket with you. Next, check the metro map to find the name of your line’s final destination to ensure you’re heading in the right direction. For example, if you’re traveling from Montparnasse-Bienvenuë to Gare du Nord, you’ll need line 4, heading to Porte de Clignancourt. Follow the signs with white letters on blue backgrounds (‘direction: Porte de Clignancourt’) until you reach the platform where your train departs. An electronic board on the platform indicates when the next train is expected.
Once you arrive at your destination station, follow the blue signs ‘Sortie’ for the exit. Then, consult the ‘Plan du quartier’ (neighborhood map) on the wall. This map shows the surrounding area of the metro exit. Often, you’ll have several exit options. Choose the one that suits you best. There’s also a map above ground at each metro exit where you can orient yourself. RATP has created a user manual (available in Dutch among other languages) for metro and RER (click on ‘User manual’ at the top).
You can also use Google Maps to plan your route using public transportation in Paris.
Transfers
If you need to transfer to another metro line, follow the signs with the number of the metro line you need. Then, follow the ‘Direction’ signs with the name of the line’s final destination. You can transfer underground with the same ticket as much as you want, but once you exit the metro station, you’ll need a new ticket for your next ride. At some stations, you may have to walk a considerable distance to reach the correct platform. This is particularly true at stations like Montparnasse-Bienvenuë, Châtelet-Les Halles, Etoile, Gare du Nord, and Bastille. It’s especially helpful to avoid these stations during rush hour.
RER in Paris
RER lines are commuter trains between central Paris and the banlieue (the Parisian suburbs). They have fewer stops and are much faster than regular city metro trains. However, it can sometimes be more challenging to find where your train departs and whether you’re on the correct platform. Signage isn’t as clear as in the city metro.
If you’re using the RER only within Paris, you can use the same ticket t+ as for the city metro lines. If you’re traveling farther, you’ll need to purchase a separate RER ticket, known as a ‘billet Origine-Destination’, from the Paris border onwards.
More information on traveling with the RER outside Paris
Paris Bus
For those who want to see more of Paris, taking the bus instead of the metro is a great option. The bus is only at a disadvantage when it’s raining, but on dry and bright days, you’ll get to see all of Paris from the bus window. Additionally, the bus is excellent for resting when you’re tired. You can stay seated and still see a lot of Paris. Only during rush hour will you have difficulty seeing outside since the buses are packed.
When the bus arrives, raise your hand to signal that you want to board. Enter at the front and insert your ticket into the validation machine. If you have a Navigo Découverte, hold it up to the electronic reader.
The exit is in the middle or at the back. If you transfer, you’ll need to validate your ticket again. Inside the bus, an electronic board shows the final destination and the name of the next stop. If you want to get off at the next stop, press the red button on one of the poles. There’s a screen in the bus showing which stop you’re at and the time. Additionally, the next stop is always displayed.
You can purchase a single bus ticket from the driver for 2 euros, but it doesn’t allow transfers to another bus or tram. If you get off the bus and want to get back on the same bus afterward, you’ll need a new ticket. So, you can’t transfer to the same bus line unless you have a Paris Visite card or a weekly pass on the Navigo Découverte.
There are approximately 59 bus routes. Buses operate from 5:30 am until around 12:30 am. Some buses stop running around 8:30 pm. Most buses operate until around 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays. More and more stops have an electronic information system indicating when the next bus is expected. Each stop displays the number and route of the line. Buses operating within Paris have two-digit numbers, while those going to the suburbs have three-digit numbers.
Montmartrobus
The Montmartrobus operates year-round from Place Pigalle over the Butte Montmartre to the Mairie of the 18th arrondissement. It stops at all major points of Montmartre during the route. Tickets are the same as for regular buses. It’s a great way to explore all of Montmartre.
Noctilien
Between 12:30 am and 5:30 am, night buses, known as Noctiliens, operate. There are 42 lines in the Ile-de-France area (including Paris). They connect the four main train stations plus numerous busy places, including the Champs-Elysées, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Bastille, République, Pigalle, and Place de Clichy. In Paris (1-2 zones), you pay for one ticket t+, while outside Paris, you pay for one ticket for the first 2 zones and an additional ticket for each subsequent zone. For 3 zones, it’s two tickets, totaling 3.40 euros. When you transfer, the count starts again.
You can use Noctilien with the same tickets as for the metro and daytime buses, including subscriptions or the Paris Visite card, as long as your subscription doesn’t exceed the number of zones. The night buses are labeled with an N. You can see the routes the buses take on the overview map.
Traverses
Traverses are minibusses that travel in circles through certain neighborhoods, operating every day until around 8 pm. There are three of them: La Traverse de Charonne (Gambetta – Porte de Montreuil, 20th arr.), La Traverse Bièvre Montsouris (Place de l’Abbé Georges Henocque – Alésia, 13th and 14th arr.) and La Traverse de Ney-Flandre (18th and 19th arr.). All minibusses are wheelchair accessible. The tickets are the same as for regular buses.
Beautiful bus routes in Paris
Several buses run beautiful routes, such as:
21 – From Gare St-Lazare (8th arr.) to Porte de Gentilly (13th arr.) and back: Passing through Quartier Latin, Rue de Rivoli, and Opéra.
24 – From Gare St-Lazare (8th arr.) to Ecole vétérinaire (outside Paris) and back: Runs practically along the Seine.
28 – From Gare Saint-Lazare (9th arr.) to Porte d’Orléans (14th arr.) and back: Passing through Ecole Militaire, Assemblée nationale, the Seine, Grand Palais, and Champs-Elysées.
29 – From Gare St-Lazare (8th arr.) to Porte de Montempoivre (12th arr.): Passing through Bastille and Marais.
63 – From Gare de Lyon (12th arr.) to Porte de la Muette (16th arr.) and back: Along the Seine, Quartier Latin, Quai d’Orsay, Trocadéro.
38 – From Gare du Nord (18th arr.) to Porte d’Orléans (14th arr.) and back: Through Quartier Latin, along the Seine, and by Notre Dame. 67 – From Pigalle (9th arr.) to Porte de Gentilly (13th arr.) and back: Passing through the Saint Georges district (9th arr.), Palais Royal, along the Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis, Jardin des Plantes, the Mosque, and the Gobelins neighborhood.
69 – From Champ de Mars (7th arr.) to Gambetta (20th arr.) and back: Visiting the Eiffel Tower, St-Germain-des-Prés, the Louvre, Père Lachaise, and Belleville.
72 – From Hôtel de Ville (4th arr.) to Parc de St-Cloud (outside Paris) and back: Almost entirely along the Seine (best done in the afternoon during winter, as the morning sun may obscure the opposite bank).
73 – From Musée d’Orsay (7th arr.) to La Garenne-Colombes (outside Paris) and back: Passing through Place de la Concorde, Avenue des Champs-Elysées, and La Défense.
96 – From Gare Montparnasse (14th arr.) to Porte des Lilas (20th arr.) and back: Through Montparnasse, Quartier Latin, and Belleville.
Paris Bus Booklet
If you use the bus frequently, a bus booklet is handy, such as Le Bus, Répertoire des 99 lignes, or Guide des autobus parisiens. These booklets clearly indicate maps of all bus routes. You can purchase them at kiosks and stations in Paris. Also, using the RATP app is useful for bus travel.
Tram in Paris
Since December 2006, a new tramway, T3, operates on the south side of Paris along the ‘boulevards des Maréchaux’ between Pont du Garigliano in the 15th arrondissement and Porte d’Ivry in the 13th. This tram line was extended at the end of 2012 along the east side of Paris to Porte de la Chapelle.
The T3 operates within the area of the boulevard Périphérique. So, even as a tourist, you can use it effectively to get from one side of Paris to the other. From the T3 stops, you can easily transfer to a bus or metro line heading towards the center of Paris in the north or west. This can help you avoid the busy metro transfers.
The T3 has about 40 stations, and from start to finish (22 km), the journey takes 50-60 minutes. The tram starts operating around 5 am, with its last trip around 1 am, and until around 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Taxi in Paris
You can hail a taxi on the street or from a taxi rank. You can also book one through a central phone number: 01 45 30 30 30. You can choose a district and then the nearest taxi rank within it. The driver answers and asks where they can pick you up. Note: the meter starts running from the moment the taxi leaves the rank. If one rank doesn’t answer, you’ll be connected to the next one. Motorcycle taxis are only allowed to transport passengers who have booked in advance.
Taxi ranks in Paris
There are 28 large taxi ranks with help points at tourist attractions like the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Elysées, where taxis operate 24 hours a day. There are another 90 ranks in neighborhoods, often near a metro station. Additionally, there are 316 ranks at hotels, hospitals, and theaters. You can see where the taxi ranks are in this list.
Hailing a Taxi in Paris
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Apart from calling a taxi, you can also hail one on the street. You can identify a free taxi by the light on its roof: if the green light is on, the taxi is available. If it’s occupied, the light on top is red. A taxi that’s been reserved doesn’t have a light on the roof. Registered taxis have ‘Taxi Parisien’ written on top. The three orange lights and letters at the bottom indicate the fare currently in effect:
| Fare type | Valid within Paris during: |
| A (€1.09/km) | Monday to Saturday 10 am-5 pm |
| B (€1.38/km) | Monday to Saturday 5 pm-10 am, Sunday 7 am-12 am, holidays 12 am-12 am |
| C (€1.61/km) | Sunday 12 am-7 am |
You can find the current taxi prices in Paris (also from the airport) here.
A new way to find a taxi is through an app, such as https://taxibeat.com. You search for a suitable taxi (based on reviews, car type, driver’s name), order it, and see the taxi come to you on your smartphone. Uber also offers a similar service. With the Paris Taxis app, you can order a taxi that’s nearby or at a rank.
Taxi Rates
The initial fee is 4.10 euros (as of 2020) when you board a taxi from a rank. Ordering a taxi for immediate use costs an extra 4 euros. If you’ve reserved a taxi to pick you up at a certain time, that also costs an additional euro (7 euros). The minimum fare for a ride is 7.10 euros. The fare per kilometer varies depending on the time, from 1.06 to 1.58 euros. For a fifth person and beyond, you pay an extra 4 euros, and for a second suitcase or more, you also pay a ‘supplément’ of one euro per suitcase, as well as for bulky luggage. Bringing a wheelchair along is free. A detailed receipt is required when paying. Giving a large tip isn’t necessary; rounding up is enough.
Disabled Passengers in Taxis
A taxi driver cannot refuse a disabled passenger or charge extra for a wheelchair or a guide dog. Two taxi companies, G7 Horizon and PMR, have specially equipped cars or vans for disabled passengers. Passengers can travel in their wheelchair. The fares are the same as for regular taxis, but reservations are recommended.