When arriving in Paris, the many forms of public transport systems can seem extremely daunting and confusing. However this article will explain everything you need to know about using the public transport in Paris like a local!
Here’s what you’ll find in the article:
– Understanding Paris’ zones
– Types of public transport available
– The different tickets and transport passes
– Traveling to destinations outside of Paris by RER
Paris Transport Zones
To understand the difference between types of tickets and passes, you must first understand what the different zones in Paris mean. Luckily, Paris’ shape is round which makes the zoning distinctions quite easy to understand.
Zones 1-2
These are zones considered within the Paris City Limits. All of the
major attractions are within these zones: Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe,
Louvre Museum. Traveling within these 2 zones only requires a T+ ticket.
Zones 3-5
Basically, these include suburban cities that surround Paris, both airports CDG and Orly, and famous attractions Chateau de Versailles and Disneyland Paris. Traveling from the inner Zones 1 and 2 to the outer zones requires RER tickets.
Types of Public Transport in Paris
1. The metro
This is the most popular way to get around the city with 14 metro lines and over 300 different metro stations. The metro lines only extend as far as Zone 3.
2. The RER train
These are trains that go outside of the Paris city limits, all the way to Zones 4 and 5. There are 3 popular lines among travellers: RER A for Disneyland, RER B for CDG Airport, and RER C for Versailles.
3. The Bus
Bus schedules aren’t as reliant as the metro’s but taking them allows you to enjoy the beautiful streets and buildings of Paris during your ride. A bus ticket costs 2€ when bought onboard and 1,90€ at ticket machines.
| INSIDR Tip: Did you know that there are several bus routes in Paris that pass by the city’s best attractions? Bus 29 takes you to Opéra Garnier, Bus 72 goes along the Seine River, and Bus 73 goes through Champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe! |
Paris Public Transport Fares
1. Navigo Easy Pass : INSIDR Recommendation
The Navigo Easy is a transport card that travellers can load with tickets as often as needed. It is our recommended transport pass for travelers who are planning on staying for a few days and take the metro and buses in the city often.
The Navigo Easy card itself costs 2€ but you can economize by loading it with a ‘carnet’ of 10 tickets which only costs 14,90€. Cheaper than buying single-use paper t+ tickets! Click the link to read everything there is to know about the Navigo Easy Pass.
2. Single-use T+ paper tickets
Single-use paper T+ tickets are a good idea if you’re only planning on riding public transport sparingly during your trip. Otherwise, the Navigo Easy would be your best bet!
3. Mobilis Day Pass
The Mobilis Day pass includes unlimited rides in metro, tramway, bus, RER. This pass is nominative which means it cannot be shared between 2 people. The price starts at 7,50€ and each pass can only be used for 1 day.
4. Paris Visite Pass
This pass is valid for 1, 2, 3, or 5 consecutive days and allows unlimited travel on metro, bus, tram, and RER. It’s a bit pricey and starts at 25,25€ for 1 day up to 65,80€ for 5 days.
5. Paris Navigo Pass
The Navigo Pass is different from the Navigo Easy. This pass is perfect
for people who are planning on staying in Paris for at least a month. This pass requires buying the weekly or the monthly rate. A monthly Navigo Pass covers unlimited travel across all 5 zones and on all forms of public transport in the Paris Region.
Traveling outside Paris city limits
There are 3 different reasons why travelers go outside of the city limits: going to the airports (CDG & Orly), going to Versailles, or going to Disneyland Paris. All of them have 1 thing in common: they’re all serviced by an RER train.
To ride an RER train, you must have purchased an RER ticket (unless you have one of the above-mentioned passes).
What is an RER ticket?
An RER ticket comes in a single-use paper ticket that looks a lot like the T+ ticket. The main difference is that buying it requires identifying your origin station and your destination station which then defines the ticket price.
How much is an RER ticket?
One-way ticket prices for adults:
7,60€ – Paris Châtelet to Disneyland Paris
3,55€ – Paris Notre Dame-Saint Michel to Versailles Rive Gauche
10,30€ – Paris Châtelet to Charles de Gaulle Airport
2,75€ – Paris Châtelet to Antony (for Orly Airport*)
| *Please note that there is no RER train that goes directly to Orly Airport. You must first take the RER train to Antony station. From there, take the OrlyVal which is a dedicated train line to Orly Airport (9,30€). |
INSIDR Tips on Public Transport in Paris
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