Welcome to Paris > Transports

Paris has a well-developed network of public transportation (RATP). It includes the métro (within Paris intra-muros and nearest cities), RER (suburban express railway), tramways and buses. Alternatively, you can also hire a bike (“Velib’”), or try to catch a taxi (if you are of the patient type!).

 

For detailed information, visit the websites of the RATP and of the Visitors Bureau. Click for maps or itineraries.

 

Here is some basic information for your arrival and your stay in Paris:

 

From airports to Paris

 

There are many ways to reach Paris from the CHARLES DE GAULLE (CDG, north of Paris), or ORLY (south of Paris) airports. Choose the most convenient, according to the time of your arrival/departure and the location of your hotel.

 

Prefer the RER during rush hours (for example, to Paris: end of afternoon on Sundays, or from 8 am to 10 am on week days). There are information desks at the airport. See also the website of Aéroports de Paris.

 

From Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

 

    • RER B (RATP, 25-40 min. to Paris – 10 € – every 10 min. – from 5:00 am to 11:50 pm).The fastest way during rush hours:

There are two RER stations at the airport: Aéroport CDG 1 (Terminals 1 and 3), and Aéroport CDG 2 (Terminal 2 A, B, C, D, E, F, G). Depending of your terminal, you can reach the station by foot, by bus, or with the shuttle train CDGVAL. Follow the sign “Paris par le train/Paris by train”. At the station, buy a ticket for central Paris (prefer express/direct trains). First station in Paris is Gare du Nord, last is Cité universitaire.

 

  • Roissybus (RATP, 60-75 min. – 11 € – every 15/20 min. – from 6:00 am to 00:30 am).The most comfortable and pleasant :

Connects CDG (Terminals 1, 2AC, 2BD, 2EF, 3) to Paris-Opera, where you will find RER A and Metro (M7 and M8) connections. From your terminal, follow the sign ‘Bus”. You can buy your ticket directly in the bus or at automatic machines nearby.

 

  • Car shuttles (LE BUS DIRECT, 50-75 min. to Paris - 12-17 € - every 30 min.- from 5:45 am to 11:00 pm for CDG-Tour Eiffel and 6:00 am to 10:00 pm for ORLY-Champs Elysées). Very comfortable and pleasant : Operates from Terminal 1 and 2 and connects CDG to Paris-Tour Eiffel (connections with M6, M8, M9 and RER C) and ORLY to Paris-Champs-Elysées (connection with M13). For transitional stops, and lines details, see the website. Buy your ticket directly in the bus, online, or at automatic machines nearby.

 

  • Easybus (60 min. to Paris). A new way to connect Paris CDG to Paris city at Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre (M1 and M7). The cheapest solution (from 2 €) if you book in advance.

 

 

From Orly Airport (web site)

 

  • Shuttle train ORLYVAL + RER B (RATP, 8 + 25 min. to Paris – 12,05 € – every 5/15 min. – from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm). Usely the fastest way to central Paris :

Get the ORLYVAL at door K in West Terminal or at Door A (departure level) in South Terminal. You can buy your combined ticket for Paris at the departure station. At the ORLYVAL terminus (Anthony RER station), take the RER B bound to “Mitry-Claye” or ‘Roissy-Aéroport CDG”. All trains call at central Paris. First station in Paris is Cité universitaire, last is Gare du Nord.

 

  • Shuttle bus “Paris by train” + RER C (RATP,40 min. to Paris Austerlitz – 6,85 € – every 20 min.- From 4:53 am to 0:38 am). This one is very convenient if you want to go (or to leave) directly to the MNHN, which is just nearby the Paris Austerlitz station.

Take the shuttle bus “Paris par le train/Paris by train” in either West or South terminal. At the shuttle destination (Pont-de-Rungis RER station), take the RER C named “NORA” or “GOTA” bound to “Pontoise” or “Montigny Beauchamp” and stops at Paris-Austerlitz (M10, RER C). You can buy your ticket directly in the bus.

 

  • Orlybus (RATP, 25-45 min. to Paris – 7,70 €– every 10/20 min. – from 6:00 am to 0:30 am). More direct and sometimes faster than the train (if you avoid rush hours).

Operates from West Terminal (Door D, arrival level) and South Terminal (Door K) and connects Orly to Place Denfert Rochereau (southern Paris), where there are RER B and Metro connections (M4 and M6).

 

  • Air France shuttles: (AIR FRANCE, 50-60 min. to Paris – 12,50 €– every 20 min. – from 6:00 am to 11:40 pm). The buses are accessible even if you travel with other airline companies then Air France. Very comfortable and pleasant:

Operates from West Terminal (Door C, arrival level) and South Terminal (Door L) and connects Orly to Paris-Etoile/Champs Elysées, with stops at Gare Montparnasse and Invalides. You can buy your ticket directly in the bus, or online.

 

 

From BEAUVAIS Airport (website)

 

You have few choices to go to Paris from this airport which is located 80 km north of Paris and operates only a few airline companies (Ryan air, Wizz air ...).

 

  • Airport shuttle:(75 min. at least – 17 € – one shuttle 20 min. after each landing).

Connects Beauvais Airport to Paris-Porte Maillot where there are RER C and Metro connections (M1). Pick up point is between the two terminals. You can buy your ticket in the Terminal 1 or at the bus office in front of the Terminal 1, or online for a cheaper fare.



 

Getting around in Paris and the suburbs

 

It is very easy to get around in Paris by public transportation. The RATP network is dense and wherever you want to go, you will find a Metro (M), a RER, a bus or a tramway (T) to bring you to your destination. All your need is a transport ticket and the RATP map.

You can obtain a map, for free, in all information desks and ticket offices present in most of Metro and RER Stations.

You can also load a free RATP application on your mobile, translated in many languages and with most of the functionalities accessible even when you are offline, so free of charge.

 

 

 

Tickets and fares

 

Transport fares are depending of the rate zones you are travelling from, through and to. Rate zones are organized in concentric circles around Paris. Zones 1-2 correspond to Paris intra muros and the nearest suburbs and so on, till zone 5 and 6, which cover the outlying suburbs (see figures below).  

 

  • Within Paris and the nearby suburbs (zones 1-2), one ticket t+ (1,80 €each unit or 14,10 €for a pack of ten) will allow you one journey using a Metro, a RER, a tramway or a bus. It includes all connections between Metros and RER (underground network), OR between bus and tramways (outside network), and it takes you till the end of the Metro lines (not the RER) even if located in zone 3.

You CAN’T use the same ticket t+ for a connection between a Metro and a Bus, or between a RER and a tramway.

When you change from a Metro to a RER, and to go out of the RER, you have to validate again the SAME ticket. Don’t loose it during your journey!

 

  • To go outside Paris (Zones 3-5), you have to buy tickets for your specific destination, price varying accordingly with the distance.

 

  • Check on RATP website the other possibilities for shorter stays, like Visitor pass (unlimited access for 1, 2, 3 or 5 days within zones selected), which can be interesting if you get around a lot, otherwise ticket packs (10 tickets) are a better bargain.

 

  • Depending on how much you will get around, the best bargain may be to buy a weekly Navigo travel card toutes zones (21,25 €for Zone 1-5 plus 5 €and an ID picture for the card itself). It is valid from Monday to Sunday and you can buy and load it as early as the Friday before (avoid Monday morning because of the queue at the booking office). It allows you unlimited access to all kinds of transport in Ile-de-France (metro, RER, bus, tramway, regional train transilien with the exception of ORLYVAL). With this card you can go to Versailles, Roissy and Orly (thus not with ORLYVAL).

 

 

Where to buy tickets and travel cards

 

You can buy all kind of tickets for Metro and RER at automatic machines (credit cards and change) and in the ticket offices present in the main Metro/RER stations (for Navigo travel Card for example). In the bus, you can only buy a single ticket for your journey, which will be more expensive (2 euros) than the ticket t+.

 

Getting around at night in Paris

Metro operates from 5:30 am to 0:30 am during weekdays, and till 1:30 am on Fridays and Saturdays nights. If you need a transport at night, you can either hire a bike or take a “Noctilien” which is a night bus from the RATP. Noctilien circulate from 0:30 am to 5:30 and cover all the Paris and Ile-de-France area. There are accessible with a Navigo travel card, or a ticket. More information.

 

Getting around by bike 

Paris hosts a very large bike-sharing service called Velib’, covering the whole city with 1 800 bike stations. You can take and return the bike at the station you want, with no need of booking it in advance. Short terms subscriptions for 1-day (1,70 €) or 7-day (8 €) can be done online or directly at every Velib station, with a credit card.

  • With a 1-day ticket, you can use the bike during 30 minutes (successive). To continue your trip, wait 5 min. to take again a bike for 30 minutes. Check the bike before renting it!
  • There are some special bike paths, but bikers mostly borrow bus lanes. More and more Parisians use this kind of transport, but remember that Paris is not yet Amsterdam, be cautious with your bike!

 

Additional:

Uber services are now available in Paris. Check at its website. 

 
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