How to get around Paris

If you are planning a trip to Paris, you will probably need to combine several different modes of transportation to get the most out of your stay (metro, bike, RER, tramway, cab, etc.). If the City of Light is pleasant to walk around, it covers more than 100 km² and many sites of interest are far from each other. Fortunately, you have access to a well-stocked offer allowing you to walk around easily and at reasonable prices. Find out how to get around Paris the smart way.

The unmissable Parisian metro

The metro is one of the most used means of transportation in the French capital. It allows Parisians and visitors to move quickly throughout the city. Nevertheless, avoid using it as much as possible when disruptions are announced in advance and during rush hours, between 7:30 and 9:30 am and between 4:30 and 7:30 pm.

The Paris metro is an economical means of transportation. Several formulas may suit you depending on the length of your stay in Paris and the areas in which you wish to travel. The t+ tickets, sold individually (€1.90) or in booklets of 10 (€16.90), are valid only within Paris.

The Paris Visite package has been specially designed for visitors. With this offer, you choose the geographical area (Paris Centre or Paris and Île-de-France) and the validity period (up to 5 consecutive days), then you travel unlimited on the corresponding metro, bus, RER, Transilien and tramway networks. Prices range from 12 € (1 day in central Paris) to 65.80 € (5 consecutive days in Paris and the Ile-de-France). You also benefit from discounts on entrance fees or visits (Château de Fontainebleau, Pantheon, Musée Grévin, etc.).

The Navigo Jour and Mobilis passes give unlimited access to public transport in Paris and the Ile-de-France region for 24 hours. The Navigo Jour pass can be loaded onto a Navigo Easy pass, which can be purchased at a ticket office for €2. This rechargeable pass also allows you to buy t+ tickets at a preferential rate.

With the Bonjour RATP application, you can buy your tickets in advance and recharge your Navigo Easy pass. This is a good solution to avoid the sometimes crowded ATMs and tellers. Bonjour RATP also informs you in real time of any disruptions, calculates your itinerary and provides you with timetables and maps of metro lines, buses, RER, Transiliens trains and streetcars. This application works by connecting to the internet, remember to check that your package is compatible.

Buses to get around Paris

Taking the bus allows you to move around Paris easily and cheaply while enjoying the Parisian urban landscape. The bus is preferable for short trips because it is dependent on traffic, which can be slow in certain areas or at certain times.

For the bus lines, you can get a ticket on board SMS. To do this, simply send “BUS” followed by the line number (without spaces) to 93 100. An amount of €2 (excluding the cost of the SMS) is debited from your phone plan and you then receive an SMS as a ticket. You can also buy a paper ticket on board: don’t forget to bring the extra money (2 €)! Please note that the ticket purchased on board is only valid for one trip, without any connection.

In the event of an extended evening, the Noctiliens, buses that run at night, take over from the metro and run between 00:30 and 5:30. They are recognizable by the “N” before the line number.

Other modes of public transport in Paris

Do you want to get out of Paris? The Paris RER, or Paris Regional Express Network, is a fast and safe means of transportation. Hybrid, it operates like a metro in the city center but also connects destinations located on the outskirts of the capital, like the Transiliens trains. From the heart of Paris, you can, for example, reach Disneyland via the RER A or the Château de Versailles by the RER C. The Transiliens trains and streetcars in Paris also serve the outskirts and suburbs.

These means of transportation, along with the RER, are preferable to buses for long trips because they are faster and generally air-conditioned.

A quick reminder: lines with letters from A to E are RER, lines beginning with T are tramways and lines H, J, K, L, N, P, R and U are Transiliens trains.

All these modes of transport are accessible in unlimited if you have a Mobilis, Paris Visite or Navigo Jour pass with the appropriate options, but you can also buy an Origin-Destination ticket at a ticket office, the price of which varies according to the distance.

Walking in Paris

Many sites in Paris can be visited on foot: the Champs-Élysées, the Champ-de-Mars with the Eiffel Tower, the Jardin des plantes and its menagerie, the area around the Louvre and the square in front of Notre-Dame, to name only the best known. A walk in the city center will allow you to admire the historical monuments and the Haussmannian buildings. Parks and gardens are also great destinations.

Discover Paris by bike

Many Parisian businesses offer bicycles for rent, but the most practical and economical is to use a Vélib’. The French capital is very well served and since 2018, it is even possible to rent electrically assisted Vélib’ (for an additional fee), recognizable by their blue color.

You can subscribe to a 24-hour pass (€5 or €10) or a 3-day pass (€20) via the official Vélib’ métropole website or on the Bonjour RATP application. It is possible to load the Vélib’ Pass into a Navigo Easy card. You then have access to Vélib’ with a limited time and number of trips. For example, a small supplement of 1 € is to be expected in case of a trip longer than 60 minutes in a classic Vélib’ for a 3-day pass.

To get around Paris safely by bike, keep an eye out for pedestrians, motorists and other cyclists.

Parisian cabs

The cab is ideal to quickly reach the center of Paris from an airport, for example. It is more convenient than the Orlyval or Roissybus shuttles because you are not encumbered by your luggage. However, fares are high (up to 58 € for a trip between Paris and Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport).

To be sure to find a cab, do not hesitate to book your trip in advance. You can also call an Uber through the app or the website, as the prices are sometimes more affordable.

Tourism in Paris: getting around differently

The Seine is not reserved for the transport of goods or for luxurious barges. The Compagnie des Bateaux-Mouches offers one-hour cruises to discover Paris and its emblematic monuments from a new angle. A pleasant visit that remains accessible even for families, with tickets at 15 € for adults and 6 € for children.

With the funicular of Montmartre, you will not need to climb the 220 steps that separate the base of the Montmartre hill from the Sacré Coeur. This inclined elevator takes you there in just over a minute. The Parisian funicular belongs to the Parisian metro network. Access is therefore subject to presentation of a t+ ticket or any other valid pass (Paris Visite, Mobilis, Navigo, etc.).