How to get around the city of Paris?
Many of the essential places to visit in Paris are concentrated in the center, near the Seine River. Even if this happens, we must bear in mind that walking from the Eiffel Tower to Notre-Dame Cathedral is approximately an hour’s walk. If we want to move more freely around the city, it is normal that you need to use some type of transport. Paris is one of the best communicated European cities and has an extensive transport network that allows you to reach any point in the city without any problem. However, we recommend you spend the night in an area that is well connected and suitable for tourism, to save time on travel. In the accommodation guide in Paris you will find all the information related to accommodation. With that said, we are going to discuss the different types of transportation in Paris , as well as the different bonuses . If you are a person who prefers to use private transport , at the end of this article you will find different types of private transport in Paris.
Also Read: 15 Most Beautiful Countries In Europe
Paris airport transfer
You must bear in mind that to get to Paris there are three airports : Orly airport, Charles de Gaulle airport and Beauvais airport. Landing at one airport or another is important as it will mark the distance to your accommodation and the travel time between the airport and the city. In this article about transfers from airports we tell you how to get to Paris from the different airports.
Public transport by zones in Paris
Public transport in Paris uses a pricing system that varies by zone , that is, depending on the zone, the price of tickets varies : from more expensive to cheaper. If you move through the most central area (zone 1) and through the closest towns (up to zone 3) the price is cheaper. If you need to travel to the airports, Disneyland or Versailles (zone 5) the price increases or a different ticket is needed.
In this link you will find the map of the fare zones in Paris .
Subscriptions And Transport Cards
When using public transport in Paris, you can opt for the single ticket (t+ ticket), the Île-de-France ticket (allows you to leave zone 1-2) or alternatively, a season ticket. Next we will explain each of them:
Single Ticket (T+ Ticket)
This ticket is valid for a single journey on the metro lines, RER lines in zone 1, bus lines (except Orlybus and Roissybus), tram lines and the Montmartre funicular. Not valid on RER commuter lines or SNCF Transilien outside of Paris. The single ticket can be purchased at the automatic ticket machines or at the ticket offices of the stations. Buying the single ticket “ticket t+” in a 10 bond ticket is cheaper than buying single tickets separately. The price of a single transport ticket in Paris varies according to the zones; Within zones 1 to 3, a trip costs around €2.80 and a block of 10 tickets costs around €22.40.
Ticket Île-De-France
The île-de-France Ticket is designed for occasional journeys on the RER or commuter trains . With these tickets you could travel from the center of Paris to Versailles or to Disneyland Paris . The price of the ticket varies according to the distance of the route. On the transport website you can calculate the price of the ticket.
In addition to single tickets, or one trip, there are also three types of subscriptions :
Paris Visit Card
This card allows you to travel unlimitedly during a certain period. This subscription is available for 1, 2, 3 or 5 days and also by zones.
| Zones 1-3 (Paris) | Adult | Little boy |
| 1 day | €12 | €6 |
| 2 days | €19.50 | €9.75 |
| 3 days | €26.65 | €13.30 |
| 5 days | €38.35 | €19.15 |
| Zones 1-5 | Adult | Little boy |
| 1 day | €25.25 | €12.60 |
| 2 days | €38.35 | €19.15 |
| 3 days | €53.75 | €26.85 |
| 5 days | €65.80 | €32.90 |
Mobilis Season Ticket
The Mobilis is a daily pass that allows you unlimited travel on all modes of transport except Orlyval, SNCF reserve lines and special rate lines. This subscription has the form of a magnetic ticket, before its use you must write the name and the date of use. The price varies according to the areas you are going to cross , in this link you will find more information.
| Zones | Price |
| 1-2, 2-3, 2-4, 4-5 | €7.50 |
| 1-3, 2-4, 3-5 | €10.00 |
| 1-4, 2-5 | €12.40 |
| 1-5 | €17.80 |
Navigo Ticket
The Navigo ticket allows unlimited travel in the chosen areas for a week or a month . In this link you will find more information about the use of the subscription.
| Zones | weekly shipping | monthly shipping |
| all zones | €22.80 | €75.20 |
| 23 | €20.85 | €68.60 |
| 3-4 | €20.20 | €66.80 |
| 4-5 | €19.85 | €65.20 |
Below we will tell you about the public transport network in Paris and its means of transport.
Paris Public Transport
Meter
With an extension of 200 km of track, the Metro is undoubtedly the most popular means of public transport in Paris. An extensive network made up of 16 lines allows you to cross the city from end to end quickly and comfortably . This is the most used means of transport for tourists visiting Paris, since it is fast and easy to use.
The metro runs from 5:30 in the morning until 1:15 at night . On Friday and Saturday nights, and also on public holidays, the metro runs until approximately 2:15 a.m. At times when the metro closes, night transport must be used .
The Paris metro lines are 16 and contain a total of 303 stations, each line is identified by a color and number. In this link you will find the maps of the metro lines .
Train
There is also an extensive rail network in Paris that allows you to move throughout the city. Thus, the trains known as RER in Paris work as a Metro within the city and as trains to reach the outskirts. The RER railway line has 5 lines that are identified by a letter (A, B, C and E) and by colour. The train is connected to the metro and to the suburban network of the SNCF (French railway company). The train service runs from 5:30 a.m. to midnight .
Bus
For many, the bus is the most common means of transport for those who move around Paris. There are numerous lines that cross the entire city, so if you prefer this method instead of the Metro, you will have no problem finding a line that will take you to your destination. The bus lines are numbered from number 20 to 199. Normally lines 20 to 99 circulate within Paris and lines from 100 to 199 usually circulate on the outskirts (some go a little further into the city).
In this link you will find the map of buses in Paris .
Tourist bus
Using a tourist bus (hop on hop off) is a great idea. These types of buses stop at tourist attractions in Paris, and allow you to get on and off as many times as you want during a certain period of time, which is usually 1, 2 or 3 days. There are several tour bus companies operating in the city, notable among them being Big Bus Paris and OpenTour . One of the most complete is OpenTour, which has 3 different routes with 34 stops in total. You can buy the tickets for the tourist bus online to get some discount. It really is a very interesting way to get around Paris as it allows you to enjoy the sceneryand move from one tourist attraction to another in a simpler way. You can purchase tickets online here: L’OpenTour Tourist Bus .
Cable car
In Paris there is also the Funicular, which is a tram that connects the two ends of the Montmartre district , which is the highest area of the city. If you take it, you can avoid the 197 steps to the top.
Trolley car
In recent years there has been a remodeling of the old trams in Paris, despite the fact that they had disappeared in the middle of the last century. Now they are becoming fashionable again and it can be another option to get around by public transport in Paris.
The Paris Tram network has 10 lines located within the city and on the outskirts. Each line is identified by a number and a color. In this link you will find a map of the tram, RER (train) and metro lines .
bato bus
The Batobus is the best way to get to know Paris from the Seine. This is a boat that runs along the river through the most central part of the city and makes 8 stops from the Eiffel Tower to the Jardin des Plantes . The Batobus service also has an offer, called Pass + , which complements the ship with 50 Open Tour bus stops.
In this link you will find more information about batobus as well as prices, offers and points of sale.
Cab
In Paris there are also a lot of taxis . Although the rate may be somewhat high, for a special day or a rainy afternoon, it is still a good option.
BEST AREAS TO STAY IN PARIS
Let’s do a ‘brake’ ! Did you know that sleeping well can have a big impact on your travel experience ? Paris is a huge city, and with a wide range of accommodation, so it is very important to choose accommodation correctly . For this reason, we have created a guide (also very complete) of the best areas to stay with some recommended hotels. Check it out now or later. What difference does it make? But always before booking !
Rent A Car In Paris
This is an ideal option if you want to visit Paris and other places in the surrounding area. To do this, we recommend that you go to international car rental companies, since they usually offer good rates and total security. You can use the Rentalcars search engine that compares prices between different companies so that you can find the car that best suits your trip.
Then we leave you a search box so you can find the best offers according to your dates for car rental in Paris.