How to Use the Paris Metro

Although there is nothing like walking to get to know a city, the size of Paris sometimes makes it necessary to use some form of public transport to enjoy everything there is to see in Paris. The French city has a good network of city buses, but the metro is undoubtedly the best option for getting around the city.

The Paris metro has been operating for over 100 years and the city has modernised and expanded it to make it one of the largest underground transport systems in Europe. Proof of its usefulness is that the distance between stations (more than 200) is usually no more than 500 metres.

The first thing you need to know is that tickets for the Paris Metro can be purchased:

• From ticket machines in stations: the quickest option, with instructions in several languages, including English.
• At ticket offices: available at some stations and with limited opening hours.

To enter, you must validate your ticket at the station turnstiles. On the Paris Metro, you only need your ticket to enter, not to exit (unlike the RER, where you need it both times).

As for the doors, depending on the line and train model, they may open automatically or require you to press a button or lift a handle.

The RER is a suburban and medium-distance train that connects Paris with nearby towns, both within and outside the metropolitan area. There are five lines (A, B, C, D and E), although you will most likely only use three during your visit:

• Line A: connects Paris with Disneyland Paris and is one of the fastest ways to get to the park if you haven't booked a trip from the capital.
• Line B: takes you to Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports.
• Line C: connects the French capital with the Palace of Versailles and other destinations along the Seine.

If you change between the metro and the RER within the fare zone included on your ticket, you can use it for both at no additional cost. Please note that for the RER , you will need to validate your ticket both when you enter and when you exit.

When you first look at a map of the Paris metro, you will notice that the region is divided into fare zones. These are concentric rings covering Paris and its metropolitan area, which affect the price of your ticket.

To travel by metro in Paris, all stations are in zone 1, even if they are some distance from the centre, so the cost of a single ticket does not vary. The zones only affect the price if you travel by RER, train, tram or bus beyond zone 1.

For most tourist trips, you will only travel within zone 1, and occasionally you will go to outer zones if you visit Disneyland Paris (zone 5), Versailles (zone 4) or Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports (zone 4).

Most people visiting Paris for a few days choose to buy a metro ticket called a T+ It is the cheapest and easiest option, although it is worth calculating whether a day or weekly pass might be better value.

The T+ ticket is valid for a single journey, with the possibility of changing between the metro, RER (only within Paris), trams and public buses within zone 1.

• Price of a single T+ ticket: £1.80 (2025 fare).
• Price for 10 tickets (card): £1.50, which reduces the cost per journey.
• Available in physical format (paper with magnetic strip) or digital format via the Île-de-France Mobilités app and contactless cards such as Navigo Easy.

With a T+ ticket, you can access most of the city's attractions, including the most important museums in Paris. It is not valid for travel to airports, Disneyland Paris or Versailles, which require specific tickets.

If you are staying in Paris for a long time (4 days or more) and plan to use the metro frequently, one of the transport passes is probably the best option for you. Please note that this transport is no longer included in the Paris Pass tourist card, although the card is still useful for sightseeing.

These passes allow you to use all types of public transport in Île-de-France (metro, RER, buses, trams and trains) in the zones of your choice. The most common options are:

• Paris Visite: purchased separately, this pass allows unlimited travel for 1, 2, 3 or 5 consecutive days. Available for zones 1-3 or 1-5. Includes some discounts on attractions and activities.
• Navigo Découverte pass: this pass offers unlimited travel for the whole week (Monday to Sunday) or the whole month in the zones you choose, with the weekly pass for zones 1-5 being the most common. It is a rechargeable card that requires a passport-sized photo and an initial payment for the physical card.

The first train on each Paris Metro line usually leaves at 5:30 a.m., while the last train leaves around 1:15 a.m. from Sunday to Thursday and at 2:15 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays (arrival time at the terminal station).

To identify if it is the last train of the day, look at the front lights: if they are flashing, it is the last service. If you miss it, you can use the Noctilien night buses or take a taxi to get around Paris.

Frequency varies depending on the time and day:

• Rush hour: every 2-3 minutes.
• Off-peak hours: every 4-6 minutes.
• Nights and early mornings: approximately every 10 minutes.

The Paris Metro has 16 lines (numbered 1 to 14 plus lines 3bis and 7bis) covering more than 200 kilometres. The network has more than 300 stations, meaning that almost any point in the city is within walking distance of a metro station.

Each line is numbered and associated with a colour for easy identification on a map. If you are visiting the city to see its museums, monuments or gardens, you will probably use a few key lines:

• Line 12: connects the Montmartre district and its Sacré-Cœur Basilica with the city centre. The Concorde station is right next to the Tuileries Garden and a short walk from the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay.
• Line 6: from Charles de Gaulle-Étoile you can reach the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe. The Trocadéro stop offers one of the most iconic views of the Eiffel Tower. It also takes you to the Montparnasse Tower and the catacombs of Paris.
• Line 1: connects key tourist attractions such as the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe, Concorde, Tuileries and the Louvre. Its route goes as far as the Île de la Cité, where Notre Dame Cathedral and the Conciergerie are located.

Make a note of these stations to reach your destinations more easily

Knowing the exact names of the stations is key to avoiding confusion and saving time. Some of the most useful for tourists are:

• Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel: Champ de Mars and Eiffel Tower
• Opéra: Opéra Garnier
• Trocadéro: square of the same name and Eiffel Tower
• Abbesses: Montmartre
• Louvre–Rivoli: Louvre Museum
• Cité: Notre Dame Cathedral
• Saint-Germain-des-Prés: St. Germain neighbourhood

The Paris Metro is not only an excellent means of transport, but some of its stations are genuine tourist attractions. Several of the oldest stations still have Art Nouveau entrances designed by Hector Guimard, while others are more modern and stand out for their originality:

• Arts et Métiers station (lines 3 and 11): interior covered with copper plates inspired by the world of Jules Verne and the Museum of Arts and Crafts.
• Cluny – La Sorbonne (line 10): ceilings decorated with mosaics by Jean Bazaine depicting historical signatures and names.
• Cité (line 4): retro-style street lamps illuminate one of the deepest platforms in the network.
• Louvre–Rivoli (line 1): display cases with replicas of works from the Louvre museum.
• Abbesses (line 12): one of the most photographed Art Nouveau entrances and an interior fresco depicting episodes from French history.

A great tool for getting around the Paris Metro without any problems is to download the Next Stop app, the official app of the RATP, the company responsible for managing the city's transport system.

The app is available in 10 languages (including English), includes short audio guides to some of Paris' most important tourist attractions and can be used offline. However, most Paris Metro stations have free WiFi access that does not require prior registration.

If you are concerned about safety, you can rest assured that the entire network is monitored at all times by security guards, ticket inspectors and security cameras. Nevertheless, you should always keep an eye on your belongings in the busiest areas, as there may be pickpockets trying to take advantage of the crowds.