How to Get Around Paris: The Complete Public Transport Guide
The quickest, cheapest way to get around Paris is the Métro: sixteen lines blanket the city, trains come every couple of minutes, and almost nowhere in the centre is more than a short walk from a station. For longer trips — the airports, Versailles, Disneyland — you switch to the faster RER commuter trains, and everything else is covered by buses, trams, Vélib' shared bikes and your own two feet. Buy one rechargeable Navigo Easy card, load it with tickets or a day pass, and you can ride the whole network without queuing again.
Paris has one of the densest, most affordable public-transport systems in the world, and you do not need a car — in fact a car is a liability here. This guide explains how each mode works, which ticket or pass actually saves you money after the recent fare shake-up, how to reach the airports, and the handful of apps that make the whole thing effortless. Fares and exact timetables change, so treat every figure below as typical and confirm the current details on the official RATP or Île-de-France Mobilités site before you travel.
How does the Paris Métro work?
The Métro is the backbone of the city. There are sixteen lines, numbered 1 to 14 plus two short branches (3bis and 7bis), each with its own colour and number on the map. You navigate by the name of the last station in the direction you are heading — platform signs show the word direction followed by that terminus — so before you board, find your line, then work out which end of it you are travelling toward.
- Frequency: trains run every 2 to 5 minutes during the day, so there is no need to memorise a timetable — just turn up.
- Hours: the Métro typically runs from around 5:30 am until roughly 1:15 am, with service extended about an hour later on Friday and Saturday nights. Check the current first and last-train times for your line.
- Line 14 is fully automated and driverless, the fastest way to cross the city; it was extended in 2024 and now reaches Orly Airport in the south.
- Validate every time: tap your card or phone on the reader at the turnstile, and keep your ticket until you exit — inspectors do check, and fines are steep.
Stations near the big sights make sightseeing simple: Trocadéro (lines 6 and 9) for the classic Eiffel Tower panorama, Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre (lines 1 and 7) for the Louvre, Cité (line 4) for Notre-Dame. Many visitors pair a morning at the Eiffel Tower with a professional Eiffel Tower photo shoot before the crowds arrive — the Trocadéro stop drops you right at the best viewpoint.
What's the difference between the Métro and the RER?
Think of the RER as the express layer above the Métro. Its five lines (A, B, C, D and E) run through the centre with only a few stops, then fan out across the wider Île-de-France region. Inside Paris you can use the RER exactly like the Métro — it is often faster because it skips stations — but it is what you need for the big out-of-town destinations.
- RER B reaches Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to the north and connects toward Orly in the south.
- RER C takes you to the Palace of Versailles (Versailles Château–Rive Gauche).
- RER A runs east to Disneyland Paris (Marne-la-Vallée–Chessy).
One important habit: on the RER you must keep your ticket and tap it again to exit, unlike the Métro where you only tap on the way in. Trips beyond the Paris city limit need the correct fare for the distance, so buy the right ticket for suburban journeys rather than a standard in-city fare.
Which ticket or pass should I buy?
This got much simpler recently. Île-de-France Mobilités merged the old zone system for the Métro: a single flat fare now covers any Métro or in-Paris RER journey regardless of how far you travel, and buses and trams share a separate single flat fare. Paper tickets are being phased out in favour of a rechargeable card or your phone. Here is how the main options compare:
- Single ticket (t+): one ride, with free Métro-to-Métro and in-Paris RER connections. Best only if you take very few trips. Buying a bundle on a card gives a modest discount over singles.
- Navigo Easy: a cheap, reloadable plastic card (small one-off fee, no photo needed). Load single tickets, ticket bundles, a Navigo Jour day pass or the airport buses onto it. This is the right choice for most tourists.
- Navigo Jour (day pass): unlimited travel for a calendar day — worth it once you make roughly five or more trips in a day.
- Navigo Semaine (weekly): unlimited all-zone travel Monday to Sunday, loaded on a Navigo Easy or the photo-card Navigo Découverte. Superb value if you stay several days and arrive early in the week, and it even covers both airports.
Traveller's tip: the weekly Navigo pass always runs Monday to Sunday, not for any rolling seven days — so it rewards an early-week arrival and makes little sense if you land on a Friday.
You can now buy and reload tickets on many smartphones (Android phones with NFC through the Île-de-France Mobilités app, with iPhone support rolling out), so you may skip the physical card entirely. Young children travel free and there are reduced fares for kids, so check the current age limits. Because prices change, confirm the current single-fare, day-pass and weekly-pass amounts on the official site before deciding.
Are Paris buses and trams worth using?
Yes — the bus is the sightseer's secret. Where the Métro is fast but underground, buses show you the city as you ride: lines such as 24, 42, 69, 72 and 82 string together a remarkable number of monuments for the price of a normal ticket. Buses are also the most accessible mode (see below) and run well into the evening. Trams mostly circle the outer edge of the city and the suburbs, so as a visitor you will use them less, though they are handy for a few specific journeys.
- Board at the front and tap your card on the reader; a bus or tram fare is separate from the Métro fare, and a single bus ticket lets you change buses or trams within a set window.
- Press the red button to request the next stop; screens and announcements show what is coming.
- The bus network keeps moving in the evening, and night buses take over after the Métro closes.
How do I get to and from the airports?
Paris has two main airports, and each has several options at very different price points:
- Charles de Gaulle (CDG): the RER B train is the cheapest and often fastest route into the centre (around 35 to 50 minutes). The Roissybus runs to Opéra, and coaches serve other points. Taxis charge an official fixed flat fare between CDG and central Paris.
- Orly: since 2024, Métro Line 14 connects Orly directly to the centre — simple, step-free and no zone maths. Alternatives include Orlyval plus RER B, the Orlybus and tram T7. Taxis also have an official fixed flat fare to and from Orly.
For the airports, taxis charge government-set flat fares (they vary by which bank of the Seine you are heading to), so you know the price before you get in — confirm the current amounts locally. Ride-hailing apps operate too, but the fixed-fare taxi is usually the least stressful option with luggage.
Can I get around Paris by bike?
Vélib' is the city's bike-share scheme, with thousands of stations and both mechanical and electric bikes. You buy a day or week pass in the Vélib' app, unlock a bike, ride it, and dock it at any station near your destination. Paris has expanded its protected cycle lanes enormously in recent years, so riding along the Seine or the Rue de Rivoli is genuinely pleasant now.
- Great for flat, short hops the Métro makes awkward; electric bikes help with the few hills, such as Montmartre.
- Check the app for docking-station space before you set off, especially at busy times.
- Follow the bike lanes and ride defensively — Parisian traffic is assertive, and helmets are not provided.
Is Paris a walkable city?
Extremely. Paris is small for a capital — you can cross the whole centre on foot in about an hour — and it is one of the great walking cities on earth. Many famous sights sit within a short stroll of each other: the Louvre to Notre-Dame, the Marais to the Seine, Saint-Germain to the Musée d'Orsay. Walking is free, gives you the city's texture, and is often quicker than the Métro for journeys under about a kilometre once you count the stairs and the waiting. Wear comfortable shoes — the cobblestones are charming and merciless.
When does a taxi or VTC make sense?
Public transport handles almost everything, but a taxi or a ride-hailing (VTC) app earns its keep in a few cases: late at night when the Métro has closed, with heavy luggage, when travelling as a group (the cost splits well), or with limited mobility. Uber, Bolt and FreeNow all operate in Paris alongside the traditional G7 taxi network. Official taxis have a lit rooftop sign and metered fares within the city, plus those fixed flat fares to the airports. For a group of four, a single taxi across town can cost little more than four Métro fares — and saves everyone the stairs.
Is the Paris Métro accessible?
This is the system's real weak point, and it is important to plan around. Most of the historic Métro is not step-free: stations have stairs, few have lifts, and only the modern Line 14 is fully accessible end to end. If you use a wheelchair, travel with a stroller, or simply dislike stairs, rely on:
- Buses, which are almost all low-floor with ramps and dedicated spaces — the most accessible way around the city.
- Line 14 and a limited number of accessible RER stations for longer trips.
- The official apps, which let you filter for step-free routes and check whether a specific station has a working lift.
How does night transport work in Paris?
When the Métro stops for the night, the Noctilien night-bus network takes over, radiating from a few hubs — Châtelet, Gare de l'Est, Gare de Lyon, Gare Saint-Lazare and Montparnasse — to every corner of the region. On Friday and Saturday nights the Métro itself runs about an hour later. A normal ticket or your Navigo covers the Noctilien, so a late night out need not mean an expensive taxi — though a taxi or VTC is still the fastest door-to-door option in the small hours.
Which apps should I download for Paris transport?
Two or three apps turn the whole system into a solved problem:
- Bonjour RATP and the Île-de-France Mobilités app — the official pair for routes, live times, and buying or reloading tickets on your phone.
- Citymapper — famously good in Paris; it compares Métro, bus, walking and bike routes and warns of disruptions in plain language.
- Google Maps — reliable for point-to-point directions and quick sanity checks.
- Vélib' for bikes, and Uber, Bolt or FreeNow for rides.
Download at least one official app plus Citymapper before you land, save your hotel as a favourite, and you will navigate Paris like a local from the first morning.
Putting it all together
For a typical visit: get a Navigo Easy or load tickets on your phone, use the Métro and your feet for the centre, the RER for Versailles, Disneyland and the airports, a scenic bus when you want to see the city go by, and a taxi only late at night or with luggage. It is cheap, fast and part of the fun. And because the network drops you right beside the icons — Trocadéro for the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Palais-Royal — it is easy to build a little magic into the trip: browse the full catalog of Paris photoshoots and experiences and pair your sightseeing with a portrait session you will keep long after the Métro tickets are gone.
FAQ
What is the best way to get around Paris?＋
For almost every trip, the Métro is the best way to get around Paris: sixteen lines cover the city, trains come every few minutes, and stations sit close to the major sights. Combine it with plenty of walking, use the RER for the airports, Versailles and Disneyland, and take a scenic bus when you want to watch the city go by. A car is unnecessary and parking is a genuine headache.
Do I need a Navigo card, or can I buy single tickets?＋
Most visitors should get a Navigo Easy card — a cheap, reloadable card that holds single tickets, ticket bundles, a day pass or the airport buses, with no photo required. Single tickets still exist, but paper versions are being phased out in favour of a card or your phone. If you are staying several days from early in the week, the weekly Navigo pass can be better value. Check the official Île-de-France Mobilités site for current fares.
How do I get from Charles de Gaulle Airport to central Paris?＋
The RER B train is usually the cheapest and fastest link from CDG to the centre, taking roughly 35 to 50 minutes and connecting to the Métro. The Roissybus runs to Opéra, and various coaches serve other areas. Taxis charge an official fixed flat fare into central Paris, so you know the cost upfront. Confirm current fares and times on the official RATP or Île-de-France Mobilités sites before you travel.
What time does the Paris Métro stop running at night?＋
The Métro typically runs from about 5:30 am until roughly 1:15 am, with service extended around an hour later on Friday and Saturday nights — exact first and last trains vary by line. After it closes, the Noctilien night-bus network takes over across the region, covered by a normal ticket or your Navigo. For late-night door-to-door trips, a taxi or ride-hailing app is still the quickest option.
Is the Paris Métro wheelchair accessible?＋
Mostly not. The historic Métro has stairs and few lifts; only the modern, automated Line 14 is fully step-free end to end. If you use a wheelchair or travel with a stroller, rely on the city buses, which are almost all low-floor with ramps and dedicated spaces, plus Line 14 and a limited number of accessible RER stations. The official apps let you plan step-free routes and check whether a station's lift is working.
Which app is best for getting around Paris?＋
Citymapper is a local favourite for comparing Métro, bus, bike and walking routes with clear disruption alerts. The official Bonjour RATP and Île-de-France Mobilités apps give live times and let you buy or reload tickets on your phone, while Google Maps is reliable for quick directions. Add the Vélib' app for bikes and Uber, Bolt or FreeNow for rides. Download one or two before you arrive.
