Transportation in Paris
Find your way around town
Central Paris is not huge. Cross it by métro in 40 minutes or see the sights on
foot. Bastille to the Eiffel Tower or Champs Elysées takes a leisurely two
hours.
The River Seine divides the city into the Left Bank in the south and the Right
Bank in the north. Arrondissements (districts) spiral clockwise from the
Louvre to the Péripherique ring road, splitting the city into 20 areas,
numbered from 1 to 20.
The Right Bank covers everything from the medieval Châtelet and Marais districts
to the Louvre and the Champs Elysées as well as the old working-class districts
of Montmartre, Bastille, Oberkampf and La Villette.
The Left Bank is historically more literary taking in upper-crust district
Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the modern Montparnasse skyscraper, cutting-edge
François Mittérand library, the Latin Quarter and the Eiffel Tower. In
between the Left and Right Banks, the Île de la Cité, home of
Notre-Dame cathedral, and Île St-Louis with its 17th-century mansions mark the
historic centre of Paris.
Read more about transport from and to the airport
Métro
Speedy and easy, the métro's 14 lines are the quickest way to get around the city centre (métro map zones 1 and 2). Lines run from around 5.30am to 12.30am (until 1.30am on Fri, Sat and the night before public holidays). Tickets can be bought in automatic machines (credit cards accepted) or in ticket offices in every station.
Train - RER
Métro tickets are also valid on the RER commuter trains to the wider Île-de-France suburbs within the designated zones. Take RER C for Versailles and RER B to cross Paris from top to bottom and travel to Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports. RERs also run from about 5.30am-12.30am.
Bus
In peak periods, buses are slower than the métro, but you can see where you're going. Most lines run from 5am until 8pm, after which night buses called Noctaliens cover much of central Paris. The RATP (Paris Transport Company) runs a double-decker sightseeing bus called l'Open Tour which takes in the city's main sights. Métro and RER tickets are also valid on normal buses.
Taxi
If a taxi's whole white light is on, it is free for hire from the street or taxi rank. Make sure the meter is switched on. The minimum charge is €5.60 plus a small fee for a fourth person or more than one item of baggage in the boot. Rates also increase at night. Most taxis are cash only, but an increasing number accept credit cards.
Foot
Walking is often the quickest way to get around for short trips and always the most enjoyable. Just be careful at zebra crossings as cars sometimes don't stop. Wander along the River Seine for sweeping panoramas of Paris' main sights. You can calculate walking time using the métro map as it is roughly a five minute walk between each station.
Transportation Tips
Paris Par Arrondissements, for sale at any kiosk, lists every street and boulevard and contains métro, bus and RER maps. Save money on individual tickets by buying a pack of ten (un Carnet). If you're planning to travel extensively by métro, Paris Visite cards are value for money with two-, three- and five-day options. A weekly (Monday to Sunday) Carte Orange ticket is valid on the bus, RER and métro (passport photo required).
