How To Get Around Paris Easily & Cheap

Getting to the City

Paris is well connected with most of the European countries by railways, roads and air. Public transport is so efficient that one can visit almost all the attractions by public transport. RATP runs public transports in Paris that includes tramways, bus, metro, RER (suburban express trains) and Noctilien bus service. Paris has two international airports. Charles De Gaulle (CDG) international airport located 26 kms north east of Paris while the other airport Orly (ORY) is located towards south of Paris at a distance of 20 kms.

Charles De Gaulle has three terminals which are interconnected by CDGVAL, a free shuttle rail service. All modes of transportations to get to the city are available in and around terminal 3. From there you will find local buses (route number 350 & 351) to get to the city and it will cost around 6 Euros.

The bus takes about 75 minutes to reach Paris city centre. RER trains will take around 32 minutes and cost around 11 Euros to reach Gare du Nord station (3 kms from city centre).

You can opt for Roissy Bus service to get to the city which might take around an hour and cost 12 Euros. LE Bus Direct also takes almost the same time as Roissy Bus but costs 18 Euros to the city. Taxis will charge 55 to 60 Euros depending on which bank of river Seine of Paris you want to go and it will take around 30 to 40 minutes. Note that City bus route number 350 will take you to Gare du Nord and route number 351 connects Porte de Bagnolet of Paris from CDG.

You can find night bus services as well. Noctilien buses N140 and N143 go to Gare du Nord and Gare de l’est respectively. Getting to Disneyland directly from CDG is also possible by Magical shuttle services which might take around 90 minutes depending upon traffic. ‘Hotel Courtesy Bus’ shuttle services are available from Terminal 1 and 3.

Orly airport has two terminals (South and West) and they are interconnected with Orlyval and this is the fastest way to reach the RER B line’s station. Here are the different modes of transportation to reach Paris from Orly airport. Take a combo route of Metro line 7 and Tram line 7. It will cost around 4 Euros and will take 65 minutes of journey time. Transportation is available from 5:30am to 12:30am.

You can take Orlybus which takes 35 minutes and costs around 8 and half Euros. Operating hours are from 5:35am to 12:05am. The Orlyval RER B combination takes 37 minutes and costs around 12 Euros to reach Paris and it operates from 6:00am to 11:00pm. You can also take RER C line train with shuttle bus combination which would cost around 7 Euros. Bus line 183, 285 and 293 will cost around 4 Euros to reach Paris central zone 1. Noctilien buses N22, N31, N131 and N144 also connect Paris with Orly airport and cost 4 Euros one way.

Find many shuttle and private airport transfer options and book online using this Viator site.

Public Transports

City Bus Service

Bus service in Paris is extensive with 64 lines practically covering all major parts of the city including historic districts, route along the bank of Seine and many other routes passing through centre of the city. Journey time has been improved after the installation of dedicated bus lanes along main roads.

Between Monday to Saturday, the buses operate from 07:00am to 08:30pm while there are few bus lines that operate between 8:30pm to 12:30 am and connect the major stations and crossroads of the city. On Sundays and other public holidays only about 50% of the bus lines remain operative.

You will find the line number and direction displayed on the front, sides and above the driver compartments of the bus. Most of the bus stops have shelters and a display board with bus line number and route maps along with a digital display showing you the approximate arrival time of the next bus. In few shelters you might find mobile charging points as well. Remember to validate your pass after entering the bus and before getting down.

Night Bus Service

The night bus service in Paris is known as Noctilien service. It operates within the greater Paris region from 12:30am to 5:30am. It has 47 lines catering to almost all places in the greater Paris region. Check if the zone is covered by a particular line you wish to travel before using your transport pass.

Trams

Tramways in Paris are very popular amongst the Parisians. For tourists, a long tram ride would be a great option to watch the cityscape. Presently there are 4 operative lines mainly serving the perimeter of the city. The line numbers are T1, T2, T3 and T4. RATP is working on further enhancement of tramways to introduce more lines and extended services. Nowadays Paris tramways are complementing the existing RER and metro network. As of 2018, tramways network covers 105 kilometers and serves more than a million passengers annually.

Take a pleasant ride by T3 line that operates in southern part of Paris proper. This modern tramway passes through a series of boulevards known as ‘Boulevards of the Marshals’ encircling Paris… and that’s the reason why this tramway is also known as ‘Marshals Tram’.

Metro Rail

Metro railway service in Paris is extensive. Maximum distance between any two metro stations is 500 metres. While using metro in Paris a good idea is to download the map on your phone. RATP app for iPhone and android are available online. Otherwise click a shot with your cell phone camera of any physical map displayed at all the metro stations.

Presently 16 lines are operative connecting 300 odd metro stations. A large yellow ‘M’ letter indicates there is a metro station. This is the easiest and fastest mode of transport and favoured by the locals as well as tourists.

Metro service operates from 6:00am to 12:45am between Sunday to Thursday. On Fridays and Saturdays, the night metro service is extended for one hour more.

Although the frequency depends upon day of the week and time but during peak hours you will find a train in every two minutes. You will find distinctive colours and numbers for different lines on the RATP signs and the maps. Gare du Nord metro station which also serves RER, Transilien and long distance trains connecting international destinations, is the busiest station in Paris. You can obtain a free metro map from ticket offices in any metro station.

Note:

In peak season Paris transports are crowded especially Paris metro
Avoid availing metros during peak hours (8:00am to 10:00am and from 5:00pm to 7:00pm)

Metros do not have air-conditioning
Since elevators and escalators are hard to find be prepared to use the stairs while travelling by metro

Trains

The suburban express railways or the RER train network serves the outskirts and the suburbs of Paris. It has 5 lines serving greater Paris region and all the lines are marked with distinctive colours. RER service operates from 6:00am until 12:45am 7 days a week. Carefully note the train timings and your destination station; if possible take a picture of the timetable in your phone. Even if you travel one station further than what your pass allows, it can attract a hefty fine.

Apart from RER, Transilien train service is also available in Paris to reach different regions in France. Nord, Est, Lyon, Austerlitz, Montparnasse and Saint Lazare are the Transilien stations in Paris. Tickets can be bought from the lle-de France ticket desk and automatic ticket vending machines.

LE Bus Direct

This is shuttle service that connects airports and Paris. It has four lines that connect Orly airport to Champs Elysees, CDG airport to Eiffel Tower, CDG airport to Orly airport and CDG airport to Gare Montparnasse. Tickets can be bought online from www.lebusdirect.com and e-ticket can be printed or can be shown from your mobile phone directly to the driver. Charges for the four lines are as follows… Single ticket for line 1 (Ligne 1) costs 12 Euros, line 2 costs 18 Euros, line 3 costs 22 Euros and line 4 costs 18 Euros.

Roissy Bus Service

Roissy bus service operates between CDG airport and Paris Opera. It operates from 5:15am to 12:30 am and frequency depends on time of the day, but you will mostly get one in every 15 minutes. This service operates from all CDG terminals. The approximate journey time is one hour and the fare is 12.50 Euros. Navigo pass for zone 1 to 5 is accepted. Tickets can be bought online.

City Taxi

There are over 20,000 taxis operating 24 hours in Paris. However after midnight you might not be able to hail a cab at your will. ‘Taxi Parisien’ is the sign displayed on all licensed taxi roofs. Taxis have fare metre inside and driver has a badge with his license number on it. Taxi drivers can sometimes refuse if they feel your route is somewhat inconvenient for them.

2.40 Euros is the minimum fare, every kilometre fare is 0.96 Euros from Monday to Saturday between 10:00am to 05:00 pm and 1.17 Euros between 05:00pm to 10:00am. On Sundays from 07:00am until midnight the fare per kilometre is 1.21 Euros and after midnight is 1.47 Euros.

For fourth passenger they will charge you additional 3 Euros and for second luggage onwards 1 Euro per suitcase. Waiting charge for an hour is 30.33 to 35.05 Euros. Minimum service charge is 6.20 Euros. Charges are the same wherever you hire a taxi. Nowadays there is only one phone number (01 4530 3030) for all the taxi companies operating in Paris.

Transport Passes

It is always wise to get a suitable transport pass while visiting Paris. You will find multiple passes and ticketing options in Paris like All-Inclusive Pass, Prepackaged Pass, Museum Pass and Transport Pass. Note that all travel passes in Paris are valid from the 12 midnight of the first day until 11:59pm of the last day.

You can find a wide range of Paris sightseeing passes and tickets and purchase online from this Viator site.

Below are the details of various passes :

Paris Visite Transport Pass

This is purely a transportation pass that offers free public transport within the city. This pass offers unlimited travel by bus, metro, tram, SNCF Transilien Network and RER Network within the designated zones of Paris and its suburbs. There are two types of passes available. One is valid for Zone 1 to 3 in Paris and the other one is valid for greater Paris (all zones) and the lle-de-France region… this includes airport connections, Orlyval, Disneyland Paris and Chateau de Versailles. Validity of this pass varies for 1, 2, 3 and 5 days. Often partner companies of RATP give attractive discounts on their varied tourism products.

Following are the price details for Paris Visite Transport Pass.

For zone 1 to 3, cost of a one day pass for adult is 12 Euros and for children is 6 Euros. A two day pass costs 19.5 Euros to adults and 9.75 Euros for children. Price for a three day pass is 26.65 Euros for adults and 13.30 Euros for children. And a five day transport pass costs 38.35 Euros for adults and 19.15 Euros for children.

For the greater Paris area (zone 1 to 5), one day pass for adult costs 25.25 Euros and for children 12.60 Euros. Price of a two day pass is 38.35 for adults and 19.15 Euros for children. Three day pass costs 53.75 Euros to adults and 26.85 to children. And a five day pass is 65.80 Euros for adults and 32.90 for children.

This pass can be obtained from ticket desks and vending machines in all RATP stations and airports. You can buy it online from parisinfo.com or from several other online portals. For further information you may visit www.ratp.fr. Please note that you must write your first name and last name on the designated areas of the travel pass along with starting and ending dates.

Do not forget to validate your pass at the beginning and at the end of each journey at the ticket gates or validating machines. The pass will become active when you validate it for the first time.

Mobilis

Mobilis is a one day travel pass for select zones in Paris allowing you to take unlimited free rides in public transports. You are able to travel to the greater Paris areas with a Mobilis pass and can avail metro, bus, tram, RER and airport connections (i.e. Orlybus, Orlyval and Roissybus). Like Paris visite travel passes you need to write down your last name and first name with the date at the designated area of this magnetic ticket.

Pass for use in any consecutive pair of zones (1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4 and 4 to 5) costs 7.50 Euros while for consecutive 3 zones (1 to 3, 2 to 4 and 3 to 5) it costs 10 Euros, and for zone 1 to 4 and 2 to 5 it costs 12.40 Euros. Mobilis for all 5 zones (1 to 5) costs 17.80 Euros. You can buy Mobilis from all the stations (metro, tramways and RER) and bus points.

Locals normally uses single ride T+ tickets (available in booklets of 10 also), Navigo weekly, monthly and yearly travel passes.

The Paris Pass

If you are a tourist and planning your trip to spend a week in Paris then The Paris Pass is a good buy for you. It will give you free access to 60+ attractions in Paris that includes Louvre Museum, Orsay Museum, Centre Pompidu and many more. This means you don’t even have to spend time standing on a queue to obtain your entry tickets.

With this card you will receive one Paris Visite Travel Card which will be valid for the same duration and give you free unlimited access to bus, metro, tram and RER trains within zone 1 to 3. Apart from all these it will provide a Big Bus Tour Ticket for a free hop on hop off ride in Paris. The pass is issued for two to six days.

Here are the costs of The Paris Pass… 2-day pass for adults is 131 Euros, teens (12 to 17 years) 81 Euros and children (4 to 11 years) 44 Euros. 3 days pass costs 160 Euros for adults, 96 Euros for teens and 49 Euros for children. 4 days pass costs 189 Euros for adults, 106 Euros for teens and 56 Euros for children. 6 days pass costs 224 Euros for adults, 126 Euros for teens and 69 Euros for children. You can buy The Paris Pass online from www.parispass.com and opt for collecting it after reaching Paris or else you can ask to ship it to your home.

Turbopass (Paris City Pass)

It is quite like The Paris Pass with few differences. It offers free entry to 60+ top attractions in Paris including Louvre Museum, Notre Dame, Musee d’Orsay (Orsay Museum) etc. It also includes unlimited free rides in bus, tram and metros all through the city along with free cable car ride at Montmartre. It additionally offers a free boat ride starting from Eiffel Tower on river Seine with free audio guide. Free gifts and discounts on purchasing various products from some selective shops in Paris are also included.

You can order Turbopass online from www.turbopass.com. Following are the prices for the various durations… 2 day turbopass for adults costs 99.90 Euros, for teens 39.90 Euros and for children it is 19.90 Euros. A 3 day pass will cost 119.90 Euros for adults, 49.90 Euros for teens and 29.90 for children. The cost of a 4 day pass is 159.90, 59.90 and 35.90 Euros for adults, teens and children respectively. 5 day pass costs 179.90 Euros for adults, 69.90 Euros for teens and 39.90 for children. And the cost of a 6 day pass is 199.90 Euros for adults, 79.90 for teens and 45.90 Euros for children.

Paris Fast Pass

Since this pass does not offer free transportation we will not get into the details. There are 3 types of such passes… Silver, Golden and Platinum. They offer 1 day (Silver) and 2 day (Golden and Platinum) Big Bus Hop on hop off tour and 1 free Seine River cruise. This pass is valid for 2 and 4 days. It costs around 96 to 127 Euros depending upon duration and category. You can purchase it online.

Paris Passlib Mini

1 day pass offers 1 river cruise on Seine with Bateaux Parisiens and one free tour with the L’Open sightseeing buses. It does not offer any other free transportation. It costs around 40 Euros per adult, 35 Euros for teens and 26 Euros for children.

Multi-day Paris Passlib

In addition to the benefits offered by Paris Passlib Mini, it also offers free entry to 50+ Museums in and around Paris and unlimited rides within zone 1 to 3 by bus, tram, metro and RER. This pass is available for 2,3 and 5 days. The cost of the pass is as follows… 2 day pass costs 109 Euros for Adults, 65 Euros for teens and 35 Euros for children. Price of a 3 day pass is 129 Euros for adults, 70 for teens and 39 Euros for children while the cost of a 5 day pass is 155 Euros for adults, 90 Euros for teens and 47 Euros for children. You can purchase it online.

Among other passes Paris City Pass is worth mentioning. Note that this has nothing to do with turbo pass mentioned earlier. It offers 1 free Seine cruise, single way shared shuttle from CDG or Orly airport to the city and additionaly you can opt for 3 days metro card. With 3 day metro card this pass costs 101.50 Euros for adults, 78 Euros for teens (13 years to 18 years) and 52 Euros for children (5 years to 12 years).

Getting To Major Attractions

Paris is divided into 20 districts (arrondissements) and the centre of the city is known as Kilometre Zero which is located in front of Notre Dame Cathedral. The area around Notre Dame is considered as the city centre area.

To reach Eiffel Tower, take a RER C line (Yellow) train towards Versailles from Saint Michel Notre Dame station and get down at Champ de Mars; from there it is around 6 to 7 minute walk. The train journey takes around 11 minutes.

For Louvre Museum take the metro line 1 train from Hotel de Ville towards La Defense. It takes 3 minutes to reach Palais Royal Musée du Louvre station. You can also take a bus or RER train but in both cases you need to walk for more than a kilometre.

To reach Sacre-Coeur take the metro line 10 from Cluny La Sorbonne towards Boulogne and disembark at Estacion de Sèvres (Babylon). From there change to line 12 metro towards Front Populaire and get down at Abbesses. Total journey time is 18 minutes (excluding your walking time).

Musee d’Orsay is a museum with rich collections of impressionist work. The museum is located on the left bank of the river. Take a RER C line train towards Invalides/Pontoise and get down at Gare Musee d’Orsay. Journey time is 3 minutes.

Luxembourg Garden or the Jardin du Luxembourg is a 61 acres garden. You can walk from the city centre (the distance is less than a kilometer) or else take a RER B line train from Saint Michel Notre Dame towards Gare de Robinson and get down at Luxembourg.

Popular Day Trips

Versailles is a popular destination among tourists. History buffs will love to explore the stories of Queen Marie Antoinette or the Sun King. For nature lover too there are many things to explore. Take an RER line C (yellow line) train from Gare d’Austerlitz (Paris) towards Gare de St Quentin en Yvelines and get down at Gare de Versailles Rive Gauche (around 42 minutes journey). Single way journey costs €3.65 per person. You will get trains throughout the day.

For Disneyland, take the A line (Red) RER train from Gare de Lyon, Paris to Marne-La-Vallee – Chessy. Journey time is around 40 minutes and a single way ticket costs €7.60.

The Norman City Rouen is an antique dealers’ district and has lot to offer from a stunning Cathedral to half-timbered houses. Take a TER train from Saint Lazare Train Station and get down at Gare de Rouen. Journey time is around 1 hour 30 minutes and a single way journey costs €19.50.

Read: Exotic day trips from Paris that you must not miss.

Car Rentals

There are many car rental companies in Paris. Mostly these are self-driven cars. Every company has their own set of rules but the government has set three basic rules to follow. Minimum age must be 21 years and you must possess a license for at least one year. A valid driving license and a credit card is must while renting a car.

Here is the list of few government approved companies for hiring a car:

Ada– Fare starts from 29 Euros per day depending upon the model and other specific requirements (www.ada.fr/location-voiture-paris.html).
Sixt location de voitures– Minimum rate starts from 40 Euros per day (www.sixt.fr).
Travelcar– Starting from 35 Euros per day (www.travelcar.com).

Budget- Starting from 33 Euros per day (www.budget.com/en/locations/fr/paris)

Bicycle Rentals

Bicycling is the coolest way to roam around Paris. There are many bicycle rental companies. Here are some of the well-known ones.

Paris Bike Tour– Rate for half day is 12 Euros, full day (8 hours) 15 Euros, 24 hours 20 Euros and for additional day 10 Euros (www.parisbiketour.net/en/)

Velib Metropole Bike Rentals– The most popular in Paris. You can purchase a one day V-decouverte pass or a V-sejour pass for 7 days. With both the passes you can hire 5 bicycles at a time (good for families). 1 day pass costs 5 Euros and 7 day pass costs 15 Euros (www.velib-metropole.fr/en_GB)
Fat Tire Bike Tours– You can hire a bike for 4 Euros per hour or 25 Euros per day (www.fattiretours.com/paris?)

Scooter Rentals

Freescoot (www.freescoot.fr/en/) – Rental rates start from 65 Euros for a day and 150 Euros for 3 days.

Left Bank Scooters (www.leftbankscooters.com/) – Rate Starts from 70 Euros per day. The rate varies depending upon the model.
Cooltra (www.cooltra.com/fr/) – Rental rate starts from 60 Euros onwards per day.
Club Scooter Rental (www.club-scooter-location.com/en/) – 40 Euros for 24 hours, 160 Euros for 5 days.

Transport tips

Although metro service is superb in Paris, sadly proper facilities for physically challenged are not available at all stations
It is nice to explore the city on foot, but be careful of random dog poops.
Do not forget to take a walk down the Champs-Elysees to visit Arc de Triomphe

Paris has a tourist season round the year, so there is always a rush
You can avail TGV (superfast trains) to make day trips to locations out of Paris but it could be costly.