Guide for Paris Metro and RER

How to use public transportation in Paris and suburbs.
Information for directions, fares and schedules.

The Paris Metro (run by the RATP) is the quickest and easiest way to travel around the city, as well as the best value.
300 stations ensure that you are never far from a Metro entrance while in Paris.

If you wish to travel to nearby suburbs use the RER regional express network (run by the RATP and SNCF).
RER ″B″ serves Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports while Disneyland is served by RER ″A″ and Versailles by RER ″C″.

If you need to go in suburbs that are located a bit further from Paris, or just not reachable in RER, you may need to use ″Transilien″ SNCF commuter trains (e.g to Chartres, Fontainebleau, Giverny,…).

Map & Journey planner

 Journey planner
 Map for transportation in greater Paris-Ile-de-France region

Directions & Schedules

The Paris metropolitan area fits into zones 1-5.
Central Paris is zone 1, CDG airport is in zone 5, Orly airport and Versailles in zone 4.
Paris Metro is contained in zones 1-2 (except La Défense station in zone 3).

Paris Metro has 16 lines, numbered from 1 to 14.
The metro operates every day including public holidays from around 05:30 till 00:40 (01:40 on fridays and saturdays).
RER consists of 5 lines referred to by the letters A, B, C, D and E.
The RER operates every day including public holidays from around 05:00 till 00:30.

Each line has a color, which you’ll find on signs in the stations and on all maps. Metro line has two directions, indicated by the terminus station at each end (e.g La Défense-Château de Vincennes). RER signs indicate several end points because each line has different branches. Exit (Sortie) is indicated in blue.

In the RER, you must refer to the overhead panels located above the train platforms to determine the final destination of the train and where it will stop.

Tickets

Tickets are available at all stations, from ticket offices or self-service machines.
There are a wide variety of tickets available including single ride tickets, single day passes, multi-day passes, etc…
You can use a basic single ticket ″ticket+″ when travelling by metro, bus or RER (into central Paris only).
For travel beyond central Paris (zones 1-2) RER ticket prices are determined station to station.
Children under 4 ride for free.
All tickets must be validated immediately on starting travel, access to train platforms is controlled by gate barriers.

Please note that non-smart chip credit cards are not accepted at vending machines.