Paris Public Transportgetting around and about in Paris |
The public transport system (RATP) consists of bus routes, the Métro (underground), the RER suburban express railway (which connects with the Métro inside Paris) and two suburban tramways.
Paris and its suburbs are divided into eight travel zones; zones 1 and 2 cover the city centre. English Information 08.92.68.41.14, www.ratp.fr.
The state rail system SNCF serves the French regions and abroad (Grandes Lignes) and the suburbs (Banhieue). Information: 08.92.35.35.35, www.sncf.com.
Fares & tickets
RATP tickets and passes are valid on the Métro, bus and RER. Tickets and carnets can be bought at Métro stations, tourist offices and tabacs (tobacconists); tickets can also be bought on buses. Keep your ticket to exit from RER stations and in case of spot checks. A ticket costs €1.40; it’s more economical to buy a carnet of ten tickets for €10.50.
Carte Grange passes (passport photo needed) offer unlimited travel in the relevant zones for a week or month. A coupon mensuel (valid from the first day of the month) for zones 1-2 costs €50.40; a weekly coupon hebdomadaire (valid Mon.Sun inclusive) for zones 1-2 costs €15.40 and is better value than Paris Visite passes; three-day pass for zones 1-3 is €18.25; a five-day pass is €26.65, with discounts on some tourist attractions. A one-day Mobilis pass goes from €5.40 for zones 1-2 to €18.40 for zones 1-8 bu not including airports.
Métro & RER
The Paris Métro is at most times the fastest and cheapest means of getting around. Trains run daily 5.3Oam-12.4Oam.
Individual lines are numbered, with each direction named after the last stop. Follow the orange 'correspondance' signs to change lines. Some interchanges, such as Châtelet, Montparnasse-Bienvenue and République involve long walks. The exit (Sortie) is indicated in blue.
The driverless line 14, also known as the Météor, runs from Gare St-Lazare to the new Bibliotheque Nationale.
Be warned, as in any big city, pickpockets and bag-snatchers are rife on the Métro - pay special attention as the doors are closing.
The five RER lines (A, B, C, D and E) run 5.30am to 1.00am daily across Paris and into commuterland. Within Paris, the RER is useful for making faster journeys — for example, Châtelet-Les Halles to Charles de Gaulle-Etoile in only two stops on the RER compared with eight on Métro line 1. Métro tickets are valid for RER journeys within zones 1-2.
Buses
Buses run Monday to saturday from 6.3Oam until 8.3Opm with some routes continuing until 12.30am with a more limited service operating on selected lines on Sundays and public holidays.
You can use a Métro ticket, a ticket bought from the driver (€1.40) or a travel pass. Tickets should be punched in the machine next to the driver; passes should be shown to the driver. When you want to get off, press the red request button. and the 'arrêt demandé' or stop requested sign lights up.
Night buses
After the Métro and normal buses stop, the only public transport, apart from taxis, are the 18 Noctambus lines, which run between place du Châtelet and the suburbs (hourly from 1.30 an through to 5.35am Monday through to Thursday - half-hourly1.00am to 5.35amon Fridays and Saturdays. To recognise this service look out for the owl logo on bus stops. Routes A to H, P, T and V serve the Right Bank and northern suburbs; I to M, R and S serve the Left Bank and southern suburbs. A ticket costs €2.70 and allows one change; travel passes are valid.
River transport
Batobus (www.batobus.com). River buses stop every 15-25 mins at Elifel Tower, Musée d’Orsay, St Germaindes-Prés (Quai Malaquais), Nob-cDame, Jardin des Plantes, Hotel de VOle, Louvre, Champs-Elysées (Pont Alexandre Ill). They run June to September from 10.00am-9.00pm; April-October 10.00am-7.00pm. A short.trip ticket (four stops max) costs €7.50 (€3.50 children, €7 students, €6 carte Orange holders); one-day pass €11 (€5, €9, €7.50); two-day pass, €13 (€7, €11, €9); one-month pass €22 (€12 children); season-ticket €50 (€30 children). Tickets can be bought at Batobus stops, RATP ticket offices and the Office de Tourisme.
Trams
Two modern tramlines operate in the suburbs, running from La Defense to Issy-Val de Seine and from Bobigny Pablo Picasso to St-Denis. They connect with the Métro and RER: fares are the same as for buses.
Rail services
Several suburban attractions, Versailles and Disneyland Paris in particular, are served by the RER. Most locations further from the city are served by the SNCF railway as there are few long-distance bus services. The TGV high-speed train has revolutionised journey times and is slowly being extended to all the main regions.
Tickets can be bought at any SNCF station (not just the one from which you’ll travel), SNCF shops and travel agents. If you reserve online or by phone, you can pay and pick up your tickets from the station or have them sent to your home. SNCF automatic machines (billeterie automatique) only work with French credit/debit cards. Regular trains have full-rate White (peak times) and cheaper Blue periods. You can save on TGV fares by buying special cards. Carte 12/25 gives under-26s a 25%-50% reduction: without it, under-26s are entitled to 25% off. Buy tickets in advance to secure the cheaper fare. Pensioners over 60 benefit from similar terms with a Carte Senior. Before you board any train, stamp your ticket in the orange camp osteur machines located on the platforms, or you might have to pay a hefty fine.
SNCF reservations & tickets
SNCF notional reservations and information: 08.92.35.35.35 ( note this is a premium rate number €0.34 per minute) www.sncf com. Open 7.00am-10.00pm daily.
SNCF information (no reservations) for Ile de France (Paris area) 0891.36.20.20. Open 7.00am 10.00pm daily.
Paris mainline station detinations
Gare d’Austerlitz: Central and SW France and Spain.
Gare de I’Est: Alsace, Champagne and southern Germany.
Gare de Lyon: Burgundy, the Alps, Provence , Italy.
Gare Montparnasse: West France, Brittany , Bordeaux. the Southwest.
Gare du Nord: Northeast France, UK, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Gare St-Lazare: Normandy.
Taxis
Paris taxi drivers are not generally known for their charm, nor for their knowledge of the Paris street plan - if you have a preferred route, say so. Taxis can also be hard to find, especially at rush hour or early in the morning. Your best bet is to find a taxi rank (station de taxis, marked with a blue sign) on major roads, crossroads and at stations. A white light on a taxi’s roof indicates the car is free; an orange light means the cab is busy.
Taxi
charges are based on zone and time of day:
A (7.00am-7.00pm Mon-Sat, €0.62
per km)
B (7.00pm.7.00am Mon-Sat, all day Sun; 7.00am.7.00pm Mon-Sat suburbs
and airports, €1.06 per km)
C (7.00pm-7.00am daily suburbs and airports, €1.24 per km).
Most journeys in central Paris average €6-€12; there’s a minimum charge of €5.10, plus €0.90 for each piea of luggage over 5kg or bulky objects, and a €0.70 surcharge from mainline stations. Most drivers will not take more than three people, although they should take a couple and two children.
Don’t feel obliged to tip, although rounding up by €0.30-€070 is polite.
Taxis are not allowed to refuse rides because they are too short and can only refuse to take you in a particular direction during their last half-hour of service although both rules are blatantly ignored. If you want a receipt, ask for' la note' or 'un reçu'
In the unlikely event of any problems, complaints should be made in writing to the Bureau de la reglementation publique de Paris, 36 rue des Morillons, 75732 Paris Cedex 15.