Transportation
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Metros, buses, trams, trains, taxis, etc. Find out how to get around in Paris and all the useful information to get your bearings.
A very dense rail network
Six major railway stations are spread across Paris: Gare Saint-Lazare, Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, Gare de Lyon, Gare d’Austerlitz and Gare Montparnasse. They can be used to travel in Paris but also link the capital to other regions of France, in particular by T.G.V. (train à grande vitesse – high-speed trains).
298 metro stations!
The metro is a favourite type of transport in Paris. There are sixteen lines which operate generally from 5.20am to 1.15am. The times of the first and last trains per line and per station are displayed on the platforms.
Since December 2006, metro and tram lines operate for one more hour on Saturdays and on evenings before bank holidays. This is also the case for the three lines of the PC bus which operate around the outer boulevards of Paris.
You will find a metro entrance approximately every five hundred metres: 298 stations and a very dense coverage of Paris. Entrances are indicated by poles with “Métro”, “Métropolitain” or “M” signs. The RER (réseau express régional – regional express network), which comprises five lines, crosses Paris and serves the suburbs. It operates from 4.45am to 1.30am. The train timetables are displayed in the stations and on the platforms. For the RER and the metro, each line has its own colour, number (for the metro), letter (for the RER) and directions.
» Maps, useful information...(in English)
Bus et tramway
In Paris, all buses operate from Monday morning to Saturday evening and many operate on Sundays and bank holidays. They run from 5.30am to 8.30pm, some lines up to 12.30am. At night, around forty “Noctilien” lines take over. The tram has three lines (T1, T2 and T3). The T3 line was opened in December 2006 in the south of Paris, on the outer boulevards. The line links the Porte d'Ivry (13th arrondissement) and the Pont du Garigliano (15th arrondissement). Lastly, suburban trains (“Transilien” network) leave from the main railway stations in Paris.
The basic ticket –“T+” – costs €1.50 per ticket (price on 1st July 2007). It can be used to take the metro for one trip. It also enables you to travel from one bus to another or a tram for one and a half hours, without having to buy a new ticket. You may also use all the metro and RER within Paris, and bus networks in Paris and in the suburbs. It is possible to buy most tickets from abroad.
Taxis 24/7
More than fifteen thousand taxis cover the city day and night. They are easily recognisable due to their specific features (light on the roof of the vehicle, meter in kilometres per hour on the dashboard, plate with license number on the right wing, etc.). To take a taxi, you can hail one in the street, go to a taxi rank or call a taxi company such as taxis G7, taxis Bleus or Alpha taxis.
Taxis in the 134 bays in Paris can be reached 24/7 by calling a simple number (cost of a local call) managed by Paris City Hall: 01 45 30 30 30
At any time of day, the vocal server puts you through to taxis available near the bays distributed over the 20 arrondissements.
Vélib': thousands of self-service bicycles
Vélib' is a network of self-service bicycles created by Paris City Hall in 2007. 20,000 bicycles are accessible in 1451 stations operated by electronic terminals in all Parisian arrondissements! You can take out short-term rental subscription (1 day and 7 days) or a "Vélib’ 1 year" subscription. The electronic terminals in the stations can be used to obtain information and make payments.
Information on Vélib': 01 30 79 79 30
» Consult the Vélib' website
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