How to Get Around Paris: A Practical Guide to Tickets, Metro and Transport

We love visiting Paris. The city has so much to offer, from iconic sites like the Eiffel Tower, through to world class museums like the Louvre and famous shows like the Moulin Rouge.

Then there are all the fun neighbourhoods to explore, the fantastic dining options, the cafes. The list goes on!

Paris isn’t exactly compact though, so when you visit, you are going to need a plan for how to get around. While you certainly can walk, you will be able to fit more sights in if you take advantage of one of the many transport options available.

In this guide, I’m going to cover everything you need to know about getting around Paris. I’ll explain how to buy tickets, which tickets and passes are worth your money (and which aren’t), and go through every transport option in the city. I’ve also included a section on getting to and from the airports, since that’s one of the first things you’ll need to figure out.

If you just want the short version: buy a Navigo Easy card (€2) at any metro station, load it with individual tickets (€2.55 each for the metro and RER, €2.05 for buses and trams), and you’re good to go. Most visitors will spend €8 to €10 a day on transport this way. Read on for the detail.

This guide accompanies our other Paris content, which includes itineraries for Paris, guides to where to eat in Paris, and many other posts. See more of these in the resources section at the end of the post.

Public Transport Zones in Paris

Before jumping into the individual transport options, here’s a quick overview of the zone system in Paris so you have an idea of how this works.

Like many cities, the public transport system in Paris is divided into zones. There are five transport zones, formed as concentric circles. Zone 1 is the inner zone covering the city centre, and the zones radiate outwards to Zone 5.

Zones 1 to 3 cover the majority of the city centre and most attractions that visitors will want to see.

Some locations are outside of zones 1 to 3. Versailles and Orly Airport are in Zone 4. CDG Airport, Disneyland Paris, and Château de Fontainebleau are in Zone 5.

One important thing to know: unlike a city like London, the fare zones in Paris do not affect individual metro ticket pricing. A single metro ticket is good for any journey, regardless of zones covered. The fare zones do apply to RER trains, buses, trams and commuter trains when travelling outside Zone 1.

 

How to Buy Tickets for Public Transport in Paris

Paris went through a major ticketing overhaul in 2025, and as of 2026 the transition is complete. The old paper tickets, including the t+ tickets and paper Paris Visite passes, are gone. Paper tickets will stop working on buses in May 2026 and on the entire rail network (metro, RER, trains) in June 2026.

Everything is now electronic. To use public transport in Paris, you need either a physical Navigo Easy card or a smartphone app.

If you have old paper t+ tickets from a previous trip, they can be exchanged for electronic versions at RATP or SNCF ticket offices until September 1st, 2026, up to a limit of 20 tickets per day. After that they’re going to be worthless unfortunately.

 

The Navigo Easy Card (Our Recommendation)

The Navigo Easy card is a small plastic contactless card that you load with tickets. It costs €2 to buy, doesn’t require a photo or registration, and can be purchased at ticket offices and vending machines at metro and RER stations.

Once you have the card, you load tickets onto it at the vending machines in any station. These machines accept card and cash payments and can be switched to English.

Look for the purple machines marked “Rechargement Navigo” for reloading, or the green-screened machines for both buying new cards and loading tickets.

We have used both the physical Navigo Easy card and the RATP smartphone app, and the card is a lot easier to use in our experience. I’m pretty technically savvy (I have a bachelor’s in computer science!) and even I found the app process rather convoluted and confusing. The €2 for the card is well worth it for the simplicity.

That said, if you would prefer to use your smartphone, you can download the Bonjour RATP app. This can be used instead of a Navigo Easy card and saves you the €2 fee. The app is available in English, though you do need a compatible smartphone with NFC. Some users report difficulties getting it to work, particularly with non-European phone numbers. You may also need to install an additional app like Mes Tickets Navigo.

Once you have the Bonjour RATP app up and running, you can preload it with tickets for the same price as preloading a physical Navigo Easy card. The app also includes journey planning and offline mapping, which is handy.

Note that to top up cards and purchase tickets your device will need an internet connection.

 

Ticket Types and Prices (2026)

This is where it gets a bit confusing, so pay attention. As of 2025, Paris has two separate types of single ticket. You can’t use one in place of the other, and you can’t transfer between the two on the same ticket.

The Metro-Train-RER ticket costs €2.55 for an adult (€1.30 for children aged 4 to 9, free for under 4s). This ticket is valid for:

• A single journey on the metro in any zone, with line changes allowed within 2 hours of validation. You can also transfer to the RER for Zone 1 travel.
• Zone 1 travel on the RER
• A single ride on the Montmartre Funicular

The Bus-Tram ticket costs €2.05 for an adult. This ticket is valid for:

• A bus journey of up to 90 minutes from first to last validation, including bus changes and transfer to the tram
• A tram journey of up to 90 minutes from first to last validation, including changing to another tram

The important thing to understand is that these are separate tickets. If you take the metro to a station and then want to catch a bus, you will need to tap a Metro-Train-RER ticket for the metro and a separate Bus-Tram ticket for the bus. There is no free transfer between the rail and surface networks on single tickets.

You can buy a Bus-Tram ticket when boarding a bus by paying €2.50 in exact change to the driver. You can also get a Bus-Tram ticket by texting “Bus” followed by your bus line number to 93100. The SMS you receive is your ticket, which you show to the driver.

Throughout 2026, Paris is rolling out the ability to pay by tapping your Visa or Mastercard directly on buses. This is not yet available on the metro.

Prior to 2025, it was possible to buy a packet of 10 tickets (a carnet known as a T-10) at a discount. This option no longer exists, not even in electronic format. As of January 1, 2026, there is no volume discount for loading multiple tickets. Ten tickets simply cost 10 × €2.55 = €25.50.

 

Passes for Travel in Paris

If you are going to be doing a lot of travelling in a single day, there are pass options that might save you money.

Navigo Jour (1 Day Card) costs €12.30 as of 2026 and covers unlimited travel on metro, RER, bus, tram and funicular across all zones for one calendar day (midnight to midnight, not 24 hours). It can be loaded onto a Navigo Easy card or smartphone app. It breaks even at about 5 metro rides or 6 bus rides, so most visitors following one of our Paris itineraries will find individual tickets cheaper. One important note: the Navigo Jour does not include travel to or from CDG or Orly airports.

Paris Visite Pass is available for 1, 2, 3 or 5 consecutive days and covers unlimited travel across all zones, including airports, Disneyland Paris and Versailles. The 2026 prices are: 1 day €30.60, 2 days €45.40, 3 days €63.80, 5 days €78.00 (children 4 to 9 half price). It must be loaded onto a Navigo Easy card or smartphone app.

To be direct: the Paris Visite pass is poor value for most visitors. A 1-day pass at €30.60 means 12 metro rides to break even. Over 3 days at €63.80, that buys you about 25 individual tickets. Unless you are doing multiple day trips to airports, Versailles and Disneyland, you will spend less buying individual tickets. It also counts calendar days, not 24-hour periods, so activating at 8pm wastes a full day by midnight. If you do buy it, activate it first thing in the morning.

Navigo Week Pass (Navigo Semaine) costs €32.40 as of 2026 and gives unlimited travel on all zones (including airports) from Monday to Sunday. It requires a Navigo Découverte card (€5, requires a passport-sized photo) rather than a Navigo Easy card. It can also be loaded via smartphone.

This is excellent value if your trip lines up with a Monday to Sunday week. It includes CDG and Orly airports, which alone would cost €28 in airport tickets for a return trip. Be aware that as of August 2025, CDG Airport train stations no longer sell Navigo Découverte cards. You’ll need to buy one at a metro station in central Paris, or use the smartphone app.

There is also the Navigo Liberté+, a pay-as-you-go option that charges €2.04 per metro ride and €1.64 per bus ride (a 20% discount over standard tickets), with a daily cap of €12.30. You are charged at the end of each month. It requires a French bank account or a European mobile phone number to set up, so it won’t be practical for most short-term visitors from outside France.

 

Our Recommendation

For most visitors to Paris, our recommendation is simple. Buy a Navigo Easy card (€2) at any metro station when you arrive. Load it with Metro-Train-RER tickets (€2.55 each) and Bus-Tram tickets (€2.05 each) as you need them. If you know you’ll have a day of heavy transport use (5+ metro rides), load a Navigo Jour day pass (€12.30) for that day instead.

If your trip aligns with a Monday to Sunday week and you plan to visit locations outside central Paris (Versailles, airports, Disneyland), look at the Navigo Week pass (€32.40 + €5 for the Découverte card). At €37.40 total, it’s a bargain for a full week of unlimited travel including airport transfers.

Skip the Paris Visite pass unless you have a very specific reason to buy it. The maths rarely works out in your favour.

 

Tickets for Airport Travel

If you plan to travel to or from CDG or Orly airports by public transport, you will need a separate Paris Region Airports ticket costing €14. This ticket is valid on the RER B to CDG and on Metro Line 14 to Orly. It can be loaded onto a Navigo Easy card.

One thing to note: loading a Paris Region Airports ticket and standard Metro-Train-RER tickets on the same Navigo Easy card at the same time has been reported to cause issues. If this happens to you, the suggested workaround is to use a second Navigo Easy card (another €2) or use the smartphone app for one type and the card for the other.

All Paris Visite passes (1 to 5 days) include airport travel and cover all zones. The Navigo Week pass also includes airport travel.

 

How To Get Around Paris

There are many options for getting around Paris. Below I’ll go through each of these so you can pick the right one for your needs.

The public transport options (metro, bus, RER, tram) are all operated by RATP, and you can find full fare information and schedules on the RATP website.

 

Metro

The Paris Metro is our preferred way to get around central Paris. It’s fast, affordable, runs frequently, and covers the majority of the attractions you’ll want to visit.

The metro system has 16 lines and 308 stations, primarily covering transport zones 1 and 2. Wherever you are in central Paris, you shouldn’t be too far from a metro stop.

Each line has a number (1 to 14, plus 3bis and 7bis) and its own colour. The entrance to each station will usually have signs showing which lines it serves, with the line number in a circle matching its colour.

When you enter a station, you need to know which direction to travel. This is indicated by the station at the end of the line. So you need to know which end of the line you want to head towards.

For example, to travel from the Arc de Triomphe to the Louvre, you would take metro Line 1 (yellow). You’d enter at Charles de Gaulle – Étoile station and follow signs for Line 1, direction Château de Vincennes (the eastern end of the line).

To enter the platform, tap your Navigo Easy card on the turnstile reader. Keep your card or ticket until you exit the station. Inspectors can check anywhere in the system, and the fine for not having a valid ticket is €50.

A few practical things to know about the metro:

The doors on most trains do not open automatically. You need to press a green button or lift a metal latch. The newer trains on Lines 1, 14, and the new MF19 trains rolling out on Lines 3 and 10 in 2026 have automatic doors, air conditioning and wider accessibility.

Stand on the right side of escalators and walk on the left. Parisians take this seriously.

The metro runs from around 5:30am until approximately 1:00am Sunday to Thursday, and until around 1:15am on Fridays and Saturdays. The “last metro” time refers to when the last train leaves the end of the line, so the last train through your specific station could be 15 to 30 minutes earlier. Always check the official timetables for your station.

After the metro closes, the Noctilien night bus network operates limited routes across the city from around 12:30am until 5:30am.

Accessibility: Due to the age of the metro network (most stations are over 100 years old), the majority of stations are not accessible for wheelchair users. The exception is Line 14, which is fully automated and 100% accessible with lifts at every station. If accessibility is a priority, the bus network (100% low-floor with ramps) and tram network are much better options. You can find information on accessible travel in Paris and download a map of accessible stations from Île-de-France Mobilités. The RATP website also has a guide to accessibility across their network.

 

Bus

There are around 70 bus routes across central Paris, primarily covering zones 1 to 3. You can see a full map of the bus network here.

Depending on your route, the bus can sometimes be faster than the metro, especially if you can find a direct bus route that replaces an indirect metro journey. You also get a much better view of the city from the bus than you do underground.

Nearly every bus in Paris is wheelchair accessible with electric ramps, which is a significant advantage over the metro for those with mobility needs.

To use the bus, find a bus stop (each will have signs showing which routes serve it) and when you see your bus approaching, signal the driver with a raised arm. Many stops are request-only.

The bus uses Bus-Tram tickets (€2.05). If you’re using a Navigo Easy card, validate it on the purple reader when you board. If you don’t have a ticket, you can usually buy one from the driver for €2.50 in exact change. You can also text “Bus” plus your line number to 93100 and receive an SMS ticket. We recommend having tickets loaded onto your card before boarding to avoid any hassle.

The bus service runs from roughly 5:30am until midnight. Night buses (Noctilien) continue a limited service through the night.

 

RER and Train Lines

As well as the metro, there is a regional rail network across Paris. The RER (Réseau Express Régional) and Transilien commuter trains primarily connect the suburbs with the city centre. In the centre they run underground and share some stations with the metro, so it’s important to be able to tell them apart.

There are five RER lines (A to E) and eight other commuter train lines (H, J, K, L, N, P, R and U). RER lines have their letter inside a coloured circle, usually accompanied by the letters “RER” in blue inside a blue circle.

There are far fewer RER stops in central Paris than metro stops, so most journeys by visitors will be on the metro. But you’ll use the RER for specific destinations:

• Versailles: RER Line C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche
• CDG Airport: RER Line B
• Disneyland Paris: RER Line A to Marne-la-Vallée Chessy
• Orly Airport: Metro Line 14 (extended in 2024, now the fastest option at about 25 minutes from Châtelet)

For travel within Zone 1 on the RER, you can use a standard Metro-Train-RER ticket (€2.55). For travel outside Zone 1, you’ll need a destination-specific ticket. The vending machines at all metro and RER stations can issue the correct ticket when you enter your destination.

RER trains run from around 5am until just after midnight. You can see timetables and maps on the Transilien website. Many RER and Transilien stations are fully accessible. You can see a map of accessible routes here.

 

Tram

Paris has 10 tram lines, the majority of which operate in the suburbs. Most visitors to the city centre are unlikely to use the tram or even be aware that there is a tram system.

The tram is actually the oldest public transport rail network in Paris, dating from 1852. Back then it was pulled by horses, and by 1914 there was a fully electrified system with over 100 lines. The rise of the car killed the tram off in 1937, but a resurgence of interest in green transport brought it back in the 1990s.

The tram system is operated by RATP and accepts Bus-Tram tickets (€2.05). Tram lines each have a number and colour, displayed in a circle matching the line colour, prefixed with a blue circle containing the letter T.

If you’re using a Navigo Easy card, validate on the purple readers on board. All tram lines are 100% accessible with level boarding, making them a good option for travellers with reduced mobility.

 

Funicular

Paris has one funicular (technically a double inclined elevator these days), and it’s in Montmartre. The Montmartre Funicular takes you from the bottom of the hill to the top, saving you the steep climb up to Sacré-Cœur.

It has two stations (lower and upper) with about 40 metres of vertical distance between them. Two cabins operate independently.

The funicular uses the same Metro-Train-RER ticket (€2.55) as the metro. Tap your Navigo Easy card at the turnstile before boarding. Note that you can’t “transfer” to the funicular from a metro journey. It will use a separate ticket.

There aren’t many ticket machines at the funicular stations, so have tickets loaded onto your card before you arrive, especially if it’s busy.

 

Taxi

Paris has an extensive taxi network. Licensed taxis are officially marked with a “Taxi Parisien” light on the roof. If the light is green, the taxi is available. If amber, it’s occupied.

For airport transfers, taxis have regulated flat fares set by the Paris Police Prefecture:

• CDG Airport to Paris Right Bank: €56
• CDG Airport to Paris Left Bank: €65
• Orly Airport to Paris Left Bank: €32
• Orly Airport to Paris Right Bank: €37

These are fixed regardless of traffic or journey time. The minimum fare for any taxi ride is €8. If you book in advance, there’s a €7 booking fee (€4 for immediate bookings). From the 5th passenger, there’s a €5.50 surcharge per person.

All taxis are supposed to accept credit cards, but some drivers will claim their machine is broken. Ask before you get in the car if you want to pay by card.

Be wary of unsolicited offers from anyone claiming to be a taxi driver, particularly at airports and train stations. Always go to the official taxi stand. The G7 app is a reliable way to book official Parisian taxis in advance or on demand.

We have found taxi pricing to be reasonable for shorter journeys around Paris, and the flat-rate airport fares take the stress out of that particular trip.

 

Rideshare Apps

Paris has several rideshare services. The three main options are Uber, Bolt, and Free Now. All three operate similarly: you book via the app, get an upfront fare estimate, and pay through the app.

Prices vary by time of day and demand. It’s worth checking all three apps before booking, as one will often be cheaper than the others for the same route. We’d recommend downloading Citymapper as well, which compares fares across rideshare apps and also plans metro and bus routes. It’s a very useful app for getting around Paris.

One thing to keep in mind: rideshare prices can surge during peak hours or bad weather. Taxis have the advantage of being able to use dedicated bus and taxi lanes, which sometimes makes them quicker.

 

Hop on Hop off Bus

One popular way to get around a new city is a hop on hop off sightseeing bus service. These are open top buses that visit major attractions on a loop route, and you can get on and off as many times as you like during your ticket’s validity period (usually 24 or 48 hours).

Most hop on hop off buses come with audio narration, making the ride an attraction in itself. On a nice warm day, riding an open top bus and seeing all the sights is a great way to spend a couple of hours, even if you don’t get off.

The downside is that buses can be slower than public transport due to traffic, and they’re more expensive than a metro ticket. Routes are also limited compared to the full metro network.

There are a number of hop on hop off bus services in Paris, including Big Bus Paris, which is the one we’ve used.

A hop on hop off bus pass is also included with the Paris Pass, which you can buy here.

 

Riverboat

The River Seine runs through the centre of Paris, passing directly by the Eiffel Tower, Musée d’Orsay, the Louvre and Notre Dame. You can actually get around Paris by river.

There are two ways to do this. The first is a sightseeing river cruise, where you stay on the boat for a round trip. These aren’t transport as such, but they’re a lovely way to see the city from the water.

If you are interested in sightseeing cruises, see our guide to taking a Seine River Cruise for a full rundown of your options. We also have a dedicated guide to Seine River dinner cruises. A Seine river cruise is also included with the Paris Pass, which you can buy here.

If you actually want to use the river as transport, the Batobus service is what you want. This is a hop on hop off boat with 9 stops around the city (including stops near the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame and the Jardin des Plantes). A 1-day pass costs around €23 and a 2-day pass around €27.

It’s a nice way to combine sightseeing with getting around, and you skip road traffic entirely. Boats run approximately every 15 to 25 minutes depending on season. There’s no audio commentary on the Batobus, unlike the dedicated sightseeing cruises.

You can buy hop on hop off tickets for the Batobus here.

 

Cycle

One of the cheapest options for getting around Paris, other than walking, is to cycle.

The largest bike hire scheme is Vélib’ Métropole, which has been in operation since 2007. Tens of thousands of bikes are used via this scheme every day, including standard bikes and electric bikes.

For occasional users, the basic fare is €1 for 30 minutes on a standard bike and €2 for 30 minutes on an electric bike. They also have 1-day and 7-day passes with a fixed upfront fee, after which the first 30 minutes of standard bike hire is free (electric bikes are €1). Following the first 30 minutes, pricing reverts to the standard rate.

There are Vélib’ bike stations all over the city. You’ll need a credit or debit card to rent a bike and will need to register at a Vélib’ machine or through the app (iOS / Android). The app also helps you find available bikes nearby.

Beyond Vélib’, there are various electric bike and scooter rental services available through apps like Lime and Bolt. These services change frequently, but the general model is the same: find a bike or scooter, scan the QR code with the relevant app, and ride. They’re scattered around the city.

Please be careful when riding in Paris. Cycle lanes aren’t available everywhere and drivers are not always looking for cyclists. Read up on the rules regarding where you can and cannot ride.

Bike tours are also a popular option and a great way to see the city. Some options to consider:

• This four hour bike tour that visits the highlights of the city
• A four hour tour using electric bikes to cover the city highlights
• This day tour from Paris that visits Versailles by bike

 

Car

You can, of course, get around Paris by car. You can drive your own car (if in Europe) or rent one at the airport or in central Paris.

I would suggest you don’t! The roads are busy, parking is expensive, and it’s going to be far more stressful than pretty much any other option on this list.

If you do drive, you need to make sure your vehicle meets the Paris clean air standards and has the correct Crit’Air sticker in the window. You can read more about this here.

When we travel to Paris by car, we park in a long term lot outside the city centre and use public transport from there. We use the Parclick service to find parking.

 

On Foot

One of our favourite ways to get around any city is on foot, and Paris is a fairly walkable city for the most part. Distances between major sights aren’t too great, and there is so much to see just wandering the streets.

Nothing beats strolling along the Left Bank, exploring the Tuileries Gardens, or getting lost in the backstreets of Montmartre. If you can, we definitely recommend spending at least some of your time in Paris on foot.

If you are looking for guided walks, two of our favourite walking tour companies in Paris are Take Walks and Context (10% discount on Context walks with our link). You can also find many more options here.

Some examples to consider:

• A full day walking tour of Paris which includes many of the highlights, including the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and a Seine River Cruise
• A three hour tour that includes Sainte-Chapelle and the area around Notre Dame
• A food tour of Paris, which includes some of the best flavours of the city
• There are also many more tours in Paris, see all the options here

 

Getting To and From the Paris Airports

Getting between the airports and central Paris is one of the first challenges visitors face, so here’s a dedicated breakdown of your options.

Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport

CDG is about 25km northeast of central Paris. Your main options:

RER B train: The most popular option. Takes around 35 to 50 minutes to Gare du Nord. Costs €14 (Paris Region Airports ticket). Trains run roughly every 10 to 15 minutes from around 5am to midnight. Note: this is a commuter train and can be very crowded at rush hour, and some travellers find it stressful with heavy luggage. There are also occasional issues with pickpockets on this route.

Bus line 9517: This new service replaced the old RoissyBus (which was discontinued in March 2026). It runs from CDG to Saint-Denis-Pleyel, where you can connect to Metro Line 14, Line 13, and the RER D. This is a newer route and may be less crowded than the RER B.

Taxi: Flat rate of €56 to the Right Bank, €65 to the Left Bank. Takes 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic. Available 24/7 from the official taxi ranks outside each terminal. The most convenient option, especially with heavy luggage or if you’re arriving late at night.

Rideshare (Uber/Bolt): Available at CDG. Prices vary by demand but typically €45 to €70. Can surge during peak times. Be aware that pickup points are designated areas, not at the terminal doors.

CDG Express (coming 2027): A direct express train from CDG to Gare de l’Est is scheduled to open in March 2027. This will be the fastest option at around 20 minutes.

Orly Airport

Orly is about 15km south of central Paris.

Metro Line 14: This is now the fastest way to get from Orly to central Paris, taking about 25 minutes to Châtelet. Costs €14 (Paris Region Airports ticket). This extension opened in 2024 and is a significant improvement over the old options.

Orlyval + RER B: The Orlyval shuttle connects Orly to Antony station on the RER B line. From there you can take the RER B into central Paris. This is now the slower option compared to Metro Line 14.

Taxi: Flat rate of €32 to the Left Bank, €37 to the Right Bank. Available 24/7.

Beauvais Airport

Beauvais is about 80km north of Paris and is used mainly by budget airlines like Ryanair and Wizz Air. It’s a long way from the city. The only practical option is a shuttle bus from Beauvais to Porte Maillot in Paris, which costs about €18 one way and takes around 1 hour 15 minutes depending on traffic.

 

Where to Stay in Paris

Paris has no shortage of accommodation options. We’ve stayed in a variety of places, from hotels to homestays to apartments.

Ideally you want to be fairly central to minimise travel time. Our suggestion is to take a look at the listings for Paris on booking.com. They’re our favourite booking engine when we travel, usually giving us the best choice and prices. Here are some options we suggest, depending on your budget.

• Hôtel Dress Code, a highly reviewed centrally located 4 star hotel a few hundred yards from the opera house
• Hôtel Eiffel Turenne, a well rated 3 star hotel within a ten minute walk of the Eiffel Tower
• Ateliers de Montmartre, an apartment in Montmartre with views of the Sacré-Cœur
• The People Paris Marais, a modern hostel in Le Marais with both dorms and private rooms

If you prefer an apartment, we recommend Plum Guide. They carefully curate their listings so their options tend to be high quality across a range of price points. See their listings for Paris here.

If you can’t find what you want on Plum Guide, we wrote a whole post on the best alternatives to Airbnb which you should check out.

We also have a page full of travel resources, including our tips for getting the best deals on accommodation, which you can find here.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same ticket on the metro and the bus?

No. As of 2025, Paris has two separate ticket types: a Metro-Train-RER ticket (€2.55) and a Bus-Tram ticket (€2.05). If your journey involves both metro and bus, you’ll need to tap two separate tickets. There is no free transfer between the rail and bus/tram networks on single tickets.

What is the best ticket option for tourists visiting Paris?

For most visitors, the best option is a Navigo Easy card (€2 at any metro station) loaded with individual tickets. At €2.55 per metro ride and €2.05 per bus ride, a typical tourist doing 3 to 4 rides a day will spend around €8 to €10 on transport.

If you know you’ll have a heavy day of transport (5+ metro rides), load a Navigo Jour day pass (€12.30) for that day. The Paris Visite multi-day pass is poor value for most visitors, as the maths rarely works out in your favour.

How do I get from CDG Airport to central Paris?

The most common option is the RER B train to Gare du Nord (about 35 to 50 minutes, €14). For a taxi, there are flat rates of €56 to the Right Bank and €65 to the Left Bank. Uber and Bolt are also available at CDG, though prices vary by demand.

If you’re arriving late at night after the last RER (around midnight), you’ll need a taxi or rideshare.

Do I need to keep my ticket after entering the metro?

Yes. Inspectors can check your ticket anywhere in the system, including on platforms, in trains, in corridors and at exits. The fine for not having a valid, validated ticket is €50. Always keep your ticket or Navigo Easy card on you until you’ve left the station.

Are paper metro tickets still valid in Paris?

No. The old magnetic paper tickets (including t+ tickets and paper Paris Visite passes) are being fully phased out in 2026. They stopped working on buses in May 2026, and will stop working on the entire rail network in June 2026. If you have old paper tickets from a previous trip, they are no longer valid. You need either a Navigo Easy card or the Bonjour RATP smartphone app.

Is the Paris metro wheelchair accessible?

Most of the Paris metro is not wheelchair accessible. The system is over 100 years old and most stations have only stairs. The exception is Line 14, which is fully automated and 100% accessible with lifts at every station.

If you need accessible transport, the bus network is your best bet. All buses in Paris are low-floor with electric ramps. All tram lines also have level boarding. The RATP website has a detailed guide to accessibility across their network.

 

Further Reading

That’s it for our guide to how to get around Paris! We’ve visited the city a number of times, and we hope our experiences have helped you figure out how to get around when you visit.

We’ve also written lots of other Paris content, which we think you’ll find useful for your trip. There are also some third party resources we recommend.

• The official RATP website, which is useful for fares, timetables, and updates on any delays that might be affecting the Paris public transport network.
• To help you make the most of your time in Paris, we have a series of itineraries covering spending a day in Paris, 2 days in Paris and 3 days in Paris
• If you’re looking for good photos, we have a guide to the best photography locations in Paris
• We have detailed guides to choosing a Seine River cruise, choosing a Seine River dinner cruise, buying Paris opera tickets, attending a fashion show in Paris and saving money on Michelin starred restaurants in Paris
• We have a detailed review of the Paris Pass to help you decide if it might save you money
• If you like afternoon tea, check out our definitive guide to the best afternoon tea locations in Paris
• We have a detailed guide to attending the famous Moulin Rouge show in Paris
• Coming from London? We have a detailed guide to the best way to get from London to Paris
• For walking tours in Paris, we recommend both Context Tours (link gives 10% off) and Take Walks who both offer tours in Paris
• If you want a guide book, we always like to recommend the Rick Steves guides. Here’s the Rick Steves Paris edition. We also recommend the Lonely Planet guides, and they have a guidebook on Paris.

And that’s it! As always, if you have any questions or comments about this guide to getting around Paris, just let us know in the comments below. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can!