Paris at a Glance

Transportation in Paris

The iconic subway is the easiest way for newcomers to explore Paris.

An estimated 2.2 million people are currently living in Paris, the “most romantic place on Earth”. Want to join them in your new expat life in Paris? The InterNations article on living in Paris provides you with all the info you need on climate, leisure, transportation, and international schools.

Public Transport

In addition to the famous Paris Métro, Paris has a network of bus, tram and suburban rail services. Despite being operated by three different service providers, all forms of Parisian public transport are united under the umbrella of the Syndicat des Transports d’Île-de-France. The underground, for example, is run by the RATP, which is also responsible for over 300 bus lines and a share of the tramway and RER services. The RER, the Reseau Express Régional, basically extends the underground lines into the suburbs by connecting them to the suburban railway.

The SNCF, la Société Nationale des Chemins de Fers Français (i.e. the national railroad company), also runs some RER and tramway lines, plus all suburban train services. The third organization is OPTILE, a network of private operators responsible for some minor bus lines in Paris. In 2008, the ferry service Voguéo was introduced on a trial basis. There are also more than 45 night buses serving Paris, the suburbs and towns in the Île-de-France region. They are operating under the name Noctilien, another co-operation between RATP and Transilien SNCF.

Transport Tickets

For simplicity´s sake, fares and tickets have been standardized across all forms of transport by the STIF. A Guide tarifaire is published annually and can be downloaded from the STIF website, while Transport-idf.com offers a handy online journey planner. The main ticket options are:

single tickets (Le Ticket t+), which can also be purchased in packs of 10 (en carnet)
rechargeable weekly or monthly travel passes (Navigo Semaine or Mois), which are usually eligible for a 50 % reimbursement by the employer
day travel passes (Mobilis)
several special options for visitors, young people, the unemployed, etc.

Other Forms of Transport

Taxis are a popular mode of transport in Paris, and not even a very expensive one. Tariffs are standardized for all Parisian taxis, but taxis in other departments of the Île-de-France may have their own prices. There are various tariffs for different routes and times of the day, which are calculated either on the base horaire or the base kilométrique.

It is possible to hail a taxi on the street (at least in theory) or – this is the safer bet - to wait at a taxi stand. A green taxi sign signals “free”, a red one means “occupied”. Alternatively, taxis radio can be pre-booked under 0147394739 (number not valid for journeys to the airport). Payment can be made in cash or, for fares of € 15 and above, by credit card. A small tip is expected.

Driving and Cycling

Driving a car in Paris can be very stressful and is not recommended for new-comers. People living and working in central Paris will find that they might not need a car at all. Owning a car could cause more trouble than it’s worth, especially given the very limited parking facilities. If you live in the suburbs, owning a car becomes a much more attractive option. However, many people still chose public transport for their daily commute into town. If you do decide to drive a car in Paris, a rapid response time, nerves of steel, and a couple of French swearwords are indispensable.

Cycling is an increasingly popular alternative. Since 2007, Paris profits from a public bike sharing scheme called Vélib. The Mairie de Paris has various cycling-related websites and services, including an online cycle route planner.

National and International Transport Links

Paris is served by two international airports, Charles de Gaulle and Orly, and one for budget airlines, Beauvais Tillé. Paris-Orly and Paris-Charles de Gaulle are both connected to the public transport network and are linked by the underground line 3. There are 6 major train stations in Paris with high-speed connections to all major French and many European cities, e.g. London, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Cologne.