Are you planning to go to Paris any time soon? Then like any other tourist, you but be excited to explore the entire city. And guess what? Paris metro system is a big relief when it comes to exploring the city of love.
However, I would like to give you a heads-up that it can be an expensive tour as the transportation charges are relatively high in France. Although, there are plenty of options to commute in Paris. Anyways, the Metro in Paris is highly preferred by tourists.
Before diving into the Metro details, here is the link to know if you want to know the estimated cost of travelling to Paris.
Paris metro is the most economical transportation available to get from one place to another. Subway in Paris has 16 lines and has 303 stations. The biggest benefit of the Paris metro is that is also the fastest vehicle.
Quick information
- Single ticket price: €1.90
- Opening hours: Sun – Thurs: 5:30 AM to 12:40 AM and Fri – Sat: 5:30 AM to 1:40 AM
- Precaution: Keep your ticket with you while taking a subway in Paris as at times there are ticket checks
The best thing is that you can avail Metro from very start of your Paris trip. Now the question is how? this is absolutely possible if you install and use these Paris travel Apps. Besides, Airports in Paris are gigantic and most tourists get confused after landing in Paris. Therefore, it is better if you go through my Airports in Paris guide.
1. Paris metro tickets
A single ticket for a metro in Paris will cost you around €1.90. You can use a single ticket for one journey and this includes all connections. To use the metro in Paris, you can buy either a single ticket or a book of 10 tickets.
If you planning for a longer stay, then you can even consider a monthly or weekly package. You can easily buy these tickets from the ticket offices or machines. Or, you can find out ticket price and collect travel pass on this website.
2. Paris metro Passes
You can save a couple of bucks by knowing which ticket will be the best for you, depending on the length of your stay. Following are the type of tickets available for the metro in Paris:
- Single ticket: This will cost you around €1.90.
- 10 tickets for an adult: This will cost you around €14.90.
- 10 tickets for a child (4-10 years): This will cost you around €7.45.
However, if you are planning to explore Paris in just one day, then I will suggest you opt for a Day ticket – Carte Mobilis. Many people are not aware of this Paris metro option despite the fact it is the most economical. Following is the information for a Single Day ticket – Carte Mobilis
- 1-2 or 2-3 or 2-4 or 4-5 Zone: This will cost you around €7.50
- 1-3 or 2-4 or 3-5Zone : This will cost you around €10.00
- Zone 1-4 or 2-5: This will cost you around €12.40
- Zone 1-5: This will cost you around €17.80
3. How to find a metro station in Paris
In several arrondissements in Paris, it can be difficult to find a metro in Paris, especially if you are not familiar with the Parisian neighborhoods. Following are the metros that you can take to get to various attractions sites in your tour:
- Metro 1 and 7 for the Louvre Museum
- Metro 4 for Notre Dame Cathedral
- Metro 1,2 and 6 for Arc de Triomphe
- Metro 12 for Musee d’Orsay
- Metro 11 for Centre Pompidou
- Metro 4, 6, 12, and 13 for Montparnasse Tower
- Metro 3, 7, and 8 for Paris Opera House
- Metro 7, and 14 for Big Bus Tour
- Metro 5 for Seine River Cruise
4. How to use the metro in Paris
If you have never used the metro in Paris before, then I can understand that the process might be overwhelming for you. However, you have nothing to worry about, as it is very easy to learn.
There are total 16 metro lines in Paris. Line 1 of the Metro has 25 stations and allows you to travel from La Défense-Grande Arche to Château de Vincennes. Then, Line 2 has 32 stations and runs from Porte Dauphine to Nation stations.
Line 3 has 25 stations and stretches from Pont de Levallois-Bécon to Gallien. Moreover, Line 4 has 26 stations are runs from Porte de Clignancourt to Porte d’Orléans. Line 5 has 22 stations and connects Place d’Italie to Bobigny-la Folie.
Paris metro is available everywhere!
In addition, Line 6 has 28 stations and connects Charles de Gaulle-Étoile to Nation. Line 7 of Paris Metro has 38 stations and stretches between La Courneuve-8 Mai and Mairie d’Ivry. Line 8 of the subway in Paris has 38 stations and connects Balard with Pointe du Lac.
Paris Metro line 9 has 33 stations and connects Pont de Sèvres with Montreuil. Similarly, you can look for other lines and check out their routes.
Metro timings
From Sunday to Thursday, Metro operates from 5:30 am to 12:40 am. In addition, Friday and Saturday, it runs from 5:30 am to 1:40 am. During rush hours, you will have to wait for 2 minutes to catch a train after reaching the station. You can also use the interactive apps for the metro map that also allow you to download the pdf of your route.
This showcases how there are several benefits of the subway in Paris, as it allows you to save time and money, easily travel from one place to another, and provides utmost convenience. Furthermore, it is very easy to use as throughout the stations there are automatic barriers where you can insert your ticket.
Additionally, the subway in Paris is easy to navigate so after using it once or twice, you will get the hang of it. You can either pick a metro map for your guidance or use the direction boards installed all across the stations, to get to your destination.
5. Paris suburban train lines
While taking a tour in Paris, it is important to be aware of all the suburban train lines. You might have heard of R Réseau Express Régional (also called RER) which connects Paris to the suburban area. It is very similar to any Metro in Paris, apart from having fewer stops. It consists of five lines called A, B, C, D, and E and has 257 stations and they all have underground tracks.
6. Precautions while taking a subway in Paris
Being a traveler, there are certain things you should take precautions for, such as beware of pickpocketing while traveling in the metro in Paris. Thus, I will recommend you to be alert while traveling. Here are the things that you should avoid in Paris. There are certain ways you can prevent pickpocketing not in Paris metro, but throughout your journey. For instance,
- Only carry essential items.
- Be alert while traveling to tourists attraction sites
- While leaving hotels and restaurants in Paris, take a mental note of all the items you are carrying.
If you are from the USA then the experience of taking a subway in Paris might not be unique. However, for others, I hope you have a great, unique experience.
So are you excited to navigate the metro in Paris?