It may appear to be overwhelming, but the Métro is really easy to use. This underground rail system offers 16 lines (lignes) that run every day – including public holidays – from around 6:00am to 12:30am (2:15am on Friday and Saturday nights). There are usually only a few minutes between trains, so if you can’t get through the doors in time, fear not., another train isn’t far behind. Scheduled timetables for the first and last trains are posted in each station on the center sign.
There are approximately 300 stations, each marked by a big yellow “M” – and many entrances have a big red “Metro” sign that’s illuminated at night.
Each line runs in two directions and is indicated by the names of their terminal stations (those at the end of the line). The #8 line, for instance, is Balard/Créteil. If, for instance, you happen to be at Opéra Garnier and you know that the nearest Métro to your hotel in the 7em is Ecole-Militaire, you would get on the #8 toward Balard. Billboard-sized maps are located at the entrance of each Métro station, and the different directions (and connections) are clearly displayed on blue and white signs on the platforms and in the tunnels. Chances are that your route won’t be so direct, and you’ll need to connect to another train (or two). Again, maps are pretty easy to follow and show where train lines intersect. To make it easy to read, each line is represented in a different color.
There are also 5 train lines called RER A, B, C, D, E. RER trains run at intervals of about 6 to 7 minutes. In addition to stopping along the Métro lines within Paris, the RER trains travel outside the city center to the suburbs. Although a regular Metro ticket can be used within Paris (known as Zone 1), you’ll need to pass the ticket through the turnstile when passing between the subway and the RER lines (the two systems run as separate networks). This ticket is necessary to both enter and exit the RER networks. If you’re caught traveling outside the city center without a valid RER ticket, you will be fined. Tourists get no mercy from the packs of inspectors who roam the system. And if you’re traveling to Charles de Gaulle/Roissy airport, you’ll need to purchase a more expensive RER ticket to get there.
For travel to the suburbs, train arrival times are shown on a monitor hanging from the ceiling inside the RER station, above the platform. Information about the stops to be made by the next train is presented on a separate board also hanging from the ceiling. You need to check this board before you board the train, since not all trains make stops at all stations on any given line.
A single ticket costs €1.60. That said, you get a better value if you purchase a “carnet” of ten tickets for €11.40 at any station. The ticket is valid for unlimited metro, RER, bus and tram transfers. The lilac-colored tickets stay valid for 2 hours – or until you leave the Métro through the exit barriers. You can purchase both single tickets or carnets from the automated machines at the entrance of most Métro stations, or from the ticket window.
You might also consider purchasing a 1-day ticket, a weekly pass, or even a monthly pass, if you plan an extended stay in Paris. The price depends on the zones for which the ticket can be used. The 1-day ticket, called Mobilis, is valid for zones 1-2.
If you’re going to be in Paris for more than a few days, consider purchasing the Navigo Découverte. This pre-paid card can be purchased at most Métro stations for five euros, and can be credited for weekly, monthly and annual use. Like the paper-based tickets, you can use the Navigo smart card on the Métro, the RFPT trains and buses. (If you purchase the account-based Navigo card, simply known as Passe Navigo, you can also use your card at Vèlib service points to rent a bicycle.)
SORTIE means Exit. INTERDIT means No Entrance, and CORRESPONDENCE is a passageway that lets you change trains without leaving the station.
When your train arrives at your stop, the doors might not automatically open. Just push back on the handle (located both inside and outside the train) to open the door.
Keep your Métro ticket or pass with you at all times. You might find yourself passing through a random checkpoint before you exit the Métro station. If you don’t have the ticket you used on this journey, you’ll get a citation and be forced to pay the fine on the spot.
Line 14, which is the only fully automated line, is called the Méteor.
