Transport system in Paris is so confusing that even the French, coming to the capital from the periphery, cannot immediately understand the zones, rules for paying for transfers, numbering of exits and traffic logic. How to avoid getting lost on the Paris metro and save money on travel.
Metro in Paris
The metro in Paris is a slow-moving transport with very short intervals. The travel time from one station to another is less than a minute, and you can cover this distance on foot, along the street, in 5-10 minutes.
Paris is divided into 6 transport zones. The metro is designated by the letter "M" and runs through two central zones. The exception is the Défense metro station, located at the beginning of zone 3.
Metro lines 1 and 14 are equipped with trains without a driver. The control is carried out by a computer, and instead of a control cabin there is a windshield with panoramic view. An unusual sight!
RER high-speed trains in Paris
Integrated with the Paris metro high speed trains RER, which travel to all 6 zones. RER cars are large, often double-decker. The distances between stations are approximately the same as in Moscow. Good speed, convenient layout.
The zones are clearly separated, with a simple ticket you can’t get out of zone 3 (like from the metro at Défense), and you can’t make a transfer in zone 2. 1 RER ticket does not have a fixed price; you need to select the number of zones you want to pay for. Charles de Gaulle Airport and Disneyland are in zone 5.
Suburban and intercity trains SNCF in Paris
Third type railway transport Paris - SNCF. These are suburban and intercity trains. Departures from all Paris train stations. They often have a very convenient traffic pattern, but, unfortunately, are unreliable due to constant strikes, repair work and schedule changes. The zones are cut even thinner and the payment, accordingly, is even higher.
Taxi from Paris airport
Taxis from Paris airport to the city and back are better. A Russian-speaking driver will meet you with a sign and take you there at a fixed rate.
Double decker tourist bus in Paris
The tourist bus is suitable for those who want to get to know Paris in a short time. A classic sightseeing tour of Paris on a double-decker bus lasts 1 hour 45 minutes. The tour of the main attractions is accompanied by audio guide comments in Russian. There are no stops during this excursion.
You can get around Paris by water on a pleasure boat. Book Seine cruises online and admire unusual perspectives of Paris:
- Boat cruise on the Seine - 1 hour with audio guide buy online
- Stopover cruise - 8 stops at the main attractions of Paris, 24 or 48 hour ticket buy online
- Evening cruise with dinner and live music buy online
Which travel ticket should I buy in Paris?
Travel tickets are sold at ticket offices and automatic terminals.
Single tickets
So, the first thing you must remember is that the miser pays twice. That is why you should not buy 10 metro-RER-bus-tram tickets. Despite the apparent benefits, it will be much more expensive. With a stated validity period of 1.5 hours, you can only pay for the metro with them. Running parallel to the RER metro line, only available with this ticket in zone 1.
In addition, you won’t be able to make a metro-bus transfer either. The ticket is valid only for bus-tram transfers, and only on different lines. That is, you cannot return the same route using one ticket. If you accidentally get off at the wrong stop and just want to take the next bus, you will also have to validate a new ticket.
Weekly pass
It is more profitable to buy a navigo découverte pass for 3 zones. This will be enough for you to make any transfers within the territorial boundaries of all attractions, including in the nearest suburbs. A 3-zone pass for one week (Monday to Sunday) costs 32 euros. If you arrived on Wednesday, the pass will also expire on Sunday.
Popular tourist places: Versailles, Fontainebleau, Disneyland and France in miniature are further than zone 3, so you will need to pay extra.
Paris Visite discount card
Discount card Metro Pass "Paris Visite" and Cruise is travel card for 2 days (all metro lines and RER trains in zones 1,2,3) + ticket for a cruise on the Seine, which is valid for one year.
Monthly pass
If you plan to spend a month in Paris, buy a monthly pass. As a bonus, you will enjoy “dezonage” on Saturdays-Sundays and on holidays. Dezonage is the opportunity to move around all 6 zones with a ticket valid for three. You must paste your photo on the travel card.
Metro map and signs in Paris
The metro and RER map will help you choose the best route for traveling around Paris. You can get it for free at the metro ticket office.
Platforms in underground transport are located in the middle. To return to the previous station, you will need to make a transfer. Pay close attention to the signs and follow them clearly. Do not rely on parallel corridors of movement - there are none, but there are places where you can get to the surface only by moving to another line.
The exit is always indicated by a blue sign with the inscription sortie. Usually there are 1 or 2 exits, but if there are more than four, then carefully read where they lead. For example, on Charles de Gaulle – Étoile (Square of the Star), it is easier to find the right direction underground than on the surface.
To enter or exit the carriage, you need to lift the handle or press the large button on the door. Automatic door opening is only available on some lines.
And one last thing. Don’t judge the French harshly because their metro stations don’t look like underground palaces and sometimes smell unpleasant. Still, public transport is the only way to quickly and relatively inexpensively move around Paris. The overwhelming number of citizens drive their cars, creating traffic jams.
There are 33 RER stations in Paris. Considering that there are 257 stations in total, this number cannot be underestimated. Fewer stops mean getting around Paris faster. Within the city limits, you can transfer from the metro to the RER train using all routes, including a one-time ticket ticket+. The transfer will be convenient, since the RER lines also run underground. A one-time ticket must be kept from the beginning of the trip until the end. At the exit, the ticket will need to be passed through a turnstile, which reads the information.
If you are going outside of Paris, then you need to use either a Navigo travel pass, which is valid for all destinations without exception, or purchase a separate Ticket desination ticket. Young people can also benefit discount ticket. I have laid out the information about tickets and travel cards very briefly and clearly; I will not repeat myself.
RER is a high-speed commuter train. There are 5 lines in total.
- Line A originates from the Gare de Lyon, crossing the La Défense quarter and Place des Stars. In the opposite direction, this line splits into two branches: to Disneyland and to Boissy-Saint-Léger.
- Line B, traveling in a south-westerly direction, it passes through Orly airport and Gare du Nord, Boulevard Saint-Michel and Notre-Dame Cathedral. Running from north to east, this line diverges into two branches: to Mitry and to Charles de Gaulle airport.
- Line C laid from north to south, it has gained fame as the most confusing line of the RER, due to the fact that it consists of many branches and intersections. Travelers will find it helpful to know that it leads to Versailles, Gare d'Austerlitz and Orly Airport.
- Line D also runs from north to south. Within the city, RER trains stop at Lyon and Northern stations, where transfer areas are equipped for lines A and B.
- Line E It starts in the north of the capital, then goes east and south, to the suburban areas. Line E continues to be completed.
When using ground transport, you need to remember that the doors do not always open automatically, so you need to follow the information board and, when approaching the desired station, press a special button at the door of the train.
Within the first transport zone, that is, within Paris, travel is carried out at the fare ticket+ = 1.90 per 90 minutes. To the suburbs of Paris, buy an Origin destination ticket.
RER circuit in Paris
Public transport in Paris is a rather ornate, but very developed system of surface and underground urban communication, covering almost every corner of the multimillion-dollar and multinational city. It is here that the most important attractions of the country are concentrated, which are “scattered” throughout the capital.
In general, public transport in Paris includes the metro, trams, buses, trains, water and tourist transport. There is a funicular in Montmartre, which is also part of the network. public transport. In fact, a two-minute voyage on a cable car will seem more like entertainment than a full-fledged trip. Everything would O Bicycle rental services are gaining more popularity in European cities, since this type of transportation does not harm the environment, is cheaper than four-wheeled transport, improves health and helps to avoid capital traffic jams.
To begin with, it is worth understanding territorial division region and current tariffs. Paris is part of the Ile-de-France region. The entire region is divided into transport zones. Paris is zone 1, and the suburbs are the remaining zones. The Paris metro covers the first two zones. The RER covers all zones, but within Paris (i.e. zone 1) tickets must be purchased as regular tickets, single-trip tickets or a city pass. If you are traveling on the RER and go beyond zone 1, then the cost of tickets will directly depend on the distance of the destination zone.
Children under 4 years old are entitled to free travel. Children from 4 to 10 years old are entitled to travel tickets with a 50% discount on buses, metro, trams and RER.
Tickets
According to the official carrier RATP, the metro operating hours are:
- Mon. - Thu. and Sun: from 05:30 (depending on the line) to 01:15;
- Fri. and Sat: from 05:30 (depending on the line) to 02:15.
As for the work schedule, the Paris metro has a constant one. The fact is that the departure time of the first and last train can be different every day, and depends on the station at which the landing takes place.
Above each platform there is an electronic board indicating the length of the route and the time remaining until the next train arrives. Metro line No. 14 is the newest and fastest line, called Météor (Meteor), it also operates regularly, including weekends and holidays.
Tickets are common for all transport; pricing information is given above. The ticket must be kept until the end of the trip, because the controller may require it during a possible inspection. If there is no ticket, the controller has the right to issue a fine.
Read more about the metro in Paris ( step-by-step instruction on purchasing tickets from a machine, orientation inside the metro and much more) you can read in our special material “Paris Metro: romance and pragmatics in one carriage.”
Tips on the topic:
Electric trains RER
The RER (Réseau Express Régional d'Île-de-France) electric train lines in Paris connect the remote suburbs of the French capital with the city center. High-speed RER trains are one of the options commuter trains, however, unlike the Russian ones, they are very comfortable and have modern look. Moreover, RER electric trains are fast, their tickets are inexpensive, and most importantly, they run strictly on schedule. The RER has five branches, designated by the Latin letters A, B, C, D and E. Full information about the route of the electric train (terminal stop, intermediate stations) appears on the electronic display located on the platform. One of the undoubted advantages of the RER system is that these trains can quickly and inexpensively get from the center of Paris to Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports.
The cost of tickets for RER electric trains does not differ from the cost of tickets for the metro - the same 1.90 euros, but only as long as the passenger moves within the city limits. Machines and ticket offices where you can purchase RER tickets are located at electric train stations. If your travel itinerary goes beyond the city limits, you need to buy another ticket, which is valid for the entire Ile-de-France region. If there is no such ticket, the passenger will not be able to pass through the turnstile, and, as a result, will be forced to pay a fine. RER train tickets, like metro tickets, cover all travel within Paris. Metro tickets can be used to travel on RER lines.
It is worth noting that some of the lines (A and B) are serviced by RATP, and the rest by SNFC (lines, and). On the diagrams, RER lines are represented by letters in circles.
Metro and RER - what's the difference?
The metro is a classic system: mostly underground, many stops, frequent trains, short distances between lines, serves the center, not such a clear schedule.
The confusion arises in the city center, where the RER has several stations widely separated from each other, somewhat reminiscent of an express metro system, with longer trains and faster travel. RER stations in the center of Paris are combined with metro stations, forming key transport hubs, of which there are only six. The use of the metro ticket, Ticket t+, is allowed on the RER, but only within the boundaries of zone 1, or the center of Paris, bounded by a ring road called the Boulevard Periphérique.
Topic tip:
Transilien
Along with the RER, Paris has a well-developed network commuter trains(Transilien) serviced by SNCF. These electric trains, as a type of urban public transport, are less popular due to the poorer connection with the metro system, and therefore it is not always possible to use the same ticket both by train and metro, but Transilien is often used for trips to the suburbs. On diagrams, Transilien lines are represented by letters in squares. Route maps and timetables for each line are presented on the SNCF and Navigo websites.
Trams of Paris
The tram network of the Ile-de-France region consists of ten lines, only two of which (T3a and T3b) lie within Paris. All tram lines (except T4 and T11) are operated by RATP. T4 is managed by SNCF, and T11 or Tramexpress is managed by Transkeo, of which SNFC is also a shareholder. On detailed map you can see the directions of all tram lines in the region:
It is worth taking a closer look at the two tram lines running within the city. runs from Pont du Garigliano to Porte de Vincennes and is in the first tariff zone. stretches from Porte de Vincennes to Porte d’Asnières Marguerite Long and is also in the first tariff zone. We can say that one line smoothly passes into another and these tram lines enclose the city in a ring. A project to expand the lines is currently being considered.
Buses
There are dozens of bus routes in Paris, with several thousand buses moving along them. The only drawback of buses is the risk of getting stuck in traffic jams during rush hours. Bus service occurs from 6 am to half past eight in the evening, from Monday to Saturday. Some buses run exclusively on weekdays.
Route numbers are written in bus stops. The traffic patterns of a particular route, schedule, possible transfers, and fares are also shown. In order for a passing bus to stop, you need to give a sign to the driver. The entrance to the bus is through the front door, the door to the bus is opened by pressing the red button on the inside or outside. One more nuance: pay attention to the sign on the windshield of the bus - sometimes the name of the last stop is crossed out, which means that the bus will not reach the final station. Seats for the elderly, disabled, passengers with children and pregnant women are located in the front of the cabin. It goes without saying that they should be conceded.
To travel around Paris by bus, you need to purchase the same tickets as for traveling on the metro - costing 1.90 euros. Such tickets are suitable for bus routes, both within the city and in the suburban area. The exceptions are the directions Balabus, Noctilien and bus routes numbered 221, 297, 299, 350 and 351, since the cost of travel on these routes will depend on the distance of the destination (according to the zonal system). If you have several trips coming up, it will be more profitable to buy a set of Carnet tickets or a travel pass, which was mentioned above. The Parisian suburbs are also served by Optile.
More detailed bus maps of Paris (by district) can be found on the official RATP website.
Particularly popular is bus number 40, which runs from Le Peletier to Mairie du 18 Eme. Previously, the route was called Montmartrobus, and this name of the bus line speaks for itself - the mini-bus deftly transports residents and guests of the city through the narrow streets of Montmartre. Along the bus route you can see the funicular and the Sacré-Coeur Basilica.
Night bus
Naturally, in such huge city, like Paris, bus traffic does not stop at night. To do this, the French put on the route night bus Noctilien and Noctambus from 00:30 to 05:30. Night buses operate on dozens of routes in and around Paris. You can identify a night bus stop by the presence of a sign at the stop with an owl against the backdrop of the moon. Night buses also need to give a stop sign. The final stations of his route are Chatelet, Avenue Victoria, Rue Saint-Martin. On night buses, travel is paid for with Navigo, Mobilis or Paris Visite passes. You can also use t+ tickets here or buy a ticket from the bus driver.
The number of required t+ tickets is calculated according to the following principle: 1 ticket for travel between zones 1 and 2, then a ticket for each zone crossed. Example: zones 1-2 = 1 ticket; zones 1-3 = 2 tickets. Every time you change buses, you need to purchase a new ticket.
Intercity buses
Paris also has a huge number of companies involved in regional and international bus transport. For example, Eurolines network buses connect French capital with all of Europe and the provinces of France. They depart from the Paris international bus station Gallieni, located at 28, av. Du General de Gaulle 93541 Bagnolet, Gallieni metro station. More full information Bus routes and fares can be found on the Eurolines website.
Excursion transport in Paris
For tourists, the most suitable way to get to know Paris is to take a tour bus. Such buses are impossible not to notice: they usually have two floors and are painted red or yellow.
Buses Open Tour Paris
These open-top, double-decker buses operate on three excursion routes at intervals of 10 to 20 minutes from April to November. In the winter months, buses begin to run a little less frequently, every half hour, due to the low season.
Tourists have the opportunity to enter or exit at any of the fifty stops marked with the “Open Tour” sign on a red and yellow background. All buses are equipped with audio guides in English, French, Russian, German, Italian and other languages.
The cost of Open Tour bus tickets directly depends on the number of days:
- Adult ticket for 1 day - 35 euros;
- Adult ticket for 2 days (consecutive) - 39 euros;
- Adult ticket for 3 days (consecutive) - 43 euros;
- Child ticket (4 - 15 years old) for 1, 2 or 3 days - 18 euros;
- Children under 4 years old are free.
Tickets can be purchased at the Open Tour central office (address: 13 rue Auber 75009 Paris, telephone: 01 42 66 56 56), directly from the bus driver, from Paris Tourist Office agencies, online on the Open Tour website, through mobile app Open Tour Paris, available for iOS and Android.
Bus City Sightseeing Paris
The bright red bus with typical stickers on the side has only two routes, red and blue. The red route covers several times more attractions and its duration is 90 minutes. Buses depart every 15 minutes from 09:30 to 18:00 from the main stations located near the Sacré-Coeur Basilica, Moulin Rouge, Arc de Triomphe, etc.
You can travel around the Blue Line in just an hour. Bus departures from this route carried out every 20 minutes from 10:00 to 17:30.
Ticket prices in 2020 will be:
- Ticket for 1 day on the red line - 30 euros;
- 35 euros when ordering online and 40 euros when purchasing on the bus;
- Ticket for 2 days on the red line - 35 euros;
- 1 day ticket for the red and blue lines - 40 euros when ordering online and 45 euros when purchasing on the bus;
- Child ticket (4 - 11 years old) for 1 or 2 days on the red and blue lines - 15 euros.
You can purchase tickets on the buses or on the official website.
By the way, in Paris there are many similar carriers providing tourist and excursion services, such as Foxity and many others.
Bustronome
The company organizes excursions to the sights of Paris with lunch on a double-decker restaurant bus with a glass roof. On board the Bustronome bus, food is served by waiters. The menu constantly changes depending on the season. Here you get to know not only the city, but also French cuisine and local wines.
Funicular in Paris
The Montmartre funicular can be considered more of a recreational vehicle than a regular public one, although metro tickets are valid to pay for the fare. The idea of creating a funicular originated at the end of the 19th century and already at the very beginning of the 20th it came to life.
The funicular consists of only two cabins that take passengers to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. The length of the line is 108 meters and this distance is quite easy to cover on foot, but being in Montmartre and not taking a ride on the famous funicular is a kind of “crime”. The funicular itself is a landmark and has featured in many literary works and films.
Bateaux Parisiens
Founded in 1956, Bateaux Parisiens is the most popular organizer in Paris river cruises along the Seine. Guests are offered a wide variety of programs: cruises on the Seine from Eiffel Tower and from Notre Dame Cathedral, Cruises on the Seine with lunch in a café on the embankment overlooking the Eiffel Tower, cruises on the Seine with lunch or dinner, walks with an aperitif. All excursions are accompanied by an audio guide in 13 languages, including Russian. Ticket prices - from 15 euros depending on the program.
Passengers boarding and disembarking on boats takes place not far from the Eiffel Tower, in the Port de la Bourdonnais harbor on the right bank of the Seine, or at cathedral Notre Dame. Additional information about the company’s excursions is on its official website.
Cruises from Bateaux Parisiens:
Here . Having purchased a ticket once, passengers have the opportunity to freely enter and exit at stops.
Ticket price:
- 1 day - 17 euros(adult), 8 euros(children);
- 2 days - 19 euros(adult), 10 euros(children's).
You can purchase tickets at the ticket office at any Batobus pier, at airports, or at tourist offices in Paris. Detailed information can be found on the Batobus website.
Company Vedettes de Paris also organizes tourist cruises on the Seine.
Bicycle rental in Paris
Cycling is becoming increasingly popular in Europe. Moving around the metropolis on a bicycle is faster and more convenient for this nimble vehicle There are no problems with traffic jams and large fines, and the bicycle is absolutely environmentally safe. The municipality of Paris has created a whole network of Velib stations in the capital, where anyone can rent a bicycle. Tourists can also be recommended to admire the sights and beauties of the city while riding on a two-wheeled friend.
To rent a bicycle, you must obtain a subscription at the information desk of the nearest bicycle station. There are three types of subscriptions: for a year, for a day and for a week. The cost of the subscription will depend on the type of subscription and the bike (more expensive for electric bikes).
If you choose to rent a bike without a subscription, then you start paying for the rental from the first minute. If you pay for a daily subscription, then you ride for free for the first half hour, the main thing is to have time to change the bike at the station closest to you in order to spend only on the cost of the subscription and not pay for rental hours.
We would recommend that tourists purchase a pass for 1 day or a week. The registration process is as follows: accept the agreement, insert a credit card, 150 euros are blocked on the card. The cost of the bicycle subscription is also deducted from the card. Afterwards, select any combination of four numbers - this will be your PIN code for the Velib card, which will need to be entered into all machines of the system when renting the next bicycle.
Next, choose any bicycle at the station with a green light on next to it. A green light indicates that the bike is available. Enter the bicycle number, your account number in the system and the selected PIN code into a special machine at each bicycle station and automatically gain access to the vehicle. The first half hour of using a bicycle is free, then euros per hour, after that it’s even more expensive. The amount of 150 euros that was blocked on your credit card, will become free after returning the bicycle to one of the stations.
Tariffs for renting bicycles at Velib stations without a subscription:
Bicycle rental rates at Velib stations with subscription:
All package offers and conditions can be found on the official Velib website.
Since the first half hour with any chosen tariff is free, you can ride a bike around Paris for practically nothing, moving from station to station and changing bikes there, paying only the cost of the subscription. Every subsequent 30 minutes + 1 euro. Of course, this is only possible if there are free bicycles at each subsequent station.
In general, you can find many private rental companies in Paris, such as AlloVelo, Paris à Vélo c’est Sympa! and many others.
- Interactive map of bike stations and bike parking in Paris
By registering on the official Bikesurf website, whose users give out personal bicycles for temporary use free of charge/for a symbolic donation at your discretion/for any possible assistance, you can ride around Paris, saving a fair amount. The organization is charitable.
How to get from the airport to Paris
To summarize the above, it is worth putting together the main ways to get from Paris airports to the city center by public transport. The cheapest way to purchase tickets is from ticket machines at stations, as sometimes sales sites add small markups. All you have to do is compare prices and choose the most optimal path.
From Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris:
Roissybus
It runs between the airport and Opéra (11, rue Scribe) every 15 - 20 minutes. Travel time is 60 - 75 minutes. Departure times towards the airport: 05:15 - 00:30, towards the Opera: 06:00 - 00:30. Tickets can be purchased from vending machines at stations or in the bus from the driver. Ticket price - 12 euros.
Bus number 350
It runs between the airport and Gare de l’Est (76, boulevard de Strasbourg) every 15 - 30 minutes. Travel time is 60 - 80 minutes. Departure times towards the airport: 05:33 - 21:30, towards the city: 06:05 - 22:30. Tickets can be purchased from vending machines at stations, in the metro, and at RER stations. Ticket price - 6 euros.
Bus number 351
Connects the airport and Place de la Nation (2, avenue du Trône) and runs every 15 - 30 minutes. Travel time is 70 - 90 minutes. Departure times towards the airport: 05:35 - 20:20, towards the city: 07:00 - 09:37. Tickets can be purchased from vending machines at stations, in the metro, and at RER stations. Ticket price - 6 euros.
RER (Line B)
It runs between the airport and RER B station every 10 - 20 minutes. Travel time is 25 - 30 minutes. Departure times: 04:53 - 12:15 (Gare du Nord), 05:26 - 12:11 (Chatêlet les Halles), 05:18 - 12:03 (Denfert-Rochereau). Towards the city: 04:50 – 23:50. Tickets can be purchased from vending machines at stations, in the metro, and at RER stations. Ticket price - 10.30 euro.
Le Bus Direct
A special shuttle connects CDG Airport with Paris on three routes. From the airport to the Eiffel Tower you can reach 18 euros(child ticket - 10 euros). Tickets can be purchased on the bus or on the official website. For the same price, a bus will take you to Montparnasse. A trip along the third route from Charles de Gaulle airport to Orly will be a little more expensive. An adult ticket will cost 22 euros, and for children - 13 euros. The bus makes several stops along the route. As can be seen from the ticket price, this bus cannot be called the cheapest bus transfer from the airport to the city and its main advantages are the availability of free Wi-Fi.
If you arrive at night, you can get from Charles de Gaulle airport to Gare de l’Est by night bus number 140. The ticket can be purchased from the driver. Buses depart from the airport to the station from 01:00 to 04:00, and from the station to the airport from 01:00 to 03:40. Approximate travel time is 80 minutes.
Also from this airport, bus number 143 departs on the same route. The main difference is fewer stops (travel time is about 55 minutes). The work schedule also varies: buses depart from the airport to the station from 00:32 to 04:32, and from the station to the airport from 00:50 to 05:08.
From Orly Airport to Paris:
Orlybus
It runs between the airport and Place Denfert-Rochereau every 8 - 15 minutes. Travel time is 25 - 30 minutes. Departure times towards the airport: 05:35 - 00:00, towards the city: 06:00 - 00:30. Tickets can be purchased from vending machines at stations, in the metro, at ticket offices, at RER stations or in the bus from the driver. Ticket price - 8.30 euro.
Bus number 183
It runs between the airport and Porte de Choisy (metro line 7) every 15 - 40 minutes. Travel time is 40 minutes. Departure times towards the airport: 05:35 - 23:54, towards the city: 06:00 - 00:20. Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines at stations. Ticket price - 2 euros.
Bus Navette GO C Paris
We can also see detailed
Official information:
RER (full official name fr. Réseau Express Régional d'Île-de-France, "Ile-de-France Regional Express Network", pronounced after the French letters er-e-er) is a rapid public transport system serving Paris and its suburbs. It is a combination of suburban surface railway lines (partly pre-existing, partly newly built and reconstructed) and new underground lines that emerged in the 1960-1990s within the borders of Paris. An important feature is the active use of deep underground lines within the city and the popularity of intracity routes, which brings the RER closer to the metro. In addition, the RER and the Paris Metro are integrated thanks to a transfer and payment system.
In total, the RER has more than 257 stations (including 33 within the borders of Paris), a length of 587 km, including 76.5 km (more than 40 stations) underground. 657 million passengers use the system annually, or 1.8 million per day. In 1989, the intervals between trains were reduced, and since 1998, double decker trains. The lines are designated by letters (A, B, C...) on all Paris pocket transport maps.
Some lines are subordinated to a transport company that also owns the metro (RATP), some - railway(SNCF). The fare for both types of lines is the same. Depending on the distance of the trip, there are 5 payment zones.
RER and Paris metro
Within the Borders Paris RER has several connections to the Paris Metro; within the city limits, the same tickets are valid for travel on it as on the metro and ground transport(but when crossing city borders you need to buy a separate ticket). Paris RER stations are located much less frequently than in the metro, they are usually deeper, and the lines are much less curved. Many trips within the city using the RER take noticeably less time than by metro.
Useful tips, personal experience and FAQ's.
Why and in what cases do Russian tourists use the RER?
The RER is used extremely rarely by tourists from Russia, mainly for independent low-budget visits to some of the suburbs of Paris such as Versailles or Sainte-Genevieve des Bois. Read more…
What dangerous or unpleasant moments await you when using RER?
There are basically three situations here:
- When you purposefully travel out of town. Read…
- When you purposefully drive within the boundaries of Paris Read…
- When you accidentally went (changed) to the RER instead of the metro Read
Payment for the trip.
Payment for trips exists at special ticket offices, which are becoming fewer and fewer, as well as at a number of terminals. The terminals have an English version, which is more convenient for tourists from Russia. Coins and small bills are accepted. Even with a 50 EUR bill (and not just 500 EUR) the machine will not accept it and at the cash register they may send it politely or not very politely (like there is no small money, go to the bar to change it). Cards are usually also accepted, but some machines have restrictions on the type of cards. The Sberbank Mastercard class card works well and was not accepted in only one out of 10 machines.
Where can you go by RER?
— Charles de Gaulle-Roissy Airport (although you will still have to walk around the terminal buildings)
— Orly Airport (with a transfer) and you will also have to walk around a little inside the complex
— Disneyland
— Russian cemetery of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois near Paris, then by taxi or bus
— Forest of Fontainebleau, to the castle and museum you need to continue by taxi or bus
Station Charles de Gaulle Airport RER SNCF
They are very convenient because with their help you can easily get to attractions that are not located within the city of Paris. By RER you can get to Disneyland, visit the Palace of Versailles, catch Orly airports and Charles de Gaulle. The only problem is that the RER stations are quite difficult to navigate. Certainly, local residents They are used to everything and it is not difficult for them to get to their destination, but tourists, especially those who come to Paris for the first time, will have to work hard to get to their destination.
Landmarks at the RER station:
- Within Paris, the RER and the regular metro intersect and have closely located stations, but it should be remembered that often the RER and metro stations differ from each other in name, they may have different entrances, exits and platforms. This can seriously confuse an unprepared tourist. Very often there are transitions between the RER and the metro within Paris, which is very convenient, since you can travel with one ticket
- The RER platform is identified by an index, an abbreviation written in blue font within a circle. This is the official designation of the RER and can be seen everywhere, including on trains traveling along the route. A letter = line number is usually indicated next to it. Total 5 lines
- Before your trip, it is recommended to stock up on a RER card, which will make getting around much easier. The card can be obtained from the RATP cashier for free or downloaded from the official website using this link. The map shows the routes of each line. The fact is that one and the same line can have several routes, in order to go in the right direction, you need to remember the final station of your route and build on this data
- Before entering the platform, it is necessary to clarify the correct side - the direction of the train. Some RER stations do not have transitions between platforms, so to get to the one you need, you will have to exit and enter again by purchasing a new ticket
- There are two train options along the routes: full or long trains that stop at all stations and express trains that stop at a certain limited number of stations. On each RER platform there are screens on which all the necessary information is displayed: name of the train; the final station of the next train; a list of stations where it will stop; Arrival time. Usually there are 6 trains on the screen, which go one after another, and the train that arrives earlier is displayed in the first place. If you are not sure about the train, it is better to wait for the next one, as they run quite often
- If you need to get to Paris from the suburbs, then any train from the list will do, since the route branches only outside the city, and in Paris there is one direction within one line.
Don't forget about strikes. This applies to any public transport. The French are very sensitive to their rights and strikes are an absolutely normal occurrence. At the same time, everything stands still and the operating mode is disrupted. If there is a need to get to a specific place on a specific day (for example, a flight is scheduled), you need to first check the operating hours of the RER or other transport, and then plan everything.
