So, you have gathered in the wonderful city of France – Paris. To see the most amazing sights, you will need to use public transport. Without wasting time, let's get acquainted with the Parisian subway.
Stations and operating hours of the subway
Most of the metro stations in Paris are located underground, and only a few of them are above ground. The entrance to the subway can be marked with both the Metropolitain sign and the letter M.
Some old stations are still decorated with art deco entrances. However, those who have visited the Moscow metro at least once, the Paris metro, most likely, will not be surprised. There is nothing similar to palaces in the design of the stations; it has a rather modest architecture.
In total, the metro has 300 stations. Each of them is equipped with several entrances, but only 50 of them can boast of being barrier-free for people with disabilities. The Paris metro includes 15 zones, however, tourist routes are laid only in 1 and 2 zones.
In addition, the subway, through some stations, is connected to the RER suburban line network. Navigation between the platforms is carried out using signs and banners located on the walls of the transition tunnels.
The Paris Metro operates from 05:30 to 00:40 on weekdays, and until 01:40 on weekends and public holidays. As a rule, the interval between trains is up to 2 minutes, but on weekends and holidays it can increase to 10.
Louvre: Timed Entrance Ticket 1-
Hour Lights of Paris Cruise Skip-the
-line tickets to the roof of the Arc de Triomphe
Eiffel Tower: 2nd floor access
Versailles and Gardens: Skip-the-line ticket with audio guide
Hop-on Hop-off bus tour. Class., Prem. or Suite
Paris Museum Pass: 2, 4 or 6 days
Tickets: Montparnasse: 56th floor rooftop terrace
Show at the Moulin Rouge with champagne
What are the tickets and their prices
The decision to ride the subway “hare” is a bad idea. In this case, you risk earning a fine of 80 €. Or even worse: get stuck at one of the stations. Some of them have turnstiles not only at the entrance, but also at the exit.
The Paris Metropolitan offers various payment options, focusing on the needs of its compatriots and tourists arriving for different purposes and for different periods.
Types of tickets and their cost (children under 3 years old – free travel):
Paris Visite – unlimited travel for a period of 1 to 3 or 5 days. Zones to choose from: 1-3 or 1-5. When visiting museums entitles you to a discount. Price: from 11.15 € to 61.25 € (50% discount for children 4-10 years old).
Pass Navigo Decouverte – subscription for a week or a month. An important point: regardless of the day of purchase, weekly – works strictly from Monday to Sunday, monthly – during the current month. The price varies depending on the zones: weekly – from 18.45 € to 21.25 €, monthly – from 60.70 € to 70 €.
Please note: some tickets have fields to fill out. The data is entered by hand, as a rule, you need to indicate: the date of the first trip and the last name with the name of the person who will use the ticket.
How to buy and use a ticket
Travel tickets can be purchased at the RATP ticket office or vending machines available at all metro and RER stations. At the same time, subscriptions are purchased strictly at the box office. Be careful: the machines only accept coins and bank cards with a chip. In addition, magnetic tape cards are not accepted even at the box office.
Entrance to the platform is realized through turnstiles or swinging gates by reading the ticket machine. To pass, you need to bring the ticket to the lower slot with the magnetic strip away from you, then pick it up from the upper slot. Having heard a short sound signal (the “Reprenez votre ticket” will also light up on the turnstile display), come closer to the doors. This must be done in order for the sensor to work and the doors to open.
If you are a holder of a contactless Pass Navigo Decouverte card, instead of the ticket slot, hold the card near the purple sensor (top of the turnstile) for 1-2 seconds. It reads the information from your card and then proceed exactly as described above.
Among other things, it is worth remembering that the ticket must be protected until the end of the trip. At a number of stations, as previously discussed, it may be required to exit.
Subway exit
It is quite difficult not to find an exit from the station, all of them are marked with the corresponding Sortie sign. You can choose the one that will be the most successful for you using the metro map. Such landmarks are usually placed in the lobby of each station.
Would you like to celebrate the New Year in Paris? – Our article for you.
Use the services of kiwitaxi and at the airport, at the specified time, the driver will be waiting for you, help with luggage and promptly take you to the hotel. Several classes of cars are available – from economy to Minibus with 19 seats. The price is fixed and does not depend on the number of passengers and the address within Paris. Taxi from / to the airport is a convenient and comfortable way to get to the right place.