Paris transport system to travel includes the Metro underground subway system, a tramway, buses and night buses (Noctilien), Velib bikes, and Autolib cars. The RER regional train service and SNCF trains extend to the suburbs and the Ile de France. You also can own a car or a bike in Paris.

The best app to travel in Paris and in English is CityMapper. Very user-friendly and will always give you the best options according to your needs (no walking, fastest way…)

1. Subway and Bus

These are the most practical public Paris transport. There are a lot of lines going everywhere. You just need to understand how it works and be ready to see people not smiling 🙂

When it’s crowded, please try to anticipate your way out by standing close to the door one station before your destination.

In the metro, make sure you know which side to leave the train. The doors open on the right or left, according to the station.

Make sure the bus you’re waiting for goes in the direction you need. Often, there often are two bus stations, on each side of the road, going in opposite directions.

Download the RATP mobile application or ask for a map at an information office in the metro. It’s small and free, and you have the metro, RER, and bus lines.

Prices:

– One ticket: 2,10€

– A pack of 10 tickets: 19,10€

-Ticket for the weekend only, under 26, valid during 14h only (from midnight to midnight): 4,60€ (zone 1,2,3)

– One day ticket « mobilis » (zones 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5): 8,45€

Please make sure to write your name, surname, and the date, the day you use it, on the ticket.

– A weekly « Navigo » pass (all zones): 30€

– A monthly « Navigo » pass (all zones): 84,10€

– A yearly “ImagineR” card (only for students & under 26): 350€ (all zones) – 38€/month during 9 months + 8€ extra fees for the first month for administration fees (card valid for one year). You will be automatically debited from your French bank account each 5th of the month (for 9 months). The first debit happens on the 5th of October for Sept and Oct at the same time = 38€x2 + 8€ = 84€

https://www.ratp.fr/en/titres-et-tarifs/navigo-monthly-and-weekly-travel-passes 

All are available with buses, RER, and metro. You will have to go to a metro station. You will have to bring: a passport and proof of address. 
You need to go in person to ask for it and put your ID photo on it, they refuse to do it on behalf of someone.

With an ImagineR card, you can have your money back if you don’t spend a full year in Paris. During the weekend and the public holidays, you’re not limited to your zones; you can travel everywhere on the network.

To order your card ask for a form at any information office in the metro. Send your form ASAP because the card takes a minimum of 3 weeks to be received. More information on www.imagine-r.com

2. RER & transport in Paris

The RER is another way to travel through Paris transport. It is faster than the metro but there are fewer trains: one every 10 minutes approximately. Be aware that the train doesn’t stop at every station. If your train is on the platform when you arrive, don’t rush yourself to get in, make sure first it stops at your station otherwise you could be wasting a lot of time.

3. Velib’

Firstly, a nice Paris transport is the self-service bike rental, across all the city.

Prices :

Upload the app. Click on “Souscrire un abonnement”.

• Pass “1&7 jours”

5€ for one day or 15€/week

You can rent 5 bikes a day.

If your trip lasts more than 30 min you have to pay 1€ extra every 30 min.

If you want to rent an electric bike you have to pay 1€ extra for the 30 first min and then 2€ extra every 30 min.

• Abonnements : You can choose to pay in once (paiement en une fois) or per month

“Libre”: 1€ every 30 min or 2€ every 30 min for an electric bike

“Plus” (suggested for more than 4 trips/month) : 32,55€/year + 0€ the first 30 min then 1€/30 min or 1€ for the first 30 min then 2€/30 min

“Plus Jeunes” (suggested for more than 4 trips/month – under 27 yo): 24,15€/year + 0€ the first 30 min then 1€/30 min or 1€ for the first 30 min then 2€/30 min

“Max” : 84,15€/month + 0€ for the first hour and then 1€/30 min or 1€ after 30 min then 1€/30 min

“Max Jeunes” (under 27 yo) : 74,15€/month + 0€ for the first hour and then 1€/30 min or 1€ after 30 min then 1€/30 min

Then you have to accept the terms and conditions, select if you want to be automatically re-subscribe each year or not, and choose the type of cards you want to use :

1 / you receive a Velib card

2 / you use your Navigo card

3 / you already have a Velib card

You have to fill in a form with the following information: email, password, given name, family name, DOB, phone number

Then you have to pay by card.

What to know

You can change your bike every 30 minutes to not pay the rental cost.

If all the parking spaces are full at a station, you can add 15 min for free, at the Velib station, to find another station (download the app to know all station locations and their available slot situation).

A deposit of €150 will be asked to pick up a bike and will be blocked on your account but not spent.

Cycle safely because Paris is a big and crowded city. Use the various special cycling paths.

You can find further information on www.velib.paris.fr
  The website is available in Spanish and English.

4. Electric “Trottinette” to travel in Paris

This is probably the coolest way to travel. I couldn’t find a word to translate what is a Trottinette 🙂 Have a look on Google! Download the apps Lime or Bird. Enter your credit card number. Each time you see a Trottinette on the street that you also can locate with the map on your app, you just have to scan the bar code and it’s unblocked. When you want to stop just drop it off on the street click on “vérrouiller” on your app to finish the course and take a picture of where you have put the Trottinette.

Prices:

Around 2,8€ for 15 min

Promo code: RYJNWRP

5. Uber/Heetch to travel in Paris

Other Paris transport: VTC. Cheaper than a taxi, download the free mobile applications Uber (professional) or Heetch (individual) to get safe transport, especially at night after drinking or when there are no more metros. Save your credit card number on both. With Uber, you’ll never have to pay cash as the trip will be automatically paid with the credit card you registered with. Make sure the driver hits “End of the trip” (“Fin de la course” in French) before you get off. The same works with Heetch, except that if you prefer to pay cash, you can. Before the purchase, an indication of the estimated price and the waiting time is announced.

Uber: Get €20 free on your first travel with the promo code: m9vf2547ue

Heetch: Get €5 free on your first travel with the promo code: PERLE185614

6. Buy a second-hand bike

Prices:

From €40 to €200, for a high-quality model.

You can find an occasion bike in a sales depot, in any cycling professional, through the ads on the Internet for individuals, or at a “bourse aux vélos” (sells for bikes) and then hop on to easily travel in Paris.

7. Les bus Noctilien

During the week, Paris transport stops around 00.40 am / 1 am, for the metro, depending on different lines (1.40 am / 2 am the Fridays, Saturdays, and public holidays eve) and at 1 am for the RER.

Between 0.30 am and 5.30 am, 47 lines of Noctilien buses run across Paris and its suburb. The bus network goes around all the most famous districts: Châtelet, Montparnasse, Gare de l’Est, Gare Saint Lazare, and Gare de Lyon. The bus usually arrives every 10 minutes but can take up to one hour, depending on the line and the day.

More Information on https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/le-reseau/services-de-mobilite/bus/bus-soir-noctilien

8. SNCF

To travel from Paris to other cities in France, a great option is to take the train.

Prices :

Discount for young people aged 12-25. To enjoy this discount (from 25 to 50% per ticket), you need a card “Carte Jeune” to travel in Paris or in France which costs €50/year.

More info on www.12-25-sncf.com/accueil

Discounts for everyone:

The low-cost tickets “Prem’s”, offer a discount, especially if you are a small group to travel: https://www.sncf-connect.com/train/services-train/billet-prems

The last minute tickets: http://www.voyages-sncf.com/promotion-train/multi/derniere-minute-intercites

9. Car

If your favorite transport to travel in Paris is your car, it has to be in your name and you need the required insurance to enjoy the residence parking price (€1,5/day) in your district. And, we can help you to get your residential card with our individual support service.

To park outside your district (your district zone is defined by La Mairie who gives you a map), you need to pay for a visitor ticket, from €2,4 to 4/h, from Monday to Saturday (except bank holiday). A ticket has to be renewed every 2 hours but thanks to certain apps, you can pay it directly through your smartphone without going to a parking meter.

What to know

If a parking space says “Livraison”, it means it is a parking space for deliveries. However, if it has one continuous line, or one discontinuous line, you’re allowed to park from 8 pm to 7 am every day, and all day on Sundays and bank holidays. If it has two continuous lines, you aren’t allowed to park.

Advice

Finally, the police are very strict about parking; you must not park your car in any parking spot that isn’t allowed. If you do, you may get a penalty fare, or worse, get your car taken to the pound. Otherwise, if you find complicated parking around your home, maybe consider renting a private parking space.

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