Paris Metro

(Image source: http://en.parisinfo.com)

The metro is the quickest and easiest way to travel around the city, as well as the best value. The Paris metro has around 300 stations, their entrances marked by a big yellow “M”, and 16 lines, numbered from 1 to 14, 3 bis and 7 bis.

Each line has a color, which you’ll find on signs in the stations and on all the RATP maps. Connections between lines make your journey easy to plan. For an idea of your journey time, allow an average of 2 minutes per station and add 5 minutes for each connection.

Each line has two directions, indicated by the terminus station at each end (for example: Balard/Créteil). The different directions and connections are clearly displayed on blue and white signs on the platforms and in the tunnels. To be sure you’re heading in the right direction, check that your destination is on the list of stations just before you go down onto the platform. Inside the trains, you’ll find network maps and the detail of the line you’re on along with all available connections to other parts of the network.

More information: www.ratp.fr

Aside from the metro system, the RER system is also very important in Paris. The RER (suburban express railway) is a huge rail network covering most of the Ile-de-France region. It consists of 5 lines referred to by the letters A, B, C, D and E. Within Paris, the RER operates in more or less the same way as the metro, except that you need to put your ticket through the automatic barriers a second time on the way out. If your RER station has a connection with the metro, you can use the same ticket for the whole journey.