| Paris is well equipped
in the area of public transport, which is administered by the state
owned company RATP (www.ratp.fr).
The easiest way to get around Paris is by the metro (subway) which
runs daily from 5:30am - 12:30am. Transportation
maps are available at subway stations. The Metro (Metropolitain)
has 14 lines (numbered 1 through 14), and runs in downtown Paris.
The RER (Reseaux Express Reginale) has 5 lines (lettered A through
E), and runs through both downtown and the suburbs. The system has
199 km (124 miles) of track. There are 368 stations (not including
RER stations), 87 of these being interchanges between lines. Tickets
can be purchased singly or in books of 10. They are available at
the stations and from tobacconists and must be validated before
boarding. There are several ticketing options available for people
using public transports: individual tickets, the "Paris Visite",
the "Carte Orange", or the "Mobilis":
1-Individual tickets
Individual ticlkets for the downtown area are valid within zones
1 and 2. Each can be used for a single trip on the Metro, RER,
bus, or tram. The price is 1.30 euros for one ticket or 9.60 for
10 tickets (called a Carnet). Children from 4 to 11 years old
can have half price discount for a Carnet, say 4.80 euros for
10 children tickets. Individual tickets to Paris suburbs are priced
based on the distance traveled.
2-The Mobilis
The Carte Mobilis is a daily ticket that allows unlimited travel
on the Metro, RER, bus, RATP, ADATRIF, APTR, and SNCF suburban
network. It excludes the Orlybus, Orlyval, Roissybus, Roissyrail
and Orlyrail. Price is based on area of coverage, for Zone 1 -
3, it is 6/7 euros.
3-The Paris Visite
The Paris Visite is a bit more expensive than the Mobilis. It
allows you to discover Paris and its surroundings. With it, you
enjoy unlimited travel on all public transit systems, including:
the Metro, RER, buses, tram, Montmartre funiculaire, Montmartobus,
Noctambus, suburban trains, and private buses from ADATRIF and
APTR. According to the zones you choose (1-3 to 1-8), you can
travel as far as Disneyland Paris, Versailles, or the airports.
Passes can be valid for 1, 2, 3, or 5 days, beginning any day
of the week. They are half price for children between 4 and 11
years old. Travel on the RER and SNCF suburban trains is in first
class cabins. The pass also allows you to receive discounted entry
into 30 of Paris' museums. No photograph is required to obtain
this pass.
4-Carte Orange
The Carte Orange can be the best choice for visiting Paris for
more than three days if your visit starts towards the beginning
of the week. For example, the weekly ticket covering zones 1 to
3 is 18.35 euros, whereas the 3-day Paris Visite pass for the
same zones is 18.25 euros.
The Carte Orange weekly pass is valid from Monday through Sunday.
Between Monday and Wednesday, you may purchase a ticket for the
current week. Between Friday and Sunday, you may purchase a ticket
for the coming week. The monthly pass is valid from the first
to the last day of each month.
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