Getting around a European country is quite easy but sometimes there are a few bits that leave us confused. I have to say navigating around the train stations in Paris was a little confusing, especially trying to buy a train ticket. In my guide here I will break down all the different travel options and how to use the transport in Paris and how much each one costs.

TRANSPORT IN PARIS // HOW TO GET AROUND THE CITY

METRO

We used the Metro quite a few times to get around Paris whilst we was there. This includes to get to a single stop or to get to the main train station from near our hotel. We mainly used the Metro to get to La Defense onwards to get to the Palace of Versailles. The Metro is essentially like our London Underground with lots of little stops connecting the city together for easy and quick travel. For the Metro, children under the age of 4 will travel FREE. Children aged between 4 and 9 will pay a normal adult ticket. However, if you buy a carnet of tickets a child between 4 and 9 will be half price.

Download the app “Citymapper” to be able to make the most of your time travelling. Simply enter your current location and your desired destination. This will show you the quickest route of getting there without running out of the time that you have. The app will break down the steps you need to take and give you up to date traffic information and how it affects your journey. This app was recommended to us by one of the concierge at our hotel.

METRO COSTS:

• One Single Ticket: €1.90
• Carnet of 10 Tickets: €14.90

If you are going to use the Metro quite a lot during your stay and to save hassle, I recommend getting a Navigo Easy card. You first buy a card for €2 — from a vending machine or ticket booth in any Paris Métro station. You then top it up with fares, which cost the same as today’s existing paper tickets: €1.90 for a single ride or €14.90 for a carnet of 10 journeys. This will save you having to queue up and buy a new ticket everytime you want to get through a gate if you only buy individual tickets. 

PRICES ARE ACCURATE AS AT 29.07.2019. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO CHANGES IN LEGISLATION. 

You can download the Metro map here for printing.

TRAINS/RER (Rapid Transit Trains) 

We used the main trains only once to get to the Palace of Versailles and it was a total nightmare. We’d spent a little while to track down one of the helpers there to get our tickets. On the machine as it was so confusing. We wanted to get return tickets from Versailles to get back to La Defense for the metro. And even then that didn’t work. There was no return tickets printed even though the tickets we had let both my parents through and not me. One of the ticket ladies had to scan and let me through. It also happened to someone else who was on the same train as us.

TRAIN COSTS:

• One Single Ticket: €1.90
• Carnet of 10 Tickets: €14.90
  

  
  PRICES ARE ACCURATE AS AT 29.07.2019. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO CHANGES IN LEGISLATION. 

In terms of return tickets, I would buy each ticket individually to make sure you are getting your departing and arriving tickets correct. If you are travelling to Palace of Versailles from La Defense, your tickets should say Defence-SNCF —> Versailles-Chat V/Viroflay and vice versa for the returning ticket.

TAXIS/UBERS

When catching a taxi in Paris I could always get one that had the taxi sign on the roof of the car, that way you know they are legit. Plus you can tell if they’re free or not, green lights means available and red lights means it’s taken by someone or off duty. I would always go with a metered taxi to make sure they aren’t being stingy with their pricing.

Catching a taxi from the airport into the city always costs €50.
Getting a taxi from the city to the airport with cost around €57. If your taxi is pre-booked there will normally be a surcharge of €7.
Ubers will always vary between the time of day and how many people are travelling. The price differences between Uber and a normal taxi can alway vary, so make sure you pick the best option for you if you’re looking to save money.

WALKING

If you like to get some exercise in and explore from the ground, walking is the best inexpensive way of getting around. We did a ridiculous amount of walking and so many steps were recorded on my fitness app whilst in Paris.

RENT A CAR 

If you are in Paris for a reasonable amount of time or want to leave the city to drive around France, renting a car might be your best option. There are plenty of rental offices around, make sure you search enough to find the best deal and car for you. It would also be beneficial if you are getting to Euro Tunnel across from the UK to bring your own car for driving around.

HIRING AN ELECTRIC SCOOTER OR BIKE

We saw plenty of electric scooters and bikes around in Paris. They were definitely a popular choice in the warm weather to get around on. If there is a free one not being used, all you need to do is download the corresponding app and scan the barcode then pay for how long you’d like to use it for. They are a fun way of getting around for the whole family, especially young children.

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Has my guide on how to get around in Paris helped you? If you have anymore questions, let me know in the comments below.