City transport
Paris metro and RER: tickets, directions and changes
Learn how to plan Paris metro and RER trips: train directions, interchanges, ticket coverage, airport exceptions and station accessibility checks.
A metro sign, coloured lines and station names you do not recognise yet: a first Paris journey often starts this way. You do not need to learn the entire map. Let us read today’s route together; the right direction and a manageable change make the next steps feel more familiar.
In this guide
Read your journey instead of memorising the mapMetro and RER: check the train destinationChoose tickets for the actual journeyChanges, stairs and your final trip of the dayQuick answerYour journey, step by stepFrequently asked questionsRead your journey instead of memorising the map
Your first look at the Paris metro can make it seem as though you need to learn every line. Start with your departure address, destination and any interchange. Check the station, then the direction of the line. Knowing the line number alone does not always identify the right platform.
Taking a moment to read the next step is easier than travelling several stops the wrong way. Compare routes with fewer changes against your luggage and walking distance. The fewest stops do not always make the easiest journey.
Metro and RER: check the train destination
You can combine both networks, but read the train’s displayed destination as well. Where a connection branches, not every train from a platform necessarily goes where you need it to. Enter both addresses into the official journey planner.
For a park visit, do not stop at the label RER A: compare the destination with our Disneyland transport guide. For an airport arrival, begin with CDG to Paris guide or Orly to Paris guide, then plan the onward city connection.
Choose tickets for the actual journey
Not every ticket covers every journey, even when part of it uses the metro. Read airport conditions separately. Before buying several tickets, sketch out where you expect to go each day and compare official products against that plan.
If you use a phone or travel card, check that the chosen product can be loaded onto it. Keep the ticket or device accessible throughout the journey. Check current prices and conditions with Île-de-France Mobilités rather than relying on a fixed price quoted elsewhere.
Changes, stairs and your final trip of the day
An interchange may involve stairs, long corridors or extra walking. With a pushchair, large suitcase or accessibility requirement, check station equipment and its current status. Our Paris travel with children offers further preparation.
Before an evening out, look at the return too: a connection available on the outward journey may not run when you head back. Our arriving in Paris at night discusses alternatives. Rechecking the official planner and saving the hotel address are two simple habits that help.
LET’S PLAN THE JOURNEY
Example: two routes reach the same address
When the planner offers two journeys, expand the interchanges first. Fewer stops may conceal a long corridor or extra stairs. With luggage, a pushchair or limited mobility, avoid ranking the options by duration alone.
After selecting a route in Île-de-France Mobilités, open accessibility details for equipment information and lift status. On the platform, then read the train direction. On RER services, the correct branch and destination matter as much as the line letter.
Compare your options
Check ticket coverage separately for airports and Disneyland. If you need an accessible route, verify every station and interchange.
Which transport suits you? →Your journey, step by step
Enter your starting point and destination
Read the line direction and train destination
CDG to central Paris: RER B, taxi or private transfer? →Check ticket coverage and station access
Frequently asked questions
Does a metro ticket cover the airports?
Not every product covers every trip. Check current conditions for journeys including the CDG and Orly airport stations.
Is the RER line letter enough?
No. Read the direction, destination and, where relevant, branch. Not every train on a line necessarily has the same terminus.
Sources and updates
Check fares, schedules and accessibility with official sources before travelling.Related guides
Paris to Disneyland: RER A, transfers and return plans
Plan Paris to Disneyland with RER A to Marne-la-Vallée–Chessy or a private vehicle. Compare airport arrivals, family luggage and the return after the park.
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CDG · Charles de Gaulle
Plan CDG to Paris transport with rail station guidance, airport ticket checks, luggage advice and a practical comparison of RER B, taxi and private transfers.
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