Parisian Metro
The Metropolitan
With 16 lines that stretch across 200,8 km, 689 trains and 300 stations, the Parisian metro is The way to get across the capital. Not necessarily the fastest, most comfortable or most spacious, it is nevertheless the liveliest and most practical means of transport in Paris. Amongst the 10 millions of travellers taken from one side of the city to the other everyday by the French RATP, half of them take the metro!
Each metro line is numbered from 1 to 14 and contains the name of the first and last stations on the line. Example: line 9: Pont de Sèvres -> Mairie de Montreuil.
In order to know in which direction to take the metro, follow the signs on the boards displayed everywhere in the corridors and stations. On them is indicated the last stop. You will often get to a junction where you need to choose between two corridors to get to the right platform. You will always see a board detailing all the stations the metro will stop at. Use this to figure out where you are on the line and where you need to head.
On top of this, lines are distinguished from one another with colours. This is useful to know instantly where you are. There also is an updated information system on screens which enables the traveller to know when the next train is and what its destination is. That way, passengers are kept up to date in a regular manner of the train running times during engineering works or problems.
To take the metro, first you need to buy a ticket in a station. You can go to the counters or use an appropriate machine. You can pay with cash or a credit card. Single tickets are available but you are advised to buy a “carnet” of 10 tickets. The tickets are valid from the entrance in the metro through barriers until the exit of the metro through barriers again and can comprise several changes. Keep your ticket until the exit in case it is checked before or straight after the exit.
Once in the metro, you can either sit or stand but you need to be aware that you will have to leave your seat to vulnerable people: the elderly, disabled people, children and pregnant women. The general rule is that one leaves his or her seat to people who need it more than oneself. Courtesy in the metro is essential to everyone’s well-being. Also, it is pointless and regarded as impolite to bump into people, be loud or show inappropriate behaviour in the metro.
Another rule is to wait on the side of the doors while people get off the carriage before you get in. On the escalators, one stands on the right hand side to leave a faster lane for people in a hurry. Lastly, while you can be tempted to run to catch a train, you should be careful with the automatic closing doors and you should stay clear of them at all times.
In the event of an accident in the metro, there are alarm bells that can be used in order to stop the train and warn the train driver. It is advised not to stop the train outside of a platform. Stopping at a station will enable help to get there quicker.
Changes in the metro are made without going out, you need to follow the signs which indicate the stations and the line that you are looking for. From the metro, it is also possible to get to the RER network, the suburban rail network and the national network to get a correspondence which you will need to pay separately. In most stations, you will find vending machines and stalls selling snacks and drinks, tobacco and magazines.
The first trains leave at around 5.30am from the first stop on the line. Their frequency is about every 2 minutes in rush hour. The last trains leave at 00.30am and until 1.10 am for the last stops.
On special occasions (Music Day, certain holidays) trains run all night.
La Défense - Château de Vincennes
Porte Dauphine - Nation
Pont de Levallois Bécon - Gallieni
Portes des Lilas - Gambetta
Porte de Clignancourt - Porte d’Orléans
Bobigny Pablo Picasso - Place d’Italie
Charles de Gaulle / Etoile - Nation
La Courneuve 8 Mai 1945 / Villejuif - Louis Aragon / Mairie d’Ivry
Louis Blanc - Pré St Gervais
Balard - Créteil préfecture
Pont de Sèvres - Mairie de Montreuil
Boulogne / Pont de St Cloud - Gare d’Austerlitz
Châtelet - Mairie des Lilas
Porte de La Chapelle - Mairie d’Issy
Gabriel Péri / Asnières Gennevilliers - Saint Denis Université
RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens)
International phone number : +33 892 693 246
Website : www.ratp.fr
By Alice Cannet
Published : April 29, 2010
Photo credit : © RATP