Paris Metro
Paris Metro looks like a museum indeed.
Since Paris, France, is such a compact city (roughly 6 miles across), much of it can be covered on foot — especially the primary sightseeing spots in the city’s center. There will be times, however, when a metro or bus ride is unavoidable — and even welcome.
The easiest way to get around Paris is by the metro (subway). It will take you few minutes only to get to your hotel, reach a restaurant you want to dine in and not to waste time staying in traffic jams during your short Paris vacation. Whenever to travel to Paris, do not forget to get a metro map.
History of the Paris Metro
Evidence of plans to build the metropolitan (or the Nécropolitain, as it was dubbed by one wit) existed as early as 1845, though the first line was not completed until July 19, 1900. (Line 1, as it is still called, runs from Porte de Vincennes to Porte Maillot.) Following the construction of the Eiffel Tower by eleven years, this elegant transportation system stole the show, and remains to this day a model of efficient public transportation.
While the engineer Fulgence Bienvenüe was in charge of construction, architect Hector Guimard is credited for the charming Art Nouveau entrances. The system boasts 211 km (131 miles) of track and 14 lines, shuttling 3500 cars on a precise schedule between 380 stations (not including RER stations), 87 of these offering connections between lines. It is said that every building in Paris is within 500 meters (3/10 mile) of a metro station. Roughly 6 million people per day patronize the new Paris subway, which employs over 15,000.
Some of the Paris Metro lines run over-ground for short periods. Line 6 near La Motte-Picquet allows a good view of the Seine, the Eiffel Tower, Paris, and the Trocadéro. Line 7 near Pont-Marie looks across the Ile de la Cité, most striking at night when Notre Dame de Paris is lit up. By all means, do not use the metro to briefly see major tourist attractions in Paris. The bus service in Paris is not difficult, and of course you will see much more and greatly enjoy your Paris tour.
Abbesses (line 12) features murals alongside its spiral staircase leading to one of the more elaborate of Art Nouveau entrances.
Some of the Paris metro stations are worth a visit in their own right. For example, the stop for the Louvre (line 1) gives one the impression that the train has pulled into the true Museum, Paris, itself: the immaculate marble walls are lined with exhibits and replicas of art works, with glass cases containing various sculptures. On line 13, Varenne offers exhibits from the nearby Rodin Museum, while Liège is paneled with beautiful tiles. Additional Sight-seeing Notes.
Maps & Directions
Signage in Paris metro stations is abundant and easily followed: every station offers a big plan of the network outside the entrance and several inside. Lines are color-coded and numbered, and are also named according to the city gate — or porte — at the end of the line. For example, Line 4 running to the north will be indicated as going in the direction of Porte de Clignancourt, while southbound would be Porte d’Orléans. (Some lines may end a few stops beyond the Periphérique, into neighboring suburbs.) Numerous interchanges (correspondences) make it possible to travel throughout the city in a more or less straight line. Châtelet has the longest interconnecting passageway between lines, with a 600-foot long moving sidewalk.
Free maps are also available at most stations, which provide the basics for navigation. If you want detailed breakdowns, I recommend the following, which are available at most newsstands and bookshops:
* Tout Paris par Arrondissement. Small spiral-bound notebook, with index of streets, detailed maps of each arrondissement, and a list of useful addresses. Editions Blay Foldex, priced around € 6.
* Paris Classique par Arrondissement. Pocket-sized, with foldout map as well as more detailed maps of each arrondissement, and index of streets. Editions L’Indispensable, priced around € 9.
The Paris Metro system consists of 16 lines, identified by numbers from 1 to 14, with two minor lines 3b and 7b, numbered thus because they are branch lines split off from the original lines 3 and 7.
Existing lines
1: La Défense – Château de Vincennes
• First section opened July 19, 1900
• Converted to rubber-tired operation 1964
2: Porte Dauphine – Nation
• First section opened December 13, 1900
3: Pont de Levallois-Bécon – Gallieni
• First section opened October 19, 1904
3bis: Gambetta – Porte des Lilas
• Opened November 27, 1921 ( then part of line 3 )
• Detached from line 3 April 2, 1971
4: Porte de Clignancourt – Porte d’ Orléans
• First section opened April 21, 1908
• Converted to rubber-tired operation 1967
5: Place d’Italie – Bobigny- Pablo Picasso
• First section opened June 2, 1906 ( some sections opened earlier are now part of line 6 )
6: Charles de Gaulle-Étoile – Nation
• First section opened October 2, 1900 ( then part of line 5 )
• Converted to rubber-tired operation 1974
7: Villejuif- Louis Aragon /Mairie d’Ivry – La Courneuve-8 Mai 1945
• First section opened November 5, 1910
7bis: Louis Blanc – Pré-Saint-Gervais
• Opened January 18, 1911 ( then part of line 7 )
• Detached from line 7 December 3, 1967
8: Balard – Créteil- Préfecture
• First section opened July 13, 1913
9: Pont de Sèvres – Mairie de Montreuil
• First section opened November 8, 1922
10: Boulogne -Pont de Saint-Cloud – Gare d’ Austerlitz
• First section opened July 13, 1913 ( then part of line 8 )
11: Châtelet – Mairie des Lilas
• First section opened April 28, 1935
• Converted to rubber-tired operation November 8, 1956
12: Mairie d’Issy – Porte de La Chapelle
• First section opened November 5, 1910 ( as part of Nord-Sud line A )
13: Châtillon-Montrouge – Gabriel Péri-Asnières-Gennevilliers/Saint Denis-Université
• First section opened February 26, 1911 ( as part of Nord-Sud line B )
• First section opened by CMP December 30, 1923 ( then part of line 10 )
14: Saint-Lazare – Bibliothèque François Mitterrand
• First section (Madeleine – Bibliothèque François Mitterrand) opened October 15, 1998
• Saint-Lazare terminus opened December 16, 2003
An earlier line 14 Invalides-Porte de Vanves existed from July 29, 1937, when it was detached from line 10, to November 9, 1976, when it was incorporated into line 13.
Subway Map of Paris, France
Brief technical points:
• over 200 km of track, over 300 stations
• circulation is on the right
• track gauge of 1.435 meters (standard gauge, like the French main lines) — but trains are narrower than mainlines, so the Paris Metro can run on mainlines but not vice versa
• power collection: third rail
• average distance between stations is approx 300 m
• lines 1, 4, 6, 11, and 14 are rubber-tired
• line 14 is driverless (fully automatic)
Ticketing
Tickets, Paris subway, are valid on either the Paris metro, buses, or the central Paris RER trains (zones 1 & 2), as well as certain select venues, such as the funicular at Montmartre. Single tickets (€1.30) may be purchased at the counters each time, but the better value is a carnet of 10 (€9.60), which will save you queuing; these may also be purchased from many tobacconists. Another option for frequent travel during a short visit is the Mobilis 1-day pass, available in various denominations according to the zones of travel.
Parisians themselves rely on monthly passes (Carte Orange ) or weekly passes (coupon hebdomadaire ), which are most economical if you plan to be there long enough. The weekly pass is valid for unlimited travel between Monday and Sunday; the monthly pass begins on the first day of the month and may be purchased starting on the 20th of the prior month. You’ll need a passport photo to place on the pass; be sure to bring extras from home or purchase one for 20F from machines in the main stations.
There are also passes offered to foreign travelers, called Paris Visites, which are valid for either 1, 2, 3 or 5 days’ unlimited use. For metro travel alone — within Paris city limits — these are not as economical as the coupon hebdomadaire, but they can begin on any day of the week (rather than just Monday to Sunday), and provide 20-35% discounts (or 2-for-1 tickets) on Paris boat trips and certain other attractions. Another advantage is that they can be purchased for certain travel zones, either just within Paris, or for trips as far away as Versailles, Disneyland-Paris, or the airports. Fares vary according to number of days and travel zones selected; children 4 to 11 years old are half-price (kids under 4 ride free of charge).
Note on the rules of Paris Discount
Though senior citizens over age 60 (with passport as proof) will be given reduced entry to most museums and monuments in Paris, there is no reduction on public transport.
Hours of Service
Trains, Paris, run from 5:30 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. If you happen to be out after that, and you’re across town from your lodgings, Noctambus (night bus service) runs on thirteen routes from place du Châtelet near the Hôtel de Ville every half-hour from 1:00 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. (Since September, 1997, the RATP has also created some additional Noctambus routes extending as far as 30km beyond the city limits; call 08 36 68 77 14 for more information.) You can also try hailing a taxi : look for the large white light — if it’s on, the cab’s available; a glowing orange light below it means it’s engaged.
NAVIGO: The New Urban Transport Pass
Recently introduced in Paris and 23 other cities, NAVIGO is a revolutionary new pass offering commuters the ultimate in convenience. Sized like an ordinary credit card, this pass represents a technological breakthrough for public transportation. Containing an electronic chip instead of the traditional magnetic strip, it is designed to be waved (within a few centimeters) across a sensor installed at the platform gates.
NAVIGO passes can be customized for any demographic group, including adult commuters, students, civil servants, agents of the RATP, persons on public assistance, etc. Implemented since October 2001 to replace the Carte Intégrale (annual passes for adult commuters), the recharcheable card was also made available in September 2002 to students eligible for the Imagine “R” passes. Gradually, its implementation will be phased in (between 2003-2005) to include other groups, such as Carte Orange, Mobilis, Paris Visite, and even the 10-ticket carnets.
Boutique
Those of you who are dying to take home a souvenir of your travels on the Paris Metro will be delighted to find a Boutique dedicated to all manner of Paris train and bus memorabilia (t-shirts, key chains, postcards, coasters, maps, cups, pens, watches, etc.). It is the right point to start your Paris shopping tour. Situated near the exit for Place Carrée and the Line 4 interchange at the Châtelet—les Halles RER complex, the store is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Travel Tips
The Paris metro system — in a rare display of egalitarianism — did away with first class cars in August 1991. A word of caution: though a single-fare ticket is valid for an entire continuous trip — including connections — be sure to keep your ticket until you leave the system at your destination; being caught without it means an instant fine of 200F, payable in cash on the spot (unless you wish to acquaint yourself intimately with the French judicial system).
W hile Paris has a lower incidence of violent crime than most major cities, it is wise to keep your wits about you (particularly in the crowded venue of a metro station) and guard against pick-pockets, whose scams can be particularly creative at times. Perhaps as a testament to the Artful Dodger and Fagan’s pick-pocketing ragamuffins in Oliver, the operatives ply their scam in pairs — frequently on the escalators on the way up to street level: One will stop suddenly at the top exit, as though he’s dropped something; while you try to avoid running over him, you’re jostled from the rear by the second one, who lifts your wallet. It’s recommended that gentlemen carry their wallets in their jacket’s inner pocket, rather than in a rear pants pocket. Likewise, ladies should hold their purses in hand, instead of slung by their strap from the shoulders. (Thieves commonly cut the strap of a dangling purse with a utility knife.)
At night, the metro is typically safe, but try to avoid the stops that have long, extended hallways between platforms where unpleasant folks can easily relieve you of your goodies in relative seclusion. This includes: Chatelet les Halles, Chateau Rouge, Gare de Nord, Strasbourg-St. Denis, Reaumur-Sebastopol and Montparnasse-Bienvenue.
Should you happen to see everyone leaving a packed metro station following an announcement in French on the public address system, chances are you are witnessing one of their periodic strikes (or grèves). These manifestations occur from time to time when the unions are displeased with government, or during elections. Look at it this way: you’ll get a chance to explore sections of Paris you might otherwise have only passed underground!