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RATP is the public transport authority for Paris. It operates the Metro (subway) lines (14 lines identified by colour), the RER (Réseau Express Régional) suburban express railway (lines A, B, C, D and E), the Noctilien (night buses), Orlyval airport rail connections and Montmartre funicular. The RER connects Paris and the Ile de France regions with the Metro system and the SNCF (Société National des Chemins de Fer) main-line railway.
TicketsTickets and passes are sold in all Metro and RER stations, and can be bought at a ticket counter or from a vending machine. Newsagents (presse), bookshops and tobacconists (tabacs) displaying the RATP logo also sell tickets. Tickets are sold singly, in books of 10, as a weekly card, a seniors or juniors card or any variety of other ways including Paris Visite visitors pass which allows for travel on all transport for a fixed period. Full details of all ticket options are available on the RATP website. Each ticket is valid for a single trip on the bus, Metro, RER or tramway within zones 1 and 2. You can transfer as many times as necessary once you pass the metro turnstile, but your used ticket is void upon exit. To ride the bus, a new ticket is required for each transfer. Children under 4 ride free when accompanied by an adult. Half-price fare applies to children ages 4 to 11 years. To determine which pass you need, refer to a zone map. Public transport tips
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Save your proof of payment, the RATP fare inspectors make frequent visits on bus, metro and RER lines. Fines must be paid if you fail to produce proof of payment. Other infractions include: smoking where prohibited; unauthorised filming or taking of photographs; and vandalism. Timetables: Bus, RER, Métro, Tramway, Noctilien, AirportIn January 2007 the public transportation system hours were extended by one hour at night. Detailed timetables available (see "horaires") online in French for: TrafficCitéFutée: is an interactive map showing train traffic flow, congestion and delays on the Paris rail lines. Metro
(Metro stations Liège (line 13) and Rennes (line 4) close at 20:00.) Metro "How to"
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RERIn Paris proper, riding the RER can be faster than the riding the Metro because of the limited number of stations. Signs on the platform indicated the direction and monitors on the platform indicate the next departures. Trains to the suburbs, don't necessarily stop at all stations on the line. Lighted boards on the platform indicate the next train's route; routes for all other trains are posted on RER schedules near the ticket windows. There is no specific first-class seating. BusBuses run from approximately 07:00 to 20:00. Exact hours vary according to each bus line with some operating until 00:30. Many do not run Sundays or holidays. Bus route maps are posted at the bus stops. A single ticket is required to ride most bus lines. An additional ticket is required for each transfer. Special fares apply to Orlybus, Roissybus, Noctilien and Balabus. The city's periphery is served by 3 bus lines that make up the Petite Ceinture (Little Belt), or PC. A single ticket is required to ride any one of these. On Sunday and holidays, Balabus departs from the Gare de Lyon for a 2-hour tour of the city terminating at the Grande Arche de la Défense. NoctilienThe Noctilien night bus network of buses runs on 35 lines throughout Ile-de-France. For bus times:
TramwayA suburban light rail service runs between La Défense and Issy-les-Moulineaux, as well as between Gare de Saint-Denis and Noisy-le-Sec. Only one ticket is required. BatôbusBatôbus is a "bus boat" which serves eight stops along the River Seine and operates nearly year-round, with a break in January. Boats leave every 15 to 20 minutes. Stops include the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysées, Musée d'Orsay, Musée du Louvre, St-Germain-des-Prés, Notre-Dame, Hôtel de Ville and Jardin des Plantes.
BicyclesVélib' (free bike) is a bike rental system operating in Paris. Bicycles are available for rental 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from "bike dispensing" depots throughout the city. Bikes have protective mudguards, handlebar baskets and lights for night riding. Helmets are not provided. Use the touch screen at a bike station (station Vélib') to pay for and release a bike. Return the bike to any depot across. Subscription cards are available for one day, seven days or a year; these provide a discount.
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This is the "Bus, Metro, RER, Noctilien & Vélib' in Paris" INFOrmation Page at AngloINFO Paris & Ile de France. AngloINFO Paris & Ile de France's INFOrmation Pages provide an online encyclopaedia covering all aspects of "Life in Paris & Ile de France, in English!". AngloINFO Paris & Ile de France is your Paris & Ile de France information source, for everyone living in Paris & Ile de France or moving to Paris & Ile de France, covering everything from the Paris & Ile de France property and real estate contacts you need before and during your move to France, to all aspects of everyday life in the Paris & Ile de France international community for those living their lives in France. » Find out more about AngloINFO in France | ||||||||||||||||||||||