Paris's underground transport network includes metro and high-speed metro RER (Reseau express regional). They are interconnected - at several central stations there is the possibility of transferring from the metro to the RER and vice versa.
Paris metro - quite a convenient means of transportation around the city, it includes more than 300 stations, and no matter where you are in Paris, the metro station will probably be no more than 500m away from you.
Now the metro in Paris consists of 16 lines (there are fewer of them in numbering - the last modern line has number 14, but there are two lines with numbers "bis"). Each line on the metro map has its own color.
RER high-speed metro lines have a great length, going into the suburbs of Paris. You can easily get to Disneyland or Versailles on it.
There are 5 RER lines in Paris, they are designated by letters (A, B, C, D, E). Opening hours from 5.30 to 00.30, the average interval of movement is 12 minutes.
In order to navigate the Paris metro, you need not only to know the number of the line you need, but also the name of the terminal station on the line where your destination is located.
Following the signs, you will always get to the desired platform, on which interactive screens are located, informing about the time of arrival of the trains and their direction.
Please note - many lines have “forks” at the end of the route. Best of all, have a Paris metro map with you, which you can use to orient yourself in advance.
(To save the file to your computer, right-click on the link, then click "Save link as ...")
Perhaps knowledge of French words that are often found in the Paris metro will help you:
Direction - Direction, Terminus – Ending station, Sortie - Output, Sortie de secour - Emergency exit, Acces interdit - No entry.
If you get lost on the metro - under no circumstances follow the Sortie sign (Exit), leaving the metro, you will have to pay again.
Doors on metro and RER trains do not open automatically (with the exception of modern trains on line 14, they will gradually appear on other modernized lines as well). To open the carriage door, you need to press a large button when entering and exiting.
Some cars are equipped not with a button, but with a metal handle, which must be lifted up to open the door. Memorize the words that may be useful to you: Tirez - to pull (towards yourself), Poussez - to push (from yourself).
Once you open the door, it will be polite to hold it for those walking behind. It is often not accepted to give up a seat in the carriage.
The metro in Paris is not very convenient for traveling with kids - there are mostly stairs, not escalators. The narrow gates of most stations are difficult for wheelchairs or large suitcases.
Only a few stations (usually RER) are equipped with separate doors through which you can go with a stroller. But the new line # 14 is all equipped with lifts.
However, on the other hand, your grown child metro in Paris can serve as " additional attraction»:
- some lines use unusual for us two-story subway cars.
- the newest line number 14 (from the F. Mitterrand library to the Place de la Madeleine) - automatic, it is called "Meteor" and is completely electronically controlled. Sit with your child in the first carriage and imagine yourself as a train driver with pleasure.
Official information:
RER (full official name fr. Réseau Express Régional d'Île-de-France, "Express network of the Ile-de-France region", pronounced for the French letters er-e-er) - expressway system public transportserving Paris and the suburbs. It is an amalgamation of suburban overground railway lines (partly pre-existing, partly newly built and reconstructed) and new underground lines that emerged in the 1960s and 1990s within the borders of Paris. An important feature is the active use of deep underground lines within the city and the popularity of intracity routes, which brings RER closer to the metro. In addition, the RER and the Paris Metro are integrated through the transfer and payment system.
In total, the RER has more than 257 stations (including 33 within the borders of Paris), 587 km long, including 76.5 km (more than 40 stations) underground. The system is used by 657 million passengers per year, or 1.8 million per day. In 1989, the intervals between trains were reduced, and since 1998, double-deck trains have been used. Lines are indicated by letters (A, B, C ...) on all Paris pocket transport cards.
Some of the lines obey transport company, which also owns the metro (RATP), part - railroad (SNCF). The fare for both types of lines is the same. There are 5 payment zones depending on the distance of the trip.
RER and Paris Metro
Within the boundaries Paris RER has several transfers to the Paris metro, within the city limits for trips on it are valid the same tickets as on the metro and land transport (but when crossing city boundaries you need to buy separate ticket). RER stations in Paris are located much less frequently than in the metro, have, as a rule, a greater depth, and the lines are much less curved. Many trips within the city using the RER take noticeably less time than the metro.
Helpful hints, personal experience and FAQ's.
Why and in what cases do Russian tourists use RER?
RER is used by tourists from Russia extremely rarely, mainly for independent low-budget visits to some suburbs of Paris like Versailles or Sainte-Genevieve de Bois. Read more ...
What are the dangerous or unpleasant moments when using RER?
There are basically three situations here:
- When you purposefully drive out of town. To read…
- When you purposefully drive within the boundaries of Paris Read ...
- When you accidentally entered the RER instead of the metro Read
Payment for the trip.
Payment for trips exists in special ticket offices, which are becoming smaller and smaller, as well as in a number of terminals. The terminals have english version, which is more convenient for tourists from Russia. Coins and small bills are accepted. Even with a banknote of 50 Euros (and not only 500 Euros), the device will not accept it, and at the checkout they can send it politely or not very much (like there is no small money, go to the bar to change it). Cards are usually accepted as well, but some machines have restrictions on the type of cards. A Sberbank card of the Mastercard class works well and only one of 10 machines did not accept it.
Where can you take the RER
- Charles de Gaulle-Roissy airport (though you still have to walk around the terminal buildings)
- Orly Airport (with a transfer) and also have to walk a little inside the complex
- Disneyland
- Russian cemetery Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois near Paris, then by taxi or bus
- Forest of Fontainebleau, to the castle and the museum you must continue to move by taxi or bus
Train Station Charles de Gaulle Airport RER SNCF
The Express Network of Electric Trains (RER) in France helps to quickly get to the suburbs of Paris and even move around its center.
Zones map of Paris: suburbs.
There is no point in delving into the structure of the RER especially if you are going to Paris: you can just remember that throughout the first zone the RER is equated to the metro. However, of course, download the map in advance if you plan to get out further than Paris itself.
RER has five zones that are paid differently. For pricing information, see the Paris Ticket Prices page. It also describes the transfers that are allowed using high-speed trains.
There are five RER lines in total: they are denoted by Latin letters. Information about each route is necessarily indicated on the station board.
Paris metro.
RER trains take you to Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports ( detailed information - on the pages of airports).
In the first zone of Paris, a RER ticket costs 1.7 euros.
When buying a ticket to another zone, you will need to select a station. Tickets are punched not only at the entrance, but also at the exit, so do not throw it away.
RER in Paris: lines
- A: passes through La Defense, Gare de Lyon, goes to Chessy station, where Disneyland is located. It is very busy precisely because of the park.
- Line B: from southwest to northeast, passes by Notre Dame, Gare du Nord, has interchange stations with lines A, D, C. Connected to the metro to Orly.
- Line C: runs along the Seine, through the Champ de Mars, Les Invalides, Orsay Museum, Austerlitz Station, Orly Airport.
- Line D: bifurcates in the southern section, has stops at Lyons and Gare du Nord, transitions to lines A and B.
- Line E: from the Saint-Lazare train station to the east, now developing.
RER lines run both underground and on the surface, in general, RER is faster than the metro, because has fewer stops in the city center.
They are very convenient in that with their help you can easily get to attractions that are not located within the city of Paris. On the RER you can get to Disneyland, visit the Palace of Versailles, and catch the airports of Orly and Charles de Gaulle. The only problem is that it is quite difficult to navigate at RER stations. Sure, locals They are accustomed to everything and it is not difficult for them to get to their destination, but tourists, especially those who come to Paris for the first time, will have to work hard to get to their destination.
Landmarks at the RER station:
- Within Paris, the RER and the regular metro intersect, have close-located stations, but it should be remembered that often the RER and metro stations differ in name, they may have different entrances and exits and platforms. This can be seriously confusing unprepared tourist... Very often there are crossings between the RER and the metro within Paris, which is very convenient, since you can travel with one ticket
- The RER platform is defined by a pointer, an abbreviation written in blue in a circle. This is the official RER designation and can be seen everywhere, including on the wagons of trains running along the route. Next is usually the letter \u003d line number. Total 5 lines
- Before the trip, it is recommended to stock up on a RER card, with which it will be much easier to move. The card can be obtained from the RATP cashier for free or downloaded from the official website at this link. The map shows the routes of each line. The fact is that one and also a line can have several routes, in order to leave in the right direction, you need to remember the final station of your route and start from this data
- Before entering the platform, it is necessary to clarify the correctness of the side - the direction of movement of the train. Some RER stations do not have platform transitions, so to get to the desired one, you will have to log out and log in again by purchasing a new ticket
- There are two train options on the routes: full or long trains that stop at all stations and express trains that stop at a limited number of stations. Each RER platform has screens that display all the necessary information: train name; the terminal station of the next train; list of stations where it will stop; Arrival time. Usually on the screen there are 6 trains that go one after another, in the first place the train that will arrive earlier is respectively displayed. If you are not sure about the train, it is better to wait for the next one, as they run often enough
- If you need to get to Paris from the suburbs, then any train from the list will do, since the route branching happens only outside the city, and in Paris there is one direction within the same line.
Don't forget the strikes. This applies to any public transport. The French are very sensitive about their rights and strikes are absolutely normal. At the same time, everything is at a standstill and the operating mode gets lost. If there is a need to get into specific place on a certain day (for example, a departure is scheduled), you must first check the operating mode of the RER or other transport, and then plan everything.
To enlarge the RER diagram, click on the image below:
RER (French: Réseau Express Régional) is a system of high-speed commuter trains length of 587 km, to some extent an analogue of Russian electric trains. It is with the RER that you can get from the airport to Paris and back, as well as quickly and easily get to Disneyland and Versailles.
A to E: RER directions
The RER system consists of five main areas. Each line is named with a letter of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, E) and has its own color:- Line A
It starts from the Gare de Lyon, then crosses the La Défense quarter and the Place de l'Est. In the opposite direction, it splits into two branches: to Disneyland and to Boissy-Saint-Léger. - Line B
In the southwest direction, it connects with one of the two airports, Orly, also passes through the Gare du Nord, the boulevard Saint Michel and the famous Notre Dame (Notre Dame). In the direction from north to east, it is divided into two branches: to Mitri and to CDG airport (Charles de Gaulle). - Line C
It runs from north to south and is rightfully considered the most confusing RER line, as it has many branches and intersections. For a tourist, it is important to know that it is precisely this road that leads to the Austerlitz train station, Versailles (Parc et château de Vеrsailles) and Orly airport. - Line D
Also runs from north to south. Within Paris, the RER stops at Gare de Lyon and Gare du Nord. There are transfers on lines A and B. - Line E
It starts in the north of the capital, then goes east and south, into the suburbs. The line continues to be completed.
Basic RER Rates
The main thing to know about RER tickets: their cost depends on the zones, of which there are five in Paris. Zone 1 is the city itself, zones 2 and 3 are the surroundings, zone 4 is Versailles and Orly airport, and zone 5 is CDG airport and Disneyland. The sixth zone borders on other regions of France.So, let's look at the basic RER tariffs.
First, you can buy regular ticket, which is valid for all types of transport. It costs € 1.70 and is valid in zones 1-3. Tickets to the suburbs are more expensive and are bought specifically for the RER.
Secondly, this carne (French carnet) - "book" of 10 tickets. Such a set is much cheaper than individual tickets, and will cost more than 12 euros for an adult fare and 6 euros for children.
Third, if you are planning a lot of travel, it makes sense to purchase a Paris Pass or Paris Visite, which includes not only the cost of metro and RER rides, but also entry tickets in more than 50 museums in Paris. Here is the Paris Visite card plan:
- 1 day: € 9.30 in zones 1-3 or € 19.60 in zones 1-6;
- 2 days: € 15.20 in zones 1-3 or € 29.90 in zones 1-6;
- 3 days: € 20.70 in zones 1-3 or € 41.90 in zones 1-6.
RER and metro: what's the difference
The route of these trains runs both outside the city and in it, which is why some confuse RER with the metro. In fact, these are completely different things.
First of all, the RER system covers a larger area than the metro: not only almost all of Paris, but also its surroundings, for example, Ile-de-France, as well as two main airports. RER has more than 250 stations, of which only 33 are located within the city.
In addition, metro stations are more frequent and shorter, while, like RER, these are trains. You can only get confused in the center, where the metro network overlaps the RER network, and some stations merge.
RER is a very convenient form of transport, as it will take you not only to any area of \u200b\u200bthe capital, but also to the airport, Disneyland and the suburbs. In addition, using the RER is no more difficult than using the regular metro.
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