But just in case, here are some helpful phrases and common questions to learn before your trip:
One ticket, please: Un ticket, s'il vous plaît. ( ...
A pack of metro tickets, please: Un carnet, s'il vous plaît. (
People Also Ask
In the RER, as long as you remain within the city limits, tickets and prices are identical to the metro (RER stations also have their own ticket offices and machines).
Tipping in France is not mandatory. Even though it is always appreciated, it's up to the customers to decide if they want to tip or not. Unlike other countries, the price of the service is included in the total cost of the bill. You will never be asked to tip, but it's common to leave one if the service was good.
There are two ways to buy Paris Metro tickets: at station ticket windows or vending machines. If you're using the vending machine, pay with euro coins, or a European debit or credit card that has a smart chip. If you're carrying euro bills or a non-European credit card, head to the staffed ticket windows for payment.
As of 2023, the city has transitioned from paper tickets to a modern, electronic system, in an attempt to make it easier for both visitors and locals to navigate the city. Paper metro ticket books gradually disappeared in 2022!
Yes, tap water in Paris is perfectly safe to drink and is readily available wherever you go, even at public water fountains. As long as taps aren't labeled eau non potable—meaning “not for drinking” in French—everything else is potable. In fact, drinking water from the fountains of Paris has been encouraged.
Tipping is not required in France (although there are a few exceptions). You don't need to tip French waitstaff because they get a living wage and benefits. It is NOT considered rude to tip in France. There is no standard percentage for tips in France.
Eat at the right hoursAs for dinner, we're a bit more flexible. We don't eat as late as our Spanish neighbors by any means, but most people won't sit down to dinner before 8 p.m., and in most places, looking for a full dinner after 10:30 p.m. can get complicated, as well.
Now, with the Navigo Easy card, it's even easier to zip around Paris with a single swipe. You can obtain Navigo Easy at virtually any Metro station and use the machine to reload your card using either cash or a credit card, and instructions are available in English. Here's what you need to know.
Paris Metro Day PassThe day pass is €8.45 for central Paris (zones 1 and 2) and is valid for that particular day starting from midnight to midnight. This means that if you buy a day pass at 4 pm it will expire at midnight, so consider the time before buying to see if it's worth it for you.
Metro. The Paris Metro is our preferred way to get around the city when we travel around central Paris. This is because it is fast, affordable, has a regular service, and it covers the majority of the attractions in the city centre. The Paris metro system is currently made up of 16 lines and 302 stations.
You can transfer between Metro lines, between RER train lines, and between a RER train and a Metro line for two hours after first validating your ticket. You can transfer between buses and trams for 1.5 hours between the first and the last validation.
A single ticket costs 1.70€ and allows unlimited travel and transfer within the Metro for up to 90 minutes. You can also make one transfer between Metro and RER (the ticket is valid until you exit a Metro station). The Metro and RER share the same stations, so you don't need to exit the Metro to transfer to the RER.