At a glance. Paris is easy to cross without a car. The RER B takes you from Charles de Gaulle into the centre, metro line 14 takes you from Orly, and the RER C and RER A reach Versailles and Disneyland. Inside the city, the metro stops close to every sight in this guide. Strikes and works change timetables from time to time, so look at the day’s forecast before you leave.
How do you get from the airports to the centre?
Charles de Gaulle (CDG). The RER B is the simplest way. It stops at the airport stations CDG 1 and CDG 2, and in the city at Gare du Nord, Châtelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame, Luxembourg and Denfert-Rochereau. Trains run about every ten minutes, and the trip to Gare du Nord takes a little over half an hour. At night, night buses run once the trains stop.
A direct express train from Gare de l’Est is planned for 2027. It is not running yet, so do not count on it.
Orly. Metro line 14 is the easy way in. The Orly station opened in June 2024, the trains are automatic and come every few minutes, and you reach Châtelet in about 25 minutes. On the way the line passes Gare de Lyon, Madeleine and Saint-Lazare. There are also the Orlyval shuttle, which takes you to the RER B at Antony, and the T7 tram to metro line 7.
The airport ticket. At the airports the normal metro ticket does not work. You need the Paris Region airports ticket, which costs €14 and is valid for 120 minutes on the metro, the RER, the Transilien trains and Orlyval. If you already have a Navigo pass that covers zone 5, you do not need to buy anything extra.
Straight to Disneyland. If you are flying into Charles de Gaulle for the parks, a direct bus runs from the airport to Disneyland in about an hour, so you skip the city altogether.
How does the Paris metro work?
The network is dense, and in the centre you are seldom more than a few minutes from a station. Single tickets are now valid in every zone, except at the airports. Paper tickets have been replaced by the Navigo system, so look for a rechargeable Navigo Easy card or use your phone.
For the main sights, these stops are the useful ones:
| Sight | How to get there |
|---|---|
| Louvre | Metro lines 1 and 7, Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre (direct access to the Carrousel du Louvre) |
| Musée d’Orsay | RER C Musée d’Orsay, or metro line 12 Solférino |
| Eiffel Tower | Metro line 6 Bir-Hakeim, line 8 École Militaire, or RER C Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel |
| Arc de Triomphe | Metro line 1 or RER A Charles de Gaulle-Étoile |
| Sainte-Chapelle | RER B or C Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame |
| Notre-Dame area | RER B or C Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame |
The RER C is a good friend to visitors: it stops at Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame, the Musée d’Orsay, Invalides and the Eiffel Tower, and a branch continues to Versailles.
How do you get to Versailles and Disneyland?
Versailles. Take the RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche, and the palace is ten minutes on foot. From Gare Montparnasse, trains reach Versailles Chantiers, a walk of about 18 minutes. From Gare Saint-Lazare, trains reach Versailles Rive Droite, about 17 minutes on foot. Read our full Versailles guide for tickets and timing. If you would rather not think about trains, some tickets include the transport.
Disneyland. The RER A runs from central stations such as Châtelet-Les Halles, Gare de Lyon and Nation to Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy, the last stop, right at the entrance of the parks. Allow about 40 minutes from the centre. Check the board before you board, because not every RER A train goes all the way there. Our Disneyland Paris guide explains how to spend the day.
Fontainebleau and other day trips. Trains for Fontainebleau-Avon leave from Gare de Lyon on line R, and take about 40 minutes. Chantilly is about 25 minutes by train from Gare du Nord. For these and more, see our day trips from Paris.
Practical tips
- Check the day’s forecast. Strikes, breakdowns and works happen often in Paris. The operators publish warnings, often only in French, so a quick look before you leave can save you an hour.
- Keep an eye on your bag. The foot of the Eiffel Tower and its lifts are places where pickpockets work, so keep your bag closed and in front of you.
- Use the RER C on the left bank. It stops at the Musée d’Orsay, Invalides and the Eiffel Tower, so you can link them without changing.
- Walk when you can. The Louvre, the Tuileries, the Orsay and the Seine quays are all close together and make a lovely walk.
