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Paris BusesHow to buy transit tickets and ride public buses in Paris, France.
In a city where Métro stations are never more than 500 meters apart, buses may seem like an anachronism. Still, there are times when a bus line may be the shortest distance between two points in Paris, and some travelers would rather look out a bus window (assuming that they can find a seat) than feel cooped up in a subway tunnel. Paris transit buses are operated by RATP, the regional public-transportation network. Bus lines within the city have two-digit route numbers (such as 63 or 82), while suburban lines have three-digit numbers. You can download transit maps and apps from the RATP Web site. In this article, we'll tell you about fares and tickets, how to ride the buses, and where to find more Paris bus and transit information on the Web. Paris bus fares and tickets
A single journey with a cardboard T+ ticket costs €2,10 if you buy it in advance (e.g., in a Metro station) or €2,50 if you pay on board or by SMS at the bus stop. A better option (to save money, and for convenience) is to use a stored-value card such as Navigo Easy or the tourist-oriented Paris Visite pass. With Navigo Easy, for example, you can buy carnets of 10 electronic tickets at a substantial discount. Important: T+ tickets allow transfers between buses and trams, but not between buses or trams and Métro or RER lines. For more information (including how to save money on single journeys), see our article on Paris transit fares and tickets. Traveling with children: Children under age 4 travel free on buses, trams, or the Métro Kids from ages 4 through 9 pay the full adult fare for single tickets, but a children's carnet of 10 tickets is half price, so it pays to plan ahead. How to ride Paris buses
Note:
Paris bus and transit links
RATP
Paris Visite
Paris: Buses Paris Transportation
Articles - Index parisforvisitors.com
Inset photos copyright © iStockphoto/Patrick Breig.
About the author: Durant Imboden is a professional travel writer, book author, and editor who focuses on European cities and transportation. After 4-1/2 years of covering European travel topics for About.com, Durant and Cheryl Imboden co-founded Europe for Visitors (including Paris for Visitors) in 2001. The site has earned "Best of the Web" honors from Forbes and The Washington Post. For more information, see About our site, press clippings, and reader testimonials. |
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