Paris is one of the cities where it is most convenient to get from place to place (really, a pleasure). The reason for this is the insane wealth of various means of transportation, their high standard and the price – among us? It is still cheap compared to what you get. However, this abundance can confuse the average tourist, as evidenced by the many questions that pop up in our Facebook groups morning and evening.
So, I decided to take the guesswork out of the mess and create this complete guide to transportation in Paris. Here you’ll find everything you need to know – from how to get from the airport in style (and without breaking the bank), to bike rentals for those feeling brave.
Ready? Let's go, the timer is ticking!
Taxis, Shuttles and Uber in Paris
Let’s start with the luxurious option. True, we are “Francophiles Anonymous,” but sometimes we need a little pampering too, don’t we? Private cars come in all sorts of configurations – from special taxis, to the Uber app, to private drivers.
When do you need a taxi? (arriving from the airport)
Taxi is not a cheap business. Inside Paris? Mostly completely unnecessary thanks to the wonderful metro. But there is one case where I urge you not to skimp: Arrival from the airport to the hotel.
Most Paris metro stations are a maze of stairs with no elevators. Carrying a 23kg suitcase up the stairs of Châtelet station is not a sport, it’s torture. Plus, during rush hour, being squeezed into a carriage with a large bag is a recipe for angry looks from the locals (and rightly so).
The “official” taxi fare from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris is a flat rate and is approximately 56 euros to the right bank and 65 euros to the left bank (as of 2026). Beware of pushy drivers in the reception hall who offer you a “Taxi” – only go to the official line outside.
My recommendation: Hebrew-speaking drivers
Since there are so many shuttle services out there, you’re probably wondering who I trust. So here’s my “secret”:
🏆 My choice: Ovadia Transportation
Why Ovadia? Because beyond being a professional driver, he is a man with a huge heart. He provides transportation services from Charles de Gaulle and Orly, and also to Disneyland or Versailles. Thousands of community members have already traveled with him, and that means preaching.
More recommended Hebrew-speaking drivers
If Ovadia is busy (and it happens, the man is busy), here are some other professionals I hear only good things about:
- Itzik Transportation A veteran and experienced driver who knows Paris like the back of his hand.
- Reuven the driver Personal and courteous service, very popular among Israelis.
- Juan Transportation – Another excellent option for those looking for peace of mind.
Uber in Paris
If you're less into pre-arranged rides and more into "here and now" people, the app works great in Paris. It's convenient, it's available, and sometimes it's cheaper than a regular taxi (but watch out for rush hour rates!). Just download, order, and see the car approaching on the map. The most 2026 ever.
The 2026 Revolution: Cards and Apps
Now we get to the interesting part. 2026 is a turning point for Parisian transportation. If you used to come home with pockets full of small, used cardboard tickets – forget it.
The future is already here: everything is moving to the mobile phone or to rechargeable plastic cards (Navigo Easy).
Which is better: an app or a physical card?
This is the million dollar question. To make your life easier, I've prepared a table to help you decide:
| Property | Mobile application (IDF Mobilités / Bonjour RATP) | Plastic card (Navigo Easy) |
|---|---|---|
| comfort | The most convenient thing there is. The phone is always with you. | You have to buy it physically at the cash register (costs 2 euros). |
| Technology | Requires an Android/iPhone device that supports NFC. | Reliable “low-tech.” No battery needed. |
| share | Completely personal. Hard to convey to others. | It is possible to transfer between people (not in a shared ride!). |
| Risk | If the battery runs out – there is no card. | If you lose the card, the loaded money is gone. |
How do you pay? The two recommended apps
I highly recommend not messing with machines at the station. Download one of these apps, create an account (you'll need to upload a little selfie), and load tickets from your hotel couch:
- Hello RATP – The official and convenient app. Allows navigation, loading tickets, and checking train loads.
- IDF Mobilités – The comprehensive transport app in the Ile-de-France region.
Means of transportation: How do you get around the city?
🚇Metro and suburban trains (RER)
There’s no better way to say it: the metro is the arteries of Paris. It’s fast, efficient (mostly), and reaches every nook and cranny. True, it can sometimes smell a bit… “authentic,” but it’s the most efficient way to get around the city. Note: Line 10 and Line 7bis are getting new, spacious trains this year (MF19) – a refreshing experience!
Want to go deeper? I wrote a separate, detailed guide on The Paris Metro – Lines, Secrets and Everything You Wanted to Know.
🚌 Buses: The cheapest trip in the city
The bus is the “romantic” option. Instead of being underground, you get to see Paris pass by. It’s also the perfect solution for those who have difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Important innovation: By the end of 2026, a credit card payment service is expected to be introduced directly on buses throughout Paris.
🚍 Airport buses
If the taxi is expensive for you and the train is stressful for you, there is a middle ground:
- RoissyBus: Takes you from Charles de Gaulle directly to the Opera (9th arrondissement). If your hotel is there – that’s bingo.
- OrlyBus: Connects Orly Airport to Denfert-Rochereau Square (south of Paris).
Walking, cycling and everything in between
🚲 Bicycle (Velib)
Paris has undergone a real revolution and has become a paradise for cyclists. There are bike paths everywhere, and you can easily rent municipal bicycles (Velib). It's cheap, fast and insanely fun (just be careful, the French ride like crazy).
🚶 And finally: your feet
With all due respect to the metro and buses, the real Paris is discovered through the soles. Get lost. Paris is built for strolling (flânerie). The best-kept secrets – the hidden courtyards, the little bakeries, the Art Nouveau architecture – are only revealed when you slow down and walk.
If you're looking for inspiration, take a look atThe itineraries I built Especially for you.
Have a good trip, and send my regards to the City of Lights!
Yours, deer.
A must-see post for a visit to Paris. For now, I'm choosing the walking option, but it's good to know there's someone like Saadia!
What a beautiful post and stunning photos. Makes me want to go to Paris, if only to taste a croissant…
A very important post! Cut and save until your next visit to the City of Lights 🙂
An important post with organized and clear information. Thanks for the input.
The pleasure is all mine 🙂
Great post and answered everything for me.
So from the field order Hoover or its employees :)
If you want a service taxi then you're an employee. If you want a special then Uber is better.
Totally a “cut and save” post! Your posts are always great and practical.
Thank you very much 🙂
Hi Zvi,
I'm traveling to Paris next week starting Monday. I'm planning a one-week ticket with a passport photo. Can I scan a photo at home and bring it? In the size specified, of course.
They won't accept a scanned passport photo but they will be able to take a photo of you at the checkout.
Hi Zvi,
What is better - buying the Navigo from the airport to get to the hotel or taking it with employees? I am traveling alone.
Personally, I would take a taxi so as not to lug my luggage through the metro and train stations.
Which metro ticket is recommended for a week's stay at a hotel in the 9th arrondissement?
Thanks for the wonderful site!
Do you have a recommendation for arriving from the airport?
Beauvais–Tillé BVA?
We're flying tomorrow morning and I haven't yet realized how far it is from Paris.
Thanks,
Mickey
Hi Mickey,
This airport is very far from Paris and as far as I know it can be reached by 2 trains but there may also be a bus. That is why I highly recommend not landing or departing from it.
Best regards,
deer
Hi Zvi and thank you for the detailed information,
I'm planning a few days in Paris and have difficulty walking. I remember a lot of people walking on the metro. I've visited Paris several times.
Planning to walk around a bit, some museums, partially of course, cafes and atmosphere,
I'm asking a very general question, like how much does a suit cost for an orphan, but I'm looking for general information that will allow me to understand if it's even possible,
The price of a taxi for an individual, or Uber, or Ovadia, for two trips a day, from a hotel near the Luxembourg Gardens, for example, to the D'Aurès, and, let's say, on the same day to the Picasso Museum,
This will give me a general idea and help me decide,
Not asking for anything precise, just a rough estimate,
Thanks in advance, Mika.
Hi Mika,
I only use a taxi to get from the airport to Paris and back, so it's very difficult for me to know how much taxis or Uber should cost within the city.
Best regards,
deer
Zvi Yashar Kawh, what a serious answer!
How do you travel to Versailles from the Montmartre district? How is it best?
It depends on exactly where you live. In any case, it's best to check Google Maps or another navigation app and get the fastest route.
The article is excellent with a lot of information. I wanted to know if my hotel in the 8th arrondissement on the Champs-Elysees can be used with a Navigo card.
Hi Sami,
You definitely can.
Best regards,
deer
Hi, I wanted to ask how to get from Charles de Gaulle Airport to one of the hotels near the airport?
I understand that there is a free blue line but it only works until midnight.. What do those who land after midnight do? Does Ovadia also transport within the airport complex? Or only to Paris?
Hi Tiferet,
From what I know, Ovadia only drives from the airport to Paris and back. There are quite a few taxis outside the exit of the landing hall so I'm sure at least one of them will be happy to take you to the hotel.
deer
Hi, is the paper ticket valid on both the metro and the bus?
If not, how can I buy a bus ticket?
Thank you !!
The ticket is valid both there and there.
Thank you very much for the accurate information!
I wanted to ask what you think is the best option if we land at Charles de Gaulle airport at 23:00 PM (and need to get to the Arc de Triomphe area). I assume that a lot of public transportation and maybe even shuttles would not be relevant.
In this case, I definitely recommend a taxi.
Hi, I wanted to ask - if I'm planning a bus trip from the airport to Paris, is it necessary to buy a ticket in advance or can I buy it on the bus?
As far as I know, you can buy the ticket on the spot.
Hello, I wanted to ask, I'm looking at public transportation routes to Paris on Google Maps and it also suggests things called L and T2. What are these? And are public transportation tickets valid for them too?
If I'm not mistaken, they are the Paris light rail lines (yes, they have that too) and you can use regular tickets to travel on it.
Hi, we are now in Paris and we made a passport like you wrote for Navigo, but it turns out that for a single-trip ticket you don't need a passport, only if you want to purchase Navigo for a week.
I think you need to update the website because it's confusing.
Thank you very much. I updated.
Is the price for a child on the metro and RER different? This is a 4.5 year old girl.
No. The price for everyone is the same.
Thank you
Hi, and thanks for the helpful information. In the spirit of the times, I would like to try working with just the smartphone on the metro, but the instructions you wrote were not clear enough for me. Even after I downloaded the bonjour application, I was not clear on what I needed to do to be able to work with it on the metro, other than buying NAVIGO and scanning it. Can you explain whether it is possible to pay with the smartphone without having to buy a hard card, and if so – how to do it?
Thank you
Yes, you can pay with a credit card through the app. I've done this several times recently.
Is it only necessary to download the app and attach a smartphone with a digital wallet (like in London, for example) or do you need to load a card? Does the app require a name and photo on the card? I don't really understand how to pay on the metro with a digital wallet. Thanks in advance
I use BONJOUR RATP and you have to enter credit card details every time you buy tickets (it intentionally doesn't remember this). I think it also supports a digital wallet but I haven't used it.
Thanks for the information, how exactly do you purchase a metro ticket in the Navigo application?
There is an entire section in the article dedicated to the RATP app, which you can use to buy tickets. Tickets can also be purchased at the box office.
What do you suggest if we come from Tuesday to Tuesday, after the weekly flight ends on Sunday, and are also supposed to return to Charles de Gaulle on Tuesday?
I suggest buying a CARNET and using it on Mondays and Tuesdays. I recommend taking a taxi to the airport.
Hello and thank you very much for your excellent website.
1. Is the price for a taxi for a couple from Charles de Gaulle to Paris that you presented here (35 euros) up to date? The recommended transportation companies charge 60 euros. Is that really the difference?
2. Can two people use the same Navigo Easy card with 10 trips (Carnet), or do they have to buy two tickets?
1. The price is for a passenger in a service taxi and not for a special taxi, where the price is around 60 euros.
2. Yes, if you buy a CARNET, you can use it for two people (each person will receive a card).
Hello
First of all – thank you for the rich and enriching website!
Does the Navigo card also cover a trip on the Roissybus from CDG to the Opera?
Thanks!
-deer
Only if you travel by subway and metro, and not the special bus that brings you directly to the opera.
Hello, first of all, thank you for the useful and detailed article.
On the Paris City Pass website it says "The Paris Pass® does not include Paris Metro tickets, so you will need to purchase these separately."
Is that true? The ticket does not include public transportation?
Unable to purchase the Paris Pass through the link in the article
Hi Chen,
The museum ticket does not include public transportation and regardless, it is currently undergoing changes (that's why the link doesn't work. I'm working on fixing it).
deer
Hi
First of all, thank you very much for all the information.
I would like to know if I need a physical ticket for each person in the family or if I can transfer the same ticket several times depending on the number of passengers?
Each family member needs to have their own card (physical or app).
Is it possible to travel from central Paris to the Palace of Versailles with one of the apps, without a free daily Navigo card or a physical Navigo card?
You can buy tickets (weekly passes or individual tickets) using the apps and then travel with them to Versailles.
Hello, I have a layover at Charles De Gaulle from 9 pm to 9 am. I wanted to ask what I have to do in Paris at night and what is the most cost-effective way for me to get to the city. It should be noted that we are a young group and we have no problem traveling by bus.
I'm sorry to disappoint you, but Paris is pretty dead at night, so apart from dinner in the city and maybe a stroll through its streets, you won't have much time. Anyway, I've created a short itinerary for those connecting in Paris and I hope you can use at least part of it. You can find it in the article Connection in Paris.
Thanks for the helpful site and posts!
We will be in Paris from day one to day one. Is it worth taking two days on a tourist bus or maybe one day on a tourist bus and one day on a batobus?
Can you please recommend?
Hi Shani,
Since you are here for a week, I would recommend exploring Paris on foot and by metro. I would also recommend taking a ride on the Bateau-Mousse one evening, both to rest and to discover parts of Paris that are easier to explore by boat.
deer
Thanks for the site!
Question 1. We are a couple + 2 children. When loading 10 CARNET trips on the metro, can we all use the same card, with everyone who uses it being able to transfer to another person, or does everyone have to transfer their own card?
Question 2. Can this recharge card be used to travel on RER 1 to Disney? If so, can the same card be used for everyone here as well?
Thank you
Hi Ronnie,
As far as I know, you can't use multiple cards from one cell phone for everyone, so you'll have to buy a CARNET for each person (or individual cards). Note that the price of a single ticket to Disneyland is different from the price of a single ticket for travel within Paris, so the screening is not suitable for a trip to Disneyland and you have to buy a separate ticket (or take a week off and then there's no need to buy a separate ticket).
We are in Paris and we were told at the metro station that purchasing a daily ticket on the app on the phone does not work for tourists, only for locals.
Is this really so?
I've never heard of such a thing (and I managed to buy such tickets)
a question:
Is travel on the ROISSY BUS (CDG – OPERA) included in the weekly NAVIGO?
I'm not sure about the ROISSY BUS, but if you travel by RER then there will be no problem.
Excellent post.
Transportation in Paris! Must read and plan your trips!
Thank you very much 🙂
Hi, regarding what was written, you still need to purchase the NAVIGO and scan. There is no way to buy a ticket without the NAVIGO.
Another app is called Bonjour RATP and requires an NFC chip on your phone. After downloading, you create a user in the app, and then another user in the Paris public transport service (upload a photo of yourself that you took on your phone), and then simply purchase any travel tickets you want. You can also load the app using a physical Navigo card (attach it to your phone).
Hello Zvi,
Thanks for the great information. Regarding the Navigo Easy card, can I purchase it at the airport exit and pay for a train to Paris and then change to the metro? I didn't understand how to load it and how can I know that it is valid for all the areas I need? I will usually be in the city center and use the bus/metro. But I need to go back and forth to CDG airport
Thanks!
You can buy it at the ticket offices at the Charles de Gaulle airport train station and at any major metro station. The card can be loaded at any metro station and is also valid on buses. If you want to travel back and forth to CDG you need to buy tickets for zone 5 (or a weekly NAVIGO).
Hi Zvi,
Stunning site!
A couple and two children (10, 13) land on Sunday morning, we will travel from Charles de Gaulle to Paris for a daily stroll and in the evening we will go to Disney.
1. Is the weekly leave valid from Sunday to Thursday?
2. If not, is it worth buying a daily pass (does it also apply to Disney?)
The weekly pass is only valid from Monday to Sunday, so if you buy it on Sunday it will only be valid until the end of the day. There is a special daily pass that is valid for Disney, but it will be significantly more expensive than a regular daily pass and it is not certain that it will be worth it to you.
Hi
Can I buy individual tickets and pay over the phone? Will this also work for paying for several family members? How do I pay for children in this case? Thank you…
You can buy individual tickets, but, as far as I know, you have to install the app on each phone and buy tickets separately for each one.
Hello Zvi, what a great site!
There are two of us traveling from Wednesday to Sunday. I understood from your letter that we prefer a ticket. A paper ticket can be shared - so that each of us can use some of the tickets and everything is flexible and according to need.
I asked - when you make a car payment through "Navigo Easy" and charge it - can you also share it in the same way? That is: transfer twice for both of us on the same trip.
Thank you for the answer and any additional explanation/tips.
Unfortunately, as far as I know, it is not possible to share tickets that are on an app or Navigo Easy.
Hi Zvi, thanks for the comprehensive information.
Can one Navigo card, or one app on one phone, be used by two users at the same time?
Thanks
Unfortunately, as far as I know, this is not possible and you have to install an app on each phone and buy tickets for each one.
Hello Zvi,
First of all, thank you very much for all the information you invest and distribute here about French culture.
I am currently planning my trip to Paris in October.
My only question (because I got everything else from your wonderful articles) is regarding public transportation tickets – what is the difference between Navigo and Navigo Easy? If I come for a week as a tourist – can I purchase regular Navigo (I saw that its prices are lower than Easy) but it requires a passport photo?
I would appreciate your explanation of the procedure, which seems more complicated than other European burners.
Thanks,
Omri
My advice is to simply use the Android or Apple app that I'm writing about. That will solve all the questions.