On my jet lag day, I plan on riding the Metro to familiarize with it and find the stations I need when I really begin my serious visit. I found the following cross-reference table to be very helpful in planning my travels under Paris:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stations_of_the_Paris_M%C3%A9tro
I think it will be very helpful to me to know what line I am looking for. Does anyone know how long I can ride the metro on one ticket, if I don't exit the system?
You can ride the métro as long as you like on one ticket, so long as you do not exit the system. You can also use the RER (express suburban métro) within Paris limits on the same ticket.
A single ticket costs €1.70. You buy it in advance from a ticket machine (buy as many tickets as you need).
The ticket is checked at the ticket barrier when you enter the métro, and again when you exit. It is also checked when you change from the métro to the RER or vice-versa. If you try to exit the RER outside Paris city limits with only a single-zone you will be surcharged.
The official métro map (which I find more useful than a list) is here: http://www.ratp.fr/informer/picts/plans/pdf/reseaux/metro.pdf
The symbol that looks likes an elongated 'S' on the RER lines indicates the limit of validity of a one-zone ticket.
A version with streets shown is here: http://www.ratp.fr/informer/picts/plans/pdf/secteur/metro_geo.pdf
I think that's a very creative thing to do on "jet lag day." I've tried various things but never thought just to use public transportation to get oriented on a day which is always kind of a trial!
On jet lag day you are going to spend it underground riding around from station to station? WHY? Why waste time doing that when navigating the system is so easy and can be done as you need it. You can get a free map of the system the first time you ride and use it to plan your routes when you are going places. Information as to the metro stop is always part of the information about any attraction -- museum, restaurant whatever.
And you do not use the ticket to exit the metro only on entrance but you need to keep the ticket at hand until you do exit because you can be asked to show it by inspectors at any time and fined heavily if you do not have a validated ticket. This happens occasionally; we average about once a week in Paris but on our last trip we got checked 3 times one week. Since there is a time limit, if you got checked and your ticket was too old, you might be considered not to have a valid ticket. I think the time is technically about an hour and a half, far longer than any trip takes. You should plan to get a carnet of ordinary metro/bus tickets for 14.10 which makes it roughly 1.40 a ride.
When riding the RER, you do need the ticket to exit because the RER is not 'one size fits all ticket' but is metered for distance and costs a different amount for different stations outside Paris; if you use an ordinary t+ metro ticket to travel outside Paris on the RER, you are considered not to have a valid ticket and can be fined.
For jet lag day, you would be better served to take a long walk in the sun to help reset your body clock.
Agreed that jet lag day is much better spent outside getting some fresh air and hopefully some sun, which will help your body acclimate better anyway. A stroll along the Seine is much better than trolling around the subterranean tunnels of the Metro IMHO.
The best map I know - and still use after living here for 10 years -- is the map book Le Petit Parisien - 3 Plans par arrondissement in the l'Indespensable group of map books.
It has three maps for each arrondissement -one showing every street listed and detailed; one with the Metro system overloaded on top of the street map; and the third with the bus system overloaded on top of the street map. Back of the book includes all the overall system maps for bus, RER, metro, etc.
With the tickets from the carnet of tickets, you can transfer from one bus to another. However, you can not transfer from bus to metro or metro to bus; and if you buy the ticket from the bus driver on the bus you can not transfer between buses either (and anyway the ticket is more expensive!).
I'm glad you've found a good resource, and I think it will help you, but I urge you to approach your jet lag day differently!
I do not plan on spending the entire day on the Metro, but I want to be familiar enough with the system when I really need to use it.
According to the parisbytrain.com website, you are only allowed 1.5 hours on a single ticket.
"Paris Metro tickets are valid for transfers within 1 hour 30 minutes of first use"
http://parisbytrain.com/paris-metro-tickets/
If you haven't already looked at this website, I think you'll find it invaluable. It shows step by step (with pictures!) how to use the metro, buses, and RER. It's chock full of great information to make you feel more comfortable using public transportation. Once you start using the metro in Paris, you'll be an expert in no time - it's a very intuitive and easy to use system.
Patrick,, you are going to be surprised how fast you "get it", I come from a place with no metro/tube/subway.. and our bus system is rather horrid.. but my teenage daughter figured out how to use the metro in Paris very quickly ( I already knew, so suppose it helped that I explained things.. but you can learn all that here before you go ) .. Its such a straightforward system really.
Look on map, find stop you want, see which route goes there.. and then just connect the dots really.. all you need to know is line number and direction you want to go in.. ( last stop on any line in the direction you wish to travel ).
PS I buy carnets ( simply 10 one way tickets sold at a discount) from Tabacs usually super easy. Just look for RATP sign in window.
You can certainly do anything you want, it is your vacation, but why not 'familiarize' yourself with the metro when you first use the metro? I'd spend jet lag day on a lazy neighborhood walk (or a walk in a self guided book) and many moments sitting at sidewalk cafes or parks. for example, sitting on a reclining chair with your feet on the fountain pool in the Tuilleries reading a book is a great way to be lazy and spend time in the sun in a stunning location. For a shady nook, the Medici Fountain in the Luxembourg Gardens is a nice spot.
Hi Patrick... Pat has it right , very easy to navigate, have your handy pocket metro map with you see where you want to go , when you get in the subway look for the last stop on the line which should be on the wall , then once your on the subway the stops are are the walls as you get to each one . All the lines are colour coded too
Do Metro stations still have the maps with the lights to show the best route to your final destination?
I used to find these a great help when I needed to change lines.
So, what I can take from all this good advice is that I can buy carnets at a TABAC with an RATP sign, each ticket of which is good for one trip on the Metro, including transfers within the Metro system. I may need 2 or more carnets during my visit, but so what? I can find out intuitively inside the Metro station how to locate my desired destination. Is that about right?
If you happen to get out at the wrong stop , there is always a cafe nearby where you can enjoy a glass of wine and do some people watching before carrying on with your adventure
As long as you have a Metro map in your pocket, which is handier than looking around for a system map. One hint to get you going in the right direction, these are indicated by the last station on the line.
For instance, If you entered the No 4 Line at St Sulpice and you want to go to Gare de l'Est. That is north so you would go to the platform indicated by "Porte de Clignancourt" because that is the last stop going north. If you were going south to Gare Montparnasse, you would go to the platform indicated "Porte d'Orleans" because that is the southern end of the line.
At stations with multiple lines, there will be signs on the walls pointing you to the Line No and endpoint.
On the platform, there are nice electronic boards showing how a long a wait until the next train, (rarely more than 10 minutes) and if multiple lines are running on that track, which line No it is.
My guilty secret: I actually like riding around on the Metro, checking out station interchanges, seeing what buskers are working the trains.
"Do Metro stations still have the maps with the lights to show the best route to your final destination?"
They don't seem to be maintaining them, so many of them are out of order or have been removed. But when I was last there in 2010, there were a few left that still worked. On my first visit in 1989, there were many more of them, and I agree that they are very helpful for first-timers not used to using mass transit maps.
Ah Harold our memories virtually coincide.
I remember them being specifically helpful on my 2nd visit (for a week) in 1989,
My last visit in 2007 I saw many not working also. Alas !!
I always keep 'Un Petit Plan' in my pocket.
This is especially good ... http://www.parisvoyage.com/index.html
The critical things to remember when you have found your journey route (with any changes necessary) ...
1) Note the colour, line number and the end stop of each line.
2) When you need to change lines look for the 'CORRESPONDANCE' signage to the new line - number/colour/end station.
3) Some vocab ...
Billets - Tickets
Carnet - Book of 10 tickets
Plan du Quartier - Local area map
Sortie - Exit
Corespondence - Transfer
Poussez - Push
Tirez - Pull
Passage Interdit - No Entry
As well as Parisbytrain, you will benefit by learning how to use the official transit site, http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21879/visiting-paris/
It contains lots of info for tourists and will plan a journey for you step by step.
