What is rer in paris. Paris metro - directions, metro map, RER in Paris

Official Information:

RER (the full official name of the French Réseau Express Régional d'Île-de-France, "Ile-de-France Express Network", pronounced after the French names of the letters er-yo-er) is a rapid public transport system serving Paris and the suburbs . It is an amalgamation of suburban surface railway lines (partly pre-existing, partly newly built and reconstructed) and new underground lines that arose in the 1960s-1990s within the boundaries of Paris. An important feature is the active use of deep underground lines within the city and the popularity of intracity routes, which brings RER closer to the metro. In addition, the RER and the Paris Metro are integrated through a transfer and payment system.

In total, the RER has more than 257 stations (including 33 within the boundaries of Paris), a length of 587 km, including 76.5 km (more than 40 stations) underground. The system is used by 657 million passengers per year, or 1.8 million per day. In 1989, the intervals between trains were reduced, and since 1998 double-deck trains have been used. Lines are marked with letters (A, B, C…) on all pocket transport maps of Paris.

Part of the lines is subordinate to the transport company, which also owns the metro (RATP), part - to the railway (SNCF). The fare for both types of lines is the same. Depending on the distance of the trip, there are 5 payment zones.

RER and the Paris Metro

Within the boundaries of Paris, RER has several transfers to the Paris Metro; within the city, the same tickets are valid for traveling on it as for the metro and surface transport (but when crossing city borders, you need to buy a separate ticket). Parisian RER stations are located much less frequently than in the metro, as a rule, they have a greater depth of laying, and the lines are much less curved. Many trips within the city using the RER take noticeably less time than the subway.

Useful tips, personal experience and FAQ's.

Why and in what cases do Russian tourists use RER?

RER is used by tourists from Russia extremely rarely, mainly for independent low-budget visits to some suburbs of Paris like Versailles or Sainte-Genevieve de Bois. Read more…

What are the dangerous or unpleasant moments when using RER?

There are basically three situations here:

• When you purposefully drive out of town. Read…
• When you purposefully drive within the boundaries of Paris Read…
• When you accidentally went (changed) to RER instead of the metro Read

Travel payment.
Payment for trips exists in special ticket offices, which are becoming less and less, as well as in a number of terminals. The terminals have an English version, which is more convenient for tourists from Russia. Coins and small bills are accepted. With a bill even in 50 Ev (and not only in 500 Ev) the device will not accept and at the cash desk they can send it politely or not very much (there is no such thing as small money, go to the bar to change it). Cards are usually also accepted, but some devices have restrictions on the type of cards. A Sberbank Mastercard card works well and was not accepted in only one out of 10 devices.
Where can you get on the RER
- Airport Charles de Gaulle-Roissy (although you still have to walk around the terminal buildings)
– Orly Airport (with a transfer) and you will also have to walk a little inside the complex
— Disneyland
– Russian cemetery of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois near Paris, then by taxi or bus
– Forest of Fontainebleau, to the castle and the museum you need to continue moving by taxi or bus

Station Charles de Gaulle Airport RER SNCF

INFORMATION:
From 22/3 starting 11.30pm: flights operated from Paris-CDG Terminal 3 & 2G are reassigned to others terminal / flights operated from Paris-Orly 1 & 2 are reassigned to other terminals.
Find more

Due to the current situation regarding the epidemic of the Coronavirus Covid-19, traffic is reduced on the RER B.
Find more

Special travel certificate: the French government has taken measures to restrict mobility. Each person wishing to travel will have to hold a document certifying the reason for his or her displacement.
Find more on the French government

Warning: access to the terminals of Paris airports is restricted to employees and passengers (with a reservation) who travel only in the context of the exceptions provided for. Taxis and transport are always available for these journeys.

Fare:

€11.40 (forfait Navigo, zones 1-5 accepted)

Journey time*:

Approx. 25 minutes from Gare du Nord
Approx. 28 minutes from Châtelet-Les-Halles
Approx. 35 minutes form Denfert-Rochereau.

Frequency:

Every 10-15 minutes on weekdays

Stops:

Terminals 1 and 3: Airport Charles de Gaulle 1 station
Terminal 1 is available by free CDGVAL shuttle (journey time: 6 minutes).
Terminal 3 is available by pedestrian walkway.

Terminal 2: Airport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV station
Terminals 2C, 2D, 2E et 2F are availables by foot and by moving walkway.
Terminal 2A is available by foot or by free N1 shuttle from RER station, level 5.
Terminal 2G is available by free N2 shuttle, from Terminal 2F, exit 2.10.

* The prices, time schedules and travelling times are given for reference only. Paris Airport may not be held liable for any deviation.

The express network of electric trains (RER) in France helps to quickly get to the suburbs of Paris and even move around its center.

Map of the zones of Paris: suburbs.

There is no point in delving into the structure of the RER especially if you are going to Paris: you can just remember that throughout the first zone, the RER is equivalent to the metro. However, of course, download the map in advance if you plan to get out further than Paris itself.

RER has five zones, which are paid differently. For pricing information, see the Paris Ticket Prices page. It also describes the transfers that are acceptable using high-speed trains.

There are five RER lines in total: they are designated in Latin letters. Information about each route is necessarily indicated on the board of stations.

Paris metro map.

RER trains can take you to Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports (for more information, see the airport pages).

In the first zone of Paris, a ticket for the RER costs 1.7 euros.

When buying a ticket to another zone, you will need to select a station. Tickets are punched not only at the entrance, but also at the exit, so do not throw it away.

RER in Paris: lines

1. A: passes through La Defense, Gare de Lyon, goes to Chessy station, where Disneyland is located. Very busy because of the park.
2. Line B: from southwest to northeast, passes Notre Dame, Gare du Nord, has interchange stations with lines A, D, C. Connected to the metro to Orly.
3. Line C: runs along the Seine, through the Champ de Mars, Les Invalides, Musée d'Orsay, Gare Austerlitz, Orly airport.
4. Line D: bifurcates in the southern section, has stops at Gare de Lyon and Gare du Nord, transitions to lines A and B.
5. Line E: from Gare Saint-Lazare to the east, currently under development.

RER lines run both underground and on the surface, in general, RER is faster than the metro, because. has fewer stops in the city center.

The transport system in Paris is so confusing that even the French, coming to the capital from the periphery, cannot immediately understand the zones, the rules for paying for transfers, the numbering of exits and the traffic logic. How not to get lost in the Paris metro and save money on travel.

Metro in Paris

The metro in Paris is a low-speed transport, with very short intervals. Travel time from one station to another is less than a minute, and you can overcome this distance on foot, along the street in 5-10 minutes.

Paris is divided into 6 transport zones. The metro is designated by the letter "M" and runs through two central zones. The exception is the Défense metro station, located at the beginning of zone 3.

Lines 1 and 14 of the metro are equipped with trains without a driver. The control is carried out by a computer, and instead of the control cabin there is a windshield with a panoramic view. An unusual sight!

High-speed RER trains in Paris

The Paris metro is integrated with high-speed RER trains that travel in all 6 zones. RER cars are large, often double-deck. Distances between stations are about the same as in Moscow. Good speed, good layout.

The zones are clearly separated, with a simple ticket you won’t get out in zone 3 (like from the metro to Défense), and you won’t make a transfer in zone 2. 1 RER ticket does not have a fixed cost, you need to choose the number of zones you want to pay for. Charles de Gaulle Airport and Disneyland are in Zone 5.

Suburban and intercity trains SNCF in Paris

The third type of railway transport in Paris is SNCF. These are suburban and intercity trains. Departure from all Parisian stations. They often have a very convenient traffic pattern, but, unfortunately, are unreliable due to constant strikes, repairs and schedule changes. The zones are cut even "thinner" and the payment, respectively, is even higher.

Taxi from Paris airport

Taxi from Paris airport to the city and back is better. A Russian-speaking driver will meet you with a sign and take you at a fixed rate.

Double-decker tourist bus in Paris

Tourist bus is suitable for those who want to get to know Paris in a short time. The classic sightseeing tour of Paris on a double-decker bus lasts 1 hour 45 minutes. Inspection of the main attractions is accompanied by audio guide comments in Russian. There are no stops during this tour.

You can move around Paris by water on a pleasure boat. Book your Seine cruises online and admire the unusual perspectives of Paris:

• Boat cruise on the Seine - 1 hour with audio guide buy online
• Stopover cruise - 8 stops at the main attractions of Paris, ticket for 24 or 48 hours buy online
• Evening cruise with dinner and live music buy online

Which ticket to buy in Paris?

Travel tickets are sold at the box office and in automatic terminals.

single tickets

So, the first thing you should remember is that the miser pays twice. That is why you should not buy 10 metro-RER-bus-tram tickets. With the apparent benefit, it will come out much more expensive. With the declared validity period of 1.5 hours, you can only pay for the metro with them. Running parallel to the RER metro line, only 1 zone is available with this ticket.

In addition, you will also not be able to make a metro-bus transfer. The ticket is valid only when transferring bus-tram, and only on different lines. That is, you cannot return by the same route with one ticket. If you accidentally get off at the wrong stop and just want to take the next bus, you will also have to validate a new ticket.

Weekly pass

It is more profitable to buy a navigo découverte (Navigo decouvert) travel card for 3 zones. This is enough for you to carry out any transfers within the territorial limits of all attractions, including in the nearest suburbs. A 3-zone pass for one week (Monday to Sunday) costs 32 euros. If you arrived on Wednesday, then the pass will also end on Sunday.

Popular tourist places: Versailles, Fontainebleau, Disneyland and France in miniature are further than 3 zones, so you will need to pay extra.

Paris Visite Discount Card

The Paris Visite and Cruise Metro Pass discount card is a 2-day travel card (all metro lines and RER trains in zones 1,2,3) + a ticket for a cruise on the Seine, which is valid for one year.

Monthly Pass

If you plan to spend a month in Paris, buy a monthly pass. As a bonus, you will enjoy "desonage" on Saturdays and Sundays and holidays. Dezoning is the ability to move around all 6 zones with a ticket for three. You need to stick your photo on the ticket.

Metro map and pointers in Paris

The metro and RER map will help you choose the best route for traveling around Paris. You can take it for free at the metro ticket office.

Platforms in underground transport are located in the middle. To return to the previous station, you will need to make a transition. Pay close attention to the signs and follow them carefully. Do not rely on parallel corridors of movement - they do not exist, but there are places where you can get to the surface only by making a transition to another line.

The exit is always indicated by a blue sign, with the inscription sortie (sorti). Usually, there are 1 or 2 exits, but if there are more than four, then carefully read where they lead. For example, on Charles de Gaulle - Étoile (Star Square), it is easier to find the right direction underground than on the surface.

To enter or exit the car, you need to lift the handle or press the large button on the door. Automatic door opening is available only on some lines.

And the last. Do not judge the French strictly for the fact that their metro stations do not look like underground palaces and sometimes smell badly there. Still, public transport is the only way to quickly and relatively budget travel around Paris. The vast majority of citizens drive their cars, creating traffic jams.

To enlarge the RER scheme, click on the image below:

RER (fr. Réseau Express Régional) is a system of high-speed suburban trains with a length of 587 km, to some extent an analogue of Russian electric trains. It is with the help of RER that you can get from the airport to Paris and back, as well as quickly and easily get to Disneyland and Versailles.

A to E: RER directions

The RER system consists of five main areas. Each line is named with a letter of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, E) and has its own color:

• Line A
  It starts from the Gare de Lyon station, then crosses the La Défense quarter and the Place des Stars. In the opposite direction, it is divided into two branches: to Disneyland and to Boissy-Saint-Léger (Boissy-Saint-Léger).
• Line B
  In the south-west direction it connects with one of the two airports, Orly, and also passes through the North Station (Gare du Nord), St. Michel Boulevard (Saint Michel) and the famous Notre Dame (Notre Dame). In the direction from north to east, it is divided into two branches: to Mitry and to CDG (Charles de Gaulle) airport.
• Line C
  It runs in the direction from north to south and is rightfully considered the most confusing RER line, as it has many branches and intersections. It is important for a tourist to know that it leads to Austerlitz station, Versailles (Parc et château de Versailles) and Orly airport.
• Line D
  It also runs in a north-south direction. Within Paris, the RER stops at Gare de Lyon and Gare du Nord. There are transfers on lines A and B.
• Line E
  It starts in the north of the capital, then goes east and south, to the suburbs. The line continues to build.

Basic RER rates

The main thing you need to know about RER tickets: their cost depends on the zones, of which there are five in Paris. Zone 1 is the city itself, zones 2 and 3 are the surroundings, zone 4 is Versailles and Orly airport, and zone 5 is CDG airport and Disneyland. The sixth zone borders on other regions of France.

So, let's deal with the main tariffs for RER.

First, you can buy regular ticket which is valid for all modes of transport. It costs 1.70 euros and is valid in zones 1-3. Tickets to the suburbs are more expensive and are bought specifically for the RER.

Secondly, this carnet(fr. carnet) - a "book" of 10 tickets. Such a set is much cheaper than tickets separately, and will cost more than 12 euros for an adult fare and 6 euros for a child.

Thirdly, if you are planning a lot of trips, it makes sense to purchase a Paris Pass or Paris Visite, which includes not only the cost of metro and RER trips, but also entrance tickets to more than 50 museums in Paris. Here is the price plan of the Paris Visite Card:

• 1 day: €9.30 in zones 1-3 or €19.60 in zones 1-6;
• 2 days: €15.20 in zones 1-3 or €29.90 in zones 1-6;
• 3 days: €20.70 in zones 1-3 or €41.90 in zones 1-6.

RER and metro: what's the difference

The route of these trains runs both outside the city and in it, which is why some people confuse the RER with the metro. In fact, they are completely different things.

First of all, the RER electric train system covers a larger area than the metro: not only almost all of Paris, but also its surroundings, for example, Ile-de-France, as well as two main airports. RER has more than 250 stations, of which only 33 are located within the city.

In addition, metro stations are more frequent and shorter, while RER is still just trains. You can only get confused in the center, where the metro network overlaps the RER network, and some stations are combined.

RER is a very convenient mode of transport, as it will take you not only to any area of ​​the capital, but also to the airport, Disneyland and the suburbs. In addition, using the RER is no more difficult than using the regular metro.

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