If you're an occasional user of Paris public transport, you've probably already wondered about this option when choosing your pass or season ticket: what exactly is the zone system that determines the price of your ticket? How do you know which zone you're going to?
RATP and Île-de-France Mobilités manage the metro, bus and RER networks in Paris and the Île-de-France region. The two companies have divided the region into different zones, starting from the center of Paris and moving outwards: zone 1 serves Paris intra-muros, zones 2-3 are for the inner suburbs, and zones 4 and 5 for the more distant towns of the Ile-de-France region.
Thus, " zone 1-3 allows you to travel within Paris intra-muros, i.e. within the city of Paris represented by the yellow color on the map. Zones 4-5 allow you to travel in the Paris region and venture further afield, to see Disneyland Paris or the Château de Versailles, for example, as well as having access to airports ", explains the RATP website.
Île-de-France Mobilités completes the explanation of this map illustrating the areas served by public transport in the Paris region.
So which package is right for you? That depends on what you're planning to visit. For the Eiffel Tower, the Moulin Rouge, the Louvre and the Galeries Lafayette, there's no need to go far: everything is located in zone 1, within the Paris city limits.
If you're planning to go to the Stade de France, the Stade Roland-Garros or the famous flea market in Montreuil, you're in zone 2. Note: La Défense is considered zone 2 if you take the metro, but changes to zone 3 if you take the RER. Zone 3 covers places like the Basilique Saint-Denis, the Domaine de Sceaux and the Parc National de Saint-Cloud.
The two furthest zones can be the most interesting if you're coming from far away. Zone 4 offers access to the Château de Versailles and the Château de Monte-Cristo,Orly airport (note that a special rate applies, even on the metro), the Enghien racecourse... And zone 5 provides access toRoissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport, Disneyland Paris, Fontainebleau castle, the medieval town of Provins...
On the metro, the T+ ticket gives access to the entire network, from zones 1 to 3. To go further, you need a bus or RER ticket at the right fare. The T+ ticket can also be used on the RER, but only for travel within Paris.
