RER Trains in Paris: A Complete Guide for Tourists


 

Look, when you’ve got the Parisian metro at your fingertips, the RER train system seems like something one will never need to worry about. For the most part this is true, though I’m here to tell you that there are actually certain instances where the RER system is more efficient to use instead of the metro. 

How to Use the Metro in Paris

Here’s everything you need to know:

About RER

RER is an acronym used for the ‘Réseau Express Régional’, which is directly translated to the Regional Express Network. You can understand it as a more basic ground-travel option, that runs from the center of Paris, out into the greater-surrounding districts. 

While the Parisian metro has 16 official lines, the RER system only has 5. You can tell the difference between a metro line and a RER line, as metro lines use numbers, while RER lines use letters. 

Parisian RER Trains – by Chabe01 – Wikimedia Commons

Locals make use of the RER lines quite often, particularly if they have a commute to work. The RER system intersects with the metro lines closer to the city center, which makes it an easy way for people to get just about anywhere without needing to use alternative transportation methods. 

The Five Lines

The RER trains are represented by letters, as mentioned above. They are lines A, B, C, D and E. 

Lines A and B are considered to be the busiest (most frequently used) of the five, as they are responsible for getting people from the city center to the airports surrounding Paris, as well as to Disney World. 

The Stations

While certain RER trains intersect with the metro, this is not to say that one boards a RER train at a regular metro stop. These intersections occur at more major stops, such a large stations or ports of entry (the airport), and not at your neighborhood underground metro stop. 

You’ll find RER trains at the following stations in Paris: Charles de Gaulle-Etoile (airport), La Defense, Chatelet-Les Halles, Gare de Lyon, Gare du Nord and Haussman-Saint-Lazare. 

The Most Beautiful Parisian Train Stations

Tickets, Please

Tickets are essential when riding any public transport in Paris, and when it comes to RER trains, the operators are a lot more vigilant about checking that everyone has paid their fare. 

RER train tickets look exactly like Parisian metro tickets, provided you are riding them in and around the city center. If you are heading further outside of the city, then you are going to purchase a different kind of ticket that will be more expensive. The rate is determined by how far you will be traveling. 

RER Train Paris – by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra – Wikimedia Commons

Once you tag your ticket at a station turnstile, it gets flagged with an hour and a half time stamp. This means you can ride the system for an hour and a half before another ticket needs to be purchased. This is an important note, because many toss their tickets to the ground after tagging in, assuming they won’t be needing the piece of paper anymore. 

Never toss your train tickets in Paris! You will almost always need to tag in again, or to show them in order to exit a turnstile at your final destination.

Understanding the Zones

Your ticket and its cost is determined by what zones you will be traveling in/to. Zones 1 and 2 encompass the city center, while anything outside of this jurisdiction is considered an “outlying area” and costs more to get to. 

Since tickets fro zones 1 and 2 are the same as regular metro tickets, you need not do anything different when purchasing. If, however, you intend to ride the train from an inner zone into an outlying one, you’ll need to purchase a special ride ticket, either at an automated kiosk or the in-person counter. 

When in doubt, simply speak with the clerk at the counter and ask that they issue you the necessary ticket. The automated kiosks do have different languages as options, but the terminology used to refer to the zones, trains and destinations can be a little confusing!

Planning a trip to Paris ? Get ready !


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