Paris Metro

The Paris Metro has sixteen lines.  They are numbered 1 to 14, and then 3bis and 7bis, the latter two named that way as they were initially extensions of line 3 and 7 respectively. There are over three hundred stations and about a fifth of them have interchanges.

The lines all have their own colour to help you understand the maps and are normally shown with the terminus, to help understand which direction you need to travel towards.

Line 1 - coloured YELLOW.  This line runs from La Défense in the northwest to Château de Vincennes in the south-east.

Line 2 - coloured BLUE.  This line runs from Porte Dauphine to Nation in a semi-circle to the north of Paris.

Line 3 - coloured OLIVE.  This line runs from Pont de Levalois in the northwest suburbs to Bécon Gallieni in the east.

Line 3bis - coloured LIGHT BLUE.  This short line runs from Porte des Lilas to Gambetta in the east of Paris.

Line 4 - coloured MAGENTA.  This line runs from Porte de Clignancourt in the north to Bagneux-Lucie Aubrac in the south.

Line 5 - coloured ORANGE.  This line runs from Bobigny-Pablo Picasso to Place d'Italie  and crosses the east of Paris.

Line 6 - coloured LIGHT GREEN.  This line runs from Charles de Gaulle-Étoile in the west to Nation in the east.

Line 7 - coloured PINK.  This line runs from Ivry Villejuif in the south to La Courneuve 8 Mai 1945 in the north-east.

Line 7bis - coloured BLUE GREEN.  This short line runs from Louis Blanc to Pré-Saint-Gervais in the north-east of Paris.

Line 8 - coloured LILAC.  This line runs from Balard in the southwest to Pointe du Lac in the south-east suburbs.

Line 9 - coloured YELLOW.  This line runs from Pont de Sèvres in the west to Mairie de Montreuil in the east.

Line 10 - coloured ORANGE.  This line runs from Boulogne-Pont de Saint Cloud in the west to Gare d'Austerlitz south of the centre.

Line 11 - coloured BROWN.  This line runs from Châtelet in the centre to Mairie des Lilas in the north-east suburbs.

Line 12 - coloured DARK GREEN.  This line runs from Front Populaire in the north to Mairie d'Issy in the south.

Line 13 - coloured LIGHT BLUE.  This line runs from Asnières-Gennevilliers and Saint Denis in the north to Châtillon-Montrouge in the south.

Line 14 - coloured PURPLE.  This line runs from Saint-Lazare in the north of centre to Olympiades in the south.

As well as all of the above you will also find lots more on a Metro map.

RER (train) - there are five lines all identified by a letter.

RER A - coloured RED.  It runs from Cergy or Poissy or Saint Germain-en-Laye in the west to Disneyland or Boissy-Saint-Léger in the east.

RER B - coloured BLUE.  It runs from Saint Rémi or Robinson in the south-west to Aéroport Charles-de-Gaulle or Mitry-Claye in the north-east.

RER C - coloured YELLOW.  It runs from Pontoise or Saint-Quentin or Château de Versailles in the north to Dourdan or Saint-Martin or Massy in the south.

RER D - coloured GREEN.  It runs from Creil in the north to Melun or Malesherbes in the south.

RER E - coloured LILAC.  It runs from Haussmann Saint Lazare in the west  to Chesles-Gournay or Tournan in the east.

Trams - there are four lines all identified by numbers.

Tram 1 - coloured BLUE.  It runs from Asnires-Genneviliers to Noisy-Le-Sec

Tram 2 - coloured PURPLE.  It runs from Pont de Bezons to Porte de Versailles.

Tram 3a - coloured ORANGE.  It runs from Pont du Garigliano to Porte de Vincennes.

Tram 3b - coloured LIGHT GREEN.  It runs from Porte de la Chapelle to Porte de Vincennes.

How to find the Metro

Entrances to the Metro are often just that - an entrance descending into the ground.  You can look out for signs which can be one of the following.

You may find stairs or escalators - if either is one-way the alternative will be nearby.

If you need more about Paris airports, just click the relevant image below.

Paris CDG Charles de Gaulle Paris ORY Orly