France
Paris
The art capital along the Seine. With 300-odd stations, a métro stop is rarely more than a short walk away.
Bus (RATP) / Noctilien at night
Buses use a separate fare from the metro - one Bus-Tram ticket gives 90 minutes of bus-tram transfers. No ticket? Tap a bank card on board for a dearer single, no transfers. Validate every time - fare-dodging is €70.
Updated on July 30, 2026
How to ride
- 1Sort your ticket before boardingBuy in the IDFM app and tap your phone, or load a Navigo Easy card at a metro station machine first.
- 2Check the destination and flag the bus downCheck the route number and destination on the front, then raise a hand - drivers skip stops when nobody signals.
- 3Board at the front and validate right awayBoard at the front door and tap the validator right away. No ticket? Tap a bank card on the on-board terminal to buy one.
- 4Press the button for your stopWatch the next-stop display and press a red button - "arrêt demandé" lights up. No tap-out needed.
- 5Exit through the middle or rear doorsExit through the middle or rear doors. A Bus-Tram ticket gives free bus-tram transfers for 90 minutes - validate again each time.
- 6After midnight, it's NoctilienFrom about 0:30 to 5:30 Noctilien night buses are all that runs, fanning out from hubs like Châtelet - Bus-Tram tickets work.
Fares
Single fares2
Bus-Tram ticket (buy ahead)
Reduced (4-9) €1.05. Includes 90-min transfers (no round trips or re-boarding). Not valid on metro/RER
2.05 EUR ≈ $2
On-board contactless card fare
Your tapped card becomes the ticket - one direct ride on that bus only, no transfers. Up to 4 riders per card
2.55 EUR ≈ $3
Passes & multi-ride2
Navigo Jour day pass
Unlimited metro, RER, bus and tram across all five zones (flat-rate since 2026). Worth it for a busy day.
12.3 EUR ≈ $14
Paris Visite (1-5 day pass)
All five zones incl. airports. 1 day €30.60, 2 days €45.40, 3 days €63.80, 5 days €78
30.6〜78 EUR ≈ $36–91
Card itself1
Navigo Easy card (card cost)
A non-nominative smart card you load tickets onto. Sold at metro station machines.
2 EUR ≈ $2
Estimates use exchange rates as of September 5, 2026
Payment
VISAMastercardDiscoverDinersJCBAmex銀聯
All Paris + inner-suburb buses equipped by 1 Nov 2026. French CB cards work too
Navigo Easy (€2) loaded with tickets or day passes
Buy in the IDFM app and tap your phone on the validator
Cardboard tickets no longer accepted on buses and trams since 1 May 2026
Driver ticket sales ended Nov 2025 - don't count on cash
Tap for where to get the app
Quick facts
Hours
05:30–00:30 + night N-lines
Frequency
Every 5-15 min daytime
Fares from
2.05 EUR+
Heads-up
-
Skipping validation is fined even with a valid ticket
Tap the validator every time you board - even with a valid ticket, skipping validation means a €15 fine on buses and trams.
