So, you've made it to Paris!  Congratulations.  But now, how do you expect to get around?  It can be a little confusing figuring out all the possibilities.

And yes, by and large Paris has made transportation with the city easy.  You have use the same ticket system to travel with the subway (known as the métro), the light rail (called the RER, for Réseau Express Régional), and the bus system.  And for more formal travel, taxis are usually plentiful and easy to locate.

Métro and RER

Most tickets can be purchased directly at any RATP office, including métro and RER stations (although increasingly standard T+ ticket sales are handled by vending machines in these stations), or at news agents/tabacconists who show the RATP sign.  Note that tickets are usually limited by the number of zones you will travel in -- numbered 1 through 5 in concentric circles around Paris.  Most travelers will not need to go outside of zones 1 and 2; however, tickets to Disneyland, Versailles, or the airports will require a separate ticket.

T+ tickets: These tickets, available singly (called à l'unité) for 1,60 €, or in a bundle of ten (called a carnet) for 11,60 € (5,80 for children), are the bread and butter of the network.  Use these tickets anywhere in the subway or bus network, and the ticket is valid for one hour after the first use.  You can change lines, and even pass from the subway to the bus, without using a new ticket.  (But hold on to your old one!)

Paris Visite: This ticket comes as a card with a coupon attached and opens the doors to the whole Ile-de-France network : Metro, RER, Buses, Trams, SNCF overland suburban trains, the Montmartre funicular, Montmartobus, Noctilien and the Optile bus network, depending on the zones you choose (Zone 1 to Zone 3 or Zone 1 to Zone 6).

How about a few destinations ? - Disneyland Resort Paris (zone 5), the Château de Versailles (zone 4) or the airports at Charles de Gaulle (zone 5) and Orly (zone 4).  There are several durations available for ParisVisite : 1, 2, 3, or 5 days as you wish.  Prices range from 8.80 € (one day, three zones) to 48,00 € (five days, five zones) -- with lower prices for children.

Carte Intégrale: Issued in RATP (métro, RER) stations, the carte intégrale is for longer term travelers, needing to travel frequently in Paris for a month or more.  You must fill out a form at the RATP station, and pay a 7,60 €  application fee.  Monthly all-you-can ride cards start at a rate of 52.23 € for zones 1 and 2.

Some cards, such as the Passe Navigo, are reserved for residents of Paris.  However, if you have a Paris address (even at a hotel), you can apply for one.

Maps are your friend.  The RATP (transit authority) provides a free pdf map showing transit routes and streets, and you can download it here.

Figuring out your route on the métro or RER is pretty easy.  For the métro, once you have selected your line (1 through 14), you choose the direction by looking at the last station in the direction you are going.  (Note that some stations have forks, so be sure to get on the one headed where you want!).  For the RER, a similar system is used, and the destinations are usually displayed on luminous signs.