We focus on the RER platform. Last minute trips to Turkey, Egypt, Thailand, Bulgaria RER trains in Paris

The express train network (RER) in France helps you quickly get to the suburbs of Paris and even move around its center.

Map of Paris zones: suburbs.

There is no point in delving too deeply into the structure of the RER if you are going to Paris: you can just remember that throughout the first zone the RER is equivalent to the metro. However, of course, download the map in advance if you plan to travel further than Paris itself.

The RER has five zones that pay differently. Price information can be found on the Paris Ticket Prices page. It also describes transfers that are permissible using high-speed trains.

There are five RER lines in total: they are designated by Latin letters. Information about each route is necessarily indicated on the station board.

Paris metro map.

By RER trains you can get to Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports (detailed information on the airport pages).

In the first zone of Paris, a RER ticket costs 1.7 euros.

When buying a ticket to another zone, you will need to select a station. Tickets are composted not only at the entrance, but also at the exit, so do not throw it away.

RER in Paris: lines

A: passes through La Défense, Gare de Lyon, goes to Chessy station, where Disneyland is located. It's very busy because of the park.
Line B: from southwest to northeast, passes by Notre Dame, Gare du Nord, has interchange stations with lines A, D, C. Connected to the metro to Orly.
Line C: goes along the Seine, through the Champ de Mars, Les Invalides, Orsay Museum, Austerlitz Station, Orly Airport.
Line D: bifurcates in the southern section, has stops at Lyon and Northern stations, transitions to lines A and B.
Line E: from Gare Saint-Lazare to the east, currently under development.

RER lines run both underground and on the surface; in general, the RER is faster than the metro, because has fewer stops in the city center.

Many RER stations have metro connections without access to the surface. Now there are more than 250 stations in the RER, more than 30 of them are in Paris itself. Length - almost 600 km, traffic is on the left.

Transport in Paris : metro, buses, boats, RER, cards and travel cards.

RER train lines (R?seau Express R?gional d'?le-de-France - Regional High Speed Network of Ile-de-France)

pass under the entire city and connect Paris with the surrounding historical Ile-de-France. RER trains in Paris are very reminiscent of domestic commuter electric trains, only much cleaner and more comfortable. Outside of Paris, they run on the surface like ordinary trains, and only inside the city limits they dive underground. And they dive very deep. Unlike the conventional metro, which runs just below the foundations and, as a result, repeats the entire Parisian topography, the RER lines in Paris are laid at a depth of up to 100 meters. They are no longer hampered by city communications, so the crossings have become direct and the distance has been shortened.

There are a total of 257 stations in the RER system. Only 33 of them are located in Paris. In several places there are transfer terminals from metro stations to RER stations. In many cases, traveling around Paris is much faster and more profitable on these trains. First of all, these are transfers from airports and. Trains to Versailles and Disneyland are no less popular. The interior of the RER train going to Versailles is painted in the style of this museum.

The RER includes 5 lines:

Line A. Gare de Lyon – Place des Stars – La Défense quarter. In the opposite direction, the line bifurcates into two directions - Chessy (this is where Disneyland is located) and Boissy-Saint-Léger.

Line B. The mini-metro is connected to Orly airport at Anthony station, then passes through the university town, Boulevard Saint-Michel, Notre Dame, Gare du Nord, Saint-Denis, and then bifurcates towards Charles de Gaulle airport and the suburb of Mitry.

Line S. The most confusing one. It has two internal circuits and many branches. It is important for tourists to remember that Versailles, Orly airport, Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois, Austerlitz station and the Orsay museum lie on it.

Line D. Within the city limits it stops at the Northern and Lyon stations and transfers to lines A and D.

Line E. It goes from the Saint-Lazare train station outside the city. Construction of the line has not been completed.

The metro ticket is also valid for the RER, but only within the first zone, that is, in Paris itself. Traveling out of town costs more.
The difficulty of using this transport is whether trains of different lines arrive on the same platform, with different terminal stations on the same line, stopping at all stations, or not. Constant attention to electronic displays and signs is required so as not to end up in, for example, Versailles, in Dourdan.

There are several unusual nuances for our tourists when using the RER. Firstly, there is no need to throw away your ticket until you reach the surface - there are turnstiles at the exit as well. Secondly, the doors do not open automatically, but only by pressing a button next to it. Thirdly, there are no fewer scammers in Paris than in Moscow, and selling counterfeit tickets is their profitable business. Buy train tickets only at ticket offices or ticket machines.

There are 33 RER stations in Paris. Considering that there are 257 stations in total, this number cannot be underestimated. Fewer stops mean getting around Paris faster. Within the city limits, you can transfer from the metro to the RER train using all routes, including a one-time ticket ticket+. The transfer will be convenient, since the RER lines also run underground. A one-time ticket must be kept from the beginning of the trip until the end. At the exit, the ticket will need to be passed through a turnstile, which reads the information.

If you are going outside of Paris, then you need to use either a Navigo travel pass, which is valid for all destinations without exception, or purchase a separate Ticket desination ticket. Young people can also take advantage of a discounted ticket. I have laid out the information about tickets and travel cards very briefly and clearly; I will not repeat myself.

RER is a high-speed commuter train. There are 5 lines in total.

Line A originates from the Gare de Lyon, crossing the La Défense quarter and Place des Stars. In the opposite direction, this line splits into two branches: to Disneyland and to Boissy-Saint-Léger.
Line B, traveling in a south-westerly direction, it passes through Orly airport and Gare du Nord, Boulevard Saint-Michel and Notre-Dame Cathedral. Running from north to east, this line diverges into two branches: to Mitry and to Charles de Gaulle airport.
Line C laid from north to south, it has gained fame as the most confusing line of the RER, due to the fact that it consists of many branches and intersections. Travelers will find it helpful to know that it leads to Versailles, Gare d'Austerlitz and Orly Airport.
Line D also runs from north to south. Within the city, RER trains stop at Lyon and Northern stations, where transfer areas are equipped for lines A and B.
Line E It starts in the north of the capital, then goes east and south, to the suburban areas. Line E continues to be completed.

When using ground transport, you need to remember that the doors do not always open automatically, so you need to follow the information board and, when approaching the desired station, press a special button at the door of the train.

Within the first transport zone, that is, within Paris, travel is carried out at the fare ticket+ = 1.90 per 90 minutes. To the suburbs of Paris, buy an Origin destination ticket.

RER circuit in Paris

They are very convenient because with their help you can easily get to attractions that are not located within the city of Paris. By RER you can get to Disneyland, visit the Palace of Versailles, and get to Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports. The only problem is that the RER stations are quite difficult to navigate. Of course, local residents are used to everything and it is not difficult for them to get to their destination, but tourists, especially those who come to Paris for the first time, will have to work hard to get to their destination.

Landmarks at the RER station:

Within Paris, the RER and the regular metro intersect and have closely located stations, but it should be remembered that often the RER and metro stations differ from each other in name, they may have different entrances, exits and platforms. This can seriously confuse an unprepared tourist. Very often there are transitions between the RER and the metro within Paris, which is very convenient, since you can travel with one ticket
The RER platform is identified by an index, an abbreviation written in blue font within a circle. This is the official designation of the RER and can be seen everywhere, including on trains traveling along the route. A letter = line number is usually indicated next to it. Total 5 lines
Before your trip, it is recommended to stock up on a RER card, which will make getting around much easier. The card can be obtained from the RATP cashier for free or downloaded from the official website using this link. The map shows the routes of each line. The fact is that one and the same line can have several routes, in order to go in the right direction, you need to remember the final station of your route and build on this data
Before entering the platform, it is necessary to clarify the correct side - the direction of the train. Some RER stations do not have transitions between platforms, so to get to the one you need, you will have to exit and enter again by purchasing a new ticket
There are two train options along the routes: full or long trains that stop at all stations and express trains that stop at a certain limited number of stations. On each RER platform there are screens on which all the necessary information is displayed: name of the train; the final station of the next train; a list of stations where it will stop; Arrival time. Usually there are 6 trains on the screen, which go one after another, and the train that arrives earlier is displayed in the first place. If you are not sure about the train, it is better to wait for the next one, as they run quite often
If you need to get to Paris from the suburbs, then any train from the list will do, since the route branches only outside the city, and in Paris there is one direction within one line.

Don't forget about strikes. This applies to any public transport. The French are very sensitive to their rights and strikes are an absolutely normal occurrence. At the same time, everything stands still and the operating mode is disrupted. If there is a need to get to a specific place on a specific day (for example, a flight is scheduled), you need to first check the operating hours of the RER or other transport, and then plan everything.

To enlarge the RER diagram, click on the image below:

RER (French Réseau Express Régional) is a system of high-speed commuter trains with a length of 587 km, to some extent an analogue of Russian electric trains. It is with the help of the RER that you can get from the airport to Paris and back, as well as quickly and easily get to Disneyland and Versailles.

A to E: RER directions

The RER system consists of five main areas. Each line is named by a letter of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, E) and has its own color:

Line A
Starts from Gare de Lyon, then crosses the La Défense quarter and Place des Stars. In the opposite direction it splits into two branches: to Disneyland and to Boissy-Saint-Léger.
Line B
In a south-west direction it connects with one of the two airports, Orly, and also passes through the Gare du Nord, Boulevard Saint Michel and the famous Notre Dame. In the direction from north to east it is divided into two branches: to Mitry and to CDG (Charles de Gaulle) airport.
Line C
It runs from north to south and is rightfully considered the most confusing RER line, as it has many branches and intersections. It is important for tourists to know that it is the route that leads to the Austerlitz train station, Versailles (Parc et château de Versailles) and Orly airport.
Line D
It also goes from north to south. Within Paris, the RER stops at Gare de Lyon and Gare du Nord. There are transfers on lines A and B.
Line E
It starts in the north of the capital, then goes east and south to the suburbs. The line continues to be completed.

Basic RER tariffs

The main thing you need to know about RER tickets is that their cost depends on the zones, of which there are five in Paris. Zone 1 is the city itself, zones 2 and 3 are the surrounding area, zone 4 is Versailles and Orly airport, and zone 5 is CDG airport and Disneyland. The sixth zone borders other regions of France.

So, let's look at the main tariffs for the RER.

Firstly, you can buy regular ticket, which is valid for all types of transport. It costs 1.70 euros and is valid in zones 1-3. Tickets to the suburbs are more expensive and are purchased specifically for the RER.

Secondly, this carne(French carnet) - a “book” of 10 tickets. Such a set costs much less than individual tickets, and will cost more than 12 euros for an adult fare and 6 euros for a child’s fare.

Third, if you plan to travel a lot, it makes sense to purchase a Paris Pass or Paris Visite card, which includes not only the cost of travel on the metro and RER, but also entrance fees to more than 50 museums in Paris. Here is the tariff plan of the Paris Visite card:

1 day: 9.30 euros in zones 1-3 or 19.60 euros in zones 1-6;
2 days: 15.20 euros in zones 1-3 or 29.90 euros in zones 1-6;
3 days: 20.70 euros in zones 1-3 or 41.90 euros in zones 1-6.

RER and metro: what's the difference

The route of these trains runs both outside the city and within it, which is why some people confuse the RER with the metro. In fact, these are completely different things.

First of all, the RER electric train system covers a larger area than the metro: not only almost all of Paris, but also its surrounding areas, such as Ile-de-France, as well as the two main airports. The RER has more than 250 stations, of which only 33 are located within the city.

In addition, metro stations are more frequent and shorter, whereas the RER is still just trains. You can only get confused in the center, where the metro network overlaps the RER network, and some stations are combined.

RER is a very convenient mode of transport, as it will take you not only to any area of the capital, but also to the airport, Disneyland and the suburbs. In addition, using the RER is no more difficult than using the regular metro.

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