Paris

You’ve got plenty of options for getting around Paris. The metro network is super dense and well-developed — you can get pretty much anywhere quickly by subway.

If you have a bit more time and want to actually see the city along the way, the bus is a great choice. Taxis are comfortable but pricey.

There are also various hop-on hop-off buses, guided tour options, and even a hop-on hop-off boat on the Seine.

Hop-on/Hop-off

Hop-on/Hop-off City Tour Day Ticket
Hop-on/Hop-off Boat Tour on the Seine – 24-Hour Pass

Metro Tickets

For a full breakdown of the metro and all ticket options, check out our dedicated guide:

All the Info on the Paris Metro

You can reach Paris by plane, train, car, or bus — and which makes the most sense really depends on where you’re coming from.

Generally speaking, flying starts to make sense once you’re more than about 370 miles away. The Charles de Gaulle, Orly, and Beauvais airports are all outside the city — budget roughly an hour to get to the center from any of them.

If you’re coming from a nearby city, the train is honestly one of the best options — fast, comfortable, and you arrive right in the city center.

The cheapest option is the bus. If you don’t mind a long ride and want to save money, Flixbus is a solid pick.

We’d only partially recommend driving. It’s comfortable, sure — but traffic jams and parking in Paris can turn the trip into a real headache. And don’t forget: highways in France are toll roads.

Honestly, every season has its pros and cons — there’s no single perfect time to visit Paris.

In spring, you’ll encounter fewer tourists (except around Easter), though the weather can still be unpredictable.

Summer brings serious heat, but since most Parisians take their vacation in August, the city is actually less crowded than you’d expect.

Fall is our personal favorite for exploring Paris on foot — the light is beautiful, the crowds thin out, and the temperatures are just right. That’s why we also recommend Paris as a travel destination in October.

In winter, tourist numbers drop significantly, but it does get cold. And for couples, Paris in February is basically a no-brainer — Valentine’s Day on February 14th is celebrated in style here.

A weekend in Paris is a perfectly decent introduction — and if you fall in love with the city (which you will), you’ll be back anyway.

For a more thorough visit, we think four days is the sweet spot. It gives you enough time to explore at a relaxed pace without feeling rushed.

If you’re planning an extended weekend, check out our suggested itinerary:

A Weekend in Paris: 3-Day Itinerary
Our tip: Try to avoid the major attractions and museums on Saturdays and Sundays — lines are much shorter on weekdays. Just watch the opening hours, since many museums are closed on Mondays or Tuesdays.

For longer stays, day trips are a great add-on. Versailles, Disneyland, or even a trip to the coast are all popular choices.

Paris uses the euro. These days, you can pay by card pretty much everywhere in the city.

That said, some smaller boutiques and restaurants are still cash-only — so it’s worth keeping a few euros in your wallet just in case.

Paris is an expensive city — but with a few smart moves, you can definitely keep costs in check.

Hotel prices spike during major trade shows and big events. Paris Fashion Week happens twice a year (early March and late September), and the air show and auto show alternate each year in late June — all of these send prices up noticeably.

Food and drinks come at every price point imaginable. Late at night when supermarkets are closed, look out for small crêpe stands — they’re perfect for a cheap midnight snack. And yes, obviously: crêpes.

Here’s a quick overview of typical costs in Paris:

Flight to Paris: 100 to 200 euros (book early!)
Train to Paris: 70 to 400 euros (book early!)
Bus to Paris: 40 to 100 euros
Double room in a good mid-range hotel: 120 to 300 euros
Bottle of water: 1 to 3 euros
Glass of wine: 4 to 15 euros
Pint of beer: 4 to 12 euros
Coffee: 1.50 to 9 euros
Baguette: 1.20 to 3 euros
Nutella crêpe: 3 to 7 euros
Panini with a drink: 3 to 7 euros
Dinner at a casual restaurant: 10 to 30 euros
Dinner at an upscale restaurant: 40 to 300 euros
Metro ticket: from 1.50 euros

Service is included in the price in France. That said, if the service was good, we still recommend leaving a tip of five to ten percent.

In Paris, the custom is to take your change first, then leave the tip on the table. If you hand a waiter a ten-euro bill for a nine-euro check and say “Keep the change” (“Gardez la monnaie”), you might just get a puzzled look.

For taxis, a small tip is also customary — and a Gardez la monnaie! there will land much better.

Paris is a safe city, and security measures have been tightened even further in recent years. In the main tourist areas, you’ll regularly spot police officers on patrol.

That said, in any crowded place, keep a close eye on your belongings. The pickpocketing scene in Paris is no worse than in Berlin or London — but no better either.

Never keep your wallet in your back pocket. On the metro, wear your backpack on your front.

Near the metro doors, be especially alert. A classic trick: pickpockets snatch your bag and jump off just as the doors close.

Paris is a French-speaking city — and yes, the French do have a reputation for sticking to their own language. In our experience, though, you can get by pretty well with English.

Even so, a few words of French will go a long way. The most important thing to know: always greet people with Bonjour when you enter a shop, café, or restaurant. Skipping the greeting is considered genuinely rude.

When addressing someone directly, add Madame for women or Monsieur for men after your Bonjour. After that, you’re totally fine to continue in English.

Good day (to a woman): Bonjour Madame (pronounced: Bohnschuhr Madamm)
Good day (to a man): Bonjour Monsieur (pronounced: Bohnschuhr Messjöh)
Thank you very much: Merci Beaucoup (pronounced: Mährßie Bohkuh)

You’ll find distinctive self-cleaning restroom pods all over Paris — they’re free and open to everyone.

The key thing to know: these restrooms automatically clean themselves after each use. That means you need to wait for the cycle to finish before going in.

If you head in too early, one of two things can happen:

• Either the restroom doesn’t detect you inside and starts the cleaning cycle — with you in it.
• Or it detects you and skips the cycle, causing the door to automatically open again. Possibly while you’re already seated.

We’re speaking from personal experience on both counts. Always wait for the green light on the door before entering.

Many cafés have a coin slot on the restroom door — you can use these for about 50 cents. If you’ve just had a coffee or a meal there, just ask the waiter for a jeton and you can use it for free.