Paris has 16 different metro lines crisscrossing the city, labeled Lines 1-14 plus two mini lines, 3bis and 7bis. While the tracks obviously overlap and join at numerous points, each has its distinct route and points of interest.
Choosing the right metro line can make your time in Paris so much easier and also help you explore new parts of the city. Read on to see which Paris metro line goes where.
Is this your first time taking le métro? Learn how to take the Paris metro or get answers to commonly asked questions.
Paris Metro Line 1 – Tourist Hotspots
La une is the oldest metro line in Paris. Created back in 1900, it bisects the French capital, running east-west from the Château de Vincennes to La Défense, connecting a medieval castle to the city’s modern business hub. In between, it skirts most of the must-see tourist spots in Paris.
This is the line to take for the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysées, the Place de la Concorde, the Jardin des Tuileries, the Louvre, and the Palais Royal as well as the neighborhoods of Le Marais and Bastille.
Staying along this metro line or wanting to hit all the tourist hotspots? Read our complete guide to Paris Metro Line 1 for more details on where to hop off.
Paris Metro Line 2 – Charming to Cheeky
Also inaugurated in 1900, La Deux runs from the pretty Porte Dauphine to Place de la Nation and takes you to the various stop-offs for Parc Monceau and Montmartre. From Anvers, where you can catch the funicular up to Sacré Coeur, to Pigalle for some oh-là-là nightlife.
It takes a picturesque above-ground route for a few stops and is also the line for Père Lachaise Cemetery.
Discover all of our favorite stations and sightseeing stops on Metro Line 2.
Paris Metro Line 3 – Hip & Alternative Areas
Dating back to 1904, Line 3 takes you to gems such as the clothing and fabric manufacturing neighborhood Sentier with its vibrant Rue Montorgueil market street, and the splendid station of Arts et Métiers with its equally cool museum, and onto Gambetta, a great area for cafés and restaurants.
Looking for less touristy spots that still promise to wow? This guide to Metro Line 3 tells you where to stop!
Paris Metro Line 3bis – Locals-Only Line
A four-stop sidearm connecting Gambetta with Porte des Lilas, Metro Line 3bis is the least-used in Paris, meaning you won’t have to worry about crowds! It also has two particularly pretty stations, Pelleport and Saint-Fargeau.
Learn all the secrets hiding along Metro Line 3bis.
Paris Metro Line 4 – Market-Goers’ Must
Opened in 1908, this line connects several different markets across the city. It stops at the former central market of Paris, Les Halles, now a modern shopping mall, the flower market on the Ile de la Cité (just a block from the Notre Dame Cathedral), the covered Saint-Germain market, and the market street by Denfert-Rochereau.
Since its 2022 extension, it now continues south to Barbara and Bagneux–Lucie Aubrac, just past the city limits.
Take a deeper dive into our must-sees on Paris Metro Line 4.
Paris Metro Line 5 – Street Art Stops
Dating back to 1906, today this line takes you to some of the best street art areas in Paris. Place d’Italie is the stop for the lovely Butte-aux-Cailles, a neighborhood filled with charm and street art, and further north stop off at Ourcq for urban art along the canal and the Rue de l’Ourcq.
Discover all the can’t-miss tops on Paris’s Metro Line 5.
If you’re a fan of street art, why not take a guided street art tour of the area?
Paris Metro Line 6 – Metro with a View
This Parisian metro line has a checkered history, having changed names, numbers, and at one point even being integrated into another line. But now, Line 6 is the metro line with the best views of Paris, as it runs mostly above ground.
After stopping at the Trocadéro, between stations Passy and Bir Hakeim, it crosses the Seine and offers amazing views of the Eiffel Tower. You’ll also get an up-close look at street art murals between Place d’Italie and Chevaleret.
See our guide to Paris Metro Line 6 to find out which side to sit on for the best views of the Eiffel Tower!
Paris Metro Line 7 – Family Favorites
Running vertically through the city, this line’s stops are great for kids, with the Cité des Sciences at La Villette in the north and the Jardin des Plantes with its zoo and the National Natural History Museum in Paris’s Latin Quarter further south.
In between, at Pont Neuf you have the Musée en Herbe, a perfect introduction to art museums for little ones, and at Poissonnière, you have probably the best selection of vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Paris.
Discover all of our suggestions for what to see along Paris’s Metro Line 7.
Paris Metro Line 7bis – Loop Around the 19th Arrondissement
Another short one, this miniature metro line goes around in a circle in the northeastern neighborhoods of Paris. Taking you around the 19th Arrondissement, it’s perfect for going to the Parc des Buttes Chaumont or exploring the cute lanes of La Mouzaïa area.
Check out our complete guide to the Metro Line 7bis.
Paris Metro Line 8 – Open Spaces & Covered Passages
Doing a semi-circle around town, Paris’s Metro Line 8 takes you from Balard in southwest where you can walk along a stretch of the old Petite Ceinture railway, up through the Grand Boulevards for their covered passages, and then all the way back down on the southeast to Porte Dorée with its zoo and fabulous Art Deco palace.
Discover all the stops worth seeing along Line 8.
Paris Metro Line 9 – Full of Surprises
This particular Paris metro line could be quite nondescript if it weren’t full of hidden gems visitors often miss, such as the Sèvres porcelain factory and museum, the stunning Art Deco hotel and swimming pool at Molitor, and the lovely Passy area.
Then, of course, there’s Chaussée d’Antin with its famous grand department stores Les Galeries Lafayette and Printemps.
Find our favorite places on Paris’s Metro Line 9.
Paris Metro Line 10 – Left Bank Line
La dix spends most of its length on Rive Gauche with places of note being the pretty station of Vaneau, Odéon with all its lovely cafés for people-watching, and the interesting station of Cluny-La Sorbonne with its signatures and access to the Museum of the Middle Ages, the Musée de Cluny.
This is also the line to take if you’re in town for the French Open or Roland Garros tennis tournament; stop at Michel Ange Molitor.
Learn more about Paris Metro Line 10.
Paris Metro Line 11 – Eastern Paris Explorer
This line runs from the center of Paris to the eastern outskirts of the city. It stops at the beautiful Hôtel de Ville and then Rambuteau for the Centre Pompidou before passing through one of the city’s busiest hubs, République.
The 11 then continues on eastward, stopping at Pyrénées for the Parc de Belleville before heading out into the suburbs.
Since this Paris metro line was extended in 2024, the tracks now carry riders well beyond the city’s edge to its new terminus at Rosny–Bois-Perrier.
Paris Metro Line 12 – Churches & Cathedrals
Perfect for church and cathedral enthusiasts, this Paris subway line covers a couple of Notre Dames (including Notre-Dame-des-Champs and Notre-Dame-de-Lorette), the Eglise de la Madeleine, and the Trinité d’Estienne d’Orves, as well as Sacré-Coeur near the Abbesses and Larmarck-Coulaincourt metro stations in Montmartre.
Discover all the must-see stops on Metro Line 12.
Paris Metro Line 13 – North – South Secret
Although this line is relatively unknown by tourists, it stops at some great spots.
La treize takes you from the flea market Puces de Vanves at Porte de Vanves down south to the Musée Rodin at Varenne, across the Champs Elysées to the lovely Marché couvert Batignolles at La Fourche, and then all the way out to the superb Basilique de Saint-Denis at the station of the same name.
A quick warning: Line 13 can get VERY crowded during rush hour (9-10am and 6-7pm), so try to take it in the middle of the day.
Here’s everything you need to know about Metro Line 13.
Paris Metro Line 14 – Paris Express
The newest and fastest of the lot, this metro line zooms from its northern terminus at Saint-Denis–Pleyel past the famous flea market in Saint-Ouen, stopping at the hubs of Gare Saint Lazare, Châtelet, and Gare de Lyon on its way to the charming shopping area of Bercy Village at Cour Saint-Emilion.
Line 14 then passes through the modern 13th Arrondissement with its great architecture, gigantic street art murals, and the cool food court, La Felicità, at Station F, before continuing south all the way to “Paris’s other airport,” Aéroport d’Orly.
Discover all the top stops on Paris Metro Line 14.
Map of the Paris Metro System
View the full-scale map on the official RATP website
Paris Metro FAQs
A single Metro/RER/Train ticket is €2.55 (as of 2026), regardless of distance traveled within central zones. A one-day unlimited pass (Navigo Jour) is €12.30. Paper tickets have been phased out — you’ll need a Navigo Easy card (€2, reloadable) or the Île-de-France Mobilités / Bonjour RATP smartphone app.
If you’ll be using public transportation a lot while in Paris, you may want to subscribe to the Navigo+ plan which offers reduced rates and simply debits your account for the trips you took at the end of the month.
Learn more about Paris metro passes and prices on the official RATP website
Generally yes — millions of people ride it daily, and violent incidents are rare. The real risk is pickpocketing, which is common enough to plan around, especially on crowded lines like Line 1, the RER B airport line, and at the sprawling Châtelet–Les Halles station.
Keep your bags zipped and in front of you, and your phone out of a back pocket.
If something feels wrong, you can call or text 3117 — France’s free, 24/7 transport safety line — or use the Alerte 3117app; for an emergency needing immediate police or medical response, call 112.
Learn more about scams to avoid in Paris
As of Summer 2026, six metro lines in Paris are fully air-conditioned: 1, 2, 5, 9, 11, and 14.
Line 4 is over halfway there, and Line 10 has started rolling out air-conditioned trains too.
The rest of the network still runs mostly on older, non-air-conditioned trains — if you’re visiting during a heatwave, stick to the lines above when you can.
Take Line 6 to Bir-Hakeim for the closest walk, or Line 9 to Trocadéro for the best photo angle across the river.
Line 8 to École Militaire is a good option if you’re coming from the Champs-Élysées side and want to picnic on the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower at the Champ de Mars.
Line 1 to Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre takes you right to the underground entrance; Line 7 also stops there.
Line 4 to Cité puts you steps from the cathedral; Saint-Michel (also Line 4, plus RER B/C) is the next-closest alternative.
Want to adapt to life in the City of Light as quickly as possible? Reserve one of these bespoke Paris welcome services to meet a local who will introduce you to your neighborhood and prepare you to go off and explore the rest of the city.
More Paris Travel Tips & Tales
