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4. Check your Métro exit
A majority of Paris Métro stations have multiple exits, though sometimes they’re so far apart that taking the wrong one can mean the difference between making a dinner reservation and adding 10 minutes to your walking time. Pay attention to the blue signs that say “Sortie” (that means ‘exit’), the exit number, and the street names where it spits you out. If you’re using Google Maps, pay attention to which exit it tells you to take, so you emerge above ground as close as possible to your destination.
5. Embrace cycling
Now more than ever, Paris is a cycling city. Bicycles now account for about 11% of all commutes taken in town, compared to 4% for cars; bike traffic in Paris rose by 240% between 2018 and 2023. Getting around on two wheels above ground has its obvious draws—you don’t get to see the beauty of the city while you’re underground on a train looking at your phone and scrolling on TikTok (there’s cell service down there, which is nice). Hopping on a borrowed bike is possible even as a tourist: You can sign up for an account with Vélib, the city’s public bicycle-sharing system, and get one- to three-day passes using the Vélib app or the Île-de-France Mobilités app (you mostly use the latter for the Métro). There are classic and e-bike options, but note that helmets are not included. Cycle safely!
6. Don’t discount the buses
Speaking of traveling above ground, the Paris bus network is quite nifty as well. Very often, a bus will drop you off closer to your intended destination than a train might, so be sure to check what bus itinerary, if any, Google Maps recommends you take. And much like getting around by bike, a bus offers views of the city as you roll on by. For example, the west-east 69 bus takes you from the Eiffel Tower, past Les Invalides (home of the gold-domed tomb of Napoleon), the Musée d’Orsay, the Tuileries gardens, the Louvre, and the Place de la Bastille, to the famous Père Lachaise Cemetery, where many famed artists are buried. And honestly, if you’re a fan of sightseeing by bus, the hop-on-hop-off bus tours are still a good deal, corny as they are, and a great way of getting around.
