Sometimes this city's public transport seems like it was intentionally designed to confuse tourists. Sacrez-bleu! you might say upon arrival. But relax – it's really not that complicated once somebody sits you down and explains it all to you.

USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

To get around Paris, we suggest sticking to the métro (subway) and RER (express train) networks. A few of the bus lines are nice for impromptu sightseeing, but can get quite crowded and are more likely to be plagued by Parisian gridlock and pickpockets than the trains.

Free maps of the RATP (public transit authority) network are available at most hotels, hostels and airports. Otherwise, you can access timetables, customized itineraries and printable PDF maps at www.ratp.fr.

Buy your tickets from the machines or the ticket counters at any métro station. One single-use ticket costs €1.40, but a carnet of 10 tickets will cost you €10.90. Usually splitting one or two 10-packs with your friends is the most economical way to travel.

Once validated, always remember to hold on to that purple ticket until after you've left the station – controls are frequent and unforgiving. Sometimes you even need the used ticket to exit the station via computer-operated doors!

The trains running under and around Paris are divided into two categories: RER and métro.

RER

The Réseau Express Régional. Your good-old express train, primarily for people living outside of the city, but perfect for hopping across town in a hurry. These trains use the same purple tickets as the métro, provided you aren't going too far outside of the city (tickets to/from one of Paris' airports, Euro Disney or Versailles are more expensive and must be purchased separately).

RER A The thick red line running east-west, connecting the businessmen of La Défense with the businessmice of Euro Disney. Also stops at the Arc de Triomphe, Chatelet and the Gare de Lyon.

RER B The thick blue line running north-south. Indispensable for getting to either Charles de Gaulle/Roissy airport or its southern counterpart, Orly.

RER C The yellow-coded express train that runs from the center city (Saint-Michel is a good boarding spot) to the Palace of Versailles and back. A must for anyone wishing to see the fruits of Louis XIV's workers' labor.

RER D and E Less useful for most tourist destinations, with the exception of connecting Gare de Lyon with Gare du Nord, which RER D does in 8 minutes!

MÉTRO

The subway or métropolitain. These lines are also color-coded and have numbers. Recently refurbished stations have signs above the platforms telling you when the next two trains arrive. The trick to figuring out a trip on the métro is to always know the name of the last stop in the direction that you want to go; the signs refer to lines only by their number and destination, abandoning the color scheme entirely. The most useful lines for tourists are the 2 (blue), the 4 (reddish-pink) and the 1 (yellow).

TO AND FROM CHARLES DE GAULLE/ROISSY, ORLY AND BEAUVAIS AIRPORTS

From Charles de Gaulle/Roissy
Follow signs for “Trains to Paris – RER.” Depending on the terminal at which your flight arrives, you may have to take a shuttle bus before getting to the RER station. The ticket will cost €8.20 and after about 35 minutes you’ll arrive in Paris' Gare du Nord train station. From here you can switch to the métro, numbers 4, 5 or 2 (probably the most useful to get to your accommodations) or continue on to Chatelet or St-Michel, should you need another connection.

To Charles de Gaulle/Roissy
Leave yourself plenty of time to get to Chatelet or Gare du Nord and hop on the RER B in the direction of Aeroport Charles de Gaulle. The ride to the airport takes at least 45 minutes. There are two stops for the airport: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Lists of airline companies and their corresponding terminal can be found posted on the train, but it doesn't hurt to call the airline or check your ticket if you want to know ahead of time. If you happen to get off at the wrong terminal, you can take a shuttle bus to the correct one.

From Orly
The least expensive way to get into Paris from Orly is to follow signs for Orlybus. For €6.10 and a 40-minute bus ride, you'll find yourself at Denfert-Rochereau, which is a good connection point for the lines 4, 6 and RER B. Orlyval, a light-train hookup to RER B station Antony, is a bit more expensive €7.20, but will get you there with less traffic.

To Orly
You can either catch the Orlybus from Denfert Rochereau (métro lines 4 and 6 or RER B) or you can hop on the RER B to Antony and then switch to the Orlyval lightrail direct connection to the airport. There are two stops for the Orly airport: Orly Ouest (West) and Orly Sud (South). Which is right for you? It should say on your airplane ticket. If not, call your airline to ask.

From Beauvais
The harsh economic reality of monopolies simplifies matters for you here; you're taking the bus to Paris. It's a couple hours' ride and costs €13.

To Beauvais
Once again, the die is already cast on this one. Catch the bus (at least 3 hours and 15 minutes before your departure) from the parking lot behind the Palais des Congrès, at métro station Porte Maillot. When you exit the station, you'll see a giant convention center that looks like what would happen if Robocop designed a salad bowl – the bus leaves from a parking lot behind that building. Be there on time or you'll miss your flight, because there's no other way out there!