Getting around Paris: Navigo, RER and strikes

Buy a Navigo Mois, hand the receipt to your employer and get half back. Then learn which lines to avoid on strike days.

The short version

In 2026 a Navigo Mois covering all zones costs €90.80, and a Navigo Semaine €32.40. One price covers the whole Île-de-France region [1].
A single metro, train or RER ticket costs €2.55 in 2026. Pay-as-you-go with Navigo Liberté+ brings that down to €2.04 [1].
Private-sector employers must reimburse 50% of your monthly, weekly or annual pass. Single tickets aren't reimbursed [2].
Strikes are frequent and often announced ahead. Have a bike or walking plan [3].
Getting to Charles de Gaulle costs €14 on a single ticket in 2026, but a Navigo Mois or Semaine already covers it [1].

Which pass should you buy?

Paris public transport is run by RATP and SNCF under the regional authority, Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM). Everything works on Navigo cards, the Paris equivalent of Opal or Myki, except you choose between a pass and pay-as-you-go.

Here are the main 2026 fares [1]:

Option	2026 price	Best for
Navigo Mois, all zones	€90.80 a month	Daily commuters, especially if your employer pays half
Navigo Semaine, all zones	€32.40 a week	Your first weeks, or months with lots of travel
Navigo Annuel, all zones	€998.80 a year	Long-term residents who want to set and forget
Navigo Jour	€12.30 a day	Big sightseeing days (airports not included)
Navigo Liberté+	€2.04 metro/RER, €1.64 bus/tram per trip	Occasional travellers
Single ticket	€2.55 metro/RER, €2.05 bus/tram	Visitors, or when you forget your card

Cheaper zone 2–3, 3–4 and 4–5 versions exist, but if you live in Paris you'll want all zones [1].

Doing the maths

At €2.04 a trip on Liberté+, two trips a day for 20 working days comes to about €81.60. Add a couple of weekend outings and the Navigo Mois at €90.80 starts to win, before your employer's 50% even kicks in [1][2]. If you commute daily, get the monthly pass.

The Navigo Semaine runs Monday to Sunday and the Navigo Mois by calendar month. They're perfect for your first fortnight, when you're flat hunting all over town.

Students and young people

If you're studying, look at the Imagine R annual pass for students and school pupils, €393.30 for 2026–27 [1]. Reduced and solidarity fares exist for people on low incomes [1].

Getting your employer to pay half

This is the one Australians most often miss. In Sydney, your Opal is your problem. In France, your employer must reimburse part of it.

Under French law [2]:

All private-sector employees who commute by public transport are entitled to reimbursement, including part-timers and interns.
The employer pays 50% of the second-class fare for the shortest route.
Only passes (annual, monthly or weekly) qualify. Single tickets aren't reimbursed.
Reimbursement is monthly, by the end of the month after you buy, and must appear on your payslip.
If you work less than half time, the amount is pro-rated.
The reimbursement is exempt from income tax.

So with a Navigo Mois, the real cost to you is €45.40 a month in 2026 [1][2].

How to claim it:

Buy a Navigo Mois or Annuel, ideally with a personal Navigo card in your name.
Download the attestation from your Navigo account, or keep the receipt.
Send it to HR or payroll, following your company's process.
Check the line remboursement transport on your next payslip.

If you cycle, your employer may also offer the forfait mobilités durables, an optional allowance for bikes, carpooling and shared scooters, capped at €600 a year for 2026 [2].

Metro, RER, bus and tram: what's what

Metro. Sixteen lines with frequent trains, mostly within Paris and the inner suburbs. Line 14, driverless, is the fast one.
RER. Five suburban express lines (A to E) that run through the centre with fewer stops. The RER A and B are among the busiest lines in Europe. Use them to cross Paris quickly or to reach La Défense, Versailles, Disneyland and the airports.
Transilien and tram. Commuter trains and trams for the suburbs.
Bus. Slower but scenic, and handy when the metro is on strike.

Watch your phone on crowded trains, and keep your ticket until you exit: Smartraveller notes you can otherwise get an on-the-spot fine [3]. Inspectors do check, especially at RER exits. Metro lines can also close for works over summer [3], so check before you travel in July and August.

Vélib' and cycling

Paris has transformed itself for bikes, with protected lanes along the Seine, Rue de Rivoli and many main roads. Vélib' Métropole, the shared bike scheme, has docks across the city and inner suburbs.

From August 2025, applied at each renewal, Vélib' prices are [4]:

V-Plus (mechanical bikes): €4.30 a month
V-Max (electric bikes too): €9.30 a month, with each electric ride now paid
V-Libre (occasional users): €6 to sign up, with bonus minutes

For Australians used to helmet laws, note that helmets aren't compulsory for adults cycling in France. Wear one anyway. Paris traffic is busy and drivers expect you to hold your line.

Strike days (grèves)

Smartraveller notes that strikes are frequent in France and can cause significant disruption to public transport, trains and flights [3]. They're part of life, not a sign that the city is falling apart.

How to cope:

Watch for the warning. Big strikes are announced in advance, and RATP and SNCF usually publish a forecast of which lines will run the evening before.
Check the automatic lines. Lines 1 and 14 are driverless and often keep running when others are cut back.
Bike or walk. Paris is compact. Many trips that take 30 minutes by metro take 40 on a Vélib'.
Work from home if you can. Many Paris employers expect it on major strike days.
Avoid demonstrations. Smartraveller advises avoiding protests and areas with heavy police activity [3]. Marches often start at République, Bastille or Nation, so plan around them.

Strikes also hit flights and trains. If you're flying home during a strike period, check with your airline and leave extra time to reach the airport.

Getting to CDG for flights home

Most Australians fly out of Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG), connecting through a hub in the Middle East or Asia.

Route	2026 fare	Notes
RER B	€14 single, or included in your Navigo Mois or Semaine [1]	Fastest public option from Gare du Nord or Châtelet. Can be crowded and hit by strikes
Roissybus	€14 [1]	Direct from Opéra. Slower in traffic, but easier with luggage
Taxi	Fixed fare from central Paris	Licensed taxis only; private hire cars must be pre-booked [3]

The Navigo Jour doesn't cover the airports, but a Navigo Mois or Semaine does [1]. If you're paying per trip with Liberté+, the airport journey is billed at €14 [1]. For an evening long-haul flight, allow at least 90 minutes from central Paris to the terminal, more on a strike day.

Do you need a car?

Most Parisians don't own one. Parking is scarce and expensive, the city keeps cutting lanes for bikes and buses, and the speed limit in most of the city is 30 km/h [3]. If you want to drive in France beyond your first year, you'll need to swap your Australian licence for a French one.

New to the city and keen on a cycling buddy, or wondering whether the RER B is running tomorrow? Ask in Cooee France, our Facebook group for Australians in France. Strike days are when the group is busiest.

Getting around Paris: the Navigo pass, strikes and the RER