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Le Metropolitain, ``RER'', & Bus

Métro map (courtesy of RATP).

RER map (courtesy of RATP).

Bus map (courtesy of RATP).

Métro/RER ticket (both sides)

Individual Métro ticket is 7F; packet of 10 tickets (a Carnet) is 44F. Cost of RER tickets depends on distance traveled. Within central Paris cost is the same as Métro tickets, and the same ticket is also valid on both systems.

Both the Métro and the RER (Réseau Express Régional) are run by the RATP - Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens. The RATP also runs the busses.

History

The Métro opened on 19 July 1900, its first line being from Porte de Vincennes to Porte Maillot (not surprising it is now the line number 1). Fulgence Bienvenüe was the engineer in charge of construction, the architect Hector Guimard being responsible for the Art Nouveau entrances (see image). The system has 199 km (124 miles) of track and 15 lines. There are 368 stations (not including RER stations), 87 of these being interchanges between lines. Every building is within 500 metres of a métro station. There are 3500 cars which transport roughly 6 million people per day. There are 15000 employees of the métro (1989 statistics).

An example of one of the Art Nouveau métro entrances designed by Hector Guimard between 1898-1904: Abbesses in the 18th arrondissement.