Paris quietly rewired its entire ticketing system over the past year, and the mistake that catches the most tourists is a specific one: boarding the RER B to Charles de Gaulle on a regular Paris metro ticket. Here's what actually works in 2026, and the one line that turns a saved euro into a fine.
In 30 seconds
- Paper tickets are gone — you need a Navigo Easy card (€2,00) or the Bonjour RATP app
- A standard €2,55 metro ticket is not valid on the RER B to/from Charles de Gaulle — you need the separate €14,00 airport ticket
- Fine for an invalid or missing ticket: €70 on the spot, €120 if you don't pay immediately
What is the Navigo Easy card?
The Navigo Easy is a reloadable plastic card (€2,00 one-off) that replaced Paris's paper tickets in November 2025. Tap it at the purple readers on metro, bus, tram and RER gates. Load single rides, a day pass, or a weekly pass at any station machine or through the Bonjour RATP app. The app itself is the second option — buy tickets on your phone and tap in with NFC, no card needed. For a short visit, the physical card is simpler: one object, always topped up, no phone battery to manage at the gate.
How much do Paris metro tickets cost in 2026?
| Ticket type | Price | Validity | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navigo Easy — single ride | €2,55 (+ €2,00 one-off card) | 1 ride, metro-to-metro transfers within 2h | Occasional trips, ≤4 rides/day |
| Navigo Jour (day pass) | €12,30 | 1 calendar day, all zones | 5+ rides in one day |
| Navigo Semaine (weekly) | €32,40 | Monday–Sunday only | A full Mon–Sun week in the city |
| Paris Région ↔ Aéroports (airport ticket) | €14,00 | 1 trip, RER B to/from CDG or Metro Line 14 to/from Orly | Reaching CDG or Orly |
(As of July 2026, Île-de-France Mobilités — iledefrance-mobilites.fr)
Do the maths before you buy: at €2,55 a ride, the €12,30 Navigo Jour pays for itself on your 5th trip of the day — and the €32,40 Navigo Semaine only beats single rides if your stay actually spans a Monday-to-Sunday week, not any random seven days.
Step-by-step: how to get started
- Buy a Navigo Easy card (€2,00) at any metro station ticket machine or RATP counter — or download the Bonjour RATP app (Android) instead.
- Load it with single rides, a Navigo Jour, or a Navigo Semaine at the same machine, or top up remotely in the app.
- Arriving via CDG or Orly? Load the €14,00 airport ticket onto the same card before you fly, or at the first metro station you pass — not at the airport machine queue.
- Tap the card, or your phone through the app, flat against the purple reader when you board. No tap-out is needed.
- Keep the card on you until you've left the station — inspectors check on board and inside stations, not just at the gate.
Getting from Charles de Gaulle to the city
The RER B runs direct from both CDG terminals to Gare du Nord, Châtelet–Les Halles and Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame, roughly every 10–15 minutes, taking 35–50 minutes depending on your stop. It requires the separate Paris Région ↔ Aéroports ticket — €14,00 — because CDG sits in Zone 5, well outside the €2,55 single-ride zone. If you already hold a Navigo Jour or Semaine covering all zones (1–5), that's valid too; a zone 1-only pass is not.
On a budget, or if RER B is disrupted, take bus line 9517 instead. It replaced the old RoissyBus in February 2026, runs via Saint-Denis Pleyel to CDG in about 30 minutes, and costs the standard €2,55 fare — free if you're already using a Navigo pass. It's the only way into the airport that doesn't need a separate ticket.
Common mistakes
Mistake: Boarding the RER B to or from CDG on a standard €2,55 metro ticket. Fix: Load the separate €14,00 Paris Région ↔ Aéroports ticket before you travel — at any metro station, or via the Bonjour RATP app. A regular single ride doesn't cover CDG's Zone 5, and "I didn't know" isn't accepted at a ticket check. The fine is €70 on the spot, €120 if you don't pay immediately.
Mistake: Turning off your app screen or putting your card away right after tapping in. Fix: Keep your Navigo Easy card, or your phone with an active ticket, on you until you've left the station. Checks happen on board and inside stations, not only at the entry gates.
Mistake: Trying to use an old paper t+ ticket bought before November 2025. Fix: Paper tickets stopped being sold in November 2025 and no longer work at the gates. Exchange any unused ones for Navigo Easy credit at an RATP or SNCF counter before 14 January 2027 — after that date they're worthless. (As of May 2026, Île-de-France Mobilités.)
Accessibility
The Paris metro itself is largely inaccessible — only about 9% of stations have step-free access (3% excluding Line 14), and many central stations on lines 1, 2, 4 and 6 have no lift. Line 14 is the exception: fully accessible from Saint-Denis Pleyel to Orly Airport, with lifts at every station. Buses are the real workaround — the whole fleet has an extendable ramp; press the blue wheelchair button outside and the driver operates it. For a route into the city, Line 14 from Orly is the most reliable accessible option; from CDG, RER B has step-free access at most but not all stops, so check status in the Bonjour RATP app first. Turn on "Accessible routes" in the app for step-free journey planning.
Roamy's quick checklist
- Buy a Navigo Easy card (€2,00) at any station — paper tickets stopped working in November 2025
- Load the separate €14,00 airport ticket before flying via CDG or Orly — a standard €2,55 ticket won't work
- Budget tip: bus 9517 reaches CDG for the standard €2,55 fare if you'd rather skip the airport ticket
- Do the maths: 5+ rides in a day means the €12,30 Navigo Jour beats paying per ride
- Keep your card or phone on you until you're clear of the station — checks happen on board, not just at the gate
For zones, the full fare table, and every airport and accessibility detail together in one place, see the Paris transport guide.