Taking the Bus in Paris: Practical Guide, Lines, Tickets, Tips

In short. The Paris bus costs €2.05 loaded on Navigo Easy or smartphone, or €2.50 paid with a contactless card on buses equipped with the new terminal (rolled out in late 2025). Lines numbered with two digits (20-99) are urban routes inside Paris, those with three digits (100+) are suburban, and the Noctilien (prefix N+number) are the night buses after the metro closes. To get off, you need to press the red "Arrêt demandé" button one or two stops before yours, otherwise the bus drives past. The most scenic lines for tourists are the 24 (along the Seine), the 38 (north-south center), the 69 (Champ-de-Mars to Père-Lachaise), the 72 (Right Bank), and the 27 (between major stations). All buses inside Paris intra-muros are wheelchair accessible.

There's a way to experience Paris that most tourists never try, because they're too busy with the metro: taking the bus. Yes, I know, it sounds unglamorous. "The bus" conjures images of slow vehicles, screaming school groups, waiting in the rain. But in Paris it's a different thing.

Take the bus 69, start at Champ-de-Mars, and in forty minutes you've seen Pont-Neuf, the Louvre, the Marais, Bastille, and you're at Père-Lachaise. All for the price of a €2.05 ticket. The bus 24 does the same, but along the Seine on the Right Bank. The bus 72 is practically a sightseeing tour: Hôtel de Ville, Concorde, Eiffel Tower. They're tourist tours at public transit prices, and nobody tells you about them.

On top of that, the bus takes you where the metro doesn't reach: certain neighborhoods, certain streets, certain crosstown routes the underground network ignores. Let's see how it works, because there are a few rules worth knowing before you board.

How do bus lines work in Paris?

Paris buses are numbered according to a precise geographic logic. Two-digit numbers (20-99) identify urban lines inside Paris intra-muros — bus 38, bus 42, bus 84, bus 95 are all urban. Three-digit numbers (100-500 and up) identify suburban lines connecting Paris to the banlieue. Bus 350, for example, is one of the ways to get to Charles de Gaulle.

Then there are the Noctilien, the night buses with the prefix N followed by a number (N01, N02, N11, N12). They run after the metro closes and are the lifeline if you're out late.

Watch out: don't confuse public network buses with the red double-decker tourist buses (Tootbus, Big Bus, OpenTour): those cost much more, have onboard audio guides, and are useful if you want a real guided tour. But to get around normally, you need the public network.

How do I find a bus stop in Paris?

Unlike the metro, where the stop is clearly marked by a huge M, Paris bus stops are small shelters or poles with a sign. You need to know the name of the stop you're looking for. On every shelter you'll find the stop name at the top, the bus lines that pass through it with their colored numbers, and for each line the direction with the terminal name. There's also a digital panel with the wait times for the next two or three buses, and a complete line map with all stops.

Major trap that many discover the painful way: the bus stop depends on the direction. For line 38, the "Châtelet" stop heading north is on the opposite side of the street from the "Châtelet" stop heading south. If you wait on the wrong side, the bus you want will pass right in front of your eyes without stopping (because it's going the other way). So always check which side of the street you're waiting on: the sign on the shelter tells you which terminal the bus that stops there is heading to.

How do you pay for the bus in Paris in 2026?

The Paris bus is paid in three ways. The first is the classic Bus-Tram ticket at €2.05 loaded on Navigo Easy (the €2 one-time contactless card) or on your smartphone via the Bonjour RATP or Île-de-France Mobilités app. Validate at the purple reader as soon as you board, beep, you're in.

The second is the 2025-2026 novelty: paying on the fly with a contactless credit card on buses equipped with the new terminal at the entrance. Board, tap your card — foreign cards included — and pay €2.50 per ride. No card to load, no app. The feature is being rolled out and is not yet installed on every bus.

The third method is using a daily or weekly pass: the Navigo Jour (€12.50/day), the Navigo Semaine (€32.40 Mon-Sun), or the Paris Visite include unlimited buses.

Always validate your fare, even with a pass. Without the validation beep, in case of an inspection you're in violation even if you have a valid pass loaded on the card.

How to get off the bus: the "Arrêt demandé" button

Here's the rule that will make you miss your stop at least once in your life, until you learn it: Paris buses don't stop at every stop by default. They only stop if someone at the stop signals to board, or if someone on board has requested the stop.

When you're on board, two or three stops before yours, you need to press one of the red "Arrêt demandé" (stop requested) buttons. They're scattered everywhere inside the bus: on the poles, near the doors, on the seats. When you press it, a light turns on in the driver's cabin and the driver knows to stop. Above you, an illuminated "Arrêt demandé" sign lights up to confirm.

If you don't press it and nobody else gets off and nobody is waiting at the stop, the bus drives straight past. Classic result: you get off two stops later and have to walk back, usually in the rain. It's a mistake you make once, and then never again.

To figure out where you are while the bus moves, newer models have a screen showing the current stop and the next three. Older models only have an automated voice announcing each stop in French — and if your French is shaky, it's hard to follow.

How Zeppelin Map alerts you when to get off

Keep your phone in hand with Zeppelin Map (the iOS transit navigation app for Paris, developed by Anaximae SASU) as you ride: you see your real-time GPS position on the map and how many stops are left until yours. As you approach your getting-off point, you get a notification warning you to get ready.

If the line you're taking is a bus or tram with at least four intermediate stops, the app also sends you a notification two stops before arrival: it's the digital version of the "Arrêt demandé" button — a kind of reminder so you don't get distracted and remember to press the button in time.

The other advantage is that the app clearly distinguishes bus and tram from metro in colors and icons, so you understand at a glance whether the next leg of your route requires a walk above ground between one stop and another (useful for avoiding unnecessary transfers) or whether you just need to stay seated.

What are the Noctilien and how do they work?

The Noctilien are the Paris night bus network, active when the metro closes (around 12:30-1:00 AM). They're organized as stars around five main hubs: Châtelet, Gare de l'Est, Saint-Lazare, Gare de Lyon, Gare Montparnasse. Every Noctilien line passes through one of these points.

They run roughly every fifteen to thirty minutes and use the same ticket as the regular bus (€2.05). The Navigo Jour and Semaine passes are also valid at night.

Commuter trick: when you leave a bar or restaurant late at night, don't wait at the daytime stop. Noctilien stops have a sign with a dark blue background and a stylized N, and they're sometimes in different positions from the daytime ones. Look for the N. Here too the app helps, because the location of night stops is correctly geo-located.

What are the most scenic bus lines in Paris?

Some Paris bus lines cross so many beautiful places that they deserve to be taken even if you don't need them.

Bus 24 starts at Gare Saint-Lazare and ends at Alfortville, passing through Concorde, Pont des Arts, Notre-Dame, Bercy. Along the Seine for much of the route — stunning views, especially at sunset.

Bus 27 connects the major stations — Saint-Lazare, Châtelet, Saint-Michel, Pont-Neuf, Luxembourg. Great for switching neighborhoods without going underground.

Bus 38 is the north-south line par excellence: Gare du Nord, Châtelet, Saint-Michel, Luxembourg, Port Royal. One of the most direct routes for crossing the center.

Bus 42 runs Gare du Nord to Trocadéro via Saint-Lazare, Concorde, and the Eiffel Tower.

Bus 69 is probably "Paris's cheapest sightseeing tour." Champ-de-Mars (Eiffel Tower), Pont-Neuf, Louvre, Marais, Bastille, Père-Lachaise. A line that crosses one of the most beautiful parts of Paris: board, grab a window seat, and in forty-five minutes you've seen half the city.

Bus 72 runs along the Seine on the Right Bank: Hôtel de Ville toward Concorde toward Eiffel Tower. Postcard views.

The unwritten rules on Paris buses

There are codes of behavior on Paris buses that locals follow and that foreigners often ignore (drawing looks). Near the door there are seats colored differently, reserved for elderly people, pregnant women, people with disabilities: stand up the moment someone who needs one gets on. No loud music, no shouted phone calls — it's considered rude, and unlike in some places, here they'll let you know.

Make space if a wheelchair or stroller comes in: there's a dedicated space in the middle of the bus, leave it clear. If you're near a door and someone needs to get off, step off for a second too and then back on — it sounds strange but it's standard practice, because the space is tight. And if you really must eat a pain au chocolat standing up, be discreet about it.

When is the bus better than the metro?

The final question: when is the bus better than the metro? The practical rule is this.

For short trips (one or two stops) the bus is faster: no stairs, no long wait. For long trips in a hurry, always metro. Late at night, Noctilien, because the metro is closed. If you want to see Paris while you move, bus, especially lines 24, 27, 38, 69, 72. If you have mobility issues or carry heavy luggage, bus, because all buses inside Paris intra-muros are wheelchair accessible and have no stairs; the metro is accessible only in a few stations (line 14 in particular, which is automatic and fully accessible). In heavy rain, obviously, metro.

In the next article we put together all the small daily tricks — the ones a Parisian knows by instinct and a tourist only learns by making mistakes.

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions about Paris buses

How much does a Paris bus ticket cost in 2026?

The Bus-Tram ticket costs €2.05 loaded on Navigo Easy or smartphone, and includes tram-bus transfers within 90 minutes. On buses with a contactless terminal (rolling out since 2025), you can also pay on the fly with a credit card at €2.50 per ride.

How do you get off a Paris bus?

You need to press one of the red "Arrêt demandé" buttons spread throughout the bus, one or two stops before yours. Paris buses don't stop automatically at every stop: without a request, they drive past. When you press the button, the "Arrêt demandé" sign lights up above.

What are the best tourist buses in Paris?

The most scenic public bus lines for tourists are the 24 (along the Seine), the 27 (between major stations and Luxembourg), the 38 (north-south through the center), the 42 (Gare du Nord-Trocadéro-Eiffel Tower), the 69 (Champ-de-Mars-Marais-Père-Lachaise), and the 72 (along the Seine on the Right Bank).

What are the Noctilien in Paris?

The Noctilien are the Paris night bus network, active after the metro closes (around 12:30-1:00 AM). They have the prefix N followed by a number, run every 15-30 minutes, and rotate around five hubs: Châtelet, Gare de l'Est, Saint-Lazare, Gare de Lyon, Gare Montparnasse. Same ticket as the daytime bus (€2.05).

Are Paris buses wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All buses inside Paris intra-muros are declared 100% wheelchair accessible. They have low floors, automatic kneeling at the stop, an electric ramp from the middle door, and a dedicated space onboard. In the suburbs about 86% of lines are accessible (2025 data).

Which side of the street do you catch the bus from in Paris?

Bus stops depend on direction: stop on the right side of the street for the bus going one way, stop on the left side for the opposite direction. The shelter sign indicates which terminal the bus that stops there is heading to. Always check the right side before waiting.

What's the best app for taking the bus in Paris?

For route planning and getting alerts when to get off the bus, Zeppelin Map is the dedicated app for Paris public transit with automatic notification two stops before arrival (for lines with at least 4 intermediate stops), visual distinction of metro, bus, tram with IDF Mobilités colors, and a whole day of stops planned in advance with the best transit between each one.