Paris > Transportation > Trams

Paris Trams

Few visitors realize that Paris has a growing network of modern tramway lines that serve the city and its suburbs.

ABOVE: An eastbound T3a tram arrives at the City International University of Paris, just south of the Parc Montsouris.

By Durant Imboden

Updated September 27, 2025

Trams may be the Paris region's best-kept transportation secret, at least for visitors from abroad.

Paris and its environs now have a growing number of modern tram lines. The system opened in 1992, bringing streetcars back to Paris for the first time in nearly 70 years.

As a tourist, you probably won't use the trams frequently (if at all), but the lines can be useful. They're also worth experiencing if you're interested in public transit or urban design.

Riding the trams

ABOVE: Paris tram riders can board at any set of doors.

Paris trams run from early morning until late evening. During the day, intervals between trams are normally 5 to 7 minutes.

Buy tickets from automated machines on the platforms, or use a stored-value card such as Navigo Easy. You can also add fares to the RATP's Bonjour Paris app on your phone or smartwatch.

 Other options include the RATP's Navigo Jour one-day travel card and the tourist-oriented Paris Visite card.

See our Paris transit fares article for more information.

Important: Scan your electronic fare card or smartphone app when boarding the tram. (If an inspector catches you without a validated ticket, you'll pay a hefty fine.)

ABOVE: A Line 3 Paris tram follows a grass right of way alongside the Boulevard Kellerman in the 13th arrondissement.

Notes:

• You can connect free between RATP city buses, trams, and funiculars with a €2,-- "Bus-Tram" ticket as long as you're traveling in the same direction. Your ticket is valid for 130 minutes, and it's valid throughout the Paris and Ile-de-France region except for airports.

• The state-of-the-art trams are designed for easy access by mobility-impaired passengers, including travelers in wheelchairs.

Paris Tramway Web links

ABOVE: A platform on Ligne 3 provides easy access to the low-floor trams.

RATP: Trams
This is the transit system's official map of Paris tram lines. When you click on a line number under "Select a map," you'll be taken to a strip map that shows all the stops on that route.

Wikipedia: Tramways in Île-de-France
The online encyclopedia's article is a good introduction to the system for railfans, and you can click on the line descriptions for lists of stations and connections to other Paris transportation services.

About the author:

Durant Imboden is a professional travel writer, book author, and editor who focuses on European cities and transportation.

After 4-1/2 years of covering European travel topics for About.com, Durant and Cheryl Imboden co-founded Europe for Visitors (including Paris for Visitors) in 2001. The site has earned "Best of the Web" honors from Forbes and The Washington Post.

For more information, see About our site, press clippings, and reader testimonials.

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