Getting Around France: Metro, RER, TGV and Taxis in French
Essential French for public transport: tickets, platforms, delays, strikes, taxis and directions, with tips on validating tickets and reading station signs.
France has an excellent public transport network, and understanding the vocabulary makes getting around smooth. Here's what you need.
Types of transport
- le métro — underground
- le RER — regional express network in Paris
- le tramway — tram
- le bus / l'autobus — bus
- le car — coach
- le train — train
- le TGV — high-speed train (train à grande vitesse)
- le TER — regional train
- le taxi / le VTC — taxi / ride-hailing car
- le vélo — bicycle
- l'avion — plane
Places
- la gare — railway station
- la station de métro
- l'arrêt de bus — bus stop
- l'aéroport
- le quai — platform
- la voie — track (platform number in stations)
- la sortie — exit
- l'entrée — entrance
- la correspondance — connection, change
Buying tickets
- un billet or un ticket — ticket
- un aller simple — one way
- un aller-retour — return
- un carnet de tickets — a book of tickets
- un pass — travel pass (in Paris, a Navigo pass)
- première classe / deuxième classe
- Je voudrais un billet pour Lyon, s'il vous plaît.
- À quelle heure part le prochain train pour Marseille ?
- De quel quai part-il ? — Which platform does it leave from?
Validating tickets
In the metro and on buses, tickets are validated at the gate or a machine (valider). On some regional trains, older paper tickets must be stamped (composter) at yellow machines before boarding. Check the rules for your ticket. Inspectors (contrôleurs) fine passengers with invalid tickets.
On the platform
- le départ — departure
- l'arrivée — arrival
- en retard — late
- annulé — cancelled
- à l'heure — on time
- retardé — delayed
- une grève — a strike (fairly common; check before travelling)
- le prochain train — the next train
- Attention à la marche — mind the step
In the metro
- direction... — towards... (the last station of the line)
- la ligne — line
- Quelle est la prochaine station ?
- Prochain arrêt : ...
- Sortie
Metro lines are identified by number and by the terminus, so you follow signs for direction [terminus].
Taxis and rides
- Où puis-je trouver un taxi ? — Where can I find a taxi?
- À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît. — To this address, please.
- Combien ça coûte ?
- Pouvez-vous m'arrêter ici ? — Can you drop me here?
- Vous acceptez les cartes ?
Directions
- à gauche / à droite — left / right
- tout droit — straight ahead
- au coin — at the corner
- au feu — at the traffic light
- Où est la gare, s'il vous plaît ?
- C'est loin ? — Is it far?
- C'est à dix minutes à pied. — It's ten minutes on foot.
Problems
- J'ai raté mon train. — I missed my train.
- J'ai perdu mon billet. — I've lost my ticket.
- Mon sac a été volé. — My bag was stolen.
- Où est le bureau des objets trouvés ? — Where's the lost property office?
Tips
- Say "Bonjour" to ticket staff.
- Watch for strikes (grèves), and check timetables.
- Have small change for buses.
- Keep your ticket until you leave the station.
- Reserve TGV seats in advance.
Look up travel words offline with English French Dictionary →
English French Dictionary
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