Métro, Boulot, Do-Dough
Word on the street is that Paris is considering (another) public transportation price increase. If you’re like me, you’ve tried to use your metro ticket on the bus, only to be chastised by the validator’s beep of shame. That’s because, right now, there are two different tickets for different kinds of public transport: on Navigo Easy (the flimsy card which replaced the paper tickets), a bus-tram ticket costs €2.05 and a metro-train-RER ticket costs €2.55. Now, Île-de-France Mobilités, the region’s transit authority, is considering a single fare for both types, €2.45, which increases the cost of a bus ticket by 20% (and, I’ll point out, reduces the metro-train-RER fare by 4%).
The headline got me thinking about the annual Navigo price creep and, going a step further, where Paris transit prices are going (and why).
Let’s unravel why it keeps happening, the employer reimbursement you should claim, the shiny new metro lines all of this is paying for, and best practices for riding them.
Same pass, new price
The price of the monthly Navigo pass for Zones 1-5 (which are the circular geographic zones used to determine transport fares) increased to €90.80 in January 2026, up ~2% from 2025. That wasn’t a one-off hike – the price has gone up every January since 2023 and, taking prior increases into account, has risen ~21% in six years.
2027’s price is still on the table (the board tends to vote on new fares in December, so keep an ear out around then). Good news is that increases are technically capped at inflation + 1% per year through 2031.
Follow the money
I’ll admit, my first instinct was to blame the 2024 Olympics: prices went up and never came back down – but, I was wrong: the price of the monthly Navigo pass stayed the same back then. What changed was the price of single tickets (which went from €2.15 to €4.00 between July 20 and September 8 2024, then returned to normal), and the Day / Week passes were replaced by a special ‘Paris 2024’ pass. So, residents on the monthly Navigo pass carried on as usual.
In reality, Île-de-France Mobilités cites two reasons for the transport price hikes: inflation, and the cost of building out the network. That means new train cars, extensions, and new metro lines (more on this below).
Fun fact: a Navigo pass costs €280/month to run, and riders cover ~⅓ of that while employers and public money subsidize the rest. Say what?
It’s true. By law, French employers have to cover at least 50% of a public transportation subscription (so weekly, monthly, or annual metro passes – or even bike share services like Vélib – but not single tickets or the pay-as-you-go Navigo Liberté+) for any employee (including part-time and interns) who commutes. It’s a real line item that shows up on your ‘bulletin de paie’ (payslip). To take advantage of this perk, you’ll need to show proof, in theory every month, that you actually bought the pass.
Enter, the Grand Paris Express
When Île-de-France Mobilités says ‘cost of building out the network’ as a reason for price increases, that includes new metro lines. Commuters, meet the Grand Paris Express: four brand-new automatic metro lines (15, 16, 17 and 18) that mostly loop around Paris through the suburbs.
Line 18 is the first brand-new metro line in the region in ~30 years. The opening section, 4 stations of this 10-station line, is scheduled to open as early as November 30, 2026.
Line 15 will run from Pont de Sèvres to Noisy-Champs across 16 stations. It was slated to open in late 2025, but has been pushed back to fall 2027 and won’t be fully completed until 2031.
Line 16 covers the northeast suburbs. The section from Saint-Denis Pleyel to Clichy-Montfermeil is scheduled for 2027, and the extension to Noisy-Champs following in 2028.
Line 17, also opening in stages, will make the trek to CDG airport much quicker for anyone in the northern suburbs. And, when paired with Line 14, it will also give you an alternative to the RER B for getting between CDG and Orly.
Note, each of these dates have been pushed out at least once, so consider the above ‘currently scheduled for’ vs. ‘confirmed’.
A necessary glow-up
My first question was if the new stations will be pretty. (Anyone who has ridden the metro during rush hour will understand why I want to know this). And yes, they will be.
The network will add 68 stations in total, each designed through an architecture competition and there are some big names on the roster (think Bjarke Ingels, Kengo Kuma, Dominique Perrault…). Villejuif-Gustave Roussy on Line 14, for example, was designed by Perrault and is nine levels deep, with a huge glass dome that sends daylight down towards the tracks; it won a 2025 Prix Versailles, and Perrault’s stated goal was to bring the light and space of the city into the one below.
Ride the metro like you live here
While we wait for the new lines, you’re still paying €90.80/month to use the old ones, so ride like the locals do. And even the locals need a refresh sometimes, considering the amount of times I shouted “Excusez-moi je sors” this morning from the back of a Line 3 metro car at an appropriate volume for 8:45am, but no one even blinked (let alone moved), so I missed my stop.
Here are my top tips:
Flow of traffic: before boarding the metro, let people off. Once you step into the car, move towards the back so others behind you can enter. If you’re staying on at a stop but others are exiting, move to either side of the doors (or better yet, step out of the car and move to either side of the doors to let them off, then board again).
Folding seats 101: don’t use the fold-down seats when the car is crowded. If you are seated and see someone in need (elderly, pregnant, etc.), offer them your seat.
Backpacks: your backpack takes up another body’s worth of space (and it's also the easiest thing to unzip without you noticing), so when the metro car is packed, place bags on the floor between your feet or hold them at your side.
Volume: no speakers, speakerphone, or scrolling on TikTok without headphones. If taking a call, be mindful of your volume (or risk some eye rolls and audible judgement via ‘c’est pas possible’ from your neighbors).
Ticket check: contrôleurs (RATP staff in charge of checking tickets) show up from time to time, so keep your pass handy (or face a fine, now €70 if they catch you riding ticket-less).
If you’re planning a trip or move to Paris and want help understanding the different types of transportation passes or the small etiquette details, let’s chat.
Bisous,
Jaime