Most larger European cities will have a subway system and they are usually the fastest, cheapest and most convenient way to get around.  There should be several different options available when it comes to purchasing tickets from single ride to unlimited multi-day tickets.  Below we have explained how to use the subway, things to watch out for and given details for the London, Paris and Rome subway systems.

Ticket Options

Depending on your travels, you may want to purchase a single use ticket allowing you to enter the subway, make transfers then exit at your destination.

In Paris if you plan on taking several rides during your stay, you may want to purchase a Carnet (see below) allowing you to take 10 different rides anytime you want.

There are also option to purchase all day unlimited use tickets or even unlimited multi-day tickets.

Depending on your location, you should be able to purchase tickets at the subway ticket office, electronic vending machines or possibly newsstands and tobacco shops.

Navigating the Subway - Photos from Paris

All subway systems work in the same way and are easy to navigate even if you don't speak or read the language.  All you need to know is where you are and where you are going.  As the train makes stops, the station name should be displayed in large letters on signs or along the walls so you know exactly where you are.

Paris Metro (Subway) Entrance and Stops
Cite subway station entrance	Signs showing Sortie 'Exit'
	and station name: Cite

Looking at a station map, find your location and your destination and the lines you need to take to get you there.  For the line you will take, make note of the end point of the line in the direction you intend to travel.  Board the train and watch the stops, exiting where required to switch lines or at your final destination.

Paris Metro (Subway) Signs
Line 1 in the direction of La Defense	Line 1 showing all stops
-or-	from your current location of Chatelet
follow 'Sortie' to exit the subway	in the direction of La Defense
Boarding a train in the direction of La Defense	Map on the Train
Next train arrives in 3 min.	showing stops in both directions

The Paris Metro - Map, Carnet Booklet of Tickets

Carnet Tickets - Paris, France	Metro Map - Paris, France

A Carnet is a book of 10 single use metro passes that cost around 15 Euros.

You may purchase a carnet at any metro ticket desk located in the subway or by using an electronic ticket machine.

At the ticket desk, simply ask for a Carnet.  If you want to give your French a try:

Un carnet, s'il vous plaît (One Carnet, Please) - Carnet is pronounced as: 'Car-a-nay'.

More polite to a male working the ticket desk: Bonjour monsieur, un carnet, s'il vous plaît (Hello mister, one carnet, please)

More polite to a female working the ticket desk: Bonjour mademoiselle, un carnet, s'il vous plaît (Hello miss, one carnet, please)

And of course thank you: Merci

Once you have purchased your tickets, you will use one each time you take a trip on the subway.  You may change trains as required using the same ticket as it's good until you exit at a subway station.  Simply insert a ticket into the turnstile when you enter.  The ticket will pop out on the other side where you will take it as you pass through.  Hold on to your your ticket as you may be required to re-insert the same ticket into another turnstile to exit the station.  You must also be able to produce your stamped ticket should an inspector ask for it or you may be fined.

Traveling by Subway - London Tube Example

Understanding the subway system and determining the line to take is really very simple.  We have created an example using the complex London subway system to demonstrate how easy it actually is.

Tube Map - London, England

In this example, lets say you are at Notting Hill Gate (Located on the green and yellow lines intersecting with the red line on the map) and want to get to Hyde Park Corner (Located on the dark blue line towards the center of the map).

Black circles and wheel chair symbols represent where you can transfer to another line.  If two different colored lines cross with no circled points, they are not transfer points.

While waiting for your train on the platform, there should be an electronic display showing the end destination of the next train approaching.  Some stations will even display the wait time until the next train arrives.  The train should also have a display on the front car indicating the end destination.

There are usually multiple ways to get somewhere, but we have chosen one with a couple of transfers to illustrate how the system work.

From Notting Hill Gate, you want to find the platform for the red line in the direction of Epping.  On the map you will see the 4th stop is Bond Street where you will transfer to the gray line in the direction of Stratford.  The first stop is Green Park where you will transfer to the dark blue line in the direction of Heathrow.  You will then exit at the first stop which is your destination of Hyde Park Corner.

When in Rome - The Rome Metro

The Rome subway system consists of two main lines (red and blue below) that cross in the middle at the Rome Termini or Central Train Station.  There is a third line shown below in green leading to Fiumicino Airport.  Getting around is not near as complex as the London or Paris subway system but it operates in the same way as described in the London example above.

On our first trip to Rome, we had selected a hotel across the street from the Rome Termini Station.  We were arriving in the evening to a new city and wanted an easy route to our hotel.  We only had to walk a block to our hotel where we checked in right before it began to get dark.  The train station area is more like a business district and we did not feel like we were actually in Rome.  Looking at the subway map, the Colosseo Station where the Colosseum is located is only two stops away from the Termini station so we decided to head out.  The ride only takes a few minutes and when you exist the station, you immediately have an impressive view of the Colosseum lit up at night as shown below.  It's a site that takes your breath away and you know you have finally arrived in Rome.

Metro Map - Rome, Italy	The Colosseum at the Colosseo Station

Beware of Thieves & Scammers

We want to mention a few things to watch out for when using the subway.

Your Pockets

The best rule is to never place anything in any of your pockets while traveling on the subway.  It's far to easy to get distracted and a professional thieve can easily lift something from your pockets without you being aware.  If you must have items in your pockets, try to only place them in your front pockets as they are more secure than a back pocket.  Even better are cargo pants having zippered or Velcro pocks.

Traveling with a Backpack

See our notes on Backpacks on Public Transportation while traveling on the subway.

Purchasing Tickets - Beware of Scammers

Be aware of everyone, especially those offering to help you understand a ticket machine.  You may not read the language or even if you do, you are unfamiliar with the machine and how to use it.

There is an entire scam built around someone coming up asking if you need help purchasing your tickets.  They quickly push the buttons on the screen explaining what they are doing, then act like they purchase your ticket for you.  They then ask that you just pay them cash for the ticket when they try and give it to you.

Don't fall for this.  You may end up paying cash for a single use metro line ticket or even a previously used ticket that will not be valid for where you want to go.  Meanwhile the scammer has made off with your money and you will never see them again.

This exact situation actually happed to us at the Gare du Nord rail station purchasing a ticket back to the airport.  The machine was confusing, it would not accept credit cards or paper bills; only coins.  A man walked up and asked to help.  He quickly went through the steps on the screen to purchase the tickets and then placed some kind of travel card on the machine like he was paying for the tickets.  He did all this in a matter of seconds not even asking if it was something we wanted him to do.  (Who would simply pay for tickets for you without even asking if it was something you wanted to do?) He reached into the ticket slot acting like he removed the tickets but quickly stuck his hand into his pants pocket and then showed me two metro line tickets and wanted me to pay him for.  I basically told him to get lost and after a little back and forth conversation he turned around and hurried off never to be seen again.  (If he had just purchased two expensive tickets, why would he run off being out the money?)  Remember, you are not obligated to pay for anything just because some helpful person is trying to convenience you to pay.  If you are unsure, don't do it!  It's far better to find an official ticket office and purchase your tickets there.