The subway comparison – London vs Paris

As business travellers not only fly through the skies but also riding the world’s underground networks, it is good to find out about the pros and cons of the world’s subway systems. How do the London Underground and the Paris Metro compare?

The Londonist found out some peculiar difference between the two networks. The Paris network offers staffed ticket offices almost all of the 303 stations, which is better service than just offering ticket machines. Paris has a lot more stations than London
(303 to London’s 270) and Paris’ geographical area is much more condensed. In London, the average amount of time between two stations is almost exactly two minutes. In Paris it's literally one minute — sometimes even shorter. Whereas it takes around 16 hours to travel to all stations in record time in London, in Paris — even with 33 more stations — it can be done in just 13 hours. The Paris Metro doesn’t really reach out into the suburbs (where buses and trams take over).

Station signage in Paris is perceived to be very clear, but unfortunately there are no directional signs (e.g. 'eastbound') signs in stations and platforms as there are in London.
Finally: pricing. The Paris subway is cheaper. A weekly Navigo pass for the entire Paris metro and bus system costs just over 25 euros (£20). In London the cheapest zone 1 only weekly travel card is £32.

Further reading on the londonist.com