In a city you're discovering for the first time, the metro can feel intimidating: unfamiliar lines, a different language, a ticket machine that isn't always clear. And yet it's very often the fastest, cheapest and most vivid way to experience a city the way its residents do. Here's how to find your way in a few minutes, wherever you land.
Before you leave, install the right app
Every major city has its own transport app, and tools such as Citymapper or Moovit cover most networks around the world. Install it before departure and download the offline map: that way you can plan a route even without signal, right after stepping off the train or during an underground transfer. These apps show real time schedules, disruptions and the platform to use, which removes most of the guesswork once you're there.
Choosing the right ticket, without wasting time
Most networks offer several options: a single ticket, a discounted book of several rides, and a day pass, often worth it from the third ride onward. Always buy your tickets from official machines inside the stations or directly through the local app. Sellers who approach travellers outside stations almost always charge well above the normal fare, so it's an expense worth skipping entirely.
Finding the right platform through the terminus name
In most networks around the world, lines are announced not by a compass direction but by the name of their terminus, in other words the final station on the line. Check the map for the direction you need, then simply follow that name on the signs above the platforms. It's the method locals use every day, and it works just as well in Paris as it does in Tokyo or New York.
The habit worth keeping: validating your ticket
In many cities, particularly in Italy or Central Europe, tickets must be validated in a small machine before boarding, even when the platform isn't guarded by a physical gate. An inspection can happen at any point during the ride, and an unvalidated ticket counts as invalid. Get into the habit of validating right after buying or just before boarding, it only takes two seconds and saves a lot of trouble.
Your bank card, the new transport ticket
More and more networks, in London or Milan for example, now accept contactless payment directly with a regular bank card at the gates. The fare charged is automatically the best possible one for that day, with no need to think about buying a pass beforehand. Before downloading a local app, check whether your destination is one of these cities: it can save you precious time right as you step out of the airport.
Habits that save you time once you have landed
- Spot the exit closest to your destination using the numbered signs at the station exit, so you don't come out on the wrong side of the street.
- Keep your ticket or pass until the end of the ride, it's sometimes required to exit the station.
- During rush hour, let passengers off before boarding, a universal habit that keeps the whole network moving smoothly.
- Download your map and tickets before you leave, a patchy signal underground happens more often than you'd think.
With these few habits in mind, public transport becomes a real asset for your trip: fast, affordable, and perfect for watching the city go by from a different angle, between two stations. All that's left is to build your itinerary, and our CityPlanner app takes care of the rest.
