The cheapest public transportation from Orly Airport (ORY) to central Paris downtown and Versailles is bus 183 and then transfer to a RER C or metro train 14.
The standard public transportation advice for traveling from Orly Airport to downtown Paris is either by metro line 14 or the Orlyval shuttles to Antony and then onwards on RER B trains. This recommendation is sound and the best option for most travelers. However, it is possible to avoid the Paris airports’ supplements by using a regular bus to the closest train stations. The cheapest transportation option to Orly Airport will add traveling time, but in many cases is worth considering.
How to Travel from Orly Airport to Paris on a Budget
If you’re looking to save money on your trip from Orly Airport to Paris, taking a local bus is a great alternative to the more expensive Paris-Region <> Airports ticket. Just keep in mind that while this option is cheaper, it can be a bit slower and more complicated (but often not much).
→ See Best Public Transportation to Paris-Orly Airport (ORY) — Metro 14 or RER B Trains and Orlyval for the standard advice.
Basic Paris Public Transportation Ticket Prices in 2025:
Single tickets: €2.50 for Metro-Train-RER, €2 for Bus-Tram, €13 for Paris Region <> Airports, and €12 for a day pass. See Guide to Paris Public Transport Tickets for prices and details.
Bus 183: Cheapest Transportation to Paris Orly Airport
For most tourists, bus 183 is the most practical and cost-effective alternative to the Orlyval and Metro 14 trains. It’s not only budget-friendly, but in many cases, it can get you to parts of Paris faster than the pricier airport transport options.
Here’s how it works:
- Take bus 183 from Orly Airport to Gare de Thiais-Orly / Pont de Rungis.
- The ride takes less than 10 minutes for three stops.
- The bus runs several times per hour.
- The ride requires a Bus-Tram Ticket.
- At Orly Airport, bus 183 departs from Terminals 1-2-3 (platform B1) and stops at Terminal 4 (exit 47d).
- At Thiais-Orly / Pont de Rungis transfer to either:
- RER Line C, or
- Metro Line 14, for travel into central Paris.
- Use a Metro-Train-RER ticket.
→ Always check Paris public transportation journeys before traveling at RATP or IDF Mobilités. The bus route 183 is no secret, but it will only show up as an option to Orly Airport when traveling via Thiais and bus 183 is specifically requested. (The standard advice is to take the more expensive Metro M14 between Thiais and Orly Airport.)
Taking RER Line C Trains to Paris-Orly Airport
RER C train from Pont de Rungis is a sensible option as the trains go directly to key stops in downtown Paris, including:
- Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame
- Musée d’Orsay
- Invalides
- Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel (great for connections to Versailles)
Travel times from Pont de Rungis to the central Paris stops are around 30 to 40 minutes. The RER C route is not a straight direct line as on the graph, it follows quite a detour en route to downtown Paris.
Note: When traveling from Paris to Orly Airport, make sure to take a RER C train heading to Massy-Palaiseau (the final destination), or it won’t stop at Pont de Rungis.
About Metro 14 to Paris Orly Airport
The final destination of Metro 14 is Aéroport d’Orly station, which is very convenient in Orly Airport Terminal 3. However, to exit or enter this station, a Paris-Region <> Airports ticket is required.
At Thiais-Orly, the first metro line 14 stop from Orly airport, you only need just a regular, cheap Metro-Train-RER ticket. Changing to the bus 183 here would probably add around half an hour to your journey.
→ See Best Public Transportation to Paris-Orly Airport (ORY) — Metro 14 or RER B Trains and Orlyval for the standard advice.
Ticket Information For Cheap Travel to Orly Airport
To use these cheaper routes via Thiais / Pont de Rungis, you’ll need:
- A standard Bus-Tram ticket for bus 183.
- An additional Metro/RER ticket for the train or métro into Paris.
Even with both tickets combined, the total cost is still about one-third of the price of the standard Paris-Region <> Airports ticket, which gives direct access to the airport metro station and Orlyval shuttle.
A Few More Notes on Getting to Orly
As a new ticketing system was introduced for Paris public transportation at the start of 2025, some older information and names may still be used in older guidebooks. For example:
- The RER C route to Orly Airport was previously known as “Go C Paris” or “Paris par le Train.”
- The station Gare de Thiais-Orly / Pont de Rungis used to be called Rungis–Aéroport d’Orly, but the name has changed. Furthermore, the bus stop is often just Gare de Thiais, the metro uses Thiais-Orly, while the RER station is Pont de Rungis.
- Tickets are now valid for the entire public transportation network, so tariff zones are now irrelevant but transfers from a train to bus or tram require separate tickets.
- Le Bus Direct (formerly Les Cars Air France) and the Orlybus to Denfert-Rochereau are no longer operating.
→ See Best Public Transportation to Paris-Orly Airport (ORY) — Metro 14 or RER B Trains and Orlyval for the standard advice.
Public Transportation to Airports in Paris in 2025
Public transportation, especially the train and metro, is the best way to travel from Parisian airports to downtown Paris.
- Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG): RER B trains are the best public transportation option, but the RoissyBus still runs to the Opera. Buses are slower but cheap. Private airport transfers are best booked in advance and a comfort after a long flight.
- Paris-Orly Airport (ORY): easy transportation on Metro 14, or Orlyval shuttle from Antony on RER B, or cheapest on bus 183. Book private transfers in advance.
- How to Transfer by Train between Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly Airport.
- Paris-Beauvais Airport (BVA): cheap flights but long ground transportation to downtown Paris. Private transfers are expensive.
- Public transportation to Paris-Charles de Gaulle or Paris-Orly airport requires a standard Paris Region <> Airports Ticket, which covers any metro, transilien, and RER train in the larger Paris region, including all the way to Versailles.
- Guide to Paris Public Transportation Tickets and Metro Prices — a new simplified system was introduced in 2025. Longer journeys are often cheaper than before.
- Which Paris Airport is the Best to Fly Into? CDG or Orly? It doesn’t really matter much.
- Luxury buses of Le Bus Direct (previously Les Cars Air France) no longer operate. There is no similar limousine bus service from Parisian airports to downtown.
→ Always check Paris public transportation journeys before traveling at RATP or IDF Mobilités.
