Transportation

Within the city transportation is provided by buses and by an efficient subway system, called the Métro. There is also rail service to some of the outlying suburbs. Automobile traffic is frequently very congested.

Paris is the focus of much of France's transportation system. Several superhighways, as well as many other major roads, radiate from Paris. The city's six railway terminals provide rail service to most parts of France and Europe.

The Seine is an important transportation artery, mainly for bulk cargo on barges, but also for other medium-size vessels, including passenger and pleasure craft. There are dock facilities within the city proper and in the suburbs. The Seine also connects Paris to LeHavre, a major seaport, and to other inland waterways via a system of canals.

Two international airports, Orly and Charles de Gaulle, serve Paris; Le Bourget handles domestic flights.