How to Get to the Paris Louvre

Paris would not be Paris without its magnificent Louvre Museum, an impressive museum and one of the largest of its kind in the world. The Louvre's collection of paintings spans from the Middle Ages to the mid-19th century.

Knowing how to get there after buying tickets for the Louvre Museum is essential and, therefore, in this post you will learn about the different ways that exist. As far as the Louvre is concerned, there are two main things to know: the means of transport that will allow you to get there and the different doors or entrances that the museum has. That said, let's get started!

Going by metro to the Louvre Museum is one of the most recommended options, as it connects every point of the city in an enviable way. So you can get to the museum just go to any metro station and get on line 1 or 7, as both arrive at the Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre station.

The Pyramidesen station where line 14 stops is also a good option, but you will have to take a short walk of 500 meters to reach the entrance of the museum, a walk that you could take advantage of seeing the Eiffel Tower from afar and watching the batbuses and cruise ships sailing on the Seine.

Those who have the "Paris Pass" card will have the privilege of accessing the museum directly from the Palais Royal station.

If you are at the Paris airport or another point far away from the city, the smartest way to get to the Louvre is to use the RER (Paris suburban train system). In this case, you will have to take the C line and stop at the Musée d'Orsay station which is about 800 meters from the Pyramid of the museum.

This transport will also be useful if you come from visiting the Palace of Versailles. This kind of "train" connects the ends of the city with the center. However, for more information about this means of transport visit this official website.

One of the advantages of traveling by bus after buying tickets to the Louvre Museum is that there are several lines that will take you directly to the entrance of the pyramid, so you can get there in the shortest time possible. The lines that pass near the museum are: 21, 24, 27, 39, 68, 69, 48, 72, 81 and 95.

Getting on the Paris tourist bus is not a bad idea either, because regardless of the stop where you get on it will leave you directly at the entrance of the museum. On top of that, you will be able to see some of the most emblematic places of the city during the tour.

The important stations are Place du Carrousel, which is only 100 meters from the entrance of the Pyramid, and Palais Royal Musée du Louvre, only 200 meters from the Pyramid. So pay attention to the names of the stops.

Itis not the most economical means of transport, since those who get on it do it more for the intention of enjoying the journey along the Seine River than to reach the destination. In any case, it could be useful to get closer to the museum if you disembark at the "Louvre" stop at the François-Mitterrand pier.

The Louvre Batobus stop is located halfway between the Pont Royal and the Pont du Carrousel and you will only have to walk about 300 meters to reach the Pyramid.

The offer of this means of transport will allow you to use it unlimited during a temporary lapse of 24 or 48 hours, being able to embark and disembark at any of the 9 stations it has.

While it is true that not everyone likes to use this means of transport, do not forget that cycling is also an option (and very economical indeed).

For this, the public bike rental service velib can give you a hand, as I doubt very much that you go to Paris with a bike. Average rental prices are around 5€ for 24 hours of service and 20€ for 3 days of service.

And if you are a lover of this means of transport, you will be pleased to know that you can book a bike tour of Paris to discover the city in a much more fun way.

A museum that receives more than 8 million people annually cannot have only one entrance. This huge and famous museum has several access doors, each with different conditions, characteristics and location.

Therefore, it is not only important to know the opening hours of the Louvre Museum, but also through which door it is convenient to enter after buying tickets for the Louvre Museum.

Carrousel du Louvre, the quickest way in

Carrousel du Louvre is perhaps the best entrance to the Louvre, as it has the shortest waiting times.

The Carrousel is a subway entrance that connects the museum with the shopping mall and its large selection of stores near the Louvre and restaurants in the vicinity of the Louvre.

The entrance of the Carrousel du Louvre is located at 99 rue de Rivoli. You can access the Carrousel du Louvre from the Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre metro station by taking lines 1 and 7, or walking directly along Rue de Rivoli.

The Pyramid, the most crowded entrance

The Pyramid is the main entrance to the Louvre and also the busiest entry point. If you are going to enter through this entrance, I recommend more than ever to buy tickets for the Louvre Museum in advance because, otherwise, you may have to wait for a long time (up to 3 hours perfectly).

Even with a ticket bought in advance you may have to wait a long time. So, if you are determined to see the pyramid, I recommend taking a quick stroll through the palace courtyard and taking a picture in front of the striking glass entrance before heading to another less crowded entry point.

At the Crystal Pyramid there are four different entrance lines with different colors:

• Yellow line: for visitors with special passes, such as annual visitor cards or tourist cards.
• Orange line: for visitors without a ticket (it would be useful to know the entrance fees to the museum beforehand).
• Green line: for visitors with tickets with a specific time slot.
• Blue Line: for visitors with disabilities, pregnant women or visitors with mobility problems.

Porte des Lions, the hidden entrance

Apart from the Carrousel du Louvre, the Porte des Lions entrance to the Louvre is probably one of the best options to avoid long waiting times. It is also the closest entrance to the Mona Lisa, so if you plan to center your Louvre visit around Da Vinci's mysterious lady, this entrance is yours.

The fact that it is a little known entrance is mainly due to its appearance and location. Nothing to do with the precious crystals that make up the pyramid of the main entrance. Therefore, if your intention is not to take a picture of the pyramid, but to enter as soon as possible, I recommend this door.

The entrance of the Porte des Lions Louvre is located at the southern end of the museum, the same that runs parallel to the Seine, and gives directly to the sculpture section.

Porte de Richelieu, the option for groups

Entrance to the Louvre at Porte de Richelieu is reserved for tour groups or for those Louvre visitors with membership passes.

If neither of these categories apply to you, then you will need to choose a different ticket to access the museum. If this is your case, note that the entrance is located on the Passage Richelieu, the avenue north of the pyramid that connects the courtyard of the palace to the Rue de Rivoli.

If you want to take a group tour of the Louvre, you can reserve spaces on the Louvre's official website. You will have the option of taking a tour of the Louvre with an official Louvre tour guide or you can hire your own and reserve a time slot to visit the museum.

• Do not enter the Louvre through the pyramid entrance! If you want to take pictures of the Pyramid, exit the museum through this entrance, but do not enter through the Pyramid entrance - there are almost always people at the entrance and the lines are extremely long!

• Before entering the museum research the location of the work(s) you are interested in. The museum is huge and it is too easy to get lost among so many distractions, rooms, paintings, sculptures... And let alone if you go to the museum during rush hour or in summer in Paris.

• Get a map of the Louvre, so you know where each work is located and which entrance to enter.

• It is also smart to have a guided tour of the Louvre, so the time is optimized and the quality of the visit increases. Plus, you probably won't have to wait in line as long - Don't walk. The Louvre is huge and you will spend a lot of time standing and walking between its huge halls, so it is wiser to arrive rested and energetic.