If Metro Line 6 gives you elevated Eiffel Tower views, Bus 69 delivers the street-level panorama—façades, bridges, café life, and a chain of big-name sights you can hop off to explore. It’s a regular city bus, not a tour, and that’s the appeal: you glide through real neighborhoods for about the price of a single ride.
Routes and stop names can change with works or events. Always check the live map and service notices on the day you ride.
Ticket update (important): Since 5 November 2025, paper tickets are no longer sold in Île-de-France. Treat “€2.50” as shorthand for about the price of a single ride. Load your ride on a Navigo Easy card or use phone tickets in the official Île-de-France Mobilités / Bonjour RATP apps. Always check current fares before you go.
At a glance
- Endpoints & direction: Bus 69 runs between Champ de Mars (Eiffel area) and Gambetta (Mairie du 20e/Japon), crossing the city west ↔ east (and back).
- Typical end-to-end time: about 55–60 minutes, depending on traffic and stop-offs.
- Daytime frequency: usually every ~10–13 minutes on weekdays; headways widen evenings/weekends. Use live boards for exact intervals.
What you’ll pass near (west→east or the reverse): Champ de Mars/Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, Left Bank bridges by the Musée d’Orsay / Assemblée Nationale vicinity, the historic core near Hôtel de Ville/Marais, Bastille, and the Père-Lachaise / Gambetta area.
For neighborhood context before you go, skim our Paris Arrondissements Guide.
Why Bus 69 is worth a seat
- City life at eye level. You see more than monuments: bakeries mid-delivery, market streets setting up, and that unmistakable café rhythm.
- Easy hop-offs. Short 5–15 minute detours turn a bus ride into a mini-walk: a square, a bridge, a museum forecourt.
- Great orientation. In a single ride, you’ll feel the difference between the Right Bank and Left Bank without puzzling out transfers.
Where to sit & which way to ride
- Toward Champ de Mars (Eiffel side): aim for right-hand windows for cleaner Invalides and river approaches.
- Toward Gambetta (east side): swap sides if glare is an issue; the front row offers the best sight lines when available.
Pro tip: if a window is reflective or dusty, just change seats at the next stop—Bus 69 runs often.
Key segments with quick hop-offs
1) Champ de Mars → Les Invalides → Left Bank bridges
Start at Champ de Mars for a green-space warm-up, then roll toward the Esplanade des Invalides. If time allows, hop off and explore the courtyards or dome area—our guide helps you prioritize: Les Invalides: History, Highlights, and How to Visit.
2) Musée d’Orsay / Assemblée Nationale vicinity
This stretch edges the river and puts you close to Musée d’Orsay and Left Bank streets. If bridges are your thing, plan a later detour to Pont Alexandre III for golden-hour photos.
3) Hôtel de Ville / Marais area
You’re in the historic center. A 10-minute hop-off near Hôtel de Ville leads to pocket squares, galleries, and lanes in the Marais. Our Paris Arrondissements Guide can help you pick a micro-route.
4) Bastille
Once the site of the fortress that sparked the Revolution; today a busy square and transport hub. Visiting mid-July? For context, read Bastille Day: What It Is and Why It’s Celebrated.
5) Père-Lachaise / Gambetta (east end)
Finish in the leafy streets above the famed cemetery or start here when westbound buses are less crowded. If you end at Gambetta, consider a quiet local lunch before heading back.
When to ride
- Mid-morning or early afternoon usually offers a calmer pace and softer light.
- Sundays can feel leisurely; weekday rush hours slow things down but are fine if you’re not in a hurry.
- Autumn & spring are especially photogenic—here’s why fall works so well: Paris in Autumn: Why Fall is a Great Time to Visit.
Photo tips (through glass, fast & polite)
- Hold your phone close to the window at a slight angle to reduce reflections; shade the lens with your hand if needed.
- Don’t overshoot from the seat—five minutes on foot often beats five minutes through glass.
- If you’re filming, think short clips at key moments (Invalides lawns, river approaches, Bastille).
Safety & etiquette
- Keep bags zipped and in front of you, especially near doors.
- Let people exit before you board; move along the aisle to free space.
- Offer priority seats when needed; fold strollers at busy times.
- Late rides are generally fine on this line; if you’re solo, prefer busier times and well-lit stops. For a citywide sense of “where to be cautious,” see our Paris Arrondissements Guide.
Tickets: quick start
- Single ride: Buy/load on a Navigo Easy card or purchase phone tickets in the official Île-de-France Mobilités / Bonjour RATP apps. Works on buses, trams and the metro within Paris.
- Pass options: If you’ll ride several times in a day, consider a day or weekly pass on Navigo Easy or in-app (exact names and prices can change—check the app on the day).
- Validation: Validate on boarding (tap your phone or scan your card). Keep your proof of payment until the end of the trip.
- Transfers: Bus↔bus transfers are time-limited and require re-validation; check the current window in the app.
- Tip: Buy or load before you reach a busy stop to avoid delaying boarding.
- New (buses only): You can pay on board with a contactless bank card for a single bus ride. No transfers included and pricing may differ. Metro/RER gates don’t accept bank cards—use Navigo Easy or phone tickets there.
(Note: any paper tickets you already own may remain usable for a limited period, but they’re no longer sold. Plan on Navigo Easy or phone tickets going forward.)
A ready-to-copy mini-route (90–120 minutes with stops)
- Start: Gambetta / Père-Lachaise area (quieter boarding).
- Ride: to Bastille; hop off for a quick square loop.
- Continue: toward the center; pause near Hôtel de Ville for a Marais side street.
- Reboard: roll along the Left Bank near Musée d’Orsay / Assemblée Nationale.
- Hop off: at Les Invalides (courtyards, dome views) or stay on to Champ de Mars and end under the Eiffel Tower.
- Optional bridge add-on: Walk or connect to Pont Alexandre III for golden-hour photos.
Practical notes & live info
- Service changes happen. Check the RATP line page or the official apps before you go (parades, works, diversions).
- Build buffer time. The ride is under an hour end-to-end, but you’ll likely want to hop off more than once.
Plan it with Paris For You
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