Paris Wi-Fi: the City's free network
For several years the City of Paris has offered a free network open to Parisians and visitors alike. According to the official paris.fr page consulted in October 2026, it has more than 400 access points across more than 250 municipal sites: parks and gardens, district town halls, libraries and City of Paris museums.
To connect: choose the "Paris Wi-Fi" network in your settings, open your browser, fill in the identification form, accept the terms of use, then confirm. The number of simultaneous connections is limited to preserve bandwidth, which can slow access at busy times.
| Point | Rule |
|---|---|
| Where | Parks, gardens, town halls, municipal libraries and museums |
| Session length | 2 hours, renewable by logging in again |
| Hours | 7 a.m. to midnight, during the site's opening hours |
| Registration | Identification form to fill in |
Rules observed in October 2026. If you would rather settle in with a drink than hunt for a hotspot, see our best cafés in Paris.
Metro, RER, stations and trains
Metro and RER
RATP says it offers the "RATP_Gratuit" network in 96 stations, in the halls and on some RER platforms, with identification by e-mail address. However, Wi-Fi does not cover the metro as a whole: on many lines it is your operator's 4G/5G that works in tunnels and stations, not Wi-Fi. Rely on your mobile plan, and prepare your routes in advance with our guide to the metro and RER.
SNCF stations
In the large Paris stations, Gares & Connexions offers the "SNCF gare-gratuit" network. Two options: fast access, up to 20 Mb/s, with an account, or low-speed access without registration for 20 minutes, to restart if it drops. Details of stations and services are in our guide to Paris train stations.
On board the TGV
On TGV INOUI trains, Wi-Fi is free in 1st and 2nd class: turn on Wi-Fi, choose "_SNCF_WIFI_INOUI", then accept the terms. On OUIGO, access is paid. Quality varies with the areas crossed; do not count on a stable video call for the whole journey.
Airports, museums, libraries
Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly
Paris Aéroport offers free Wi-Fi at its two main airports (network "WIFI-AIRPORT" according to published information) with a basic speed, and faster options may be offered. For transfers, terminals and access, see our guide to Paris airports.
Museums and libraries
City of Paris museums and libraries are included in Paris Wi-Fi. Elsewhere, each institution sets its own rules: the Centre Pompidou is closed for renovation (see the Centre Pompidou page), so do not count on its Wi-Fi until it reopens. At the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Wi-Fi is available in the reading rooms for readers; details and access conditions are in our guide to the BnF.
Cafés, hotels, coworking spaces
- Cafés and chains: many cafés and restaurant chains display a Wi-Fi code on the bill or at the counter; just ask the staff. There is no general rule: some places switch it off at busy times or prefer not to offer it.
- Hotels: Wi-Fi is very common in rooms and lobbies; check when booking whether it is included. See our selection of hotels in Paris by budget.
- Coworking spaces: to work several hours with a reliable connection, this is the safest solution, often by the day. The comparison is in our guide to coworking in Paris.
Is it safe? Precautions to take
Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr considers public Wi-Fi networks a boon for hackers, because anyone can create a fake one or observe the traffic of an open network. ANSSI, for its part, recommends avoiding public or unknown networks and, if possible, using your phone's connection sharing, protected by a strong password.
- No banking, taxes, payments or confidential documents on public Wi-Fi.
- Use a VPN if you must log in to a sensitive account.
- Check the exact network name with staff; beware of names that are too similar.
- Turn off automatic connection and file sharing.
- Keep your phone and apps up to date.
For other common traps, see our guide to scams to avoid in Paris.
When an eSIM is the best option
If you need GPS, maps, translation or messaging continuously, in the street and in tunnels, a mobile connection is more stable and safer than a succession of public Wi-Fi networks. The simplest is a data eSIM installed before departure, unless your European plan already covers France. The comparison of offers is in our guide to eSIM and SIM card for France.
Going further
To choose your connection, read our eSIM and SIM card comparison; to get around, the guide to the metro and RER and the one on airports; to work in peace, the coworking spaces in Paris.
