Use this guide if you are visiting Algiers for the first time and want the metro to carry you between central sights, a hotel zone, or a tram connection without overbuying the
ByMomentBook Editorial·Published
Use this guide if you are visiting Algiers for the first time and want the metro to carry you between central sights, a hotel zone, or a tram connection without overbuying the wrong fare. The useful decision is not just "buy a ticket"; it is whether your day needs one metro ride, several metro rides, or a Metro+Tramway product.
The main constraint is validation. SEMA, the operator of Metro El Djazair, treats the metro journey as one continuous trip after you validate and pass the control gates. If you exit and try to resume later, you should expect to pay again, so plan the ticket around your route before you tap or feed it into the gate.
What to know first
The current Horaires page lists public service from 05:00 to 22:00 every day, including public holidays, unless a disruption is announced.
A separate rules page still lists 05:00 to 21:00, so check the Horaires page and traffic notice before planning a late ride.
A one-ride Metro magnetic ticket costs 50 DA; a 10-ride Metro ticket costs 400 DA; a 24-hour Metro pass costs 150 DA.
If your route continues by tram, choose the Metro+Tramway ticket at 70 DA or the 24-hour Metro+Tramway pass at 200 DA instead of a metro-only ticket.
After validation, the metro journey window is 60 minutes on Line 01, and leaving the controlled area ends that journey.
Not every station has elevators; SEMA lists a limited set of accessible stations, so do not assume step-free access on every stop.
Secondary entrance to Place des Martyrs station on the Algiers Metro
Source: Sandervalya, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Pick the right ticket for one ride or a full day
For one simple metro ride, the 50 DA one-ride Metro ticket is the cleanest choice. It is a magnetic ticket sold at ticket counters and vending machines in all metro stations, and it is meant for one continuous journey after validation. Buy this when you are going from one station to another and do not need a tram connection.
For a day with several metro hops, compare the 150 DA 24-hour Metro pass against the number of separate rides you expect. Three single metro rides would also total 150 DA, but the pass removes the need to buy again each time. It is useful when your plan has a hotel return, a lunch break outside the controlled area, or several central stops.
The 10-ride Metro ticket at 400 DA is better for a small group or for a stay with repeated metro use. It brings the per-ride cost below a single ticket, but it is not a day pass and it does not by itself solve tram transfers. Keep the ticket safe because the travel information is printed on the back after validation.
Use the 60-minute validation rule without wasting a fare
SEMA's rules say that after a magnetic ticket or contactless card is validated and you cross the control line, you have 60 minutes to complete your journey on Line 01. In practical terms, treat the metro as a point-to-point system: enter, ride, change direction if needed inside the system, and exit only when you are finished.
Do not use one validation for a sightseeing stop, coffee break, or errand outside the station. SEMA says leaving the controlled area is an interruption of the journey, so resuming later means paying the price of a new journey. This matters most around central stops such as Place des Martyrs and Tafourah-Grande Poste, where it is tempting to exit briefly and come back.
Keep your ticket or card until you have left the controlled area. SEMA's control rules allow checks during the trip, and the regularization amount for an infringement is listed as 200 DA. The safest habit is simple: validate once, finish that journey, and do not throw away the ticket before the exit.
Plan station timing, sales points, and late rides
For public service, the current Horaires page is the page to check: it lists stations open from 05:00 to 22:00, seven days a week, all year, including public holidays, unless a disruption is announced. The homepage also carries traffic information, so use it for same-day confidence rather than relying on a saved screenshot.
There is one official wrinkle. The broader rules page still states 05:00 to 21:00 for station opening. Because the operator's dedicated Horaires page and homepage announcement give the newer 22:00 window, this guide treats 22:00 as the current schedule page, but a traveler planning a late return should recheck the day of travel.
Ticket counters and vending machines are available in all metro stations for magnetic tickets. Commercial agencies are a narrower channel: SEMA lists agencies at Place des Martyrs, Tafourah-Grande Poste, Bachdjarah, Ain Naadja, and El Harrach Centre. Their hours are not the same as train hours: Sunday to Wednesday 08:00-18:00, and Thursday, Saturday, and public holidays 09:00-17:00 with a 12:00-12:30 interruption.
Combine metro and tram without guessing the fare
The important fare boundary is the tram. A metro-only one-ride ticket is priced at 50 DA and is for the metro. A one-ride Metro+Tramway ticket is priced at 70 DA and is valid for three hours from purchase, according to SEMA's ticket table. If your route needs a tram after the metro, choose the combined product before you start.
The same logic applies to the day pass. The 24-hour Metro pass is listed at 150 DA, while the 24-hour Metro+Tramway pass is listed at 200 DA. The difference is small enough that a traveler who expects even one tram link can avoid confusion by buying the combined pass from the beginning.
Do not assume that a contactless transport-unit card is a universal visitor card. SEMA describes it as a non-personalized card for several metro journeys at reduced prices, with a 300 DA card support fee. It can hold 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 metro trips, but the transport-unit card section is about metro trips, not about replacing every mode in the city.
Accessibility and rules that change the trip
SEMA lists the metro network as serving 10 communes over 16.8 km with 19 stations, so it is useful for crossing central Algiers, but step-free access is not universal. The rules page says only Bachdjarrah Tennis, Bachdjarrah, El Harrach Gare, El Harrach Centre, Les Ateliers, Gue de Constantine, Ali Boumendjel, and Place des Martyrs are accessible to travelers with special needs by elevator.
If you need an elevator, build the route around those stations rather than choosing the nearest stop on a map. Also allow time for the station environment: gates, stairs, escalators, and platform movement can change how easy a transfer feels with luggage, children, or reduced mobility.
Several use rules affect ordinary visitors. Children under 6 ride free, but children under 12 may use the metro only when accompanied by an adult. Animals are prohibited, as are bulky or dangerous objects. Smoking, eating, and drinking are banned in metro spaces. A police post is present at every station, and SEMA directs lost-property situations to the station police post.
Common mistakes to avoid
The first mistake is buying a 50 DA metro ticket when the plan actually needs the tram. The combined Metro+Tramway ticket costs more, but it is the product designed for that transfer. Fix the decision before validation, not after you have already entered the controlled area.
The second mistake is treating the 60-minute rule like a flexible stopover. It is not a license to leave the station, visit a monument, and resume on the same fare. The journey is continuous once validated, and exiting interrupts it.
The third mistake is planning late travel from memory. Official pages are not perfectly aligned: the Horaires page lists 22:00, while the rules page still carries 21:00. For a dinner return or a late arrival, check the live traffic note and be ready with a taxi or other fallback if service changes.
The fourth mistake is assuming every metro station is step-free. The elevator list is specific, and travelers with mobility needs should match the start and end points to that list before committing to the metro route.
Who should choose each option
Choose the 50 DA one-ride Metro ticket if you have one direct metro journey and no tram connection. It is the simplest answer for a one-way ride from a hotel area to a central stop, or for a single return leg when the rest of the day is on foot.
Choose the 150 DA 24-hour Metro pass if your day has three or more separate metro entries, or if you value not stopping at a machine for each ride. It works best for a metro-only day because it does not add tram coverage.
Choose the 70 DA one-ride Metro+Tramway ticket or the 200 DA 24-hour Metro+Tramway pass when the tram is part of the route. The combined product is especially useful if you are unfamiliar with transfer points and want the fare to match the trip.
Choose the contactless transport-unit card only when you expect enough metro rides to justify the 300 DA support cost. The listed loads are 10 rides for 400 DA, 20 for 700 DA, 30 for 1,020 DA, 40 for 1,320 DA, and 50 for 1,600 DA, with each ride valid for one hour. Short-stay travelers often do better with magnetic tickets or a day pass.
What to check before you go
On the morning of travel, open the Horaires page and the SEMA homepage traffic note. Confirm whether the day still follows the 05:00-22:00 window, especially if you will return close to closing time or during a public holiday.
Before entering the gate, decide whether the trip is metro-only or metro plus tram. The price difference is clear on the official table, but it is easy to miss when you are focused on the station name rather than the next mode.
If you need an agency, go during agency hours, not just train hours. For ordinary magnetic tickets, counters and vending machines in all stations should be enough. For a transport-unit card or more complex help, use the listed agency stations and allow for the midday interruption on Thursday, Saturday, and holidays.
If accessibility matters, verify both ends of the journey against SEMA's elevator list. If the chosen origin or destination is not on that list, plan an alternative station, taxi segment, or route with less walking.
