jscarbary

I need to decide what kind of pass to get, the last time we were in Paris (2001, a long time ago) we bought a four day pass. Now there are other options. I tried to search the forum and every time I type in the search the forum bar all I get are web search results and no links to old threads that may answer my question about what I should buy. Is there any way to search the forum any more?

Christina

There is, but it isn't very good. The main thing I don't like is you can't limit the search by date or forum. Just stick a word in the search box, I believe your problem is just that you didn't look far enough in the search results. It lists web results first, probably they get some payment for that, but then forum posts follow after only a few.

I wouldn't spend my time searching though because what you should buy totally depends on how much you intend to use the metro, that's all. There were ALWAYS other options than a 4 day pass, believe me, they have had passes for decades in Paris, as well as one-day unlimited tickets (Mobilis).

Your best options are probably just a carnet (group of 10 metro tickets which can be used on the RER in zones 1-2, you get a discount for buying 10, people can share)

OR a one-day Mobilis zone 1-2 pass which costs around 7 euro I believe if you intend to use the system a lot one day
OR
a weekly Navigo Decouverte which starts on a Monday if you will be there maybe at least 4 days during its validity, PLUS you need a passport sized photo for the ID card. It costs about 22 euro and is good in zones 1-5.

YOu must have bought a Paris Visite tourist pass which is rarely worth its value for anyone, but could possibly be, I think it's not bad for kids.

Kathie

We found that buying a carnet of tickets was a better deal for us than any of the passes and we used the metro quite a bit. Price it out for yourself.

jscarbary

Sorry, the part I didn't mention is that we will be in Paris for eight days this time.

StuDudley

Get the weekly pass. And figure out how to use the buses. The Metro is below ground and you can't see much out the windows. We like to figure out a multi-bus route that circles or zig-zags through Paris. We hop on and if we see something outside that looks interesting like a farmer's market, or some unique architecture, or a shopping street that seems charming, or a cafe that beckons us - we'll get off the bus, explore a little, then get back on the bus to seek out the next opportunity to explore something new & interesting.

Often when we're walking on a street that has bus access, and we are "dragging" a bit late in the day - we'll see a bus approaching & we'll get on just to save our legs from 4-8 blocks of walking. You probably wouldn't do that with a carnet.

Stu Dudley

marvelousmouse

Agree with stududley. I didn't mind the carnet but I should have done a pass. Towards the end of the trip, I really would have been doing short distances a lot because I was tired, but I don't like using tickets for "insignificant" trips which in turn made me even more tired.

fuzzbucket

The advantage to the Mobilis Pass is that you can back-track, if using buses and also change to another line. This is not possible with "carnet" tickets, which must be used within a 90-minute period.
In addition, you will only have to fool around with one ticket per day.

I'd price the Navigo and Mobilis Pass to see which makes the most sense for you.

If you're planning on using the bus exclusively - or most of the time - I recommend this handy blue booklet, which gives a two-page spread of the bus line, a map, and all the stops listed in order. About 6 EU in any newsstand:
"Le Bus Parisien - L'Indispensable"

If you try to use www.ratp.fr, you'll often get different options which are more complicated than what you'll see using "L'Indispensable".

MaineGG

If you're planning daytrips outside Paris, the weekly Navigo pass will cover all public transport in Zones 1-5. Many popular daytrip destinations lie within these zones: Versailles, Auvers-sur-Oise, Fontainebleau, Provins and others. CDG and Orly airports are included (except the Orlyval train).

http://vianavigo.com/en/tickets-and-...avigo-semaine/

See this RATP map to see all stations within these zones.

http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/carteidf.php?lang=uk

PegS

Our first trip we used carnets, which worked out well. However, for our second trip--when we were older and lazier--we did the Navigo for the same reason Marvelousmouse cited. It was nice not having to worry about "wasting" a ticket or whether or not we were running low on tickets.

ssander

The Navigo Decouverte (5€ one-time fee for the card) with a week Mon-Sun pass (22,15€) on it will probably be worthwhile if you use it four days or more...or three days if you use it to or from CDG (9.50€ now, I believe) and use Metro & bus a lot.

Carnet is 14.50€ -- 1.45 per ride, and you may not use all the tickets.

After you subtract the CDG cost, you've spent 17.65...equivalent to 12 or 13 rides. That's 3 rides a day over four days or four rides a day (two round trips to a sight) over three days.

Even if you only come close to breaking even compared to a carnet, the convenience may well be worth it. No counting tickets or forgetting to buy enough...just hold the card up to the scanner when entering the Metro, boarding a bus, or going in and out of an RER station.

...and I highly recommend using the Paris buses whenever the trip would be equivalent to three or four Metro stops or fewer...you get to see the beautiful city.

ssander

ssander

Remember to bring a passport-size photo for the card. You can buy the cards at CDG or many (all?) Metro or RER stations.

ssander

ssander

I know this has been said, but it bears repeating:

Now that the 1-week pass covers all zones, it's a great bargain. Check out all the places that are within zones 1-5:

http://www.ratp.fr/informer/pdf/orie...f=zones&fm=gif

Versailles by RER cost 7.10€ round trip...free with the pass.

ssander

Sarastro

<i>Carnet is 14.50€</i>

One of the many possible <i>carnet</i> will cost 14.50€ but carnet means a group of any ten tickets. There is any number of possible tickets which may be sold in groups of ten at a reduced price over a single ticket purchase and each possibility could be called a carnet.

If someone uses one of the many kiosks to purchase tickets and he uses the English language screens, the word carnet will never appear. If a purchaser wants a group of ten tickets T+, the ticket used on the métro, bus, funicular, or tramway, he will select a <b>booklet</b> of ten ticket T+.


<i>Now that the 1-week pass covers all zones,</i>

Firstly, the Navigo or Navigo Découvert is not a pass, it is only a card. There are various fares which can be loaded onto one of these cards, Not all fare possibilities cover all zones. If a user has a Navigo card (or a Navigo Découverte) he must specify the coverage he desires when purchasing a fare. For most tourists, the zone 1-5 option would probably be the most useful but there is nothing automatic about receiving this specific fare option.

Secondly, as these cards are nontransferable, not only must the bearer have his photo attached, he must also print his name on the bottom right corner. Even if the card is loaded with an appropriate fare, not having a photo attached or one´s name printed can result in a fine by inspectors.

ssander

Sarastro...

Thanks for the added details. I do think, however, that if a tourist asks for a <em>carnet</em> at a tobacco shop, they will get the carnet of t+ tickets...but it never hurts to be specific.

To further clarify, I believe the French use the term <em>forfaits semaine toutes les zones</em> for the 1-week pass that you load onto the Navigo card. (Does that translate to "week package all zones"?) At any rate, that's what I use (in my broken French) when I ask for it...though I did get up the nerve to use the machine at CDG on our most recent trip. If the OP uses that at the window, he/she should be fine.

Good advice reminding the OP to have the photo attached (Do the people at the window stick that on for you?) and you name printed.

ssander

WoinParis

I ordered my navigo pass via Internet.
But I am not sure you can do it outside of france. I think you an address in france. I never loaded it though. I use it for my Velib.
Forfait is lump sum in English.

Sarastro

Within the context your example ssander, the seller would likely infer that a customer asking for a carnet would want 10 tickets T+ but many visitors mistakenly believe that the word carnet is a specific type of ticket which it is not; it only means 10 of any specific type of ticket.

If someone wanted tickets from CDG to Paris, each ticket is 10€. A carnet would be 80€ or a savings of 20% when purchasing 10 at once.

The last Navigo fare I purchased, and I purchase one every month, required my selecting the zone coverage I wanted. I selected 1, then ran the kiosk roller through all zones to zone 5. If you see the option offered <i>forfaits semaine toutes les zones</i>, then yes, selecting that option will get you the weekly zone 1-5 fare. I don´t believe that all of the ticket kiosks are identical and sometimes the fare choices are reached in slightly differing ways.

Visitors should be aware that there are other fare options. The zone 2-3, 3-4, and 4-5 fares are still being sold. If someone wants a zone 1-5 fare, he should be sure that that is exactly what he is purchasing.

The problem with the phrase <i>Now that the 1-week pass covers all zones,</i> is that Navigo fares have always covered all zones, if that is what you wanted to pay for. What changed last year was that the zone 1-5 fare dropped in price below that of many of the smaller coverage area options but there are still 4 different fare options available.

AlessandraZoe

jscarbary,

I am so happy you asked the question given the strange search system on this site now. You have helped others!

Since you are staying for eight days, I, too, recommend a Navigo.

This web page had a pretty good rundown of all the vital details:
http://parisbytrain.com/paris-train-...go-decouverte/
including screen shots of pages to give at the guichet (ticket window) should you have any problems or if someone tries to talk you into the tourist version.

Do take a couple pics before you go. The exact Navigo Decouverte photo size is 3cm tall by 2.5cm wide.

AZ

Sarastro

<i>I ordered my navigo pass via Internet.
But I am not sure you can do it outside of france. </i>

The Navigo cards are issued free to anyone but they are not mailed outside of France. The advantage to the Navigo over the Découverte is that if you lose a Navigo card, it can be replaced with the available fare still intact. If you lose a Découverte, you lose that card and any valid fare it might contain.

Another reason for issuing the Découverte was that the bearer is not required to submit any personal information other than his photo and name. Navigo cards are linked to other personal bearer information such as his address.