nvl325

We'll be in Paris from a Tues morning until Friday late afternoon of the next week (yay!). Am planning on getting the Navigo weekly pass when we arrive- which would cover Tues thru Sun. Assumed I would get the basic zone 1-2 for 19.15eu, plus the 5eu card fee.

Was thinking, though, that since we'll be going to at least a few of these: Versailles, Chantilly, Chartres, Fountainbleu, Vincennes... should we get the Navigo for zones 1-5, at 34eu? That's a lot more, but wouldn't those train trips be included in the zone 1-5 pass?

Then, starting that Monday, we'll be there until Friday, so I would think we would get another weekly pass for those 5 days. Haven't figured out though, which days we'd go on those train trips- not all in either half of the trip, is the dilemma!

By the way, I know we'll be doing a lot of walking even with the pass, but that will give DH a chance to not use up all his energy on getting to sights, if we use the bus/metro to get around.

Thoughts?

PRLCH

We had the same dilemma when we were in Paris in December. We bought the 5 zones pass as we travelled to Fontainbleau (I believe this is about 16.80 Euro return), and we also took the train to the airport (CDG = 9.10 euro one way). With this maths we thought it worthwhile. The best aboutthe pass, however, was that we never had to think before taking the metro or a bus. If we were tired, or it was wet and cold, we just hopped on and off we went. We ended up using public transport much more than if I had to fork out cash each time we wanted to ride on public transport.

Remember to take your passport sized photo with you - you need it buy the Navigo.

justineparis

Chantilly and Chartes not included in the ND, Versailles and airport are, so that alone may be worth it.

nvl325

so, what's the best way to figure out if the places are included? I found the zone map on the ratp site, but it seemed hard to match up the destination city with the stops shown on the map...

PRLCH

This seems to be quite a useful website
http://paristrain.wordpress.com/tag/chateau-vincennes/
(click on the destinations down the left hand side of the screen). Alternatively, just google something like "Fontainbleau Paris by Train" and something useful will pop up somehwere.

nvl325

here's a question that only my accountant-trained husband could come up with... say we have a zone 1-5 navigo, but we want to go somewhere like Chantilly or Chartres which is past zone 5. Instead of buying a train ticket from Paris to either of those destinations, why not go as far in whatever direction that zone 5 includes, then get off the train and just buy that section left? Would be much less, one would imagine, if one already had the navigo!

apersuader65

I believe you can buy the supplement from the end of zone 5 to outside areas directly from paris, you don't need to get off the train and buy the supplement at the end of the zone 5 area.

Christina

It might not be that much less than you expect, depends how you value your time, obviously. Chartres is a different city, it doesn't really have anything to do with the Parisian Navigo pass. But if you go in that general direction as far as you can go, sure, you would be geogrpahically closer and thus a regular train ticket to that place might cost a bit less. You might not be at any train station, however.

For example, the ticket from Paris to Chartres is about 15 euro. From Versailles train station (zone 4), it is about 12.3 euro. If you go to the end of that line (St Quentin) in zone 5, there is no train to Chartres (I don't think that is a train station).

I think you are assuming every RER stop is a SNCF train station at the end of the line, which it isn't or that Chartres is on an RER line, which it isn't.

nvl325

excellent points! Will investigate a supplement at the train station in Paris. And yes, that would be a surprise to get off the train and find no way to continue on! Thanks for clarifying.

Another question:
Even if we get the Navigo at CDG upon arrival, and it would include the RER to Chatelet, I'm considering just going on the Roissy bus, since Opera is near where we want to go. Is the RER at CDG kind of a hassle, as far as actually getting to the RER station, stairs etc, then arriving at Chatelet and having to transfer to another line (Concorde is where we would go.)

Or am I worrying too much about taking the train?

gomiki

Chatelet is a huge nightmare IMO. I would take the Roissy bus.

apersuader65

Depends upon your patience, and primarily, the amount of luggage you will be using. Schlepping multiple bags through train stations is not particularly easy and can be frustrating. If your using one bag on wheels, and say one shoulder bag, it isn't that bad. Two bags becomes more difficult. Switching at Ch-LH is only one transfer from RER to Metro but it's in one of the biggest stations in Paris. Gare du Nord would involve one transfer to the Magenta station and take RER E to St. Lazar then switch to Metro 12. This might be easier than traversing Ch-LH, but involves alot more thinking.

nvl325

just read on parisbytrain that the Roissy bus accepts the navigo- have not seen this anywhere else...does that sound correct?

If so, that means I would want to get our weekly navigos at CDG- is that fairly easily done? I will have the photos with us. Do you get the navigo at some ticket window, vs a machine?

I really appreciate all the advice from those in the know!

mowmow

Yes, the Roissy bus accepts the navigo as long as you have it for zones 1-5.

I think you get the navigo at any major ticket window, not in a machine. Have your picture trimmed to size before you go so you don't have to beg scissors off the station attendant and stand there fixing it. It should be 3cm tall X 2.5 cm wide.

Does anybody know if/where you can get the Decouverte at CDG? We'd like to use it to take the Roissy bus to Opera. We'll be arriving on United.