RT2015

Hi all,

I'm heading to Europe in a couple of weeks and will be visiting Barcelona, Rome, Paris and London, among other places. I have just discovered I can purchase a Paris Metro pass here in Australia, which offers unlimited access across zones 1-5 (includes Versailles) for five days for AU$120. This includes buses. It obviously works out at between $20 and $25 a day. I am not sure I will go to Versaille (I will if I find I have time but am pretty excited about soaking up as much of Paris as I can in the six nights I am there).

Do Fodorites think the pass is good value/that I will spend that much in a day? I do like to walk and that is preferable but I will be there by myself so after dark public transport would probably be better.

My other question is does anyone know of a similar pass in Barcelona (four nights there), Rome (four nights there) and London (seven nights there, staying in the Clapham South area with friends who live there)?

Thanks,
RT

michele_d

Paris Metro: just buy a carnet (simply a stack of ten tickets) for around 15 euro or individual tickets for under 2 euro each. We bought one carnet during our week in Paris to share between my husband and myself and had two leftover! You will need to buy your ticket to Versailles but it is still way cheaper doing it this way instead of the Metro Pass for $120!

http://europeforvisitors.com/paris/a...ro-tickets.htm



There is a metro in Rome but it is not really convenient. Walking and buses are the way to go.

http://www.rome.info/metro/




We loaded up an Oyster card in London for our rides. It deducted from the card for each ride. Even got a refund at the end of the unused money.

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payment...what-is-oyster

Edward2005

This time of year in Rome the air conditioned taxis take top prize.

RT2015

Thanks all, that's very helpful.

And yes I am a little worried about this hot weather early in the season - I won't be in Rome until the end of July, and Paris the beginning of August. But I knew that it was high summer when I booked!

janisj

if you are solo -- then in London you want a 7 day zone 1 & 2 travel card loaded on an Oyster card. No 'special' passes needed -- this is the regular 7 day transit ticket that covers everything in central London. You may also need a little pay-as-you-go ££ loaded on the same Oyster (to cover trip outside of zones 1-2 like Heathrow, Hampton Court, etc.

(If you are traveling w/ someone else - let us know and we can explain a different option that would save you sightseeing ££ -- but we don't need to confuse you w/ the details unless you are a couple)

Definitely do NOT order any pass for Paris that costs AUS$ 120! Just buy a book of carnets like micele_d explained.

michele_d

During our visit to Paris in 2009, it was record high temps. Ughhh! We dealt with it by wearing very light colored/weight clothing and getting out quite early in the mornings. By around 1-2 pm we headed back to our apt, took a cold shower and a short nap, and hung out for a few hours before heading back out again for a few more hours. The heat can drain you so carry a bottle of water. Head to a park and sit in the shade under a tree for a bit. Just take it easy. Don't race from here to there. Enjoy walking in the evening when the cities are lit beautifully and it cools down a tiny bit.

michele_d

Oh...and most importantly. In very high temps you must sample all the gelato flavors in Rome to help cool you off! Carry your water bottle and fill it up at the various fountains around Rome. One in particular we used a lot was located directly in front of the Pantheon. Fill it up, drink, fill again...repeat as needed!

Andrew

I prefer a day pass or multi-day pass in Paris. (I think the Mobilis pass is what you want.) That's because I like to hop on and off metro and buses sometimes after only a few stops and get back on in a few minutes (or perhaps I got off at the wrong stop). I have tried carnet a few times but always regretted it.

Still, I too wouldn't buy any pass until I got to Paris. You can buy a pass for the inner zones but maybe not that covers Versailles and/or the airport - buy tickets for just those trips if you need them.

RT2015

Thank you for those tips janisj and michele_d - especially the gelato!

Re Paris - I am most excited about sitting in parks and cafes and watching the Parisian world around me. I am staying in Republique near the Canal St Martin which looks nice.

I am a little overwhelmed by all the things to do but I have to say that is mostly because I feel a certain obligation of 'must dos', which if I am honest aren't necessarily what I would enjoy - such as museums. I want to go to a couple but not lots.

Here are my ideas:
First night: (arrive Saturday aftrnoon)
Wander around Republique and Le Marai
Pompidou Center, including for a drink up the top
Dinner in Le Marais
Sunday:
Maybe Picasso; Latin Quarter
Walk a lot

Then after that I think I would like to do:
Skip the line ticket to the top of the Eiffel Tower (maybe at sunset);
A fat tire bike tour (maybe on the Monday morning); and
Musee d'Orsay (will I likely have to line up)

The rest of the time I just want to enjoy being in Paris and maybe go to the ballet, shop and relax in parks. I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on tours and museums and galleries when I won't want to spend all day walking around in them.

janisj, it is just myself in both Paris and London (in London with my friends who live there).

RT2015

Thanks Andrew - that sounds like a great option!

janisj

>>janisj, it is just myself in both Paris and London (in London with my friends who live there).<<

Then what you need might be a little different -- in what part of London do they live? If outside of zones 1 and 2 you'll need different zones/amount loaded on the Oyster.

It sounds like you are being very sensible about your plans for Paris -- not trying to squeeze in everything. Re the Musee d'Orsay -- you can buy a ticket on-line and not have to wait in line. You aren't stuck w/ a specific date, you'll just have a general ticket. Or you can buy a ticket once you are in Paris at the tourist office, etc -- these also let you jump the queue.

michele_d

<I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on tours and museums and galleries when I won't want to spend all day walking around in them. >

Then don't! Plain and simple. This is YOUR vacation. It is easier said than done I agree. I have spent a bit more time and energy at times trying to see things just because they are on some list. I felt I must see them in order to have the proper experience in those locations. I have changed my way of thinking. On our upcoming trip to Spain and Portugal we will not spend as much time in museums, and more time just roaming the cities enjoying the atmosphere. It's your time. It's your money. It's your choice! Happy planning!

giro

In Barcelona you can purchase a 10 ride metro ticket for about 10€. At that price, I don't think you need to worry about a pass, assuming that they even have one.
The Canal St. Martin area is a great area for walking.
Paris walking tours are about 12€ and i found them very interesting. their website sets out what tours are given and when.
Enjoy your trip.

Ackislander

You are staying in Republique near the Canal St Martin. We are staying on the Canal St Martin about ten minutes from Republique. You might be interested in a series of posts I am doing about Paris. Click on my name if you are interested. Many of the comments are better than my posts!

Dukey1

Agree with buying the 10-ride pack of tickets for the Barcelona Metro. The biggest issue there might be the pickpockets who used to be prevalent IN the Metro so simply be aware. It gets hot in some of those stations as well.

di2315

We didn't use the metro at all during our 5 days in Barcelona. There is so much to see within a relatively small area; we mostly walked everywhere.
For Parc Guell we took a cab there - they are relatively cheap in this city and we got there quickly. Click on my screen name to see the report. Di

Christina

I used the metro in Barcelona now and again and did just buy the 10 ticket pack.

AS for Paris, I would think the only pass you can buy in Australia is the Paris Visite tourist pass, not the regular metro tickets/passes, and no, that is definitely not a good deal. And one for zones 1-5 is also unnecessary, don't buy it. Paris doesn't sell its tickets in Australia, so you can only get the tourist passes as they aren't time-coded.

bvlenci

The metro in Rome is convenient for some places, such as the Vatican area, the Colosseum, and the Villa Borghese park area (including Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo). Single tickets are probably best for Rome. The tickets cost €1.50 and are good for 100 minutes, on buses, trams, urband trains, and the metro. (There are unlimited rides allowed on the buses and trams, but only one entrance to the metro system per ticket). This means that if you get off the bus at the wrong stop, you can get back on again using the same ticket. (Is this not the case in Paris? I thought it was.) I've sometimes used a single ticket to go to a museum, visit it, and go to my next destination.

There are also 24-hour, 48-hour, 72-hour, and weekly passes. The weekly tickets are probably a good buy if you'll be in Rome for five or more days, as they are the most discounted. The other passes pay off only if you would use more than four tickets in 24 hours, which, given the very generous terms of the single tickets, is not likely.

ira

Hi RT,

We have never used more than one Carnet/person in Paris.

annhig

We didn't use the metro at all during our 5 days in Barcelona. There is so much to see within a relatively small area; we mostly walked everywhere.>>

it depends where you are staying. our hotel was by the Plaza Espagna so we used it a lot, but beware stations with long "correpondences" between lines - we often wished we'd just walked!