Carte Orange?
Nov 26th, 2003, 05:59 AM
#1
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Carte Orange?
Hi! I'm going to Paris in the spring, and am weighing my options as far as the Metro is concerned. I've heard a lot about the Carte Orange, and it sounds great, but I've been unable to find anywhere that tells what the price of it is. Can anyone help? (And I'm sure you can!)
Thanks! Hadleigh
Thanks! Hadleigh
Nov 26th, 2003, 06:28 AM
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This RATP site lists the weekly and monthly rates for the different zone combinations.
http://www.citefutee.com/informer/ta...nnements_o.php
http://www.citefutee.com/informer/ta...nnements_o.php
Nov 26th, 2003, 07:34 AM
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Just as an aside to all this..
Interestingly enough the official RATP English web site does not mention the Carte Orange because, and I'll phrase this carefully, the Carte Orange is not intended for non residents of the Paris area as it is heavilly subsidized by taxes
Having said that, they refuse to come right out and say it is illegal for tourists to buy the Carte Orange, I have run into clerks at some stations who refuse to sell it to toursts. It is unclear according to EU regulations whether or not they could legally prevent citizens of other EU countries from buying one according to the non discrimination rules of the EU.
Having said that, for the most part, tourists have been able to buy Carte Orange 99% of the time. In those few cases where clerks decided to try to impose what seems to be an arbitrary rule, most tourists simply go to another clerk or another station to get the Carte Orange. They try to push the far most costly and over priced Paris Visite tickets to tourists.
Then again, once you get your first Carte Orange, which consists of the Carte Orange (a photocard) and a metro ticket sized coupon which is what is put in the turnstiles from then on you can buy the coupon in the machines and not have to deal with a human's arbitary decisions.
Interestingly enough the official RATP English web site does not mention the Carte Orange because, and I'll phrase this carefully, the Carte Orange is not intended for non residents of the Paris area as it is heavilly subsidized by taxes
Having said that, they refuse to come right out and say it is illegal for tourists to buy the Carte Orange, I have run into clerks at some stations who refuse to sell it to toursts. It is unclear according to EU regulations whether or not they could legally prevent citizens of other EU countries from buying one according to the non discrimination rules of the EU.
Having said that, for the most part, tourists have been able to buy Carte Orange 99% of the time. In those few cases where clerks decided to try to impose what seems to be an arbitrary rule, most tourists simply go to another clerk or another station to get the Carte Orange. They try to push the far most costly and over priced Paris Visite tickets to tourists.
Then again, once you get your first Carte Orange, which consists of the Carte Orange (a photocard) and a metro ticket sized coupon which is what is put in the turnstiles from then on you can buy the coupon in the machines and not have to deal with a human's arbitary decisions.
Nov 26th, 2003, 07:40 AM
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As a further--
The Carte Orange is for Monday thru Sunday night. If you can plan your trip to fit that the Carte Orange is very good because you can hop of and on buses as needed - of course as well as the Metro.
We got our passports size photos ttaken before leaving - seemed easier. :-B
The Carte Orange is for Monday thru Sunday night. If you can plan your trip to fit that the Carte Orange is very good because you can hop of and on buses as needed - of course as well as the Metro.
We got our passports size photos ttaken before leaving - seemed easier. :-B
Nov 27th, 2003, 06:03 AM
#6
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I have a friend who lives in Paris and he talked me into buying a carte orange once. What I found was that you really have to spend a lot of time on the metro to justify the price.
I think you do just about as well by buying a carnet. For short trips, it's faster to walk than to take the metro. Now when I'm in Paris I only use it when weather is bad or for cross city trips.
I think you do just about as well by buying a carnet. For short trips, it's faster to walk than to take the metro. Now when I'm in Paris I only use it when weather is bad or for cross city trips.
Nov 27th, 2003, 06:57 AM
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I'm with rfb on this one. I know the carte orange can cost less and that I get unlimited rides on public transportation and how convenient it is. However I figure if I'm in Paris for let's say 5 days and "get my money's worth" out of a carte orange, I've screwed up. I've spent way too much time riding public transportation and not enjoying Paris.
I plan my days so that I will ride a metro to a particular area, explore and maybe ride the metro back to my hotel. Many times I manage to walk back to my hotel enjoying the sights along the way so I only ride the metro once in a day. For a 5 day stay I'll only ride the metro 7 or 8 times.
I know some people aren't capable of walking several miles in a day and really need to use PT more. As long as I'm able to walk the way I do, I won't be needing a carte orange in Paris. I'll be walking through the streets gawking at buildings, finding little park benches and looking in the windows of all the shops.
I plan my days so that I will ride a metro to a particular area, explore and maybe ride the metro back to my hotel. Many times I manage to walk back to my hotel enjoying the sights along the way so I only ride the metro once in a day. For a 5 day stay I'll only ride the metro 7 or 8 times.
I know some people aren't capable of walking several miles in a day and really need to use PT more. As long as I'm able to walk the way I do, I won't be needing a carte orange in Paris. I'll be walking through the streets gawking at buildings, finding little park benches and looking in the windows of all the shops.
Nov 27th, 2003, 07:15 AM
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A Carte Orange costs in the range of 13E for unlimited Metro AND bus use. A carnet for 10 rides costs about 9E. You can purchase it up until Wednesday for the week. When you ride a bus and need to transfer you must use a new ticket while if you have the CO you just show it. This to me is pretty much of a no-brainer if your travel schedule fits the time period. IF you even purchase it on Wednesday and you use the Metro and average of 3 times/day, the CO is economical. If you are there for the entire week, it is even moreso. And the bus system is really fun to use--no walking long correspondances, see the neighborhoods.
Nov 27th, 2003, 01:36 PM
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Hey Hadleigh - the Carte Orange rocks.
It's 14.50E for the week, unlimited travel from Monday onwards . . . so convenient, great value (the London equivalent costs 23pounds, or 40E - big difference)!
You will feel like a local whipping out your snazzy gray Carte Orange holder, too *)
HTH!
It's 14.50E for the week, unlimited travel from Monday onwards . . . so convenient, great value (the London equivalent costs 23pounds, or 40E - big difference)!
You will feel like a local whipping out your snazzy gray Carte Orange holder, too *)
HTH!
