carte orange
 

Who knows what is the current price of a 5-zone weekly pass with a Carte Orange? I'm trying to figure out our best deal for our Paris plans..Thanks janeos

And should we buy all the zones (5-8) for our 9 night visit to Paris?

Never mind how much it costs until we figure out what you need. Your optimum choice depends on several factors.

What dates do you arrive and depart, and how? By plane, train, or automobile? Will you ride the RER trains from and to airports?

Do you plan to go to Versailles and/or Disneyland? Or anywhere else outside the 20 <i>arrondissements</i> of Paris central zone?

Unless you're staying in one of the outer zones, I can't imagine why you'd buy all zones. I rarely find myself going to any of the outer districts.

Carte Orange weekly for zones 1 and 2 only is 16 euro. For zones 1 though 5 it is 31.50

Couple arrive Wednesday CDG, leave following Wednesday. So 5 zone CO would be good CDG on RER to midtown and for Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun travel within Paris. Then need carnet for Mon, Tues,; and finally each a single on RER back to CDG. Alternative is CO for zones 1 &amp; 2, one carnet, and 2 singles back and forth to CDG on RER. Just not absolutely sure we'll stick to zones 1 &amp; 2 during days in Paris...

A 5-zone CO doesn't make sense with only one airport trip that week.

A 2-zone @ 16&euro; and a single RER ticket from CDG @ 8,10&euro; would cost about 8&euro; less.

Unless, of course, you're going to Disneyland (Zone 5) or Versailles (Zone 4) or somesuch.

But I think you understand the principles very well. All the tariffs are at http://www.ratp.info/informer/tarif.php

I can't speak about how you enjoy Paris, but with that schedule I'd only buy carnets as I would not be getting my money's worth by Carte Orange (just four days). Some days we never ride the Metro or busses.

1 Wednesday
2 Thursday
3 Friday
4 Saturday
5 Sunday

If you ride the bus or M&eacute;tro more than 14 times in those 5 days, the <i>Carte Orange</i> wins. (14 x 1.09&euro; = 15.26&euro;)

And if you use RATP more than 5 times on either Monday or Tuesday, a <i>Mobilis</i> for that day would be more economical than single tickets. We use the bus a lot, and each stage would require a ticket - so we always get at least day passes.

Last year we were in Paris 10 days. We bought Carte Orange for the full week during that time and used carnets otherwise. Because we had the Carte we took transportation more than we usually would, but when we added it up, we had basically still only broken even compared to if we had used carnet tickets. Actually if we hadn't bought the Carte Orange we would have saved money because we simply wouldn't have bothered taking busses or metro for some of the short trips we did take.

But as I say, it's all about how you visit Paris. This year for our ten days, I doubt that we'll bother.

If you plan to get around Paris a lot during the first part of your stay, it might be just worth it to buy a Zone 1-2 Carte Orange as soon as you arrive. To break even, you'd have to take 3 trips per day for 5 days (including the Wednesday of your arrival). Note that the latest you can buy a Carte Orange for the week in progress is Wednesday (your arrival day). Since there are no transfers between metro and bus with a single ticket in a carnet, I could see that you might use 3-4 tickets per day each at the start of your visit. (Note: This assumes that you're not going to take the Hop-on Hop-Off bus during your first few days. If you do this, the bus will get you around town for most of what you want to accomplish and a Carte Orange would be a waste.)

For your second week, though, I'd recommend that you skip the Carte Orange and just buy carnets of tickets. You only have 3 days, one of which seems to be simply your trip back to CDG.

Paris is a very walkable city and much more compact than you would expect. Many of the museums and typical tourist attractions are within walking distance of each other, if you don't mind walking 15-20-30 minutes at a time. And, of course, wandering through the neighbourhoods, stopping for coffee at cafes, strolling through parks and crossing back forth over the Seine on the bridges is more than half of what Paris is about. My husband and I find that, on a typical Saturday when we have planned a museum visit, some window shopping and lunch, we only use 2-3 tickets per person. It's rare that we use 4 or more. (We live here, though, so we're not trying to cram everything into a week.) If you plan your itinerary so that you focus on things to see in adjacent arrondissements, I would also imagine that you'd only use 2-3 tickets per day.

Not to disagree with anything KateW has said, I might add that there are definitely circumstances where numerous tickets come into play:

Riding the <i>Balabus</i> up and down the river on a summer Sunday afternoon can consume a half-dozen or more.

A trip to Sacr&eacute; Coeur can use 5 if you include the to/from, <i>Montmartrobus</i>, and <i>funiculaire</i> both ways.

Buses are preferable to M&eacute;tro in most circumstances from a number of points of view, and (as has been pointed out before) they require one ticket per stage.

Walking for more than ten minutes is, in my opinion, a waste of your precious time in the city - so unless you like to just walk to soak in the ambiance, jump on a bus and ride (and sit down) even for a few blocks at a time.

Using a <i>Carte Orange</i> for a full 7-day week lowers the break-even to about two trips a day. Unless your hotel is within a 10-minute walk of <u>all</u> the things you want to see, buying a ride is a necessity.

Afterthought: if you have a <i>Carte Orange</i> and plan to ride the Batobus on the river, your pass gives you a preferential rate (4&euro; off a 1-day, etc.) Does not apply to <i>Mobilis</i>.

&quot;Walking for more than ten minutes is, in my opinion, a waste of your precious time in the city - so unless you like to just walk to soak in the ambiance. . . &quot;

That's what I mean about the difference in the way you enjoy Paris. I would never call walking in Paris a waste of time -- thankfully that's one place I'm never in a big rush to get from one place to anothr. Perhaps it would be different on a first trip if your goal is to check off a big list of &quot;must sees&quot;. &quot;Walking to soak in the ambiance&quot; is my greatest joy in Paris and I can do it for hours.

This seems to be a perennial debate and I think Patrick has hit it bang on - it depends on your style. When I first started visiting Paris and every penny counted I would actually sit down and tote up trip by trip fares and compare to the cost of a CO. After many visits, I have come to the point that I do buy a zone 1-2 Carte Orange if I will be there (and saying in town) all or most of the time of its validity, and use a carnet to fill in days on either side. Most often I at least break even on cost, but also find it very convenient. For first time visitors it is also a nice little souvenir.
Another thing I have learned is the joys of the bus system. Not only does it make your CO more &quot;worth it&quot; but it is a great way to get between places while seeing some sights in transit. More than once we have jumped off a bus when we saw something en route that was interesting. Metro is great for crosstown treks, but the bus can be fun. Check out http://goparis.about.com/od/transpor...nd_Buses_7.htm

Thanks everyone. I think we'll do the zone 1-2 CO, one carnet, and 2 singles back and forth on RER to CDG. The one thing none of you factored in is the ineffable cachet of pulling out your well-used Carte Orange and feeling like you are an habitue of Paris rather than a tourist. Thanks again Janeos

If you live in a hotel, you're probably a tourist (although you might also be a traveler or a well-heeled resident).

I avoid ineffable cachet like <i>la peste</i>.

Touche.

Could I jump into the dicussion and also ask advice on this same topic? I have never been to paris, and am a bit confused about the carte, carnet, mobilis and which you can use for all travel (bus, train, boat) and which you can use for multiple transfers?
My husband and I will be in Paris for a full 4.5 days and four nights. We do like to walk, but we have no problem jumping on transportation if it means we can get around to more places.

We plan on taking the train (or maybe bus??) from CDG to Paris. Our hotel is across from the Louvre. We do plan to make 1 day trip to Versailles but I think most of the things we want to do sound like they are in district 1 &amp; 2.
Any recommendations?

Here is an article titled &quot;Which M&eacute;tro pass should I buy&quot; which covers the basics: tinyurl.com/lqu4m

None of the passes are valid for water transport, but a <i>Carte Orange</i> qualifies you for a 4&euro; discount on a Batobus.com day pass.

If your 4.5 days begin on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, then a 5-Zone <i>Carte Orange</i> is the deal for you: back and forth to the airport and Versailles will practically break even - the bus and M&eacute;tro is gravy.

If you hit town later in the week, something else might work better. What are your dates?

If I may join.... My wife and I will arrive at CDG on a Sunday a take a train to LUX on the Friday....What do you think would work best for us. We will walk but want to move about also...Thanks for sharring all of your info.

If you will use RATP transport* more than 15 times during the Monday-Friday, then a 2-zone <i>Carte Orange</i> is economical. If you go to Zone 5 for anything, then a 5-zone is practical. But one trip to Versailles (Zone 4) will not break even on a 4-zone, because the full fare is only 2,70&euro; each way.

* M&eacute;tro and RER require one ticket for a ride of any length, including connections, but the bus requires one ticket each time you board (no transfers).

Thank you for the information and asking our dates. We will arrive early wednesday and will leave Sunday mid-day.

Did I understand correctly that a 5 zone CO will cost the same as a round trip CDG to Paris plus Versailles round trip to paris? But I won't have to pay anymore to use the Metro or bus?
That sounds great.
Also (apologize if this is a silly question) but do you keep the CO with you at all times or do you have to stamp individual tickets?

thank you !!

A 2-zone CO costs 16&euro;; a 5-zone is 31,50&euro;.
CDG is 8,10&euro; each way.
Versailles is 2,70&euro; each way.

So a 5-zone is cheaper than a 2-zone plus r/t to CDG - and Versailles is included (as well as unlimited within Paris proper).

CO is a permanent ID card plus a ticket (to operate the ticket barriers) good for a week. You keep using the same ticket. No stamping required.

Are you getting more confused, or less so?

absolutely clear now - thank you so much. Great explanation!

sounds like we won't need to pay any more for our transportation the whole time?

are there any transfers on the train from CDG to the 1 e?
thank you again,

Robespierre - you already answered this question of mine in another posting. Thank you. We are staying at the Westin, i think near the Louvre...

Dear Robespierre, you have already helped so many travellers!! May I join them? I am one of those desperate who are trying to solve the &quot;Carte orange - Mobilis - Paris Visite etc&quot; puzzle. I will arrive on Saturday night and leave Thursday night. I noticed that you generally do not reccomend Paris visite but I am afraid that for me it is the best possibility. I will need to get to and from CDG airport and then I also want to visit Disneyland. If I pay 46 euro for Paris visite 5 zones, it will cover all the cost from Saturday till Thursday, won´t it? Or is there any better way? Thank you very much for your advice. Petra

Unfortunately, your scheme won't work. The <i>Paris Visite</i> will run out after Wednesday, because it's good for five days at most.

For Saturday and Sunday, you will need 8,10 to get in from the airport (by RER) plus however much local transport you can use. At minimum, you might just walk around the immediate area surrounding your hotel on Saturday and use a few single <i>tickets 't'</i> on Sunday. If you would use more than 5 tickets on either day, then a one-day <i>Mobilis</i> pass becomes economical. But there might be enough within walking distance that you won't need any transport at all. You'll probably want to take it easy if you experience jet lag anyway.

Now for Monday through Thursday. A single ticket to CDG costs 8,10, and the round-trip to Disney is 12,50 - so if you can schedule the Disney trip during M-W, then a 5-zone <i>Carte Orange</i> might work for you. The total of the above is 20,60, and the CO is 31,50, so there's 10,90 in there for the other two days (you probably won't need any other transport on the Disneyland or departure days). So a 5-zone CO is about a wash compared to single tickets plus daily <i>Mobilis</i> cards. If you <u>don't</u> need as many rides as <i>Mobilis</i> cards provide, then separate tickets is the way to go.

Your total might look like this:
CDG single 8,10 Sat
One <i>Mobilis</i> 5,50 Sun
<i>Carte Orange</i> 31,50 Mon-Wed
Total 43,10&euro; at most

THANK YOU, Robespierre! Genius, as usually :) May I ask you one final question? Since I do not speak french at all, how exactly should I ask for tickets? (According to your advice: single ticket from CDG, 3x mobilis, return ticket to Disneyland and then back to CDG)? Is it possible to buy everything at once? Thanks a lot.

Genius, eh? That total should be 45,10&euro;. Oh well - my calculus professor told us it would be the 3rd-grade math that would trip us up.

Here's your French. Just print this out and show it to the agent at the RER station in terminal 2 at CDG. (And don't forget to say <i>bonjour</i> when you get to the window):
<b>
S'il vous pla&icirc;t, je voudrais acheter

</b>a)<b> 1 billet aller-retour CDG-Paris 16,20&euro;

</b>b)<b> 1 ticket Mobilis Zones 1-5 12,30&euro;

Merci.
</b>
This will get you a) to and from the airport (M&eacute;tro is included) and b) to and from Disneyland plus all over Paris by M&eacute;tro, bus, tram, and train for one day.

For transport within town, you can either buy a <i>carnet</i> of ten single tickets and use them across several days:
<b>
Un carnet, s.v.p. 10,90&euro;
</b>
or, if you plan to use the M&eacute;tro or board a bus more than 5 times in one day, a <i>Mobilis</i> for that day.
<b>
1 ticket Mobilis Zones 1-2, s.v.p. 5,50&euro;
</b>
Keep your Disneyland Mobilis separate from everything else, so that you don't accidentally use it before you're ready to go to Chessy. Once it's been run through a turnstile, you can only use it that day.

By the way, if you are under 26 years old, you can buy a special weekend ticket for Sunday that's cheaper than Mobilis. If you only want to get around Paris, then
<b>
1 Ticket Jeunes Zones 1-3 s.v.p. 3,20&euro;
</b>
or, if you want to go to Disneyland on Sunday, then
<b>
1 Ticket Jeunes Zones 1-5 s.v.p. 6,40&euro;
</b>
(The latter would be <i>instead</i> of the 5-Zone Mobilis listed as b) above.)

Super! I surely will use those sentences, although in a slightly modified way. I figured out that after all Carte Orange Zones 1-5 will fit better as I am leaving Thursday night, so there is one more day left that I can use metro as much as I want. So, single ticket from CDG, mobilis for Sunday and Carte Orange. 45,10&euro; total. Btw, I forgot to mention that I will not be there alone - should there be difference between singular and plural in my written request? 1 billet - 2 billets? Hope this is REALLY my last question - thanks for your patience and do not worry, your math is very very good :)

On the ticket for under 26, is there a reduction on the Carte Orange for youth or just the weekend ticket you specifically mentioned?

Jumping in on this one if I might. Family of four will be arriving in Paris on Sunday and departing on Saturday and will be staying in an apartment near the Filles du Calvaire metro. We will be taking a shuttle to and from CDG. We plan on doing all of the &quot;tourist sites&quot; Louvre, Tour Eiffel, Notre Dame etc. We don't mind walking but since we are not too close to these main areas we will have to use the metro or batobus. We will also be taking a trip to Versailles. As I understand it a Carte Orange for the week will work best for us. Or am I mistaken? What do we take for the trip to Versailles? Forgive me if I sound totally ditzy but I don't have any public transport where I live and big cities are new to us. Thank you.

Petulka -

okay, in that case you will want to request
<b>
S'il vous pla&icirc;t, je voudrais acheter

a) 2 billets aller simple CDG-Paris 16,20&euro;

b) 2 tickets Mobilis Zones 1-2 11,00&euro;

c) 2 Cartes Oranges Zones 1-5 63,00&euro;

Merci.
</b>
Don't forget to bring a 1&quot; square ID photo for each CO.
-----------------------------
crepes_a_go_go -

As the Carte Orange is intended for commuting workers, there is no youth discount. But remember that single tickets - RER and <i>tickets 't'</i> - are half price for under-11s.
-----------------------------
normal1983 -

The break-even point on a <i>Carte Orange</i> is at 15 rides in a calendar week (Mo-Su). Since you are going to be actively using transport only two days (Mo and Fr are travel days and one weekday is for Versailles), a CO might not pencil out in your case. Think about using <i>carnet</i> or <i>Mobilis</i> tickets for getting to sights within Paris, and either a RER ticket to Versailles (5,40&euro; r/t) or a <i>Forfait Loisirs</i> (which includes admissions to all attractions and audioguides for 21,45&euro;). If you do get a CO, remember that it qualifies you for a Batobus discount.

If you get 5-zone CO for the adults, their round trips to the airport and Versailles will total 15,50&euro;.

Can the CO be used for the hop-on-hop-off bus? Is this a preferred way of travel over metro/regular buses for tourists? Do they travel all around paris with same frequency?

No.
No.
No.

Can I please get some help with this too?

Our family of 4 (husband, myself, 21 year old and 17 year old) will arrive on Sunday. We leave Friday morning. This is our first trip to Paris. We will be doing the usual first time tourist &quot;things&quot;. We are staying in the 5th close to the 6th.

I read that the Carte Orange prices and details are changing July 1 which is our arrival day.

What is our best option. We are considering doing a day trip to Versailles, but thought we would buy the train/museum combo ticket.

Thanks for any help or assistance.

On our recent Paris visit, I noticed signs that the Carte Orange system was being phased out in favor of Navigo, which I believe was previously available only to local residents. Does anyone have more information on this change?

<b>mauitammy</b> - If they won't let you buy <i>Cartes Oranges</i> for Monday-Friday, you're probably about as well off buying a <i>Mobilis</i> daily pass or <i>carnet</i> tickets for each family member (except for the day you go to Versailles - see below).

For Sunday, your under-26es can use <i>carnet</i> tickets at adult prices, or <i>Tickets Jeunes</i>, depending on how each pencils out.

The Versailles <i>Forfait Loisirs</i> is highly recommended (it includes M&acute;tro as well as RER fare).

They always update various tickets prices on July 1st, that's just their annual cost update (STIF is the agency who does that). It's not that much, so you shouldn't decide on that -- it's 1.8% increase this year to all ticket fares I saw (single ticket, and weekly/monthly Carte Orange tickets, and Paris Visite, but they don't always enact the Paris Visite increase in July). They also are changing the basic metro ticket so that it will now cover multiple bus/tramway transfers within 1:30 hours.

AS for Navigo vs. CO, from what I've heard on here, it has not replaced Navigo completely for now. The recent announcement from STIF as to the 7/1/07 increases still mentioned Carte Orange coupons, so they have to still exist.

In response to my e-mail asking about the new (1 July) cost of a Carte Orange-Mensuel, RATP sent this information:

Bonjour,
Merci de votre visite sur le site de la RATP.

Ces tarifs seront en ligne la semaine prochaine.

Carte orange zones 1 et 2 au 1/07/07 : 53,50 euros


Cordialement,
Gilles Delbouille
Le Postmaster du site internet

That's a 1-euro price increase from the current price.