bookworm35

We will be in Paris for 4 nights. What is the best option for travel around the city. Would the Carte Orange work out at the best value for our stay? We don't mind walking some but a choice would be nice!

janisj

So you are you actually in Paris 5 days/4 nights? Whether a Carte Orange makes sense depends on which day of the week you arrive . . . .

If you get there Mon through Wed it will work. It isn't sold Thurs - Sun.

bookworm35

arriving monday pm - departing friday pm - we could try and buy as soon as we arrive (we need passport size photos?) - how much does it cost?

chicagolori

Found this on About. Com. You might also go to the RATP.com website.

Travel Cheap with a Carte Orange
What is a Carte Orange?

The "Orange Card" is a Paris transportation pass, valid for either one week or one month for the zones of coverage you can choose. Carte Orange, meant mostly for citizens of Paris, is generally a much better value than the transportation pass called the Paris Visite, meant for tourists.

Carte Orange quick facts
You cannot buy one outside of Paris. You will need to purchase on from an RAPT agent at any Metro or RER station in Paris. Despite what you will might hear about the pass being available only to Parisiennes, anyone can buy a Carte Orange. The weekly pass (called a coupon hebdomadaire) is valid Monday to Sunday only. Be sure you can communicate the dates that you want, or that you'd like a Carte Orange for the next week starting Monday. Otherwise you may be sold a pass that is only valid for the rest of the week.

You will need to specify the zones you wish to travel in. Zones one and two are central Paris, and quite likely the only two you'll be interested in for a pass. If you need to go outside those zones only once (to Versailles, for example) a separate ticket will be cheaper than extending you pass to those zones. (See the link to the zone map (pdf) below.
You will need a small, passport style photo to attach to the pass (about 1 1/8" in height). You can buy one at the metro station.

The Carte Orange passes are valid for unlimited rides on the RATP system.
Prices for a weekly zone 1-2 weekly Carte Orange in 2004 is €14.50.

chicagolori

I found updated info on the RATP site. Some of it is just in french so you can use babelfish to translate.

Carte L'Orange, Zones 1-2 (Paris proper) is 15.7 Euros per week.

You can also get a carnet which is 10 tickets. Cost is 10. 7 Euros. Cost for one ticket is 1.4 euros so one of the above options is probably best for you.

Hope that helps

Robespierre

If you are going to get on a bus* or go into the M&eacute;tro** more than 5 times a day, get a <i>Mobilis</i> card for that day. Less than that, buy a <i>carnet</i> of 10 single tickets.

If you will make more than 14 trips all the time you are in town, a <i>Carte Orange</i> is cheapest.

*Bus transfers not permitted. One ticket per stage is required.
**Unlimited transport until you come out again.

InMiami

Book, good question! Does anyone know if the Carte Orange also covers Bus travel? Do you just present the pass when entering the bus?

marcy_

Yes, the Carte Orange covers bus travel, and you just show it to the driver when you get on the bus.

It's great, because you can use the buses for a &quot;hop on, hop off&quot; tour, if you want. And you're not wasting your money if you only take the bus for a few blocks.

zhhoo

You can buy the coupon hebdomadaire at the airport (if you are flying to Paris) at the counters where they sell tickets for RER to town. You will need a passport photo.
I think the type of tickets you buy depends on how you plan to travel. If you only use the metro or bus occasionally, the carnet is a better option.
For instance, when I was at Paris between 28th Dec to 1st Jan, I used a combination of Mobilis tickets (valid for the entire day) which works out to be cheaper:
28th Dec: Took a RER from airport to town, then took a metro to my hotel with that RER ticket (RER tickets from airport entitles you for one connecting metro trip)
29th Dec: Mobilis Zone 1-5 for 12.10euro, since I went to Disneyland on that day
30th Dec: Mobilis Zone 1-2 for 5.40 euro
31st Dec: Ticket Jeunes Zone 1-3 for 3.20 euro (discounts for under-26 on weekends)
1st Jan: transport is free until 1200 due to New Year
Anyway, I spent 20.70 euro for metro, whereas I would spend 27.80 euro if I buy a coupon hebdomadaire (15.70 euro) and a return ticket to Disneyland (12.10 euro).

Gretchen

The Carte Orange would be a very good value for your time frame. It is good for buses also which we have come to like very much--no long correspondances or stairs. And if you use a ticket from a carnet, for example, on a bus, and need to transfer, you need a new ticket for the transfer. CO is unlimited.

Travelnut

If you want to take the RER from CDG into Paris -and- the return to CDG, you can buy the CO at CDG for 5 zones for 30-31&euro; and that will cover the two airport trips and all your transportation within Paris, AND a trip to Versailles if you are going.

Woody

&lt;&lt; you can buy the CO at CDG for 5 zones for 30-31&euro; and that will cover the two airport trips and all your transportation within Paris &gt;&gt;

This is a good value, since the one-way fare between CDG and central Paris is 7.85&euro;.

Woody

gomiki

The only thing I would like to add is that a photo cut to about 2&quot;x2&quot; from any picture is all you need for the Carte Orange. A special passport photo is not needed.

Robespierre

This was mentioned previously, but might bear repeating in the context of RER transport to the airports:

The <i>Carte Orange</i> is only valid for a seven-day period beginning on a Monday.

This means that if one of your airport trips fall outside that calendar week, a 5-zone card doesn't make sense - unless you're also going out to Versailles and/or Disneyland within the valid period.

<i>p.s.</i> A 1-inch photo is about right: http://www.paris.org/Expos/ParisTick...arteorange.gif

Beatchick

What Travelnut said!

I love the Carte Orange and find it to be very convenient.

Momliz

This has probaby been explained already, but I'm pretty slow on the uptake: we arrive in Paris on a Weds and leave on Weds. Will probably use the metro and buses a fair amount - 4 - 6 times a day. Since we will be arriving and leaving mid week, would a CO make sense for us?

Robespierre

<i>Cartes Oranges</i> are valid for a calendar week, always from Monday through Sunday. They are sold from the preceding Friday through Wednesday of the week of validity.

A <i>Carte Orange</i> for zones 1-2 costs 15.70&euro;, and single tickets bought in a <i>carnet</i> of ten cost 1.07&euro; each. So if you will get on a bus or go into the M&eacute;tro more than 14 times from Wednesday through Sunday, the pass is cheaper.

If you actually use public transport 4 to 6 times a day on Monday through Wednesday, another <i>Carte Orange</i> will work for you. But most people don't ride around much on the day they depart, so perhaps a <i>Mobilis</i> pass for 5.40&euro; will be better for Monday and Tuesday.

plambers

robespierre, what is a mobilis card? we will be there sat -sat so carte orange does not make sense. i was just going to buy carnets.

Travelnut

A Mobilis is a single-day pass - no photo required.
All this information and the rates are on the French version of www.ratp.fr
Look for links under &quot;titres de transport&quot; and &quot;tariffs&quot;; you'll be able to figure it out.

Robespierre

plambers, <i>carnet</i> tickets or a <i>Mobilis</i> will be economical for your first two days, but a <i>Carte Orange</i> for Monday through Saturday will almost certainly be the cheapest. If you get on a bus or go into the M&eacute;tro 15 times in those six days, it will pay for itself.