CARTE ORANGE/PARIS VISITE, What's the difference and which should we get for our 6 days in Paris?
Apr 4th, 2003, 05:10 PM
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CARTE ORANGE/PARIS VISITE, What's the difference and which should we get for our 6 days in Paris?
Only a few more days until we leave for Paris and I still have questions. I am confused about the CARTE ORANGE vs PARIS VISITE cards? Do they both work on the metro, bus and train lines? How about the CARNETS? What are those used for? Which card is better for our 6 days in Paris? Which is the best deal? Thanks for any help in this matter.
Apr 4th, 2003, 05:27 PM
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I can only speak from my experience for 5 days last week. We opted for the carnet of 10 tickets each. This lasted us a little over 2 days, then we each bought another carnet. When we calculated it, it turned out cheaper for us. The carnet of 10 tickets is just that: 10 tickets that you can use on the metro and the bus. We also then bought the Paris Visite museum pass on its own (not combined with the metro Visite pass). I read many recommendations here from Fodorites, and also in Rick Steve's guide, and the carnet seemed to work best for us for 5 days.<BR><BR>I'm sure you will get a lot of more experienced metro users who will reply with their advice, mine is somewhat limited.<BR><BR>Have you also tried doing a search here? I found a lot of posts when searching. Good luck and have a WONDERFUL time!
Apr 4th, 2003, 05:41 PM
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The Carte Orange is a 7 day pass. However, I believe it is only good from Monday through teh following Sunday. It can be purchased up to Weds. of the week. So if the times fit your schedule I thought it was a good deal. I believe it is also good for busses along with the metro.<BR>It requires a passport size photo to stick onto the card/wallet. So bring a phtoo from home and cut it down so it will fit. You will save not only $4 or more but also the hassle of trying to figure out how to use the photo machines.<BR>Someone lse can tell you about the visite pass; but if the times work, the carte orange is the best deal.
Apr 4th, 2003, 06:15 PM
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Both the Carte Orange and the Paris Visite passes are good on the Metro, the buses and the RER trains that run within the greater Paris area. There are 14 Metro lines and RER lines A,B,C and D. A carnet is simply a strip of 10 trip tickets sold at a discount. A full fare ticket costs 1.30 euros while a carnet costs 9.60 euros.<BR><BR>The best deal for a 6 day stay in Paris is the Carte Orange. It costs 13.75 euros for a zone 1-2 pass for a week (7 days Monday thru Sunday.) Zone 1-2 is all you should need as this includes all of the city proper which includes just about anyplace you will want to go.<BR>You can buy the Carte Orange Sunday thru Wednesday for the current week and then starting Friday you can buy a pass for the next week. You will need a passport size picture that will be laminated on your pass. You will also get what looks like a normal trip ticket with your pass. You use that ticket in the turnstiles over and over for all your trips. Keep the pass with your photo and you can renew it next time you visit Paris.<BR><BR>The Paris Visite pass is a ripoff hawked to unknowing tourists. It costs 26.65 euros for a 5 day zone 1-3 pass.<BR><BR>If you arrive in Paris too late to buy a current week Carte Orange by midnight Wednesday you can also buy a "Mobilis" pass. This is a one day pass. Zone 1-2 Mobilis costs 5.00 euros.<BR><BR>Hope this helps.<BR>Larry J<BR><BR>
Apr 5th, 2003, 02:29 AM
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Wednesday is the last day you can buy the Carte Orange for that week. Arriving on Thursday you may need to either just buy a carnet (package of 10 Metro tickets sold at a discount from the usual single ticket price) or the Mobilis. To make the Mobilis economical you will need to figure out how much you will be using transportation on that day. Paris is a great walking city and you may find that you will only ride the Metro or bus 2-3 times on a particular day.
Apr 5th, 2003, 04:42 AM
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Travling, I suggest you do what we did, since you trip doesn't fit in the Mon-Sat needs of the Carte Orange:<BR><BR>Buy a carnet and see how qickly you go through them. We went through them rather quickly, so we bought the Paris Visite card (zones 1-3) in order to have 1 simple card.<BR><BR>It's really not the big rip-off people say it is at about $5 a day for unlimited metro and bus trips. You're paying for a bit of convienience. I say it'd worth it.
Apr 5th, 2003, 10:13 AM
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Thanks again for responding and answering my questions. As always,<BR>the FODORITES are a great group who come through with the answers in a timely manner. Bon Voyage and Happy Trails! Susan
Apr 5th, 2003, 01:23 PM
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Tagging on a question here: For the last 2 days we're using Hilton points, but unfortunately staying at the Hilton near CDG aiport. Will the Carte Orange work for taking the RER/Metro into the city, or is that past the 1-2 zones?
Apr 5th, 2003, 02:45 PM
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for skj:<BR><BR>The Carte Orange is available for different zones. Check the www.SNCF.com site for zone maps and prices.
Apr 5th, 2003, 07:05 PM
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CDG is in zone 5 so no pass for zones 1-2 will work there. If that's the only trip you need outside zone 2, you will have to buy a ticket for the part into Paris; I think that would be cheaper than buying a 5 zone pass just for that (although you'd have to compare your situation). Even Mobilis won't work out there, you can't use it at the airport. All types of passes can be bought for different number of zones.
Apr 7th, 2003, 06:14 PM
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Thank you for your responses. I managed to find where the Carte Orange information was listed on the SNCF site, and from my limited French it seems like a zone 1-5 Carte Orange is about 28 Euro. If a RER into the city is 8 Euros, then looks like 2 days of such "commuting" will justify getting the Carte Orange?
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