Eric

We are going to London and Paris and will be in Paris for 5 days. In London we were told it was cheaper to buy a 7 day travelcard for the underground instead of buying a visitors travelcard which is marked up for us tourists. What is the best option for a travelcard in Paris for us to buy when we get there? Will we need a photo? How much will it cost and what will it include?

Lesli

If you're only there for 5 days, you may be better off buying a carnet (a packet of 10 metro tickets, at a discount from the single ticket rate) rather than a travel card. <BR><BR>I find that I end up walking enough that a carnet makes better sense for me; I'm not pre-paying for Metro trips that I may not use.

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xxx

The best buy in Paris is Carte Orange, sort of a 7 day pass. However, unlike London, the 7 days can start any day of the week, the period of validity of a Carte Orange runs for a calendar week from Monday to Sunday and it is not sold after Wednesday of a week. So if you are arriving in Paris say on a Tuesday, the Carte Orange is great. If the 5 days stretch from Wednesday to Sunday, it is also good.<BR><BR>But, if for example your 5 days stretch from a Friday to the following Wednesday, the Carte Orange is probably not a good buy. In that case, you would use carnets 10 tickets at a time which cost about 80 cents each for about $8 (I forget the exact price). Single tickets cost $1.30 each so it is a good buy.<BR><BR>Note there is a great deal of controversy regarding the Carte Orange as to whether non residents of the Paris region are allowed to buy it. Most people buy it with little trouble; once in a while you run into a snotty clerk who claims he or she cannot sell it to tourists. They are absolutely wrong and as a matter of fact since EU regulations do not allow them to discriminate against other EU citizens, just say you are from Holland (Dutch people speak almost perfect American English) and they can't do that. In almost every case, they give in.<BR><BR>For a Carte Orange, you need a photo. The Carte Orange works somewhat the same way the 7 day passes work in London. The Carte Orange is a picture ID whose number goes on the actual ticket, the same size as the regular metro tickets i.e. quite small, which is inserted in the turnstile on the metro. The ticket is shown to bus drivers; it is not inserted in the bus turnstile. <BR><BR>Hope that helps.

Eric

This helps a ton! Thanks. The only question I have is this. The pack of 10 tickets-what zones do they cover? I can't figure out the metro zones. I have seached for a map online and only get a big RER zone map. Any help?

xxx

The carnets are good in zones 1 & 2 which includes central Paris and the very close in suburbs.

Jen

The London tube also offers a book of carnet tickets, which can be a good buy if you won't be riding the tube frequently during your stay.

xxxx

Jen is quite correct...I think the carnet costs &pound;10. I don't know if they are also good on the buses; not that it would necessarily be a good idea as bus fares generally run &pound;1...<BR><BR>What makes the travelcards great is the ability to jump on or off buses. Also there are 1 day travelcards available for central London costing &pound;4.10 but these include jumping on or off any city bus.....

Tim

Carnet tickets are good on either the Metro or the bus, but I believe you have to use a new ticket each time you switch between below groound and above ground. Here's how to find maps of the Metro, RER, bus routes, etc.: Go to www.ratp.fr. Click on "English" near the upper right-hand corner of the page. Click on "Paris Visite." Then, if necessary, click on "View this site in English." Click on "Maps" near the upper right-hand corner. This time be sure *not* to click on the "Paris Visite" icon on the left side. Doing so now will take you to a page selling tourist passes which you probably won't find to be a true bargain. Choose acrobat pdf (with plug in) for whichever map you wish to download and print.

Eric

Thanks a TON!! I have just one more question for anyone willing to answer. I am having trouble figuring out exactly where you pick up RER trains. How does that work? Is it like in London where there are only a few stops you can pick things up? For instance, we want to go to Versailles. We have read you can pick up a train at the Invalides station. Is that true? If so is there a separate station for RER trains versus the Metro? Thanks so much for the help. We leave tomorrow!

Lesli

Eric -<BR><BR>Leaving tomorrow? Cutting it close here!<BR><BR>RER trains stop at key Metro stations - Invalides is one of them. You would take the train from there to Versailles on the C5 line. The physical station is the same whether you're on the Metro or the RER.

metrojim

I can give you a general answer but you will have to look at a map for a specific answer.<BR><BR>The vast majority of RER stations in central Paris are part of a complex that includes a Metro station. Say you want to switch from the Metro to the RER at Nation. When the Metro arrives at Nation you follow the signs for Correspondance with the little circles saying RER ligne A....you will come to a set of new turnstiles saying Special Tariff Rules Apply. You insert your ticket and follow the signs. On the RER, unlike the rest of the Metro upon exiting your are required to insert your ticket similar to the system in London. At Versailles you wouldn't be going anywhere so you would exit (sortie) the staton there.<BR><BR>Upon your return you insert your ticket at Versailles and ride the RER to your transfer station. In this case we are using Nation as our example. At that stop, you have to insert your ticket in the turnstile to exit the RER portion of the station and then follow the signs for correspondance to the Metro line you want. You can also, if it is your station, follow the signs for the exit (sortie)....