First-time Visitors-Should we buy the Paris Pass?
 

Hi everyone,

My husband & I are planning a trip to Paris in either May/ Sep. This is his first trip to Paris, but not mine. However, I wish to see Paris in detail as the last time I came with a package tour and did not manage to see much of it. We are planning about 4 days there.

Some guide books recommend hop-on-and-hop-off bus tours for exploring Paris. I am thinking of buying a 2-day Paris Pass: http://www.parispass.com/ This promised free entry to many museums and attraction and free travel within certain zones. My main concern is that we will be able to bypass the long queues and see as many places as possible within 2 days and then reserve the other 2 days for leisurely shopping and dining.

Is this a feasible plan? Is the Paris Pass worth a buy or does anyone think it is enough to buy a carnet of tickets and explore the city on our own? Note this is not the Paris Visite Pass; we are bypassing the PVP as it's not quite worth it in my opinion. Would appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance!!

This has been discussed here many times; do a search for Paris Pass, and you should come up with all sorts of opinions, but in general, the answer is NO, it is not worth your money.

For four days, a two day museum pass will allow you to skip the lines and a carnet of Metro tickets will get you where you want to go.

But here is a caveat: I has a disagreement last night with a friend over HOHO buses. She is not a walker and thinks they are the greatest things since sliced foie gras. I think they are ridiculous because I would never want to follow a route, anywhere. She thinks I'm nuts and argues that maps, books, buses, and subways are beyond the point of a vacation. So there you have it.

There is also a hop-on-hop-off boat which is pleasant and saves some footsteps.

Did I read the site correctly? The 2-day Paris pass is 104 euro v. 39 euro for the Paris Museum Pass. I can't imagine that the Paris pass would be a good enough deal. You should add up the costs of what you think you'll spend and see if it's worth it for you.

We walk a lot in Paris so a carnet or two is plenty for us for a week. Will you be staying in a central location?

I have never seen any scenario that justified paying for a Paris Pass. It is an overpriced bundle of admissions, none of which cannot be purchased separately at much lower cost, and few of which one could possibly use in the minimal time alloted.

If you really plan on spending time in museums the Museum Pass might be attractive:

http://en.parismuseumpass.com/

For transportation, purchase blocks of ten tickets t+ for 12.70€. These can be shared among those travelling together, the unused tickets never expire.

Pass on the Paris Pass

Hi,

Thanks for the responses! Sorry, I'm new to Fodor's so I haven't used the search function yet. Will learn :) I guess I'll save up on the Paris Pass and buy the carnet of tickets for Hubs and I then. It is really expensive and I'm glad travelers here think we can pass on that. We are thinking of staying at Montmatre so that shd be pretty centralised. Will take a look at the Museum Pass, thanks once again!!!

Montmartre is not central. You will need to ride the metro a lot if you stay there.

No to the pass.

And no, Montmartre isn't central at all.

--Don't stay in Montmartre.
--Don't buy the Paris Pass
--I for one detest the Hop On/Hop Off bus. You will end up feeling you have to use it once you paid for it and will feel tethered to the darn thing.

Tuscanlife: Love the "HOHO" term. Perfect allusion to concept of the Hop-On/Hop-Off as a type of American junk food.

Back to OP: As others have indicated, you are much better off buying a carnet (group of tickets "billets") and using many of the regular buses in Paris if you WANT TO. If you were staying the week, we'd give you other transport options.

I am a museum pass junkie, though. But then again, we WANTED to see a ton of museums, we wanted to skip lines, and we also wanted to have the freedom to WALK OUT and say, "That was a terrible place" if we wanted to. As others have said, the museum pass can work as a restroom pass, too!

Hi fh,

How old are you that you are thinking of staying in Montmartre?

You might like the HOHO boat: http://www.batobus.com/english/

((I))

Another vote against the Paris Pass - generally not worth it.

As for the museum pass, that depends on how much of a museum junky your are -- pick out your likely museums and do the math. If it close, get the pass for the convenience.

As for transport - a couple of carnets should do it at a very low cost giving you each two or three rides a day. And remember, the carnet tickets don't get you to/from the airport -- that's a separate ticket.

One other transport option: If you are arriving on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday AND you plan on a lot of Metro/bus rides, the 7-day transport pass for zones 1-2 (which always starts on Monday) might be worth it. A pair of these costs about the same a 3 carnets. Usually would end up costing a little bit more than about 3 rides per day - but gives to the freedom of unlimited transport in the city...though, of course, not to the airport.

SS

SS

I agree. Don't buy the Paris Pass. Instead, buy the Museum Pass (2-day) You must use it on consecutive days once you have used it for the first time. Many attractions are included and you can skip the lines. And buy a carnet (10 rides on the subway or bus). If you use it up, buy another.

And don't stay in Montmartre. It is not central and, in my opinion, worth only a short visit. In 8 visits to Paris, we have been only twice. There is so much to see and do in more central areas. Try the 5th, 6th or 7th Arrondisements.

I'd second the carnet just because Paris is so walkable you might be able to see a couple sites without using the Metro. The Paris Pass is not worth it, we bought it the first time in Paris and IMHO paid too much for it. Much better just to pay for the Musee pass. We went into many museum that we probably wouldn't have without the pass. Of course we went to the Louvre twice, one in the day and once at night until closing. We also went into the jail where Marie Antoinette was held before her execution. Quite a nice room for a jail with a full size bed and desk.