Flying to France 3/28. We will be staying in Vincennes from April 2 -9. It's on the metro line but I don't know what zone it's in. Should we should buy a weekly pass, carnets or daily passes? Thanks.

It's Robepierre who has this stuff down pat, so I hope he will join in. But the short answer is that Vincennes is in Zone 2. A weeklong Zone 2 Carte d'Orange pass costs 15.40 euros. (Passport-size photo required for purchase. Bring one along) The weeklong pass is valid for Monday through Sunday only. (You cannot, for example, buy one on Tuesday and use it through the following Monday.) But you can purchase a Carte d'Orange early as Friday of the week before it's to be used, or as late as Wendesday of the week in which its valid. Single tickets are 1.40 euros and a carnet of 10 tickets costs 10.50 euros. I like the idea of a pass. It frees you from "financial decisions" while you're touring, and allows unlimited within-Paris hops. You can use it on buses as well as the Metro, and the RER system within Zones 1 and 2.

I agree with Dave although the line about Tuesday is ambiguous. You can buy a Carte Orange when you arrive on the 2nd but you will not able to USE it until Monday. For your travel on Saturday and Sunday you should just buy a carnet and use the tickets for travel. It will be very cost effective for this length of time. Be sure to try the bus lines.

There is also a one day pass called a mobilis....do remember the buses do not provide transfers and it is a lot of fun to ride the buses and see the city but each time you get on a bus it's a new ticket...I think the break even point for mobilis vs. carnet is about 5 rides a day....doubt it's a big deal but can be borne in mind.

We'll be in Paris four nights, staying in the 7th. A family of two adults and two students, who don't mind walking a lot. We'll probably take the Metro or the bus from Gare du Nord to Ecole Militaire. Does a pass make sense for us? I never can figure out the math! And does the bus or Metro run 24/7? Sorry to be stupid about this. Thanks!

PatLinn, Dave has this stuff down pat, too. I'd get a <i>Carte Orange</i> for Monday-Saturday as he suggests. What you do on the first two weekend days depends on a couple of things.

If you're under 26, a <i>Ticket jeunes</i> is one-day pass that's cheaper than <i>Mobilis</i>. A 5-zone version is the cheapest way you can get from the airports to the city.

A carnet of <i>'t' tickets</i> is cheaper than <i>Mobilis</i> up to 5 rides.

MaureenB, here's the breakdown:

Single tickets are &euro;1.05 when bought in a carnet. If you go into the M&eacute;tro or get on a bus 5 times a day, it costs &euro;5.25

For more than five rides in a day, a <i>Mobilis</i> limits your expense to &euro;5.30

If your four days in town will be within a Monday-Sunday period, a <i>Carte Orange</i> is the way to go.

The M&eacute;tro runs from about 5h30 to 1h00. Buses have daytime schedules up to 20h30, then evening routes to 0h30, then a very abbreviated service called <i>Noctambus</i> all night.

You can get a free <i>Grand Plan de Paris</i> at any RATP (transport company) outlet. It has all the bus and M&eacute;tro/RER routes laid out on two huge maps.

Robespierre, merci beaucoup!