Museum Passes and transportation passes
Jul 4th, 2005, 12:28 PM
#22
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Mrk:
If you're really a glutton for punishment, here is the link to the Rome pictures (same trip):
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesho...q9zhi&Ux=0
If you're really a glutton for punishment, here is the link to the Rome pictures (same trip):
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesho...q9zhi&Ux=0
Jul 4th, 2005, 06:02 PM
#23
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mrk: I vote for cab, too.
Don't bother worrying about trying to buy Metro tickets at the airport. Get to your hotel, get your bearings, and then head for the nearest metro station to buy your first carnet or two. It's not a big deal--you'll see...it's as easy as buying a Coke at a refreshment booth.
As far as the carnets, there aren't long lines to buy tickets. If you just want to get one carnet (10 billets/tickets) until you figure out how much you'll be walking/riding, you'll be fine. In fact, you can take charge of buying the first carnet and then make the kids take charge of buying the next
Don't bother worrying about trying to buy Metro tickets at the airport. Get to your hotel, get your bearings, and then head for the nearest metro station to buy your first carnet or two. It's not a big deal--you'll see...it's as easy as buying a Coke at a refreshment booth.
As far as the carnets, there aren't long lines to buy tickets. If you just want to get one carnet (10 billets/tickets) until you figure out how much you'll be walking/riding, you'll be fine. In fact, you can take charge of buying the first carnet and then make the kids take charge of buying the next
Jul 4th, 2005, 06:35 PM
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Hasn't anyone else done the math on this?
The total per-person fare for RER trips to CDG and Versailles, plus three <i>carnet</i> tickets per day Monday-Thursday is 34.14€. Obviously, if you use the Métro and bus more than twelve times in the four days, it will cost an additional 1.07€ per ride.
A Zone 1-2 <i>Carte Orange</i> plus supplements to CDG and Versailles totals €31.90.
Your call.
The total per-person fare for RER trips to CDG and Versailles, plus three <i>carnet</i> tickets per day Monday-Thursday is 34.14€. Obviously, if you use the Métro and bus more than twelve times in the four days, it will cost an additional 1.07€ per ride.
A Zone 1-2 <i>Carte Orange</i> plus supplements to CDG and Versailles totals €31.90.
Your call.
Jul 4th, 2005, 08:03 PM
#25
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Robespierre, as always, your math is perfection. But we all have been either hinting or blatently saying to MRL, "Hey, if you only have three days in Paris in hot August during weekdays, you might want to re-think fitting in a trip to Versailles if you want to do these other things, too." And they may be choosing to do more walking than anything else, so they may not even need a pass.
Jul 5th, 2005, 05:57 AM
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Nice catch, bb! You're absolutely right, of course. Don't know how I got so focused on the other way.
amelia, did you not post that you had twice used Versailles as your "jet-lag" day? Have you made up your <u>own</u> mind about mrk's itinerary yet?
amelia, did you not post that you had twice used Versailles as your "jet-lag" day? Have you made up your <u>own</u> mind about mrk's itinerary yet?
Jul 5th, 2005, 01:22 PM
#29
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The problem with the jet lag suggestion is that Versailles is closed on Monday right?
I also don't know if the kids would like all the anticipation of the trip to leave Paris and go out to Versailles.
I really am paying attention to your suggestions and trying to see where we should spend the time. With a 15 year old girl and 18 year old boy and a husband who loves museums it is hard to know what to do.
I do think your ideas for the 10 carnets of transportation tickets is the best idea because we do like to walk a lot.
I also don't know if the kids would like all the anticipation of the trip to leave Paris and go out to Versailles.
I really am paying attention to your suggestions and trying to see where we should spend the time. With a 15 year old girl and 18 year old boy and a husband who loves museums it is hard to know what to do.
I do think your ideas for the 10 carnets of transportation tickets is the best idea because we do like to walk a lot.
Jul 5th, 2005, 06:49 PM
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MRK: I know, I know...you're in charge of the family "happiness" quotient.
May I ask what kind of museum is particularly enjoyable for your husband--in other words, does he have two or three favorite museums from other trips that were his "gold standards"? If nothing else, what he has liked in the past can help all of us suggest at least the areas of the Louvre he would like the most so you're not on "random roam" with two teens who might be dying to go elsewhere.
BarbMC: You can get museum passes at the Metro ticket counters or at the first museum you visit. Although I have never done it, others have mentioned obtaining them through their hotels (I haven't a clue as to whether there was a mark-up or not). Don't worry:there is absolutely no need to pre-purchase online--no advantage and a waste of money.
May I ask what kind of museum is particularly enjoyable for your husband--in other words, does he have two or three favorite museums from other trips that were his "gold standards"? If nothing else, what he has liked in the past can help all of us suggest at least the areas of the Louvre he would like the most so you're not on "random roam" with two teens who might be dying to go elsewhere.
BarbMC: You can get museum passes at the Metro ticket counters or at the first museum you visit. Although I have never done it, others have mentioned obtaining them through their hotels (I haven't a clue as to whether there was a mark-up or not). Don't worry:there is absolutely no need to pre-purchase online--no advantage and a waste of money.
Jul 6th, 2005, 06:25 AM
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He has been to Chicago a lot and goes to the Art Institute and has been to the Field Museum also. He will want to see the famous artist the most and then he likes antique furniture if that is exhibited in the museums.
Jul 6th, 2005, 12:00 PM
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I can't tell whether this horse is dead yet, so I'm going to beat it once more.
There are two ways to "do" Paris: either strolling or rolling. If you stroll, you will experience the city more intimately, but you will see less of it. If you roll, you will sacrifice some of that intimacy in the interest of getting to more sights.
There is also a middle ground that combines some walking and some riding. For example, I might take the Métro from my hotel to Anvers, walk from there to Sacré Coeur (perhaps riding the <i>funiculaire</i> up), and take the bus back. Or ride to the Rond Pont, walk up the Champs-Elysées to Étoile, see the Arc de Triomphe and return via RER.
I think it's pretty obvious that if you go out to more than one place per day, you are going to use at least three rides, and that happens to be the point at which a <i>Carte Orange</i> becomes more economical (see above).
<i>Everything</i> in Paris isn't close to <i>anywhere</i>.
There are two ways to "do" Paris: either strolling or rolling. If you stroll, you will experience the city more intimately, but you will see less of it. If you roll, you will sacrifice some of that intimacy in the interest of getting to more sights.
There is also a middle ground that combines some walking and some riding. For example, I might take the Métro from my hotel to Anvers, walk from there to Sacré Coeur (perhaps riding the <i>funiculaire</i> up), and take the bus back. Or ride to the Rond Pont, walk up the Champs-Elysées to Étoile, see the Arc de Triomphe and return via RER.
I think it's pretty obvious that if you go out to more than one place per day, you are going to use at least three rides, and that happens to be the point at which a <i>Carte Orange</i> becomes more economical (see above).
<i>Everything</i> in Paris isn't close to <i>anywhere</i>.
Jul 6th, 2005, 01:01 PM
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We had a week, staying near the Moulin Rouge and we used the visite passes. I am not certain we got our money's worth, but the convenience of simply hopping on the Metro was worth it. Some stations have wicked lineups.
If you do get the Visite remeber not to put them in a pcket with anything magnetic. Our apartment keys were magnatized and it messed up my pass. They were happy to replace it but that did put us back in a lineup to practice our French...
If you do get the Visite remeber not to put them in a pcket with anything magnetic. Our apartment keys were magnatized and it messed up my pass. They were happy to replace it but that did put us back in a lineup to practice our French...
Jul 6th, 2005, 01:01 PM
#36
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Hi mrk,
This may or may not be of interest to you, but there is a 90-minute guided English tour of the Louvre. I've done it twice this year and had the same guide both times, who is extremely knowledgable and helps make this overwhelming museum make sense. She gives you some history of the building itself and shows you some of the major highlights, which of course, are all spread out. This might be a little more appealing to a teenager than (from their perspective) wandering aimlessly for an indefinite amount of time. Who knows, on the tour you may pass by something that catches your kids' attention. They could go back and check it out after the tour while you and DH do your own thing. I believe the tours are at 11, 2, and 3:45. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.
We got 3-day museum passes on our most recent trip and I'm so glad we did. Not only did we avoid standing in many lines, but we had the freedom to "pop in" to many places we would have walked on by if we'd had to pay more money. "Oh look, here's the Pantheon, let's pop in for a minute." We never felt obligated to stay for long since it was "free." Some of those places on the museum card are nice and cool (Napoleon's Tomb comes to mind, with it's cold marble steps to sit on), and are a nice respite from the heat that you will invariably encounter in August. Sainte Chapelle is free with the museum card as well, and well worth a visit.
Carnets of metro tickets are a good way to go.
There are a few recent posts here about the Segway Tour. Here's one:
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34643524
I'll bet the kids would love that.
Good luck planning and have a great trip!
This may or may not be of interest to you, but there is a 90-minute guided English tour of the Louvre. I've done it twice this year and had the same guide both times, who is extremely knowledgable and helps make this overwhelming museum make sense. She gives you some history of the building itself and shows you some of the major highlights, which of course, are all spread out. This might be a little more appealing to a teenager than (from their perspective) wandering aimlessly for an indefinite amount of time. Who knows, on the tour you may pass by something that catches your kids' attention. They could go back and check it out after the tour while you and DH do your own thing. I believe the tours are at 11, 2, and 3:45. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.
We got 3-day museum passes on our most recent trip and I'm so glad we did. Not only did we avoid standing in many lines, but we had the freedom to "pop in" to many places we would have walked on by if we'd had to pay more money. "Oh look, here's the Pantheon, let's pop in for a minute." We never felt obligated to stay for long since it was "free." Some of those places on the museum card are nice and cool (Napoleon's Tomb comes to mind, with it's cold marble steps to sit on), and are a nice respite from the heat that you will invariably encounter in August. Sainte Chapelle is free with the museum card as well, and well worth a visit.
Carnets of metro tickets are a good way to go.
There are a few recent posts here about the Segway Tour. Here's one:
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34643524
I'll bet the kids would love that.
Good luck planning and have a great trip!
Sep 16th, 2006, 07:30 AM
#37
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I have read that the Museum pass lets you bypass the lines. Is that literally true? You mean that I can just approach the museum, walk past the poor people in the lineup, muttering "suckers!" to myself as I walk past, show up to the guard, flash my pass, and then voilà, I'm in the museum? Sounds too good to be true! Is it?
And is this museum pass also good for the métro? I mean, does it have that small magnetized ticket I stick into the turnstile?
And is this museum pass also good for the métro? I mean, does it have that small magnetized ticket I stick into the turnstile?
Sep 16th, 2006, 09:32 AM
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Yes, in many museums there is a special entrance for pass-holders.
The Notre Dame Towers don't honor the cut-in privilege because if they did, the "suckers" (as you so eloquently term them) would never reach the head of the line. This owes to the fact that people show up faster than the monument can accommodate them.
The Museum Pass and RATP transport passes are two entirely distinct things issued by different companies. At one time, the former could be purchased at Métro ticket windows, but this is no longer true.
The Notre Dame Towers don't honor the cut-in privilege because if they did, the "suckers" (as you so eloquently term them) would never reach the head of the line. This owes to the fact that people show up faster than the monument can accommodate them.
The Museum Pass and RATP transport passes are two entirely distinct things issued by different companies. At one time, the former could be purchased at Métro ticket windows, but this is no longer true.
Mar 8th, 2007, 05:27 AM
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To answer your question about the fountains at Versailles: last time we visited, they only ran on Sundays (and also on Saturdays during the summer) and only at certain times.
On our first visit to Paris, we spent 3.5 days, and yes, we saw the Eiffel tower (3 hours worth, not including time spent going up - Loved it!) the Louvre, the Orsay, the Arc de Triomphe, and Versailles in that time. This is pretty well a roster of what most people like, I suspect, to see on a first trip to Paris. However, Paris was at the end of our trip, not the jet-lagged beginning, and we were but 2 adults. So the advice to scale down is sound, especially on the Monday when you arrive. That's a good day to do the Eiffel Tower and perhaps just walk around and soak things up a little. Also, you should know that there is no longer a 1 or 3 day museum pass, just 2 day or 4 day versions.
Jet lag and a group of 4 might make a difference to how you get around. It might be practical to hop into a taxi from time to time, given that you are 4 sharing.
There are "Mobilis" passes that are a) cheaper than the Paris Visite and b)unlike the Carte Orange, require only a 1-day commitment. For zones 1-2, the ratp.fr site quotes a fare of € 5.30. Three days worth and you break even with the Carte Orange - but you might not need this much transport every day, especially if you opt for either a lot of walking, taxis, hop-on, hop-off bus tours, etc. Since you seem uncertain, I'd take the advice to use carnets this time, they involve the least up-front commitment.
enjoy Paris.
On our first visit to Paris, we spent 3.5 days, and yes, we saw the Eiffel tower (3 hours worth, not including time spent going up - Loved it!) the Louvre, the Orsay, the Arc de Triomphe, and Versailles in that time. This is pretty well a roster of what most people like, I suspect, to see on a first trip to Paris. However, Paris was at the end of our trip, not the jet-lagged beginning, and we were but 2 adults. So the advice to scale down is sound, especially on the Monday when you arrive. That's a good day to do the Eiffel Tower and perhaps just walk around and soak things up a little. Also, you should know that there is no longer a 1 or 3 day museum pass, just 2 day or 4 day versions.
Jet lag and a group of 4 might make a difference to how you get around. It might be practical to hop into a taxi from time to time, given that you are 4 sharing.
There are "Mobilis" passes that are a) cheaper than the Paris Visite and b)unlike the Carte Orange, require only a 1-day commitment. For zones 1-2, the ratp.fr site quotes a fare of € 5.30. Three days worth and you break even with the Carte Orange - but you might not need this much transport every day, especially if you opt for either a lot of walking, taxis, hop-on, hop-off bus tours, etc. Since you seem uncertain, I'd take the advice to use carnets this time, they involve the least up-front commitment.
enjoy Paris.
