Paris & London - What Should I Purchase in Advance?
 

Should I purchase in advance multi-day metro passes? Should I purchase museum passes? Should I purchase tour bus passes, etc?
thanks

I can't speak for London, but for Paris, just wing it. The Metro is cheap, or you can buy a carnet of 10 tickets when you get there for a cheaper price.

As far as museum passes, how long will you be there? How many museums will you visit? The lines at the major museums are very long, and you may not want to wait. There are so many small museums in Paris that are fabulous. The Carnavalet in the Marais is free and one of the best.

Paris is the kind of city that you will love to walk and find some wonderful out-of-the-way places.

It took 3 trips there before we ever entered The Louvre----the couryard is beautiful, the lines daunting, the gigantic displays of artwork overwhelming.

IMO, as far as Paris goes, just get out and walk, you will be enchanted.

None of those items need to be purchased ahead of time.

Really nothing much needs to be pre-purchased -- except for possibly any block buster plays/musicals in London. 80% of the shows - tickets can be bought the day of performance. But if you want to see one of the few biggies on a specific date -- yes, but them ahead of time. And the Globe if you want to sit.

But otherwise, most anything can wait . . . .

There's no need for museum passes in London as most of the major museums & galleries are free.

For attractions that do charge - like the Tower of London - you have the option of getting a London Travelcard at a TRAIN station booking office in London which will allow you then to use the offers on www.daysoutguide.com. But you can't purchase it in advance as you have to go to the train station to buy it.

In Paris, you should buy tickets to any ballets, concerts in major venues or operas before you go, as they may be sold out when you arrive.

In London, you should buy tickets to any show you are certain you want to see that does not regularly appear at the TKTS booth in Leicester Square, where you can buy tickets the day of the performance for many shows at a substantial discount. You can find out what shows are available at the TKTS booth each day at http://www.officiallondontheatre.co....hats_on_today/

You can also buy tickets at the box office at discounted prices on the day of performance..London

YOu can't purchase Paris metro tickets outside of Paris. The only thing you can is the tourist transportation pass, Paris Visite, which is expensive and usually pointless. Even then, there is no reason to purchase it outside Paris.

I don't really know what you mean about tour bus passes, If you mean those double deck type tourist buses that cost a certain amount per day, no, there isn't any reason to buy that ahead of time, even if you can.

Why do you even think you need to buy things in advance, I don't understand that.

If there is some special exhibit on that you want to see you might book those online ahead of time. Your museum pass will not get you into special exhibits.
Other than that just wait until you get there