Paris Commute for US visitors - Navigo Decouverte card
 

We are visiting Paris in June 2012. We will be reaching Paris from London via Eurostar and will be returning back to London on Friday. Navigo Decouverte seems to be cost effective option. Can someone suggest easiest way to get this card?

We are party of 4 (2 adults, 2 children age 7 and 14). Are there any other cost effective options for commute within Paris? We are staying at Southern part of Latin Quarter (In zone 1). Most of the sites we are visiting will be in zone 1 except Versailles which is in zone 4.

Thank you for your advice.

The cards for the week start on Monday; since you don't say when you arrive they may or may not be most cost effective. Paris is very easy to walk about; for times when you don't want to walk, a Carnet may offer the best price. The card is almost 20 euros plus a 5 euro start up cost and you need pictures. That gets very expensive for 4 people.

This site should help a bit;

http://www.parisvoyage.com/title.php?title=22

Thanks DebitNM for prompt response.

We arrive on Monday in Paris.

Well, that works good for buying the card, but 100 euros on metros may not be the most cost effective way. You may find yourself walking a lot and really not needing the metro or bus more than once in a while. A carnet may truly be the best option. Enjoy!

On a visit last year we found the cards a convenient, cost-effective means of travel. Yes, you need two small photos but we brought those with us. We got the cards by going to a metro station near where we were staying, and buying them from the agent, who was quite nice. We found zone 1 was all we needed; on a trip outside the zone, we just used cash for a bus.

A quick calculation after a week showed that the cards had more than paid for themselves, even including the start-up cost. They made it easy for us to pop on the metro or a bus anytime, without wondering if the trip was worth the use of a carnet ticket. This in itself was liberating. Plus, we have a great souvenir of Paris!

For a visit from Monday to Friday, I can´t imagine a Navigo Découverte pass at only 19.15€ (plus 5€ for the card) wouldn´t pay for itself. You´ll need three (for the 2 adults and the 14 year old) but for 7 year old you could possibly get by with multiple groups of 10 tickets - 6.35€

Hi, you can use the card Paris Touriste, you can buy it at metro stations, could be for just Paris or for paris and aeroport area also for versailles, you can choose it for 3 or 5 days, you dont need a photograph.Check it on internet

<i>Hi, you can use the card Paris Touriste,</i>

You probably mean the Paris Visite Pass as there is, to my knowledge, no Paris Touriste. The Paris Visite Pass costs 31.15€ just for 5 days with access to central Paris vs. the Navigo Découverte at 19.15€ plus the one time 5€ charge for the card. Still the complete ND charge of 24.15€ is 7€ cheaper than the Paris Visite for what is effectively the same coverage.

Er,, from the area you are staying in you will be able to walk to alot of sites,, I would just get a few carnets myself. Seventy five euros for the three of you ( not even counting the child) ,, can't imagine you will use more then 6 carnets! Thats 60 one way trips!! A carnet is 12.50 euros.

You can very easily walk to the Orsay, Louvre, Notre Dame, St Chapelle, Conceirge, Shoah Museum, Cluny, Rodin, Orangerie and Invalids .

A few places are a bit further out, so you will likely want metro to Sacre Couer, Eiffel Tower, and if you want to go to the big department stores( Printemps and Galleries Lafayette, which are side by side) .

Still don't see using more then 60 tickets.

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Mybe if it's a first rip to Paris you will want to walk a lot but if you have been numerous times the bus makes life a lot easier and faster!

I have been to Paris many times, and I love to walk,, so I think its up to a person to decide which they prefer sometimes. I can't imagine jumping on a bus, or even the metro if the next site is a 10 minute walk away.

This is our first visit to Paris :) We have someone with walking challenges and cannot walk for long distances.

Below is current tentative plan in Paris

1. Monday (London to Paris)

Take Eurostar to Paris from St Pancreas. (Reach Paris Nord by Noon). Check in hotel in southern part of Latin Quarter near metro station. Visit Les Invalides, Eiffel Tower (Evening/Night) , If possible take boat tour.



2. Tuesday (Paris)

Visit Norte Dame, Sainte Chappelle, Jardin Du Luxembourg, Pantheon, Montmarte & Sacre Coeur Basilica (Evening)



3. Wednesday (Paris)

Visit Opera Garnier Palace, Lourve, Tulleries, Concorde Square, Arc De Triomphe (evening)



4. Thursday (Paris)

Visit Versailles, Orsay



5. Friday (Paris to London)

Leave Paris by Eurostar and reach London by noon

Most of the days we may have dinner on ways. For 2 of these days we may commute for nicer restaurant. Based on our Paris itinerary I don't think we would use more than 60 tickets. Your Thoughts?

Purchasing carnets as you need them will probably be your best bet. Do make sure you have a good supply of tickets when heading for Montmartre should you wish to use the finicular or ride around on Montmartrobus.

Also, make sure everyone knows to hold onto their ticket until the end of the journey.

You would need separate tickets to/from Versailles.

Beware of scheduling a very large museum - Musée d'Orsay - for Thursday evening just because of the later hours. After touring Chateau Versailles, you may not have the energy or enthusiasm for that.