Can anyone tell me how to use the metro to get to Versailles? I will be using either carnets during my vacation or carte orange. Not sure yet. <BR> <BR>The nearest metro to me will be "Republique". <BR> <BR>I believe I have to pay extra to get to Versailles. Do I just go to the metro station & tell them I want a ticket to Versailles? <BR> <BR>I appreciate your help. <BR> <BR>Bob

Hi. Bob. I used the Metro and the RER last year to get to Versailles Rive Gauche for my visit to the Chateau. Striclty speaking, the Metro does not go to Versailles, so you must either take an RER C5 train or go to Gare St. Lazare or Gare Montparnasse and take a local train operated by the SNCF. <BR> <BR>Your Metro ticket is NOT valid outside of Paris. So as you so correctly stated, you must pay extra to go all the way to Versailles. <BR> <BR>In your position I would take the RER, Line C5. It runs from Gare d'Austerlitz via St. Michael - Notre Dame and Invalides, and other stops, to Versailles Rive Gauche. <BR> <BR>From the Republique Metro station, I think the easiest way to get to Versailles is to take the metro, Line 8, in the direction of Balard, to Invalides. There you can interchange with the RER line C and take the train to Versailles Rive Gauche. Before going through the RER gate, you should purchase a RER ticket to and from Versailles Rive Gauche. <BR>Alternatively, from Republique, you could take the Metro to Gare D'Austerlitz and board the RER train there. It is about 6 of one and half a dozen of another. <BR> <BR>I got the RER at Invalides last year and found the right train platform with no problem. But, be prepared for a hike to get from the Metro lines to the RER lines. <BR> <BR>The Versailles Rive Gauche station is within 700 yards of the entrance to the Chateau itself. Just follow the mob. Also, look for RER trains the names of which start with a V, like Victor.

Bob, the metro does NOT go to Versailles. You cannot use metro tickets (carnets or individual) or a metro pass. You must buy an RER ticket for Versailles; it is line C that you take. If you use a metro ticket, when you get to Versailles and put the ticket in the exit machine, the doors will not open and the security guy will come over, look at your ticket, and give you a lecture. You could end up paying a fine for this. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Bob, in most Metro stations you'll find automated ticket machines which are VERY easy to use. Simply use your credit card to purchase your RER ticket to Versailles Rive Gauche.

If you take the RER to Versailles, definitely take the above advice and ride the C line, and the Rive Gauche train. One extra word of advice, there are several different trains that run on the RER C line and not all of them are Rive Gauche. The morning we went to Versailles we ended up getting at the chateau a little later than anticipated because we had to wait to get on the correct train.

You can use a transportation pass to go to Versailles and on the RER as long as you buy one for the correct zones. Passes are not designated as "metro" passes or "RER" passes, whether you are talking about a carte orange or a Mobilis one-day ticket or the tourist pass Paris Visite. All of these passes are designated by zones, and as long as you buy one including zone 4, you can use it to go to Versailles. Any of these passes are valid on both the RER and the metro, it's just a matter of the zones you purchase; a single "metro" ticket is for zones 1-2 only, it says so on it if you look carefully, which is why it can't be used to go to Versailles as Versailles is in zone 4. I have used Carte Orange or Mobilis passes all the time on the RER, including going to Versailles and other places outside of central Paris like St-Germain-en-Laye. The only exception to this I have heard from someone is that you cannot use a Mobilis pass to go into CDG airport in zone 5, but you can Carte Orange (that's another example, people use a 5 zone Carte Orange pass all the time on the RER to CDG airport)--I haven't verified this to be sure (and RATP's website claims you can use Mobilis at the airports, but I was told it had something to do with CDG airport actually owning part of the RER stop there, or something. So, don't worry, if you buy a Carte Orange pass and want it for Versailles, just make sure you buy four zones. If that's your only trip beyond zone 2, it may not be worth it, however. The new RER D1 line even goes to Chantilly now, beyond St-Denis, but I'm not sure of that zone number. I'm not sure in all this anybody really answered your simple question, but yes, if you buy a single ticket just tell the guy at the ticket booth you want a RT RER ticket to Versailles and you'll get one for the right amount. It is probably about 40F RT, not sure.