Check out this: http://www.ratp.fr/actualites/une/2717.shtml .

Yes i read that. The paper ticket remains available and if I was a betting man I would suspect it will remain so for the rest of this year and perhaps even some of next year.

That's great news.

I've been waiting for the Navigo to come available to replace the Carte Orange.

I've been watching people use the Navigo for the last couple of years. It is a real improvement. I have seen people even have it read through a purse or a wallet, ie, you don't even have to get it out, nothing to run through the old ticket reader.

We will be in France for a month this summer, I will see if I can get one and report back to this thread.

A bientôt,

RJS

RJS, right now you have to fill out a form and it is mailed to you within 3 weeks.

First post in almost a year...

Current news on the Passe Navigo:
Currently 128,500 people are using the Carte Orange with the Navigo smartcard, as of January 2006.

Available for the monthly and weekly Carte Orange passes in zones 1 and 2.

To get the Passe Navigo, you have to fill out a form and send it to the RATP. You can get the form at any station in zones 1 and 2.

http://www.ratp.fr/corpo/service/navigo.html

I finally got my hands on a form and am going to use my friends address in Paris so I can give the Carte Orange weekly pass a shot with the new Navigo. I strongly doubt my old Carte Imagine "R" will be able to be "recharged" with a Carte Orange Hebdomadaire (weekly).

So I'm interpreting that the Navigo is even less 'tourist-friendly' than the Carte Orange/coupon jaune pass..
You must provide an address in France on the form? So.. they mail the Navigo to that address? or what..?

Its still not tourist friendy because it is not intended for tourist use. At some point it will be and they will have a procedure for tourists at that time.

This discussion is not necessary for tourists, as the gradual introduction of the Navigo cards affects only long-term users of the system, and all the traditional multiple-use ticketing options remain available for tourists and anyone else who wishes to use them. These traditional options will likely remain available indefinitely.

----These traditional options will likely remain available indefinitely.---

Actually the plan is to do away with paper tickets completely. When that will happen is anybodys guess but when it does they will have a system in place for tourists.

Based on the RATP's past performance, I fear the &quot;system in place for tourists&quot; will be some variant of the <i>Paris Visite</i> that has been electronificated.

Otherwise, what's the point of requiring application for, and delivery of, the Navigo by mail? They could easily sell them in M&eacute;tro stations the way Transport for London sells Oysters.

May 22, 2006 the CO goes away for residents to be fully replaced by the navigo system. However, the paper Carte Orange will remain in place for tourists until sometime in 2007 to allow them time to create an alternate solution for tourists.

http://www.lexpress.fr/info/quotidien/actu.asp?id=3728

I am sure the CO doesnt really go away for locals but I suspect they will be encouraged to move to the Navigo system.

So the Navigo now works out to zone 8? If not, how can it replace the CO (which covers every zone)?

It is my understanding that it does. I know it works out to 5 but it would be only logical that it works out to 8

The last time I asked, they were only selling Navigo replacements for CO out to zone 2 or 3, although they were supposed to do all zones &quot;sometime in 2006.&quot; But I haven't seen any announcements.

I'm still debating whether to switch to Navigo. If the tendency of society were less towards a police state, I might just go for it, but these days I'm wary.

I can confirm its all 8 zones. Stated in a press release here:

http://www.stp-paris.fr/

Thanks for the pointer; that is good news. Looks very recent (the signs in the stations still say only up to zone 2). Apparently they won't start delivering these until May 20, but that will still allow me to consider a Navigo for next month.