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-   -   Paris Visite Pass (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/paris-visite-pass-690483/)

cutecanuckabroad Mar 23rd, 2007 11:50 AM

Paris Visite Pass
 
Quick question for those who know more.

My spouse and I would like to make a daytrip to Euro Disney and according to the metro map it is in zone 5. If we buy a Paris Visite pass that covers zones 1-8 will our trip here also be covered? I have checked on the RATP website and looked at the RER map I am just unsure if I can acutally use this pass on there.. I know that I saw on the Eurostar website a different fare from central Paris to Euro Disney and now I am terribly confused!

Anyone have any comments on this or know the answer?

Thanks in advance.
Jaz

PalenQ Mar 23rd, 2007 11:54 AM

Even for this very few people will profit from a Paris Visite pass and realize its cost benefits is my belief.

cutecanuckabroad Mar 23rd, 2007 12:02 PM

Good point, and after just checking the actual price to ride the metro I suppose that I would have to ride it around 40 times to even get my monies worth... 7 days, that would have to be at least 5 times a day... you are right doesn't appear to be that good of a deal.

I just thought maybe it would be easier than buying tickets everytime, I know that last time I was in Paris this was a bit of an inconvenience... but I'd rather save my money for the Lafayette Galleries.

THANKS!

amwosu Mar 23rd, 2007 03:15 PM

Paris Visite was designed to screw unsuspecting tourists. Don't buy it.

PalenQ Mar 23rd, 2007 04:39 PM

Investigate the dirt cheap week-long Carte Orange pass... www.ratp.fr but note it's only sold starting for a week period on Monday i believe - could be wrong of the day -- but is so cheap could be a great deal for you - either buy for 8 zones - can probably go to Versailles and EuroDisney or a short zone pass and buy a supplemental ticket for other zones.
Search Carte Orange here for lots of discussion on this absolute bargain transport pass (also good on trams, buses and Montmartre funicular)

bmt1961 Mar 26th, 2007 08:20 AM

I keep reading how the Paris Visite Pass is a rip off, but the math I've done for my particular circumstances it seems like it's going to be the best option for our upcomming trip in April.

We'll be arriving at CDG at approximately 7 a.m. on a Friday morning and departing from CDG on Tuesday afternoon. Our hotel is near the Denfert-Rocheleau station in the 14th and we're planning on taking the RER from the airport and back. During our stay, we're also planning on visiting the Cite des Sciences and Versailles. From my reading of the RER map, all three (CDG, Cite des Sciences and Versailles) are all in zone 5, and would each be 8.5E per direction per trip. So just for those three round trips, we're looking at 51E. A 5-day Paris Visite is 46.6E for zones 1-5, so we've already saved money, and any metro travel we do to and from hotel to the sights (remember our hotel is in the 14th) will be covered as well.

Have I gone wrong somewhere in my math, or have I actually found the one situation where the Paris Visite is the best option?

bmt1961 Mar 26th, 2007 08:57 AM

If I'm wrong, please let me know... I'm just trying to get the best bang for my buck (or Euro as the case may be).

**listens intently for the sound of calculators**

Christina Mar 26th, 2007 09:16 AM

Maybe I missed this, but why on earth would you want to buy a zone 8 pass or ticket of any kind? Disneyland is in zone 5, for example. If a pass covered zones 1 through 8, that would include 5, yes. There are a few cases where the Paris Visite makes sense over some other options, but they are unusual.

I don't know what RER map you are reading, but those three things are not all in zone 5, only CDG is. Versailles is in zone 4, which seems pretty clear on the RER maps I have viewed from the website. The Cite des Sciences is in Paris, it's only in zone 2 or so (Porte de Villette stop).

So you're wrong on that, a regular metro ticket will get you to Cite des Sciences. It isn't an RER stop, but is closer in than the Pantin RER stop on the map in zone 2. Versailles Rive Gauche is clearly in zone 4 on the map, I believe.

PalenQ Mar 26th, 2007 09:25 AM

Do you calculations include the bargain Carte Orange pass available thru ratp - see ratp.fr

bmt1961 Mar 26th, 2007 10:57 AM

I wasn't looking at the Carte Orange because of the days of our travel. We're arriving on a Friday and leaving on a Tuesday. According to what I've read, the Carte Orange goes Monday to Sunday, so I'd have to buy two of them to cover the time we'd be there?

Thanks for the clarification on the locations of the Cite des Sciences and Versailles. I obviously had read the map incorrectly.

So I guess then I've only got the two longish round trips (Zone 5 for CDG and Zone 4 for Versailles). I'll have to recalculate based on that.

One thing I've been having trouble with on the RATP website is calculating fares on the RER for anywhere but to CDG. (And I checked that again, it's 8.1E not 8.5E). How do I calculate individual fares to other locations on the RER? I have used the route finder on the website, but, again except for the section on airport access, it doesn't list the rates for other RER trips. Particularly, I'm trying to work out what the rate from Denfert-Rocheleau to Versailles would be.

It may be on the website, but I don't read french, and the english portion of the website seems to be much more limited than the french version.

Thanks.


Thanks in advance.

amwosu Mar 26th, 2007 06:35 PM

When the Carte Orange doesn't fit my plans I simply buy carnets....packs of 10 tickets. Sorry I can't help you with zone info though. You should try to get the attention of Robespierre on here. He is great with metro info and cheap ways to get around Paris via public transport.

PalenQ Mar 26th, 2007 07:07 PM

I wasn't saying the Paris Visite pass may not be your best option but just that for the typical tourist scenario it's not the best. But your plans are not typical and it may well be the best plan - you've done the research so don't reject the paris visite simply because others say it's a tourist rip-off - for many it is but i don't think so for you.

Travelnut Mar 26th, 2007 07:37 PM

I would expect a r/t ticket to Versailles from Paris to be around 6Euro.
It's difficult to get fares for short-haul trains... www.transilien.com used to be easier to use; you have to remain in the French version and it's very convoluted, in my opinion.


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