I have found a website that combines the museum pass and metro pass in one. In addition, it also offers a Seine cruise, one day for the Hop On/Hop Off bus, and a pass to see Explore Paris. I have taken your advice and added up the museums we intend to visit as well as the activities offered and find it comes out about even, maybe a bit more. The cost for 5 days per person is 139E.

My question is this...does this seem worth it or will I find once I have it, it will be overkill and not worth the expense. We will be in Paris seven days and I figured we could use a five day pass for Monday-Friday but I have also booked some walks and a bike tour.

I also think it might be a good idea so we can avoid the lines. But is that a problem in September?

Could use some advice please. As always, thank you, thank you, thank you.

My only reservation would be whether or not you have the stamina to do everything on the pass (and thereby get your money's worth).

Other than that - if the individual pieces adds up to more than the pass, go for it. Even if the pass is a little more, being able to jump the line saves your vacation time, and that's worth something in itself.

Oh, by the way - part of the 139&euro; is a <i>Paris Visite</i> transport pass that sells for 26.65&euro; and is good for five days.

The alternative is a <i>Carte Orange</i> that is good for Monday through Sunday and costs 15.70&euro;

The museums and whatnot are included in a Paris Museum Pass, which comes in 2-, 4-, and 6-day flavors for 30&euro;, 45&euro;, and 60&euro; respectively. If you don't want to see museums on all six days, you could cut down on your outlay correspondingly.

And if you buy all your tickets yourself, you have the option of an all-day Batobus pass for 7&euro; (RATP passholder rate). This is a &quot;water taxi&quot; that stops at many sights up and down the river.

http://www.batobus.com/english

Geeez, I guess I better get the calculator out again and work out my options.

Mom was all for spending the money on the pass so everything was paid for in advance but I worry that we are spending more than we need to as we could purchase everything a la carte as we go and only purchase as we need it.

The only factor weighing in favor of overspending on the pass is the ability to bypass lines. That in itself I find very attractive. Money is not a large factor in the decision however I would hate to just throw it away, if you know what I mean. Weighing out all of the choices and options tends to become overwhelming when planning a trip like this.

Will let you know what happens in the end. Thank you so much for your swift response. Your advice, as always, is invaluable.

I know <u>exactly</u> what you mean. Some people around here have been known to characterize me as a miser because of my damnable insistence on not leaving 15 or 20&euro; on the table for the sake of avoiding a few minutes' physical effort.

The first thing I'd lose off your list is l'Open Tour. You can do it youself on city buses with your transit pass. And a good map, such as this one:

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...aux&amp;fm=pdf

This is why I knew you were the one to ask. It truly is NOT about the money. It is the point of the matter. I don't want to feel as though I was taken advantage of for convenience's sake.

I have seen you recommend the bus before but I think the reason the tour appeals to me is the fact that it is so visible and accesible. In NYC, one can just miss a bus and then be stuck standing there for another 20 mins. Do you really feel the buses and the savings are that great?

And by the way, having slept on the whole idea, I am leaning toward forgoing the whole Paris-Pass.com ticket and just buying the individual passes (Museum, Metro, etc.) Going ot have to do another spreadsheet today. *LOL*

&quot;...I don't want to feel as though I was taken advantage of for convenience's sake...&quot;

Just a thought - there is a price for convenience and that doesn't mean it is unfair.

Travelnut...No, sorry, maybe I said that wrong. I meant that it would seem a shame to WAY overspend for what is not needed. I absolutely agree that to spend extra to avoid lines is worth it. However, these passes will run about $170 pp and I would like to feel as though I was going to use them and not feel like I spent so much simply to avoid lines.

Does that make sense?

It cuts both ways: if you have the pass, you may be tempted to curtail your visit at one place to maximize your return. If you do, however, you may spontaneously drop in somewhere else that you might not have considered in the absence of the pass, because it's &quot;free.&quot;

But unless you drive really hard during the validity period of any pass, you can probably do everything you want to cheaper without it. This is especially true in London, where most museum entry is free anyway (and you can get twofers for many others).

Having said all that, we have done trips to numerous cities where we concentrated on one museum for several days, sometimes returning for multiple visits the same day. So we could visit the Louvre every morning and another musem each afternoon and things like the Arc in the evening, all for 11&euro; a day.

And don't assume that you have to use the pass every day to come out ahead. The 6-day Paris Museum Pass costs 60&euro;. If you can get your money's worth in three or four days, you're already ahead and the rest is gravy.

I wouldn't pay for that all inclusive pass. But I also would not toss out the idea of l'OpenTour. Sure there are city buses. But seeing the sites from inside a regular transit bus is a whole different matter than seeing them from the open top double decker bus on the Tour.

I use buses to get around - but for sightseeing the tour bus is 10000% better. But you do pay for that advantage.

BTW, for some sites w/ long lines - like the D'Orsay, you can simply buy a ticket ahead of time from the ticket kiosk and walk in the same door as those w/ passes.

Well, the whole point of the tour buses (as I understand it) is so you can hop <b>off</b> and <b>on</b> when you get to an interesting sight. What's the point of zooming past the Op&eacute;ra anyway? (Okay, Paris traffic isn't conducive to zooming very often, but you get the point.)

Getting off and on buses does not require a $30 ticket. In fact, for people with a transit pass, the DiY tour is <u>free</u>.

I think many people use jo/jo buses only because they are intimidated by the city bus system - and I do agree that a full map of the entire network is daunting. But getting between the sights is just not that big a deal. A minute's work with a tourist bus map should clarify things sufficiently for most people.

I'm glad you've brought this up since I was wrestling with this question myself.

I've been to Paris more than a dozen times and have always just bought a carnet as needed. However, I rarely used the Metro and never used the bus except to get to Versailles. I loved walking thru Paris.

But, in the last few years, an old back injury has deteriorated and walking for more than 15 minutes or so is very uncomfortable.

I'm going there in a few weeks with a young lady who has never seen the city so just cafe sitting (a favorite activity always) is not in the cards.

We'll be there for 12 days, arriving on a thursday and departing on a tuesday.

I want to be able to hop the bus or get on the metro whenever I feel like it and that will be far more frequently than I have done in the past.

My thought was to buy the Paris Visite the friday after I arrive. that would be good thru the following tuesday. Then Wednesday I'd get individual tickets (16 required RT) to go to Versailles. Then I'd buy another Paris Visite on thurday that would take me thru the end of the trip.

The Carte Orange is a problem because it runs only from monday to sunday. That would leave a total of four days uncovered (three at the beginning and one at the end). The Paris Visite though is much more expensive to cover the period as described.

Any thoughts or suggestions? (Other than not going to Paris with girls half my age).

JanisJ...I definitely agree about the bus. Having done the L'Open Tour during our last visit there is no way I would not do it this vist. I think my mother will love it and I do like the openess of sitting on top of the bus. It is a great opener for a first time visitor to Paris.

Robespierre...Okay, I have listed, added, and calculated my little heart out and this is today's decision.

While I think the all-inclusive is ideal for not having to worry about anything else once purchased, I do feel that it is better and more advantageous to purchase a Museum pass, a Metro Pass, and then the other things separately.

As you say, a 5 day Metro pass is only 26.65E, a 3-day museum pass (they do not list the 5-day on RATP) is only 36E. Adding on the L'Open bus for two days and a 5-day Batobus pass only adds another 44E.

Grand total 96.65E. (I list everything for other's trying to figure out the same thing as I know you are well aware of the prices.)

So again, I thank you for your help. Sometimes having a sounding board makes a decision so much easier.

Rillifane....Aaah, I sympathize. It does get so much harder once we get older. Having just been to Paris last spring I now realize that the idea of walking and running around as I had in the past is so much harder. Last year I overplanned and my husband and I were exhausted.

This year I am taking my mother who is by no means elderly but she is 68. This is the reason I have had to rethink my strategy.

As for you traveling with a younger woman, have fun and try to find a little time for naps. I find they always help resurge the adrenaline. *smile*

Okay, Dejais - but why would you want to buy a 5-day <i>Paris Visite</i> pass when the <i>Carte Orange</i> that covers the same Monday-Friday period (plus 2 more days!) is cheaper?

And a 5-day Batobus is 10&euro; if you have an RATP pass. I don't even see 44&euro; on their price list.

Rillifane, here is how I would optimize your transport:

Thursday: from airport and walking in the hotel neighborhood

Friday through Sunday: <i>carnet</i> or <i>Mobilis</i> (one of those days, go to Versailles on a <i>Forfait Loisir</i> package that includes train fare. Hint: the Water Music Spectacular is on Sunday)

Monday through Sunday: 2-zone <i>Carte Orange</i>

Monday: <i>carnet</i> or <i>Mobilis</i>

Tuesday: to the airport

Total cost (if you buy a <i>Mobilis</i> every day possible): 58.30&euro;

Total cost with two <i>Paris Visite</i> passes: 74.30&euro;

Robespierre...No, the Batobus WITH the L'Open bus (16 + 28). And yes, although I did not post it, the Carte Orange is definitely for us since we will need it Mon-Fri.

Batobus WITH the L'Open bus (<b><font color="BLUE">10</font></b> + 28)

This thread answered a lot of my questions and I wanted to say thank you to all.