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We'll be in Paris for over a week in February and I'm planning on buying a Carte Orange ticket for zones 1-2. We'll also be doing a couple of trips on the RER past these zones. Do we have to buy a whole new ticket for a trip to St. Germain-en-Laye or is there a way to just supplement our zone 1-2 tickets?

Thanks so much.

Trudaine

You can't just "supplement" your zone 1-2 carte orange. You'll have to buy specific tickets to Saint-Germain-en-Laye and all other destinations outside zones 1-2, such as Versailles.

There are passes covering more than those two zones, but they are economical only for people who travel extensively, such as commmuters, which as I understand it, is not your case.

If you are not used to the RER, pay attention to the fact that outside Paris, RER lines "branch off", unlike the metro in Paris, even if they have a "common stretch" within the city.

Therefore, when you wait for your RER to StGermain or any station of the RER "A" line, make sure it is the destination of the incoming train (station served down the line are indicated on the overhead boards on the platforms. Each train is designated by an acronym). Timestables are available on www.transilien.com

sandypaws3

It looks like you'd have to purchase a Zone 1-5 Carte Orange instead of Zone 1-2, but that would cost around 15 euros more. You could either purchase a Mobilis pass for Zones 1-5 for less than 13 euros, in addition to your Zone 1-2 Carte Orange, or just buy an RER ticket for St. Germain-en-Laye, as well as your Zone 1-2 Carte Orange. I'm not sure how much the RER ticket would cost. If it were me, I'd probably spend the extra 15 euros on the Zone 1-5 Carte Orange, even if it's a little more, just for the convenience of only having to deal with one ticket. Then, if you wanted to go to Versailles in Zone 4, you could do that too.

Check out this page on the RATP website:
http://www.ratp.info/orienter/cv/carterer.php

Also, check out Titres de Transport, and click on Tarifs to compare prices:
www.ratp.com

Sandy

nbujic

Also, make sure you keep your tickets
so you can exit at St.G.
It is a wonderful spot , only 20 min. from the Opera.
We visied several years ago and had a really lovely afternoon there.

Robespierre

Sometimes you can save a Euro or two by riding to the furthest station in Zone 2 and buying your fare from there (such as Issy on the way to Versailles). This isn't always possible, such as on the A line, that doesn't stop in Zone 2.

But if you're planning to venture into Zone 4 very much, I second the recommendation that you look into a 4-zone Carte Orange for €10,30 more than a 2-zone. You don't need a 5-zone unless you're going to CDG or Disneyland.

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Thanks so much. I've always wondered if we could supplement our zone 1-2 ticket, and appreciate the answer to that question!

Thanks Sandy for telling me how to check the fare.

We will be going to the airport on Sunday of the week we have our Carte Orange, the last day it'll be valid, so maybe it is worth buying a zone 1-5.

I'm also considering a trip to Moret-Sur-Loing, but that's zone 7 so it'll be a seperate ticket.

Are St.Germain-en-Laye and Moret-sur-Loing worth visiting in February?

We also have a day trip to Lyon planned, and already have our TGV tickets for that.

Thanks for helping me figure this out before we leave.

Christina

I didn't even know Moret-sur-Loing was in a zone as you have to take a regular train there. ANyway, no, I wouldn't go there in February as I think of it as more nature/outdoors/scenery oriented. It is a lovely spot to visit in nice weather with willow trees and mill on the river.

It depends why you are going to St-Germain-en-Laye, I suppose, but I would think it worthwhile in February, as there are things to see indoors there (like the museums). The gardens there won't be so nice then, of course, but that's true anywhere in February. It is real easy to get there by RER, though, a lot easier than Moret-sur-Loing. At Moret-sur-Loing, it is more of a walk from the train station, at least a 1 to 1.5 miles, to things of interest, although I suppose you can find a taxi if you don't want to walk. I visited in the summer and like to walk, so did, but I didn't see any taxis at the station, anyway.

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Thanks Christina. That's what I needed to know. We've been to Paris many, many times, so I'm looking for a couple of day trips, but don't want to waste my time going somewhere that's not worthy of a winter visit!

kerouac

If you wanted to save a tiny bit of money on going to Saint Germain-en-Laye, you can take metro line 1 to La Défense for no supplement (if you take the RER to La Défense, it costs extra). Then you can buy your ticket to Saint Germain-en-Laye for the RER once you are at La Défense. You might also want to visit the Grande Arche and one of the largest shopping malls in Europe while you are there.

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We've never gone up the Grand Arche, but have wandered around outside. Is the trip up good? I've also noticed all the shops, but haven't gone inside. I didn't realize it was such a large mall. Thanks for the tip.

kerouac

1. The Grande Arche has an interesting view but nothing to absolutely rave about if you have been up the Eiffel Tower, on top of the Arc de Triomphe or on the steps of Sacré Coeur.
2. The Quatre Temps shopping mall (+ the FNAC and other stores inside the CNAC) is of a truly impressive size, if you plan to do some shopping. Quatre Temps was the largest shopping mall in Europe for a number of years. I'm not sure what the largest one is now, but La Part Dieu in Lyon, Euralille in Lille and Cité Europe at the Eurotunnel must be major competitors. My own favorite shopping mall in Europe is Cité Europe.

Christina

I just went to La Defense for the first time last year, I think. I actually liked it, and the shopping mall there was better than any in Paris, I thought (better than any mall in Paris, like Les Halles or Montparnasse). The arch was cool, as well as the view all the way to around the Arc de Triomphe.

Christina

oh, images, I was just thinking -- if you are looking for something different, you migth consider going to the Chateau de Malmaison which was Napoleon and espec. Josephine's residence for a while. It's right on the RER line to Reuil and doesn't take too long. I hadn't gone there for years as I'd heard it wasn't much to see, but finally went last year and really enjoyed it a lot. They have a lot of original furnishings and clothing/artifacts, and the house is nice to see. It's also much smaller and more intimate than many of those large chateaux. It's open in Feb
http://www.chateau-malmaison.fr/

That is actually how I happened to be at La Defense, as you go through there to get to/from it. I took the RER out all the way, but coming back just took a bus all the way from near the chateau to La Defense, and then hung around there a while. The chateau isn't right near the RER station, actually, it's several miles away, but it was real easy to get a taxi right at the RER station to take you to the chateau for only about five euro. Coming back, the chateau is right on a main route where the bus goes all the way back to Paris.

kerouac

Just about any shopping mall in the suburbs is better than the shopping malls in Paris, if only due to real estate prices. Anyone who has a chance to do so (if they like shopping malls), should visit Val d'Europe, Quatre Temps, Vélizy 2, Parly 2, Créteil Soleil, Carré Senart, Belle Epine or any number of other places.

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Thanks so much Christina. I'll look into this. I haven't heard of it at all, so it's great to get a new idea!

kerouac, We'll be daytripping to Lyon on this trip but I doubt that we'll spend any time at La Part Dieu shopping mall, but just in case, now we know! Do you have a favorite lunch spot there?