Metro passes

Have you been to http://www.ratp.fr yet ? You should find your answer there. I am not sure but basically I’d say that Paris Visite is for tourists, and Carte Orange is for professionals living in the Paris area. Paris Visite can be bought for a day, Carte Orange cannot, I think the minimum is one week. Carte Orange requires a photo, Paris Visite doesn’t, and half or Carte Orange is supposed to be refunded by your employer on the montly paycheck, which isn’t the case for Paris Visite of course.

For short trips and visits, there’s also a thing called Mobilis, which is what I used to get. Don’t really know the difference between Paris Visite and Mobilis, but I learned once that Paris Visite will take you to the airport, and Mobilis won’t.

Keep in mind that the RATP fares work with zones : Paris downtown is zone 1, immediate outskirts and suburbs are zone 2 or 3, further suburbs are zone 4, 5 or 6. This will determine the price, more than the carte you chose itself. If you’re a tourist staying in Paris and visiting Paris only, then I suggest a zone 1 carte.

CRC

Tommy: A 3 day 3 zone (not to the airport) costs about $46 or so plus some postage. Its good for as many times as you want to use it – both the Metro and the buses. (My wife and I prefer the buses because you can see whats going by.) An alternative is to buy a "carnet" of 10 cardboard tokens for about 10 euro at most any Metro station. That good for 10 Metro or bus rides. If its your first time in Paris you will probably be doing a lot of scurrying around so the pass might be the best idea. If you don’t plan on scurrying that much, the carnet of ten might work out better – especially if some of crc95’s compatriots are out on a "greive" – or strike. Donerail

Hi. CRC95 made the best suggestion. Check the Metro web site, see what they have and make your decision from there. http://www.ratp.info/informer/anglais/index.php is the site in English. (They do not have the information on the Carte Orange or Mobilis on the English section. For that you have to go to http://www.ratp.fr and read it in French.)

Paris is very walkable and you will probably want to spend most of your time in zones 1 and 2 since that is where the major tourist sights are. A single ticket is 1.40 euros; a carnet of 10 tickets is 10.50 euros but is very convenient because you have your tickets and don’t have to stop and purchase a ticket every time you want to take the Metro. When we go for a week, the two of us have rarely used an entire carnet. It’s so pretty that you want to walk! I recommend the carnet.

That said, the Paris Viste pass requires NO PHOTO and is available for either 1, 2, 3 or 5 days. If you buy a PV pass for zones 1-2, it is 8.35 euros for one day, 13.70 euros for 2 days, 18.25 euros for three days and 26.65 euros for five days. The days you use it must be consecutive so don’t plan to get a three day pass and use it on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. (The carnet tickets may be used any time you like.)

The Carte Orange REQUIRES A PHOTO and you can only use it Monday through Sunday. If you buy it on a Wednesday, you lose two days. If you need it the following Monday and Tuesday, you must buy another Carte Orange. Be sure you figure in the cost of the photo when you compare your prices. The Carte Orange is 15.40 euros for zones 1 and 2.

The Mobilis pass is one day only and for zones 1-2 costs 5.30 euros. I don’t know if you need a photo or not.

If you decide to purchase only for zones 1-2 (recommended) and you wish to go to Versailles, simply purchase a separate RER ticket to Versailles. You won’t go more than once per trip unless you have a special interest so why pay for all those zones when you are not using them.

One thing you probably do want to purchase (at most Metro stations) is the Paris Museum and Monuments Pass. It is 18 euros for one day, 36 euros for 2 days and 54 euros for 5 days. This enables you to walk past the waiting lines at the major museums. You just walk past the line, show your pass and you are in the door. This is particularly nice when it’s raining!!!! You can use it at 74 museums and monuments in Paris.

Hope this is some help and I really hope you enjoy your trip.

I agree with Sal. You will spend the majority of your time walking the streets because it is so easy and so much fun! Just be sure you have very very comfortable shoes!! On a recent trip, I had blisters everywhere by the second day, and I had merrels on!

Anyhow, the Carnet is easy, but I would try to plan a rough itinerary first so you know if it would be easier to just walk most places (which is most likely) or use the Metro. I tended to use the Metro only to go to Sacre Coeur and other far away places and walked the rest of the time. However, I also stayed in a hotel in the Bastille area, which is super convenient and basically centrally located, so I didn’t need to take the Metro hardly at all.

Also, I love to eat my face off when I’m in Paris, so the walks do me good!

As for purchasing tickets including airport transportation: If you are going to and from CDG, I recommend just buying a ticket when you are going to and from the airport. It’s just annoying to figure all of that stuff out before you really need it! Also, if you miss the train or have some other emergency that requires you to take a cab to the airport, you could have saved money (and time figuring it all out) by just buying tickets as you need them. I took the train to and from CDG last time, and it was super easy.

I strongly recommend walking as much as possible: you find great little restaurants that you would have never known about (same for shopping!), and it gives you a chance to appreciate day-to-day life in Paris.

Bon Voyage! (Je suis tres jalouse!! I hope that’s right… my french is a little rusty!)

HG15

Hi. I’m headed to Paris in 10 days for a week, and was re-reading some of these messages. Does the Museum pass include Versailles? There are 5 of us going, 1 of us is French, so he’s our unofficial "guide" for the trip. I’m more of a museum person than the rest of the group, so I’ll be going to more museums than they. I’m trying to figure out if I want a 5 day pass, or a 3 day and a couple of 1 days, since the clock starts on the first day you use it. Thanks
Dana

Sorry correction I’m going in one week, and will be there for 10 days. Duh
Dana

Dana: The Museum Pass includes Versailles. Personally, I would take the 3 pass if this is your first trip to Paris. One day isn’t enough. And your legs would fall off with the 5 day pass. It is such a gorgeous city that you will be returning again anyway. Donerail

Thanks for the info donerail. This isn’t my first trip to Paris, but it might as well be. Its been over 20 years. I’m arriving on a Monday and the others arrive on Wednesday, and our plan is to hit Versailles on Sunday. I’m going 2 days early because I’m a musician and thought it was silly not to be there for the Fete de la Musique.
Thanks for the help. Knowing the museum pass includes Versailles makes a difference. Dana