You cannot use a metro ticket that you purchase on the Ile de France Mobilites app for a bus ride, even thought's 50 cents cheaper. We found out the hard way when they tried to fine us for not having a bus ticket, even though we showed her our Metro tickets (which we scanned as we entered, but apparently it never went through). Apparently you need to have a ticket specific to the bus.
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2815 posts
What specific ticket did you purchase?
Was the issue that you did not scan the ticket when entering the bus?
Posted by
Chicago
9156 posts
Everything in Paris transport changed Jan 1 2025. Buses/Trams and metro/RER now take different tickets. You can't ride the bus with a metro ticket. Sorry you learned the hard way rather than by reading about it.
Posted by
Panguitch, Utah
2958 posts
which we scanned as we entered, but apparently it never went through
Scanning itself is not a guarantee of ticket acceptance. If you scan an illegal ticket, be it the wrong ticket or a previously used ticket, the ticket reader will buzz, indicating an illegal entry attempt. Métro/RER tickets may not be used on the bus. You have three valid ticket options:
- A TB (tramway/bus) ticket at 2€.
- An old ticket t+, valid until the end of 2025
- Purchase a Ticket d´accès à bord at 2.50€ from the bus driver.
Posted by
Florida (previously California)
4217 posts
I rode bus 86 today. Forgot about the January ticket change and tried to use a metro ticket on my phone. The scanner made a buzzing sound so I and my traveling companion knew it had not worked. The bus driver suggested that I might be trying to ride with a metro ticket. She let me board and told me to buy a ticket on my phone while on the bus, which I did and then I then validated it. It took almost my entire ride for the purchase to go through. I got off the bus one stop after I validated the ticket.
Posted by
Paris
10880 posts
Ugh. This is so annoying. It doesn't affect me because I have a yearly pass, but it is super annoying that you can have a more expensive ticket on your phone and it not be accepted. In my mind, they really messed up when they set this up this way.
I know they did it to save people money on buses and trams, but inevitably you end up with these situations. And think how sick the bus drivers must get of having to explain this repeatedly !!!!!!
Thanks for advising of your experience, the Yadlins and JHK. I am sorry this happened to both of you but the reminder is really useful.
Posted by
Florida (previously California)
4217 posts
The bus driver on May 10th was very kind. She immediately guessed what was wrong and luckily my traveling companion is fluent in French because she spoke very quickly and I had hard time following along with what she was saying. But it all ended well. So no harm, no foul. At least there was a bus: yesterday after waiting 30 minutes for the 86 bus to Nation, I finally realized the manifestation at Bastille was blocking traffic and walked to Place de la Nation.