My family of 6 people (2 adults, 1 senior & 3 young children) will be in Paris for 3 days this summer. What is the best & most economical type of tickets we should purchase for public transportation. We will probably be using public transport about 10 times during our stay. Thank you for any help you can give me with this question.
Posted by
San Diego, California, USA
1473 posts
If you are talking about local transport within Paris itself all the Metro and RER trains use the same electronic ticketing system now.
You can either buy a Navigo card and charge it with as many trips as you would like or you can do the same thing on a smart phone for free.
https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/en/titres-et-tarifs/supports
People report the phones well but can be fiddly. Whether you want to save the small cost of the Navigo passes if everyone has a phone is up to you. I would get the passes for the peace of mind in not leaving someone behind at a metro turnstile.
You can check and recharge cards at purple machines in the Metro. You can check for remaining charges and buy additional tickets in a pass from your smart phone as well. Bus tickets are less expensive and can be purchased separately. Metro RER tickets are 2.50e.
Edit: This is using the Bonjour RATP app which you will want.
Currently in Paris and the system works great,
=Tod
Posted by
Chicago
9078 posts
A carnet is 10 of the same ticket; the Paris metro and RER once sold tickets at a substantial discount if you bought 10. Individual tickets are mostly phased out now -- you load them on a Navigo Easy and the 'carnet' no longer exists. There are no discounts for buying multiples of 10 tickets.
Everything you read in a guidebook or if you google about transport in Paris will be wrong because everything changed Jan 1 of this year. for your group get everyone over age 3 a Navigo Easy card and put some metro/RER tickets on each one. You can reload if you misguess. The adults and children 10 and over will pay 2.50 per metro ticket (bus tickets are 2 euro and if you ride the bus you need the separate ticket). Children between 4 and 9 pay half price. Those under 4 ride free.
Posted by
Boston
287 posts
The “Navigo card” that hiredman references is the Navigo Easy, not to be confused with the Navigo Decouverte. Follow Janettravels advice.
Posted by
OP
new orleans
250 posts
This is all incredibly helpful. Thank you SO much!
Posted by
San Diego, California, USA
1473 posts
This video helpful and updated. They are an American couple living in Paris and they make videos about the city.
https://youtu.be/bmPVqZoCydk?feature=shared
The Bonjour RATP app is pretty helpful but I followed the advice to get Citymapper app and it is great. I’m not sure I ever would have found the RER station tucked under the bridge without its curly-cue walking instructions.
Enjoy Paris,
Tod
Posted by
Upstate NY, USA
986 posts
parisbytrain.com is another resource.