Does anybody know who qualifies as "reduced" admission? Senior citizen? We are a family of 4 (17 & 19 yr olds )from the US traveling to Paris. Would the 19 yr old qualifies as "reduced" or would she have to pay the full adult rate? Since we're not from an EU country, she doesn't qualify as free.
I know that the 17 yr old can get into most museums for free. Can I bring a copy of her passport as proof of age or do I need to show the physical passport?
My advice is for each person to carry his or her own passport, in the most secure place you have, which might even be a money belt, although I carry mine elsewhere when I expect to show it. Then, you're fully and officially identified for any museum that wants to see it, policeman who decides you are acting suspicious, emergency admission to a hospital, or last-minute trip on the Eurostar to London. You can find plenty of discussion (and divergent opinions) of passport carrying on this Forum.
I would not expect any museum discounts for youths aged 19-25, nor for seniors aged 60+. For the Louvre, for instance, see http://www.louvre.fr/en/hours-admission/admission#tabs.
Generally speaking Americans don't qualify for reduced admissions in Europe. Kids are free for entry at most museums. A private museum might give senior rates to AMericans.Otherwise no senior entries. (Spain is an exception) . The reduced admissions noted on sites are for unemployed (with papers and European), handicapped individuals and similar. People who can afford international travel should probably plan to pay entries to support the things that drew them to these places rather than expecting benefits supported by local taxpayers.
There are senior rates Americans can use on regional trains; they have restricted times of travel,so it is important not to travel during commuter hours or popular weekend times e.g.Sunday evening. There are not senior rates for tourists on the metro or similar local transport. There are also no Navigo Decouverte for children. Locals have official student passes. Tourists have to either buy the Visite or the adult ND.
I think it is foolish to carry the passport about when touring; I had business at the American Embassy in Paris on our last trip and was surrounded in the waiting room by frantic tourists who had missed flights or were having their trip interrupted while they replaced lost passports. The copy almost always suffices unless it is an official transaction (e.g. bank, phone purchase) Police do not stomp around demanding papers. If they were needed, they could be retrieved from the hotel safe. Just another two cents. Do what makes you feel most secure.
I've always been able to use my driver's license for proof of age. I don't remember coming across any sights that have discounts for seniors. Many sights are free for 18-25 but limited to EU residents.
When I traveled with young children in tow. I'd always ask for a reduced admission. Sometimes I'd get a discount, sometimes not. It really depends on where you go. In Germany, reduced admissions seemed to be no big deal. In Italy, when I'd ask for a reducione, I'd sometimes get a snippy response that reductions were only for EU citizens - because we don't give them discounts (which as far as I know isn't true). I didn't argue, just asked regularly and paid what they asked.
Both kids might do well to bring their student ID's. There are lots of student discounts but most require evidence (I think it's only occasionally that places ask for a specific "international student ID").
Italy until recently did not accord senior or child admissions to Americans arguing that no reciprocity existed which of course is not true. Italians can make use of these discounts at any AMerican museum -- apparently there is no international treaty probably compounded by the fact that there are 50 states with differing rules in the US. It used to annoy me when I was paying full adult fare for my child and my mother -- but on second thought, Italy is a poor state and the cost of keeping these museums that we are so anxious to see is enormous. If I can afford to go to Italy I can certainly afford to pay admission to help support these sites. And the entry fees are low compared to entries to third rate American museums (or first rate ones for that matter)
In Paris kids are free most museums and unless they are older teens who might look like they are 18 or over won't be asked to show proof of age. Carrying a copy of the passport is prudent however.
We just returned from a trip that included Italy, Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia. Every place that offered a senior discount gave it to us. In fact, the helpful TI agent in Vienna pointed out that it was more advantageous for us to get the senior discounts and buy 3-day transit passes than to buy the Vienna Cards. In the past, it was true that senior discounts in EU countries were only for EU citizens. Evidently, it's no longer the case. I'd have the kids carry their students id's. Many places offer free or reduced admission rates to students.
The question was about Paris. I don't know any 60+ discounts there for them, they do not live in France. Does anyone have concrete examples?
I spent a month in Paris in 2012 and I don't remember any senior discounts for non-EU citizens. The only thing in France that I remember getting a senior discount on was the TGV tickets for certain train rides.
