Getting around in Paris

Use the search/magnifier in this forum for "Metro Card for Short Stay" There was a lot of helpful info, and someone even attached a youtube link to show you how to buy what is suggested. It was all helpful info for us. Not sure if I can attach the conversation here, but again, the topic is Metro Card for Short Stay.

The conversation is current from two months ago, and the conversation discouraged the purchase of the Paris Visite Pass because of the cost, and gave better option suggestions.

Sorry in advance that my reply is a question. My husband and I will be in Paris June 3 and 4 and plan to use metro. Using the Bonjar RATP app. Some of the lines are marked with a red X Closed. What does that mean? Also want to know if pedestrians can walk from Trocadero Square via the bridge to the Eiffel Tower?

travison, It looked like you could walk across from Trocadero on April 12 when we arrived, however, once you get to the Eiffel Tower side it's all fenced for security and on the day we arrived parts of Champs de Mars was starting to undergo closures to get ready for the Olympics and I know the entire Champ- de- Mars gardens is supposed to be totally closed off by June 3. So honestly it sounds like your best viewing point is from the Trocadero side of the bridge. Closure of Avenue des Nations-Unies to traffic and pedestrians isn't until June 10. Closure of Trocadero gardens isn't until July 1.

We have booked a tour around noon on June 4th for the eiffel tower. trying to decide how to get there

Hopefully, someone with more current info will chime in, but I'd just keep checking the Eiffel Tower website because they'll keep updated information as it changes as it gets closer to the time for the Olympics.

@ Exploratina, when are you traveling? Exact dates will be useful. Will you be staying in Zone 4? Asking in case the Paris Pass could be an option. See https://parisbytrain.com/navigo-day-pass/. The site is a great source for information on the various passes available. Navigo Jour or the Navigo Weekly might work for you depending on exactly when you will be in Paris. Neither is available between July 20 and September 8 and instead the RATP is offering a special Paris Pass.

There is no transport pass called the 'Paris Pass' and the commercial product of that name just gives you the Paris Visite which is already at inflated cost, at even more inflated cost.

Olympic pricing and products are different and if your visit falls in the period when Olympic pricing is in effect then you need to see what products you have available.

If in Zone 4 and the dates don't fit the Navigo Decouverte then the metro is of no use. You will need the RER. You will need either the Paris Visite or day passes for the period.

There is a Paris 2024 Pass (from 20 July to 8 September) which for a one week version is 70 Euros, and covers all 5 zones.

That seems to be better value than the 5 day Paris Visite all days all zones at 76.25

My husband and I will be in Paris June 3 and 4 and plan to use metro. Using the Bonjar RATP app. Some of the lines are marked with a red X Closed. What does that mean?

Travison: Some stations and a portion of line 7 are closing for the pre-Olympics period and the Olympics, and some lines close for several days a week while they finish up construction that will, for example, extend line 14 to Orly airport.

Luckily for you the only Olympics-related closure that will be closed when you are there is the line 12 stop in the Concorde station (it closes May 17).

Line 14 is closed all day right now and May 25 and 26, and closes at 10 pm in the evening on Mondays through Thursdays. Obviously if they don’t get the work done, they will have to continue closing it on days that they hadn’t planned, but I haven’t seen anything about that.

Line 4 has some Sunday morning closures, but the next ones are May 26 and June 23, so that doesn’t affect you.

There are then a few other stations that close as of June 17, but you don’t have to worry about those as you won’t be here then.

If you need to understand the French in an app or on a map, you can either take a photo of it or a screenshot, and then open it in the camera function of Google Translate, which will give you a translation of what is written on the page.

They are building venues all the way down from Trocadero to the bridge. There may be some pedestrian way to skirt it, but it might be terribly frustrating trying to find your way around. I would go to a metro station closer to the Eiffel Tower, on the correct side of the river.

I was referring to the Paris 2024 Pass and the link that I provided takes one to information on that pass. Sorry for not including “2024” to make it clear.

Hi all, just to get back to initial question...I'll be there, staying in the boulogne zone (looks to be zone 4 or 5), From July 5-12. The Visite Pass really does seem overly priced, but when I check google maps, it seems I can get to where I am staying and back via metro still. Does anyone know if the "Paris Pass" can be purchased for use before the olympics? I thought I had read that it was for July 20th onward to something. If it makes the most sense, I could purchase daily passes? Has anyone tried that? As for Navigo passes, it seems you need to apply, and take a photo etc....as it is for locals.

If you are asking about the Paris Pass that I referred to, it is only available between July 20 and September 8. Day passes and weekly Navigo passes are available for the time you will be there. There is no application process for a weekly pass. It is definitely available for visitors. If you click on the link that I provided, you will find instructions on how and where to purchase day passes. Here are the instructions for weekly passes: https://parisbytrain.com/paris-train-metro-week-pass-navigo-decouverte/. The weekly pass may not work for you because you will be able to use it starting on July 8. A weekly or daily pass effectiveness will really depend on how much you plan to ride the metro and if there is in fact metro service near your accommodations. If there is metro service near you, then get a Navigo Easy that you load t+1 tickets on to and a point to point ticket for the trip from the airport.

Do you mean that Boulogne-Billancourt is where you are staying? If so, I think that is Zone 2 but, in any event, zones do not matter for purposes of using the metro.

Hi JHK, That is the stop, and you are right! I was out to lunch...finally found a current map and it is Zone! Savings! :) I think the weekly pass or some combination of daily passes (if the Découverte is possible) will work, as I need 6 zone 1-3 all day passes, and then 1 zone 1-5 pass for versaille, and then just a metro ticket to get to Gare to Nord when leaving on the final morning. I watched the video posted above, and I think purchasing a series of individual day passes for the zones needed would work best, as the one week pass would only work for Sunday to Monday, and I only need a 5 zone for one day. Does this sound right? Grateful for the feedback and glad to be working this out now, rather then when I arrive!!!

You just buy tickets for Versailles-Chateau Rive Gauche for each way at 4.15 EUR each. Good from anywhere in Paris.

Yeah, no need for passes for the trip from CDG or for the trip to Versailles. Just buy point to point to point tickets for those days. For your trips into Paris from where you are staying, if you are riding on the Metro, a Navigo Easy loaded with t+1 tickets will work for you. If you are riding the metro, there is no need to be concerned about zones. A t+1 ticket is good on the metro regardless of which zones you are are traveling through or in. You are not starting from Paris so it is possible that your ticket to Versailles might not cost 4.15€. There is a route from Boulogne-Brillancourt to Versailles that does not even use the RER C. You would take a bus from Pont de Sevres which is a stop on Metro Line 9. I took this route once during a period when I was in Paris and the RER was not operating because of a strike on the day that I had to go to Versailles.

Interesting, about the metro tickets. I have been checking route times as I plan my activities...and I'm seing a mix of RER and Metro mostly. Considering that I will be able to buy a Discovery pass afterall, and get decent use of it for 5 days, and can just tack on a couple of smaller day passes and a full zone pass on airport/arrival day, it will end up being decent. When I consider that resorting to a taxi would cost nearly as much in one shot relative to the full week...it seems reasonable! Now the challenge of trying to decide what to do on what day...especially on jetlag day when I arrive in the morning. I'm ever so hopeful for sleep...but we'll see...I have read on other posts it's best to get outside and walk...and so I think I'll aim for something like that...possibly a museum and then the rest might be spent chasing espresso.

Keep in mind that you won't be able to start using Navigo Découverte Semaine until Monday the 8th (the Navigo Découverte Semaine runs Monday through Sunday).

So if you decide to get it for July 8-12, you will still need something -- either daily passes or just single tickets -- for July 5-7.

(It seems like you have already figured this out but just writing this so anyone who reads this later will understand.)