Île de France Mobilities app

This is the app we've used for years, and it's fully functional in the US. We've set up our accounts and often buy our metro passes on our phones before we leave the US and switch to eSIMs. We have Samsung phones and Verizon is our provider.

Thanks! I’ll give it a try Monday

Thanks for your help

I'm also having trouble with the IDF Mobilites app; it blocked me when I tried creating an account. My goal is to buy a weekly Navigo Pass without having to bother with a paper pass. Is there a way to buy a weekly Navigo Pass to be used only on my cell phone? (I tried to do so through the SNCF Connect app, but it said I needed to create an account on the IDF Mobilities app.) Thanks.

Hi, there's an easier way than using the dedicated apps. In Apple Wallet (there is a comparable procedure in Google Wallet but you may need to look it up), tap the + sign in the upper right corner, select Transit Card on the next screen, then scroll down to France and select Navigo. Tap that and follow the steps, and now you have a virtual Navigo card in your wallet. You can add metro tickets, bus tickets, airport tickets and/or various passes to this virtual card using Apple Pay. To pay your fare, simply tap your phone on the reader at the gate/turnstile.

Thanks very much. I think Bonjour RATP will also work but your method sounds easy!

Unfortunately Google Wallet does not have the ability to add Paris transit passes.

Purchasing a Navigo Weekly Pass without a physical Navigo card on Bonjour RATP requires an Ile de France Mobilites account, which I am not able to create.

It seems that you cannot create an IDF Mobilities account with a US # now. As the OP feared, you need a non-US IP address and phone number to register. The IDF site lists current valid countries. https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/aide-et-contacts/iledefrance-mobilites-connect/comment-creer-mon-compte

I've read that it is not a problem to use a US phone once you actually get past the "create an id" step. (On another site someone noted that their Paris hotel concierge allowed them to use his cell# for the setup process). It is probably possible from the US to to get a French cell# for the one-time SMS validation and to use VPN to modify your IP address but that seems very cumbersome.

@Siesta - thank you for that step by step instruction! I've saved it for my next trip!

My pleasure, and apologies to anyone I misled by claiming a similar procedure exists for Android! I could have sworn I encountered that somewhere but I clearly didn’t read closely enough.

Firstly, I am in Canada and yesterday I correctly created an account for my iPhone 14. I today tried to do the same for my partner, and I mistakenly tried to log in and it said the information was not correct. I then realized I need to create an account, and when I tried to do that, an error message came up. I removed the app, and re loaded it, but same thing. So have reached out to Cloudflare as there was an ID number provided. So will wait and see if they respond!

I have purchased Metro tickets and bus tickets on IDF Mobilités for a few years, now. Something wonky happened on January 2, 2025 to the tickets that I did have. I know their system somehow changed on January 1st or 2nd and I suspect it had something to do with that. I never found them and had to purchase more. My phone is an Android and my provider is Verizon. I do not have an ID. On my phone when given the option of "Enter your ID" or (something similar to that), I select the other option "Skip this Step" and then purchase my tickets.

@siesta I joined this platform just so I could post a reply and thank you for your genius tip! I never saw any advice suggesting that before and it was so easy. Thank you so much!

Thanks for the great suggestion to add Navigo pass to Apple Wallet. So super easy.
Best advice I’ve seen on transportation.

‘Unfortunately Google Wallet does not have the ability to add Paris transit passes.”

Is this true?
Only for Apple wallet ?
I don’t have capability on my current Android phone to activate Google Wallet for anything.
I was going to get a new Android phone with NFC, but if the Paris transit passes won’t work, then I might not bother.
Thanks.

I don't think that the apple wallet can hold any pass other than the day pass, that and tickets. For the weekly/monthly passes, you must have something with your photo, i.e. Navigo Découverte card or Ile de France Mobilités app or the Bonjour RATP app configured with an account, and it works on either an apple or an android phone.

It has been a long time since I have seen any mobile phone without NFC. NFC is required to use any of the apps.

Also I cannot find info on the web site on how large or small the photo should be. Anyone know where to find that info?

https://www.ratp.fr/en/what-card-used-load-navigo-monthly-and-weekly-travel-pass

2.5 cm x 3 cm

There are photobooths in lots of metro stations and often in big grocery stores, etc

And if it helps, here is the latest on Paris metro/etc tickets and passes taking effect 5/13/2025: no more paper tickets. This page also shows what type of ticket can be loaded on to the phone app and what type can be loaded on to the no-photo transferable plastic cards.
https://www.bonjour-ratp.fr/en/actualites/articles/titres-tickets-carton-alternatives/?utm_source=Card&utm_medium=CM&utm_campaign=Tickets_carton

I also had difficulty accessing the IDF mobilities application from the United States. After a couple of back-and-forth with their help , I finally received a reply in French that said the IDF application is not available unless you’re in France. You also need a French phone number with the 33 prefix

They will not talk to you in English

Here is a copy of the reply I received in French and a translation I did on Google translator

Bonjour,

Nous faisons suite à votre retour du 25 juillet 2025.

Vous nous signalez rencontrer des difficultés à créer votre compte sur le site Île-de-France Mobilités depuis les États-Unis.

Nous souhaitons vous informer que l'accès au site est restreint hors de France.

Par conséquent, nous vous invitons à patienter jusqu'à votre arrivée sur le territoire français.

Une fois en France, vous pourrez procéder à la création de votre compte.

Nous vous informons également qu'il est essentiel de disposer d'un numéro de téléphone français (+33) pour finaliser votre inscription sur le site.

Hello,

We are following up on your return on July 25, 2025.

You report to us that you are having difficulties creating your account on the Île-de-France Mobilités website from the United States.

We wish to inform you that access to the site is restricted outside of France.

Therefore, we invite you to wait until your arrival on French territory.

Once in France, you will be able to create your account.

We also inform you that it is essential to have a French phone number (+33) to finalise your registration on the site.

We remain at your disposal for any additional information.

Sincerely,

Sidik KONE

Your Île-de-France Mobilités Connect advisor

Nous restons à votre disposition pour toute information complémentaire.

Bien cordialement,
Sidik KONE
Votre conseiller Île-de-France Mobilités Connect

Nota : l’e-mail mentionné ne permet pas de nous contacter. Pour toute information, nous vous invitons à consulter le site iledefran

I am glad to see this thread. We have used the IDF app for our metro tickets in the past. We are headed to Paris in September and I had planned on my son using the app to get the weekly pass. I have a ND card already. I just ordered a copy of a photo of DS to take with us. We will buy him a ND card at the window. I have 3 t+ tickets still on my app, I wonder if those will still work.

Is it permissible to use the phone number of our Paris hotel?

I also got blocked when trying to create an account today. I found this thread on the RS forum and the Google Wallet idea is fantastic. Bottom line, I suppose I'll have to wait until I'm at the airport to purchase a ticket.

Wondering if there's an update to this issue. I also tried to download (twice) the IDF Mobilities app and was blocked. Will it work when we get to France in September, without a French phone number, or should I give up and use Bonjour RATP? I need it to load the weekly pass on the Navigo Decouverte pass I will purchase. I do love the Wallet option for the one airport ticket that we need that falls outside of the weekly pass!

During last year’s Olympic Games I used a virtual Navigo Decouverte on my IPhone. I was able to set it up with my Dutch telephone number.

We downloaded the IDF Mobilities app when we were in Paris and did not use a French phone number. It's still in my Apple wallet and strangely enough it sends me notices from time to time here in the US.

https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/en/aide-et-contacts/iledefrance-mobilites-connect/comment-creer-mon-compte
Their website does not list the US as one of the countries that can use their phone number to get their app. Unfortunately, it does not clearly state how one from the US or from the other countries not on their list can get the app. There is a place to email them, however. Hope this helps.

Wondering if there's an update to this issue. I also tried to download (twice) the IDF Mobilities app and was blocked.

You must be in France to setup an IDF Mobilités account. You do not need a French phone number.

Their website does not list the US as one of the countries that can use their phone number to get their app. Unfortunately, it does not clearly state how one from the US or from the other countries not on their list can get the app.

You must be in France to setup an IDF Mobilités account. You do not need a French phone number.

__

Actually, you could setup a French VPN and open an IDF Mobilités account from anywhere and avoid geoblocking, but why go to the trouble? CDG has free wifi, set up your account while you are waiting in line at immigration or at baggage claim.

I arrived in Paris today at CDG. I had tried vainly to set up a IDF mobilities account from home. I even used at Dutch VPN. But it still wanted a phone number with a +33 prefix. So I decided I would just buy a card and a Decouverte pass at the airport and use it to take the ReR into town. Well they no longer let you buy the card at CDG. You have to buy it within the Ile de La Cite. But I now have one and it works!

And for Navigation the app works great. It even helps you navigate walking to and from the appropriate metro stops.

@mmsilberhorn, Which ticket office would not sell you the Navigo Découverte card and pass at CDG? At Roissypole or Terminal 2?