My family of 6 will be traveling to Paris. Two adults, three teens, one young child. Arriving at CDG and staying in the 17th. Will be sightseeing in central Paris for a week from a Wednesday to a Wednesday (including one trip to Versailles) and returning to CDG.
What is the best Metro fare option?
Is the Navigo Liberte available to tourists?
Also, are there taxis at CDG for 6 people?
There are taxis at the airport for 6 people; you can also order them from G7 -- if returning to CDG order the return taxi two days in advance making clear you need a van for 6. You pay 5.50 extra per person over 4 -- so you will pay an extra 11 euros for your two extras. You don't order them for the airport -- just go to the taxi line ignoring anyone who approaches you offering a taxi. You order them for the return.
The NL is only available for locals with French banks.
If you use the train instead of cabs into the city and do most of your travel e.g. Versailles etc and lots of hopping around Paris the first week then the Navigo Decouverte makes sense. Each person needs a head shot 25/30 mm and there is no child fare. (it is not a tourist product but tourists can buy it). It covers everything in the Ile de France -- buses, metros, RER, trams, funnicular -- so super convenient and you will break even if you use it to come in from the airport. If you do this you probably need to get a Navigo Easy for the days of the second week; another weekly pass would not come close to breaking even unless you used the train to the airport, then it might be worth doing.
If you use a cab from the airport then get everyone a Navigo Easy card for 2 Euros each when you get to Paris -- at your nearest metro and put 9 metro tickets on each for 2.50 each If your child is 9 or younger tickets are half price for them; everyone else pays full fare. If you will use buses, they use a different ticket for 2 Euro. We don't because we use the metro
This may cover the travel you do but if you run out, you just add more tickets.
Get in the official Paris taxi line at CDG. When you tell them you are a party of 6, they will probably ask you to step aside to keep the line moving, while they radio for a larger size vehicle. That's exactly what I observed of a party that size when we were in line, and it didn't take more than 5 minutes for an appropriate vehicle to come. It's a fixed rate ride, but I believe an additional fee per person over 4.
The number of machines for Navigo are insufficient at CDG and le Gare Est (and maybe other places, but these two I know from experience.) Take a taxi to the hotel and avoid the long lines. (You can easily spend half an hour, or more, waiting to get to a kiosk.) Then go to the closest Metro substation and get your Navigo card. You can get the day pass; available in 1, 2, 3, 5 day increments, or just put funds on the card which will debit as you swipe it. The pass only makes sense if you're going to take the Metro 8+ times a day. Trips are 2.50 euro each. My experience is that I rarely take 8 separate trips any given day when I'm in Paris. Of course I do like to walk.
From CDG, proceed directly to the official taxi stand. Do not accept offers from clandestine drivers soliciting from within the terminals. Taxi fares are fixed at 56€/65€ to the Right/Left Bank respectively (for up to 4 passengers and luggage). There is a 5.50€ supplement for each additional passenger from 5 to 7. Drivers are not tipped. Hand the driver your written destination.
Users of the Navigo Liberté card must have a French bank account.
Métro/Transilien/RER tickets cost 2.50€ each. They are valid for travel anywhere in the Ile de France except to/from airports. These are electronic tickets which must be loaded onto either a Navigo Easy card (2€) or a configured smart phone.
