We (a family of four) will be in Paris from a Tuesday and will leave on the following Monday morning. I was slightly considering getting the Navigo Découverte pass for each of us and wondered what others thought. We are planning on going to Versailles on one of the days. My kids are 7 and 10, so the 10-year old cannot use the kids' carnet tickets. I am just curious if the convenience of the pass would be worth the extra price we may end up paying. It looks like we will be staying about 2.5 to 6 km away from most sites we will be visiting. Can kids also get the Navigo Découverte pass?
Posted by
Queens, NYC
571 posts
I would definitely do it in this case. Because your trip starts on a Tuesday, you'll be able to buy the pass for the same week, so your pass would be valid every day of your trip except the Monday you leave.
A bit of math: a week of travel on the Navigo Découverte costs €22.30, plus €5 for the cards. A round-trip to Versailles is normally €7.10. If you do €27.30 (total cost) - €7.10 = €20.20, that means you're effectively paying €20.20 for the rest of your transport in Paris. That's only €4.04/day (I'm counting 5 days and not including the day you go to Versailles); if you take on average 3 public transport trips per day, you're already coming out ahead with the Navigo, since 3 trips at the carnet price of €1.49 would be €4.47.
My other reason is more subjective, but I really hate dealing with the Paris paper tickets. I find that inevitably I lose some and I get confused when I'm on the metro of which ones are unused and which one is the one for the trip I'm currently on (remember that you can't dispose of the ticket until you leave the system). I find the Navigo easier to use and psychologically freeing -- when you know you have unlimited travel, you don't care or feel bad about taking a 4-stop bus ride or 3-stop ride on the métro if your feet have had it and you just don't want to walk anymore, whereas with the carnets I find I analyze every ride thinking "is it really worth it?"
Kids can get a Navigo Découverte.
Posted by
OP
34 posts
Thank you, Andrew! This was really helpful!
Posted by
Idaho, USA
7810 posts
I've had the Navigo Découverte on two of my trips to Paris when the days-of-the-week lined up. I noticed that my days changed when I had the ND vs. the trips of just using a carnet of tickets. I really like the Luxembourg Garden, so I would hop over there, using the metro for a nice afternoon break. Also, taking the funicular at Montmartre, and metro vs. walking distances around the city were easy decisions. I also went out to see La Defense one afternoon - a much freer on-a-whim route which I enjoyed for a change.