I feel as if little French mice in berets are running around in my head! Getting a ticket from CDG to Paris, and getting a Metro pass cannot be as difficult as I seem to be finding it. Can someone help me clear things up? My husband and I will be arriving one day early for the early May Paris and the Heart of France tour. I assume the group will spend time on the Metro. Will we be given loaded cards by our leader? If so, I don't want to load up a card at the airport (even if I could figure out how to do that) for just one day. I haven't been to Paris for 45 years!!
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4325 posts
Go to this website , you will still have to parse out the details , but the information is up to date - https://parisbytrain.com/
Posted by
Alsenborn, Germany
2650 posts
The Navigo card will work for the Metro and busses. You can use the app, but i actually prefer the stiff paper card. Don't try to get one at the airport or main train stations, the lines to the machines can be very long, and they're all people who are trying to figure out how to do it for the first time.
Take a cab to your hotel. Then go the the nearest metro entrance, and buy a card there. Don't get a pass, just load 4, 6, 10, or however many trips you think you'll need. It's easy. The machines have English instructions. Don't use the machines for "loading" a card, just the ones to purchase. Cost is 2 euro for the card and 2.55 euro for each trip.
Posted by
3215 posts
While I find the Navigo fare system relatively straight forward, there are recent changes that will greatly affect someone's arriving CDG and wanting to use public transportation to travel from the airport to and around the city, for one day.
The only way to do this, for most people, will be to purchase a one day Paris Visite pass for 30.60€. I am sure that everything must be on either a Navigo card or app - the Navigo Easy card will add 2€.
Alternatively, you could purchase a Navigo Easy card (2€), load an RER airport ticket at 14€, then once in Paris, either load a day pass at 12.30€ or individual métro tickets at 2.55€. Each person needs his own card. It will cost less than a one day Paris Visite but it involves several steps.
You might consider taking a taxi from the official taxi stand at CDG, directly to your hotel. Just follow the blue floor dots from the customs exits. Fares are fixed at 56€/65€ for destination to the Right/Left Bank respectively. Do not accept offers from clandestine drivers soliciting from within the terminals. Taxi drivers are not tipped and must accept Visa/MC.
Once in Paris, purchase a Navigo Easy card (2€) and load as many métro/train/RER tickets (2.55€) or bus/tramway tickets (2.05€) as you may need. These ticket types may be loaded together on the Easy card but may not be used interchangeably.
Posted by
Chicago
9644 posts
Find out if the tour provides Navigo Easy cards for the day. If not then take a cab to the hotel or if you want to take the train buy each of you an NE card and put 14 Euro train tickets from the airport on it. When you get to town put metro tickets on it on the machine at your closest metro. Tickets are 2.55 each. If your trip involves buses then put bus tickets on it. IF the tour doesn't provide passes and you will be using transport many times that day, a day pass for 12 or so Euro is a good idea as you dno't have to worry about having the right ticket (buses don't take metro tickets.
Posted by
Chicagoland
2289 posts
Lisa, here's a post from June 2023 that says
I just returned from this wonderful tour. The first night I was given a Navigo card with ten trips loaded on it to use for tour activities and I had plenty left for free time. You can load additional trips on it if necessary.
RS-Paris-HOF-Metro Pass Included
Perhaps you can call the RS office and verify if this is still included.
Posted by
Western Canada
4173 posts
https://youtu.be/At5FE5G5v3k?si=lj748w2DjDzv61K6
Here’s a video about Paris’ transport system.
There are plenty of staff at the machines at the airport to help you buy Navigo Easy cards.
They were getting people through quickly on my last two recent visits.
Posted by
Paris
11394 posts
Lisa, here's a post from June 2023 that says
As Tocard points out, since the Ile de France transit system totally overhauled the fare system in January 2025, you will need to get up-to-date information. I wouldn't look at anything from 2023.
As JeanM said, you should call or email the tour office and ask what they will provide. Then you can figure out where you need to go from there
(Yes, it is total insanity that they have made it where you can't put airport tickets on the same card as regular tickets. You aren’t crazy — they did a really dumb thing.)
Posted by
Chicagoland
2289 posts
Kim, I was just referencing the 2023 post to let Lisa know that it appears some type of transportation pass/ticket/whatever is probably still included.
The tour used to include paper tickets, as mentioned in numerous older posts. Then moved to the Navigo card with tickets added. So logic would tell me that the tour guide will be providing the group with something to facilitate getting around Paris as a group.
Posted by
Chicagoland
2289 posts
Lisa, here's another trip report on the Paris and HOF tour that was just posted that mentions receiving a Navigo card from the tour guide at the first meet up.