Paris - Bonjour RATP

Just got back from France and did not use the Bonjour RATP app. If you go into your Apple Wallet and select the + you will see an option to add a Transit Card. Search for France and you select the Île-de-France Mobilities. Once you add the card then you can select buy passes and you have options for Metro and Bus. You can select the best option and purchase.

Then when you enter the metro and/or bus, you just open the wallet and the pass and tap. I used the Metro frequently and this worked flawlessly. I did not use the bus, but there is an option to buy a bus ticket.

Sandy, thanks - but that’s not happening for me.

I hit the + button, and there is no option. It just tells me that I need to add a Face ID & Password in order to use Apple Pay

I have no intention of using Apple Pay - I used the wallet all the time in the UK with no issues. I don’t want to use Apple Pay in part because I refuse to be forced to set up a password for my phone

Looks like I won’t be able to use public transport in Paris, sigh

Just got back from France and did not use the Bonjour RATP app. If you
go into your Apple Wallet and select the + you will see an option to
add a Transit Card. Search for France and you select the Île-de-France
Mobilities. Once you add the card then you can select buy passes and
you have options for Metro and Bus. You can select the best option and
purchase. Then when you enter the metro and/or bus, you just open the
wallet and the pass and tap. I used the Metro frequently and this
worked flawlessly. I did not use the bus, but there is an option to
buy a bus ticket.

I’m sure you have your reasons, but it’s not really a good idea to not have a password set up for your phone.

Regardless of that, you can of course still use public transport in Paris. There are still lots of people out there who don’t have a smartphone, so the RATP must cater towards them. You can just buy a Navigo Easy or Navigo Decouverte and load tickets onto these plastic cards. You can then tap the card as you enter the metro station or bus.

Hi Dutch

It’s just a pain in the ass to constantly have to use a password everytime I want to use the internet

So I’d need to go to a metro station, buy a physical card ? Then how do I load tickets onto them?

I guess I’ll just take an Uber to my meeting point this morning since I’m not going to be able to get my ticket without setting up a password

Thank you!!!

I’m sure you have your reasons, but it’s not really a good idea to not
have a password set up for your phone. Regardless of that, you can of
course still use public transport in Paris. There are still lots of
people out there who don’t have a smartphone, so the RATP must cater
towards them. You can just buy a Navigo Easy or Navigo Decouverte and
load tickets onto these plastic cards. You can then tap the card as
you enter the metro station or bus.

My IPhone has FaceID so I only have to look at it to unlock it. For me it would be a much bigger pain in the butt if I couldn’t use the many features on my phone that require the use of a password. Regardless of that I, should my phone get stolen, I want the data, photos etc on it to be protected from the eyes of strangers.

You can find out all about the different Navigo cards and how they work on the website of the RATP https://www.ratp.fr/en/titres-et-tarifs

Dutch, I set up a password just to get he through the rest of my trip….but the tickets didn’t upload, so Joe I don’t know what to do

I’ll try to buy again, but if it doesn’t work, I’ll have to spend 40 euros to get to my meeting point

Looks like I’m not allowed to buy a new ticket - this sucks

Uber it is
Thanks!

I've been very quietly watching the change of ticketing, both on the forum and you tube videos.
In many ways I see the changes as retrograde, but that is by the by.
I at one stage looked at a day trip from the Lake District to Notre Dame for an important service just before Easter. It didn't happen because all I would have needed was two single metro or bus tickets. The forum had me totally and utterly baffled as to how to do that, without having an app and general associated complexity.
By the time I had found out the truth through other sources, including you tube Eurostar prices were beyond my budget. C'est la vie.
The short and easy answer is you can buy a card from the machines at any metro or RER station, in English.
You then add as many metro or bus tickets as you want (I believe there is a limit- quite high), and can later recharge it with more tickets. There is a complexity with airport tickets. But at least from Orly (not sure about CDG) there is a good and much cheaper work round for that.

Having been in the same trap as you (and actually significantly frustrated and a bit upset by it) I sympathise. But there is a simple way to do this without being bound to a smartphone.
This forum did not serve me personally well in that regard.

Looks like I won’t be able to use public transport in Paris, sigh

Why not? Just purchase a Navigo Easy card (2€) and load all the tickets you want, (not to mention much less confusing).

Betsy, I’m not sure why you’ve decided you won’t be able to use public transport.

As you were told in the response after yours, all you have to do is go buy a ticket at a counter or a ticket machine in Paris.

But I’m sorry the fact that you decided you don’t want a password on your phone is rather scary. You do realize that means if you do lose your phone at some point it is an open door into anything you’ve ever done on the Internet on that phone. And apps you might have on that phone are now probably wide open. Please from who works in cyber security reconsider this decision. A four digit passcode is a lot better than just opening yourself up to the risk

And as for your reliance on Uber? Well that’s another problem. They’ll probably stand you up. I used uber a couple of times in Paris. They stood me up once and they got lost once. I would recommend a reliable taxi service. Normally, I would suggest setting up the G7 app, which is a great taxi service but we’re back to the problem of you would have to put in your payment method and since you don’t want a password on your phone, I would strongly recommend you not have any apps in your phone, including Uber that have any payment information attached to them. Hopefully the front desk at the hotel where you’re staying can call a taxi for you so that you aren’t forced to rely on Uber.

If it's one meeting you're really worried about then install the G7 app (requires a France cell number to register) and use it or have your hotel arrange a taxi for a pre-set time and don't worry about it.

I just got back from Paris - posting the early morning because of jetlag - and the system works really well. Spend the 2e for the Navigo easy pass and you can load as many metro or bus trips (cheaper) as you want. Reload the trips on the card at kiosks or the Bonjour RATP phone app. The app is great - it scans the card right on the phone and tells you how many tickets you have left and you can load 1,3 or 10 tickets easily using payment on your phone. The most cumbersome thing about it is typing in your email address every time.

People report using the phone app is easy to beep your way into the system but I didn't want to worry about phone charging, waking up etc so I chose to use the credit card sized plastic Navigo Easy pass instead and it is great.

There is a lot of confusing information on-line because there are week and month pass options for French people that most visitors will never use but it is really that simple. The French train system also works well and is pretty straightforward once you get used to using it.

Edit: This video is pretty good without a lot of clutter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OebkiMItV4k
Ignore everything about photos because those are the monthly passes not the tourist Navigo easy. You can buy a Navigo easy card from any of the non-purple machines (those reload card only) or from any metro ticket office. I would recommend a smaller, less busy metro station to avoid lines but it's possible virtually anywhere. Once I bought a card I never used a machine or desk again - just my phone. This is also great because you can do it at your hotel or at dinner if you need to not in hurry of the metro station.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

I’ve got the G7 app and have had it for years using just my regular US cell number.

Thanks Pam, I was on eSim only so I didn't get past the registration page because I didn't have a working number. Others have reported issues registering with a non-French number but I didn't get that far.

Everyone is using the G7 app so I would like to find a way to get it to work even though I didn't need it while we were there. Apps like AppTaxi in Italy work just through the app and don't need a phone number which is less intimidating if your local language skills don't match harassed taxi call center standards.

=Tod

Stuart, I ended up buying a 3 day card, so now I don’t have to deal with these complications

Thank you!

The short and easy answer is you can buy a card from the machines at any metro or RER station, in English.
You then add as many metro or bus tickets as you want (I believe there is a limit- quite high), and can later recharge it with more tickets. There is a complexity with airport tickets. But at least from Orly (not sure about CDG) there is a good and much cheaper work round for that.
Having been in the same trap as you (and actually significantly frustrated and a bit upset by it) I sympathise. But there is a simple way to do this without being bound to a smartphone.
This forum did not serve me personally well in that regard

Tocard

I bought a 3 day pass - Thanks!!

Why not? Just purchase a Navigo Easy card (2€) and load all the
tickets you want, (not to mention much less confusing).

Carol, I was extremely frustrated when I posted that, lol

I ended up buying a 3 day pass

I’ll keep the password until I get home, but it’s annoying to have to keep typing it every few minutes

I haven’t had any issues with Uber so far

Thanks!

Betsy, I’m not sure why you’ve decided you won’t be able to use public
transport. As you were told in the response after yours, all you have
to do is go buy a ticket at a counter or a ticket machine in Paris.
But I’m sorry the fact that you decided you don’t want a password on
your phone is rather scary. You do realize that means if you do lose
your phone at some point it is an open door into anything you’ve ever
done on the Internet on that phone. And apps you might have on that
phone are now probably wide open. Please from who works in cyber
security reconsider this decision. A four digit passcode is a lot
better than just opening yourself up to the risk And as for your
reliance on Uber? Well that’s another problem. They’ll probably stand
you up. I used uber a couple of times in Paris. They stood me up once
and they got lost once. I would recommend a reliable taxi service.
Normally, I would suggest setting up the G7 app, which is a great taxi
service but we’re back to the problem of you would have to put in your
payment method and since you don’t want a password on your phone, I
would strongly recommend you not have any apps in your phone,
including Uber that have any payment information attached to them.
Hopefully the front desk at the hotel where you’re staying can call a
taxi for you so that you aren’t forced to rely on Uber.

Hiredman, I don’t have a French phone number

I did buy a 3 day pass

Thank you!!

Betsy, I hope you realize without proper security on your phone (password protected, face ID or fingerprint ID) if someone else ever gets their hands on your phone they will have access to everything in your Apple Wallet along with anything you have on your phone that isn't protected. I certainly wouldn't take that risk at home or abroad.

Glad you settled on a solution for you. I just got back from Paris and it is much simpler and more straightforward than it seems from the outside looking in. I was worried about the changes and it turns out to be a modern, well thought out and functioning system.

I'm just trying to let people know that while you should look into how it works before you go it's not something you need to really worry about.

Paris is fantastic, have a dood trip,
=Tod

Jean

I’ll consider it. It’s a pain, but as I'm going to keep
It on until ai guy gone d Jones’s

Betsy, I hope you realize without proper security on your phone
(password protected, face ID or fingerprint ID) if someone else ever
gets their hands on your phone they will have access to everything in
your Apple Wallet along with anything you have on your phone that
isn't protected. I certainly wouldn't take that risk at home or
abroad.

Hiredman, Thanks!

Paris is my favorite place in the world!

I’ve used the Metro a few times already - it’s easy, jys

Glad you settled on a solution for you. I just got back from Paris and it is much simpler and more straightforward than it seems from the outside looking in. I was worried about the changes and it turns out to be a modern, well thought out and functioning system.
I'm just trying to let people know that while you should look into how it works before you go it's not something you need to really worry about.
Paris is fantastic, have a dood trip,

Thank you to all for your help!

The funny thing is, at this point my concerns are moot

On the way back from a tour, I stepped in a hole in broken pavement and fell on my right ankle, hand and knee. My ankle is ouchy, but my leftknee is the issue - it’s blown up to the size of an orange, and it’s incredibly painful and stiff, I’m waiting for the ambulance to take me to the hospital

Betsy, not funny at all. Hopefully, with proper treatment, you'll be on the mend soon.

Add the G7 taxi app to your phone.

Betsy, I really hope that's not as serious as it has the potential to be.
I was a bit surprised when you turned up in Paris this week as I thought you were still in Knaresborough!

Jean, oh it’s not - but I was lucky in that nothing is broken (I knew that before, but still) and nothing showed up in the x-rays. I think it will just take sometime.

Already done - and, in fact, I used G7 yesterday - worked out great

I’m going to use them today since I need to limit the amount of walking I do

Thank you!

Betsy, not funny at all. Hopefully, with proper treatment, you'll be
on the mend soon. Add the G7 taxi app to your phone

.

Stuart, luckily thing is broken - which I knew, concerned there’s no way I’d have been able yo walk on a broken knee - or even ankle. Still, a bad, deep bruise is painfully annoying …I’ll just have to make do. They gave me paracetamol at the hospital, and now at 6:30 am, before I go to sleep again, I’ll take Tylenol or Advil. The doctor gave me a prescription, so I’ll drop it off at the pharmacy

I left Knaresborough on the 15th - I really used it primarily for a base because I’d gone to Edinburgh for 5 nights (not planned attire time I booked the cottage), and York for a few nights.

Betsy, I really hope that's not as serious as it has the potential to
be. I was a bit surprised when you turned up in Paris this week as I
thought you were still in Knaresborough!

Betsy, I really hope that's not as serious as it has the potential to be.
I was a bit surprised when you turned up in Paris this week as I thought you were still in Knaresborough!

Good I'm glad it's not worse, if still very inconvenient.

In the UK Advil is Ibuprofen, and you wouldn't get a written prescription as everything is done electronically where it is sent via the internet to your chosen pharmacy. In fact over here a hospital would normally dispense from their own pharmacy, day or night.

Thank you! Well, I wanted to live - as Rick has said- like a temporary local. There’s nothing more local than going to a hospital, lol

I actually am not even going to bother going to the pharmacy because I not only have Tylenol (paracetamol), but Advil (Ibuprofen/Ketoprofene) and Dual Action Advil (essentially Tylenol/Advil combo)

I’m just going to take the Dual action - 2 tablets every 8 hours- and ice my knee as often as possible

Good I'm glad it's not worse, if still very inconvenient.
In the UK Advil is Ibuprofen, and you wouldn't get a written prescription as everything is done electronically where it is sent via the internet to your chosen pharmacy. In fact over here a hospital would normally dispense from their own pharmacy, day or night

By the way, G7 is fantastic

Today, I had lunch reservations at L’Ami Jean, sjd I booked them for 12 pm. Well, I don’t know if my phone alarm didn’t go off or if I was so exhausted that I slept through it, but the driver waited for 20 minutes….I was so grateful because it would have been hard to get a taxi at that hour to pick me up right then

Apps like AppTaxi in Italy work just through the app and don't need a phone number which is less intimidating if your local language skills don't match harassed taxi call center standards.

Hiredman - that is the irony. Since I installed the G7 app a few years ago, I have never once had to call the taxi call center. Everything works through the app as you mention regarding the Italian taxi app.