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Paris Museum Pass vs Paris Pass

A recent post prompted me to write about the difference between these 2 passes.

I thought this topic would be beneficial, especially for first time visitors to Paris.

Here is an excerpt from the official website of The Paris Museum Pass: http://en.parismuseumpass.com

With the PARIS MUSEUM PASS, you gain free entry, without queuing* and
as many times as you wish, to over 50 museums and monuments in and
around Paris.

The more you visit, the more you save. So, why wait? Set off on a
discovery of one of the most amazing heritages in the world!

WHAT BENEFITS DOES THE PASS OFFER?

Three options to choose from: 2, 4 or 6 consecutive days.

Free, direct access to monuments and the museums’ permanent
collections.

Unlimited number of visits.

*Not guaranteed when there are security checks in place or limited regulated access for security reasons.

One has 3 options to choose from when buying the Paris Museum Pass:

  • 2 day pass = €48 per person
  • 4 day pass = €62 per person
  • 6 day pass = €74 per person

There is no need to purchase this pass online, as you can easily purchase it (at any of the museums included in the pass) in Paris.

The pass must be used on consecutive days, so plan your Paris visit accordingly & beware that some museums are closed on Mondays & some on Tuesdays.

The Paris Pass is a combination of various passes, including the Paris Museum Pass, the Paris Visite travelcard, & others.
You can read more about this pass here:https://www.parispass.com/how-it-works/

Please note that the Paris Visite travelcard provides unlimited public transportation within Paris (Zone 1 -3 only)
So, if you plan to visit the Chateau Versailles, (located in Zone 4), you'll need to buy a separate ticket.

Here is the BIG difference. The prices for the Paris Pass are as follow: https://www.parispass.com/paris-pass-prices.php

  • 2 day pass: Adult €129; Teen €79; Child €44
  • 3 day pass: Adult €159; Teen €92; Child €49
  • 4 day pass: Adult €189; Teen €105; Child €55
  • 6 day pass: Adult €229; Teen €121; Child €72

Please Note: Child Passes are for 4-11 year olds, Teen Passes are for 12-17 year olds, Adult Passes are 18 year olds and above.
3 Day Paris Passes come with a 2 Day Museum Pass.

So... If you want to skip the lines at most Paris museums & monuments, you're better off buying the Paris Museum Pass. & NOT the Paris Pass.

If you want unlimited public transportation (Metro, bus & RER) in Paris (includes Zone 1-5), then you may look into buying the Navigo Decouverte pass:
http://parisbytrain.com/paris-train-metro-week-pass-navigo-decouverte/

The Navigo decouverte {€22.15/ Week (Monday-- Sunday) + €5 card fee} also covers unlimited transportation to:

  • Airport CDG (in Zone 5)
  • Disneyland Paris (Zone 5)
  • Chateau de Versailles (Zone 4) & Chateau Fontainebleau
  • Orly (via RER C & Orlybus only)

One more thing: If you're traveling with children & they're younger than 18, you do not need to buy a museum pass for them, because they can enter most museums for free (may need to show ID as proof of age).
You may still require to obtain your children's 'free tickets', at a few places.

Happy travels!

Edit to add... My daughter & I visited Paris this June & we decided on the 4 day Paris Museum Pass.
We also purchased our Navigo Decouverte passes which proved to be lifesavers (I have bad knees),
so we ended up taking many buses every day that we spent in beautiful Paris!

Posted by
6399 posts

Thanks for putting this all in one place, Priscilla. Comparing the 2-day Paris Museum Pass with the 2-day Paris Pass, the price difference is 81 euros. A carnet of ten Metro or bus tickets is 14.50 euros, so you'd have to buy six of them, for 60 rides, to almost equal the cost of the Paris Pass. Of course you could use those carnets any time, instead of in just the two days. I like Metro and buses but 30 rides a day doesn't leave time for much else!

The Navigo Decouverte saves more on transportation but only if your visit fits into its Monday through Sunday timeframe. I'm a carnet guy but I could see going for the Navigo if my dates worked in synch with it.

Posted by
11294 posts

Thanks for posting this. I'll try to remember to link to it when I see future questions about the Paris Pass. It's one thing for all of us to say that it's a bad deal, but it's another to actually see the numbers you posted.

Posted by
1059 posts

Thanks for posting this. I replied to this so I could save it for future reference.