Heading to France for the first time and just wanted a tip for getting to our hotel on arrival.
After arriving at CDG Airport if we get the RER B to Chatelet can we use the same ticket to get on the Metro to Rambuteau or Arts et Metiers (our accommodation is between these stations).
Thanks in advance,
Ash
Yes.. just do not exit the system.. but follow "correspondence" to metro line you need.
according to http://parisbytrain.com/billet-ile-de-france-train-ticket/
A Billet Ile-de-France is a small coupon like train ticket for Paris and surrounding Ile-de-France region priced for the length of the trip, calculated from departure station to arrival station. For example, if you were to buy a train ticket from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris, you’d buy a billet Ile-de-France,, at a cost of 10€ for adults and 7€ for children 10 & under (as of January 2015). A billet Ile-de-France allows connections or transfers to be made onto Metro or RER trains when arriving at Paris. Transfers onto buses or trams however, are not allowed.
Here's a travel tip: the airport ticket machines only take euros or credit cards with a chip-and-pin (not chip and signature like most US ones have), and the lines are long to buy from the staffed train booth. Instead, go to any airport TI office (see http://en.visitparisregion.com/practical-info/tourist-information-desks-100180.html) Lines when we've gone have been short. They speak English, take US credit cards, and can sell you the RER ticket you need as well as a carnet for the metro (which is a good idea).
Pat's answer is a bit more succinct. Just buy a 10 euro ticket to Paris and make whatever Metro connections you want to get to your destination. But with all the walking underground from Les Halles to Chatelet to pick up the #11 line, you might just want to get the #4 line from Les Halles to Etienne Marcel and walk from there.
The RER is metered; the metro is not. So you will use the ticket to enter and then exit the RER and then use it again to enter the metro -- the machine will know you are on a continuing trip and accept the ticket. You won't need it to exit the metro but you can be asked to show a validated ticket by metro checkers and if you don't have it, the on the spot fines are quite steep -- so get in the habit of keeping the ticket until you finally exit the system and then throw it away so you won't get it mixed up with unused tickets.
Thanks all, much appreciated.
Ash
If you are staying for a week or 2 look into the Paris metro navigo decouverte pass . It's good from Monday to Sunday , good for zones 1-5 , the rer , subways , buses , into fountainbleau , Versailles , 21.25 euro for one week a one time 5 euro fee . and you can recharge it if staying for more one week .
Thanks Dave.
Just the 4 nights in Paris (3 days sightseeing) but a fair bit of Metro use. Would this still be the way to go or is there a better option for shorter stays?
Thanks Ash
Ashley, for 3 sightseeing days I would just get a carnet (10 separate tickets good for one ride each) or two. you may end up walking more than you think and not really use the metro all the time if the weather is nice. I stayed in Paris for a whole month one time and ended up only using two carnets in that whole time.
Here is a vital tool for planning mass transit travel in the Paris region:
http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21879/visiting-paris/
Practice using it at home so that when you get to Paris you can make smart decisions.
Even for 3 days the ND is better than any other pass option if those three days fall within one Mon-Sun period. The Paris Visite pass is pretty much always a bad deal. Usually buying a carnet of 10 tickets suffices as Paris is a city best experienced on foot. Use the metro to get to distant spots like Montmartre, or the Eiffel Tower and walk in the center and once in an area. If you have mobility issues or if the weather is crappy, then being able to hop a bus for 6 blocks can be useful and the ND becomes invaluable.
Even for 3 days the ND is better than any other pass option if those three days fall within one Mon-Sun period. The Paris Visite pass is pretty much always a bad deal. Usually buying a carnet of 10 tickets suffices as Paris is a city best experienced on foot. Use the metro to get to distant spots like Montmartre, or the Eiffel Tower and walk in the center and once in an area. If you have mobility issues or if the weather is crappy, then being able to hop a bus for 6 blocks can be useful and the ND becomes invaluable.
