My husband and I will be in Paris for a few days in August. Please explain what the best way is to pay for the public transportation (buses and metro). We were in London last year and we each just tapped a different credit card and when we spent the daily maximum, we weren't charged any more. Does Paris have a similar mechanism? Or do we need to download the app and purchase individual tickets on the app each time before we use the bus or metro? I want to be able to spend the Euro 2.05 for buses and Euro 2.55 for the metro, not 2.55 and 3.05. I don't think we will use the transportation enough that it makes sense to purchase a day pass, but if it is very hot, we might want to use it more and it will add up. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Posted by
Chicago, IL, USA
718 posts
The series of Les Frenchies on you tube have a recent episode exactly this topic and many other great topics.
Posted by
Chicago
9746 posts
Get Navigo Easy cards and put the number of tickets you know you will need on them and refill at machines if you run low. Every time you use the card to enter the metro, it will who you how many tickets are left in a little window on top of the machine. We use the metro and rarely the buses, so we put two bus tickets on the card, in case we want to use the bus at some point, and put 8 or 9 metro tickets on it for a partial week where we are not using a weekly or monthly pass. If you want to use the train from the airport then do not put any other tickets on the Easy until you are in Paris as the 14 Euro airport ticket cannot be on the same card with metro tickets.
If your entire trip falls between Monday and Sunday of one week and you are there for 5 or 6 days -- get a Navigo Decouverte and put a weekly pass on it. You cannot buy this card at the airports.
It does not work the same way it does in the UK or in the Netherlands where you just use the credit card.
It is a trivial part of the budget for a trip.
Posted by
Tampa, FL
763 posts
Paris Top Tips is another good YouTube channel. See this link: https://youtu.be/Q9BDJqJ9QIc?is=yqHx8Zc7aKr97CEN
Since your trip is just a few days, I recommend buying tickets on your smartphones as needed. I used the Bonjour RATP app last year and it was very easy. Load a few tickets in the app and then just hold your phone near the sensor and it will automatically validate your ticket. You don’t have to open the app or turn on your phone. Unless something has changed, bus tickets are €2.00 and metro tickets are €2.50. Have a great trip!
Posted by
Edmonds, WA
91 posts
We used IDF Mobilities app to buy tickets on our Iphones in April with same results that Kathy discusses above using Bonjour RATP app. I think you can use either app. Very simple. I think you each need the app on your phones and each buy your own tickets.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
10459 posts
If it is very hot, you may find the Metro is also very hot.
Posted by
Chicago
9746 posts
A lot of the metro is air conditioned -- some isn't.
Posted by
Upstate NY, USA
1140 posts
parisbytrain.com is also a great resource.
Posted by
Middletown, RI
1622 posts
Currently (I was there early this month), I believe it is easiest to get a Navigo card and load it up with whatever travel needs you anticipate. You can buy a card at any manned train station in Paris, and in theory load more funds into one at kiosks (I didn't need to add funds). Note that you will need one card for each traveler. You can't just share a card on the same trip. I believe this is because it calculates your trip based on from where you enter a station, and from where you exit. I bought my Navigo card and loaded it at Gare Saint-Lazare. You do not need to tap out on buses—just on the Metro. Unfortunately, Paris is behind London in ease of paying (I was in London earlier this month as well). Hopefully they'll go to credit card/phone/watch tap-in/tap-out soon.
Posted by
Boston
473 posts
PharmerPhil’s post is a little incomplete.
The Navigo can be either a Navigo Easy card, which costs €2 and is then loaded with metro, bus or RER tickets as you require. Each traveler must have their own card.
Or, if your dates fall within a Mon-Sun timeframe, you might buy a Navigo Decouverte, which is then loaded with a pass of some sort, depending on your needs. The Navigo Decouverte require a picture be affixed to the pass and your name must be printed on it.
Posted by
3271 posts
Wonderful information above, let's clarify a few points:
There are two very different Navigo cards: Easy (2€) and Découverte (5€).
- Easy holds tickets, the day pass, and the Paris Visite
- Découverte only holds passes; day, week, month. The card is non-transferable and requires holder´s name/photo. This card is not sold at airports.
Tickets M/T/R, for the métro/Transilien/RER are 2.55€. B/T, bus/tramway tickets are 2.05€. These are not interchangeable.
RER tickets used to be sold point to point, requiring a "tap to exit". Other than for airports, there is not longer a need to "tap to exit", certainly not when using the bus or métro. Some métro/RER turnstiles may require a ticket after original entry. These are primary for flow control or they remain from the old RER ticket rules.
YouTube videos - I am familiar with those mentioned above. The best explantations or observations about Paris, in my view, are presented by a Parisienne content provider name Lucile. Clear and honest advice without the nonsense.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkwg4Wg9xJk&list=PLc2nU26IpAK34ixgqV232PSM88r0kcwzW