Where do I buy a Navigo Easy pass in plastic?

Have you found this website - it seems to answer your questions.

https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/en/tickets-fares/media/navigo-decouverte-travel-card

The website doesn't answer this question i.e. how to get the plastic rather than cardboard cards. We bought them from information agents in the metro. They don't deal in cash and so you will need to buy with credit card. They can load the card with tickets when you buy it; you can also and in future load it on the machines. Ours were plastic. I have heard that the ones dispensed in machines when available are cardboard but haven't seen it for myself.

Thanks. You give me hope. I'm assuming this was fairly recently. The whole system rose anew from the ashes on January 1. I should have mentioned that we are in the US and won't be going to Paris till next month.

To tell the truth, I actually want to know how to get one at Gare du Nord at 9:30 pm on a Sunday, if possible. But I'll take any help I can get here. I can always get a paper one at a machine on Sunday night, I guess, and get a plastic one during the next day somewhere.

You can buy the plastic pass at machines, it can just be a little confusing because there are separate machines to buy the pass and recharge them. I highly recommend this Les Frenchies video, as it walks you through everything clearly:

https://youtu.be/bmPVqZoCydk?si=sUfe37gcXJ_IWNeV

Thanks. Interesting video, but it doesn't tell me what I want to know. For example, he says he's going to tell us about the different machines, then he shows us some machines side-by side that are clearly different from each other without telling us what the difference is, how they work, whether they take paper money or coins, or card only, and whether the Easy card is plastic or not. Also, I was under the impression that you can't buy an empty Easy card; it has to have a ticket on it to begin with. That would explain why the recharge machines were idle.

At least he's partly up-to-date, but the first part shows a ten-ticket bundle that is not available any more, as far as I know. You see the problem I'm having finding good information on the Internet.

At the beginning of the video the machines with the blue overhead signs are where you buy the passes. You can load them with tickets there as well. If you run through all of the tickets you buy initially you can reload the card using the purple machines. You cannot buy passes at the purple machines. The Navigo Easy cards are plastic. Paper tickets have been discontinued.

He does say in the video that he's filming in 2024 so the ticket packages he's showing won't be accurate as of 2025. The Navigo Easy can be loaded with metro-RER tickets, bus-tram tickets or day passes. If you want a weekly pass you need to get a Navigo Decouverte card which is the one that requires you to put your photo on it.

Thanks, again. There are three machines in the shot. One of them has a red sign that says it sells Navigo Easy passes. The blue ones don't say that. And you say that the Easy passes are now all plastic. That's what I was hoping, but I would kind of like to know how you know that.

Source: I'm holding one in my hand right now. :) Honestly I had never heard of a cardboard one, the Ile de France Mobilites page on the Navigo Easy doesn't say anything about there being two types ( https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/en/tickets-fares/media/navigo-easy-travel-card ).

I just googled "Navigo cardboard" and I think I see now where the confusion lies. The Navigo Decouverte card comes with a cardboard sleeve or flap that you fill in your information on and affix your photo to. It is a different type of pass altogether than the Navigo Easy. https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/en/tickets-fares/media/navigo-decouverte-travel-card

What you said in your initial post is somewhat correct. The Navigo Easy can only be loaded with metro/RER tickets, bus/tram tickets, or day passes. If you want a longer pass like weekly or monthly you need the Navigo Decouverte.

Here is information about the available tickets and fares: https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/en/tickets-fares When you click though on the particular ticket or pass you're interested in scroll down a bit until you see "How to buy it" and it will show you which type of pass it can be loaded on.

you say that the Easy passes are now all plastic. That's what I was hoping, but I would kind of like to know how you know that.

It just is. The Navigo Easy is literally a plastic card, nothing else.

If you go to https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/aide-et-contacts/passe-navigo-easy/quels-titres-de-transports-puis-je-charger-sur-mon-passe-navigo-easy, it says at the bottom:

"Vous pouvez mettre au maximum 4 titres de type différents sur un même passe Navigo Easy rigide, et 2 titres de types différents sur un même passe Navigo Easy souple."

Of course, they may intend that for people who still have the now-defunct paper Easy, but I would expect some official indication somewhere that the paper one is a thing of the past, and I have not run across it.

I realize I’m just another somebody on the internet but I bought a plastic Navigo Easy at Gare du Nord 3 years ago already. It was the only available type of Navigo Easy. I didn’t see a non-plastic Navigo Easy being sold at that time nor when I stayed in Paris for 3 weeks during the Olympics last summer. I also never saw someone use a paper Navigo Easy, and believe me, I used public transport extensively during the Olympics.

Cna't answer the mystery of the cardboard Easy -- I heard someone here whinging about it but have never seen one. But you can certainly buy the card blank. You can have the information clerk load it if you like -- I did it last year when you still got a carnet discount and so loaded with a carnet, but now you would specify since there is no discount. But you do not have to buy it already loaded.

I don't know how many tickets are left on ours -- we use them to patch between weekly and monthly passes. For example this spring we will have two partial weeks and a week before our monthly pass starts and so will use the Easy, then the ND, then the Easy and then the ND again

Thanks, everybody. Word of mouth is of great value when the official printed word is nonsense. That's what I posted here for. I embark for Paris with fresh enthusiasm, dreaming fondly of my shiny new plastic Navigo Easy bought from a machine after hours.

Can't you go to a tabac and deal with a human?

And don't plan on using a pass on future trips to Paris, I would be willing to bet they will transition over to a tap and go system like London just because it has to be simpler and cheaper to administer.

@ phred - Tabac? You tell me. Here's my problem: everything I thought I knew about public transportation in Paris is in doubt now because of the system overhaul they've done. That's why I'm trying to get information before I go.

We will be arriving at Paris Nord on the Eurostar at 9:30 pm Sunday night, making that the longest day of our lives so far because we will have left our house in the US around 3 pm Saturday. I want to get right on the Metro/RER and go to the hotel and collapse. We are that strange sort of creature that refuses to use its phone for a ticket, and they don't sell single-trip paper tickets any more, I think. That means an Easy Pass, I think. At one point in the planning for the trip, I saw myself getting off the Eurostar, walking over to the nearby machine, and buying two Easy Passes with a single trip on each using the Euros we will be bringing with us, thereby acquiring that fabled uncle by the name of Bob. I didn't want to go hiking around Paris looking for a merchant who sells the things or even leave the station at all except on a subway train. I am having enough trouble finding any information about the official setup, and I am daunted at the prospect of trying to find out who sells them near the station, who's open at that hour, whether they take cash, and whether they can load the card. I hope you see my problem.

As for their changing everything again just when I thought it was safe to move around Paris, don't get me started. We were in Paris when the Covid clampdown happened, and we by some miracle and some buckets of money got out just before they gave our hotel room to some homeless person and put us out on the street in his place.

So, thanks for the concern. If you know of an outlet that can sell me what I need right by Paris Nord at that time, please tell me about it.

I understand the desire to have this figured out ahead of time so can just do what you need to do and get to your accommodations. I also know not wanting to use your phone. But perhaps you can load just one ticket onto your phone to tap and go and figure out the Navigo Easy Card later if it's too confusing and you are too tired upon arrival? It's just a few dollars so no harm in just loading it, even if you decide not to use it once you arrive. But if you do, then it's there. That's what we decided to do, but in our case, we will be getting the Navigo Decouverte (weekly) pass, also arriving via Eurostar. My husband and I went ahead and added 1 ticket each on our phones. If not too tired and can figure out the weekly pass, will get it, if not, will head to our accommodation, get some sleep, and deal with it later.

Regarding cardboard ones, bring a badge holder to put it in if concerned that you might end up with that version instead of the plastic one. That's what I did when visiting Venice where I was given a cardboard pass. Got one that was water proof, so that eliminated all concerns regarding durability.

https://parisbytrain.com/paris-train-metro-week-pass-navigo-decouverte/

I found this site recently which might help.

I have a 9 year old Navigo Decouverte plastic pass that I hope to reactivate when I visit this year.
If not, I’ll buy a new one and bring a photo for it from home just in case.

I’m with you about not buying tickets etc on my phone or IPad.
Never have, never will.
I don’t want any financial info on either of them.
Especially as there appear to be hackers “employed” by governments now.

Old fashioned? …..I’m fine with it.

There are lots of ticket machines and ticket windows at Gare du Nord that sell the Easy Pass. I know that because I bought mine there.
This map shows all the point of sales of public transport tickets and passes; https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/cartes/points-de-vente

Another option is to buy your ticket on board of the Eurostar in the restaurant/bar carriage of the train. You should expect to pay a premium on top of the original price.

Ah yes, it's me, just a random person on the internet . . .

@ Dutch_traveler - "There are lots of ticket machines and ticket windows at Gare du Nord that sell the Easy Pass. I know that because I bought mine there. " Do they take cash, and will I need coins? Such machines tend to choke on my credit card because my stupid bank wants to text me every time, and I won't be receiving texts just then. Also, do you know whether there are change machines at the station, in other words, machines that take your paper money and dispense coins? I can, of course, get coins some other way, but I'd prefer not carrying several pounds of metal around.

"This map shows all the point of sales of public transport tickets and passes; https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/cartes/points-de-vente." Right, thanks. I've seen that before. It's good, but it's just the beginning. I would need to know more about each place, and I would need to trust the information that's there in the first place.

"Another option is to buy your ticket on board of the Eurostar in the restaurant/bar carriage of the train." How did they keep that a secret from me? I have sent an e-mail to Eurostar asking whether I can buy an Easy pass on the train. Don't think that's because I doubt you, Internet person -- you've proved yourself -- it's just that I will bet all the money in my pocket against all the money in your pocket that they will try to load it on my phone if they still do it at all.

Thanks for helping this whinger, my Hollandais(e) friend.

@ S J - The Decouverte is not for me. It's Easy or nothing for my money.

"I’m with you about not buying tickets etc on my phone or IPad.
Never have, never will.
I don’t want any financial info on either of them.
Especially as there appear to be hackers “employed” by governments now.

Old fashioned? …..I’m fine with it."

Ah, a kindred spirit. Let's get together some time and rattle our dentures at these newfangled whippersnappers.

Amelot:

Do let us know how you got a ticket when you’ve arrived in Paris.
I may only want one ticket when I arrive too…haven’t decided on my trip order yet.

(And….Believe me, we here in Canada are already “rattling our dentures”……)

Eurostar now sell from the bar Navigo Easy cards with 2 preloaded metro tickets on them to get you going. There is always I suppose a risk that they have run out.

(Historically they so!d single paper tickets & carnets.)

@ Marco - "Eurostar now sell from the bar Navigo Easy cards with 2 preloaded metro tickets on them to get you going. There is always I suppose a risk that they have run out." Thanks. That would be perfect. I wonder why they're going to such lengths to keep that a secret.

@ S J - "Do let us know how you got a ticket when you’ve arrived in Paris." I will. In fact, it looks like I'll have to compose some sort of report on the whole business, me having whinged so much. We get home March 16.

I’m with you about not buying tickets etc on my phone or IPad.
Never have, never will.
I don’t want any financial info on either of them.
Especially as there appear to be hackers “employed” by governments now.

The tickets were paid via Apple pay and Samsung pay, no credit card information entered directly to the site. And I'm not aware of Apple and Samsung being owned by a government. But hey, if you are a cash only person and don't believe in the use of credit cards on the phone or I assume also the internet, then you do you. But I am curious, how in the world do you make reservations for those attractions that sell out in advance?

That would be perfect. I wonder why they're going to such lengths to keep that a secret.

Seat 61, the guide to anything trains mentions it under Option 5.

https://www.seat61.com/changing-stations-in-paris.htm#:~:text=Option%205%2C%20buy%20your%20metro,loaded%20with%20two%20metro%20tickets

And here is the link to Eurostar Café, section "Grab public transport tickets"

https://www.eurostar.com/us-en/travel-info/eurostar-experience/food-on-board/eurostar-cafe#Travel-tofrom-London

But sadly, it doesn't look like they take cash.

"To save time, you can also buy Navigo tickets for the Paris Metro and Oyster cards for getting around London. We accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express."

@ Lynn
"But sadly, it doesn't look like they take cash. To save time, you can also buy Navigo tickets for the Paris Metro and Oyster cards for getting around London. We accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express." I don't think that necessarly means they don't take cash. It might only mean that they accept those credit cards and no other in addition to cash. I am still waiting for Eurostar to get back to me.

Where do I buy a Navigo Easy pass in plastic?

Older Navigo and Navigo Découverte cards did have plastic sleeves with matching control numbers. Navigo Easy cards did not and I have never seen, nor heard of a paper Navigo Easy card. Paper passes mostly ended with the Mobilis fares, and I am not really sure how the Paris Visite passes are formatted.

I would be willing to bet they will transition over to a tap and go system like London

There are several reasons why that is unlikely to happen. Firstly, tap and go adds the unnecessary expense of credit card processing fees. Secondly, Navigo cards are user specific and the Parisian system has variable fares, based upon the user, not the payer. Only the Navigo Easy card may be used anonymously as it is not user specific.

they don't sell single-trip paper tickets any more, I think

Let's clarify. Throughout 2025, the following tickets are still available for purchase in paper format:

Métro/Train/RER tickets at 2.50€

OrlyBus/RoissyBus/airport tickets at 13€

Bus/tramway tickets at 2€

https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/tarifs-titre-de-transport-en-commun-2025

Note: at Gare du Nord, there are sales windows open allowing purchase, with cash or credit card, of any fare.

Metro stations take paper tickets and some don't

All métro stations accept paper tickets. Not all turnstiles do, but there always will be turnstiles that will accept paper tickets.

__

There were some pricing changes at the beginning of 2025, but paper tickets are still available, Navigo Easy cards function as they always have, as do the Navigo Découverte cards - no change to these cards.

If you look under Frequently asked questions on the Eurostar website you will see that they accept "old fashioned cash, too" in the on train bar car. Also "pay in Euros or British pounds (on London routes)" . So have both currencies on you. Just don't try paying in $ of any kind.

The bracketed comment means that pounds are not accepted on Eurostar Red (formerly Thalys) trains on the Rotterdam to Brussels and Paris route.

This is not a case of Eurostar hiding anything , but of you knowing how to search a website or even just the internet. I found it, not by doing a FAQ search but just by asking the question in Google.

I can understand that you are confused. And maybe there is room for a RS travel class on the new Paris fare system. But reading this thread there is a limit to how much we can prove things to you, when you seem to be dealing in double negatives all the time. You seem to be frustrated, so seem to be several other people who are trying to help you.

@ isn31c - "If you look under Frequently asked questions on the Eurostar website you will see that they accept "old fashioned cash, too" in the on train bar car." Good news. Thanks. I'm sure they do now that you've referenced that, but I just now went to the Eurostar homepage and did a "find on page" for "frequently" and "FAQ", and nada. I don't see the link for the FAQ. I only say this because if I don't, certain people will think I didn't try.

"Just don't try paying in $ of any kind." Right. We keep a stash of GBPs and EURs to take on our trips for initial expenses.

"The bracketed comment means that pounds are not accepted on Eurostar Red (formerly Thalys) trains on the Rotterdam to Brussels and Paris route." Wow. Fine detail, even.

"This is not a case of Eurostar hiding anything , but of you knowing how to search a website or even just the internet. I found it, not by doing a FAQ search but just by asking the question in Google." OK, I admire your google-fu. You have the patience to read every one of the 2 million hits. I was joking about the secret thing, by the way. All I meant was that the information is not laid out where one would expect to find it.

"But reading this thread there is a limit to how much we can prove things to you, when you seem to be dealing in double negatives all the time." The limit is official declaration or first-hand experience that is germaine to the issue. I don't think that's too much to ask. And it would be helpful for me to know what you mean by double negatives. You can messsage me instead of cluttering up the thread if you like.

"You seem to be frustrated" And you seem kind. Yeah, I'm frustrated, but it's not my imagination. For example, I'm looking at a dollar bill, and right on the front it says "this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private". But is it? I could go on and on, but this is not the place. Thanks for the help.

I really don't want to belabour points, it kind of derails us and is very prone to leading to unconstructive debate.

But by a double negative, just as one for instance, you ask about paper and plastic tickets. And a Paris resident says there just is only plastic now. And you say that's not good enough- or words to that effect. I don't know how anyone can prove that a paper ticket no longer exists. If a resident says there is only plastic, well that just is the case.
Now the transport websites undoubtedly could be better written- but they have to concentrate on the here and now as opposed to what used to be. For all I know (I haven't looked) there may be an old news item on the RATP website which says that 'paper tickets end on x date but there will be a transition period until y date'.
I'm fairly sure there are old posts on this forum which give that information. But I don't think it is reasonable to ask us to find those old posts, or old Paris transit notices. There is a point where you just have to accept things. It seems that you really upset that contributor, unfortunately

Very briefly yes I am far too kind and generous for my own kind. Last summer, as just one example, we had a not dis-similar case in London with much cross-evidence being presented. I basically ended up doing a 600 mile round trip just to secure the required hard physical evidence- yes I dressed that trip up a lot to hide the intent a bit/justify it to even myself. I shouldn't have had to go to such an extreme course of action.

I also do understand and appreciate how bad some transit agency websites or payment policies can be. Paris does seem to have become a less customer friendly city for those not wanting to be technology bound from what I am reading. Not going into detail I have seen even worse (far worse) in the US as I do tend to chronically over plan- one transit agency in Upper NY state (where overseas tourists hardly ever go) and one in northern WA state have been sending me utterly round the bend with their amazingly dumb systems, totally undesigned for non-locals.

“But I am curious, how in the world do you make reservations for those attractions that sell out in advance?”

I don’t, as I saw many of the big attractions in the world many years ago before crowds became unmanageable for them.
You could just walk up and get in “back in the day”.
Nowadays we visit lesser known “goodies” when traveling.

I do have a desktop pc, but never saw the need to have financial info on my portable devices.

Not everyone is glued to their devices….I’m sure I’m not alone.
I hardly ever use my cellphone here at home, just during travel for calls and maps and info.

Oh, lucky you. I'm relatively new to travel and want to see those big ticket items.