and Museum passes confusing? I find myself reading the
options over and over. Three of us will be arriving in Paris mid-May for a week. I find myself pondering what the heck to buy. Carnet, Card Orange, Museum pass. Surely there is a more simple way of buying an all inclusive Metro, train, museum, sight pass. Any thoughts?
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
I think it's called "cash".
Posted by
in a train schedule...
267 posts
Norma's cute answer aside, the myriad of passes available to tourists can be confusing. But if you think of them as tools to save you money, they instantly become friendly.
Métro options:
Carnet - This is not a pass, but a group of 10 discounted tickets sold together. These are for light to moderate use of public transport. Each ticket can be used the the métro, tram, bus, and RER within the city limits. If you do not expect to use public transport that often, buy a carnet.
Carte Orange - This is a week-long (Mon-Sun) public transport pass. Like the tickets in a carnet, it is valid for the métro, tram, bus, and RER within the city limits. Weekly passes for the current week are sold through Wednesday. Sale of passes for the upcoming week starts on Friday. They are not sold on Thursdays. Since you will be staying for a week, I would recommend this option.
CONT'd
Posted by
in a train schedule...
267 posts
Museum Pass:
The Paris Museum Pass includes admission and line-skipping privileges for most of the sights and museums in Paris (notable exception: Eiffel Tower). It is sold in 2,4, and 6 day versions. The days are counted consecutively.
So there you have it. Two passes, or one pass and métro tickets. That's it.
Posted by
Mars, PA, USA
213 posts
Martine gives great advice, as always. You're right, it can be confusing, but really only if you're doing stuff outside the city like we are this time (and everyone here has been so helpful talking me through that). My first/only trip there I just bought the M.P.(saves time) and the Carte Orange and it was all I needed for a week touring the city alone (with the addition of a train ticket to Versailles).
We're also arriving mid May for 9 nights and here's our train/museum plan: We arrive on a Monday, so we'll be buying the Navigo with the Carte Orange and the 6 day Paris Museum Pass. We bought sep. train tickets for a daytrip to Normandy on Friday. Monday of the following week (when everything has expired) we'll be buying a carnet, plus some singles (there are 6 of us) for our daytrip to Disney; a Moblis which will cover both the Metro and the RER to Disney. On Tues. we're off to Versailles and I've just starting researching that one- Passport probably. Good luck planning!
Posted by
Corvallis, OR, USA
30 posts
I agree that the 3-day pass thingy is confusing. Try reading and reading it over again. Does anyone know if you get a supersaver pass, the one which allows 2 or more people to be travelling on TGV for 3 days in one month ... (sorry about syntax) IF both people must be travelling together each time one uses the TGV? Or, to put it more plainly, if my husb and I get one of these passes, can I travel alone on the pass, without him? Thanks.