We are going to Paris next month for 4 days. I think we are gong to get 4 day passes for DH & I. I understand that kids under 18 are free to get into the museums, am I correct?
If that's true, then if DH & I have the Paris Pass or Paris Museum Pass, do the kids just walk up with us to the ticket taker or entrance or whatever they have and walk on through? Or would we have to mess around with going to another window to get them vouchers, etc. We understand that if we had the Paris Pass with its transportation benefit we would also have to buy a separate HOHO bus pass for the kids. But this would save us money.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
First of all, think twice about buying the Paris Pass. The transportation portion of it is overpriced. You can do better on your own. Yes, if you have a Paris Museum Pass, the kids can walk in with you. No delays because of them.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Jen,, just what Tim said,, but I am really going to emphasize that the Paris Viste Pass is almost never a deal,, you won't need all those options that you paying for. If your kids are older ( over 14 or so) take some id to show they are under 18. I have taken two 14 yr olds and a 11 yr , on a few seperate trips, we never got asked for id, but they didn't look very old( my boys didn't hit their growth spurts till they were 16 or 17 , but some boys are shaving by then!)
Posted by
OP
Land of 10,000 lakes
84 posts
I was thinking the Museum Pass was a better deal by far, even with having to buy transportation separately. I don't think we'll be using the metro in zones 1-3 much (just the longer distances to Versailles and maybe CDG, which isn't on the pass anyway), so the HOHO bus & boat pass is a better deal. I found a site called Paris-tours.net to have the bus/boat option for $61/3 days/adult. Anyone dealt with them before? Tim--we are in Duluth (well, Hermantown)! It is COLD and foggy here today. How are the Cities?
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
Jen, This morning it rained hard for a couple of hours. This evening it was mild and pleasant. However, it was cloudy so we couldn't see the mega full moon. Bummer.
Posted by
Fontainebleau, France
893 posts
Check the information for each museum you plan to visit with the Museum Pass to make sure children are free, because they aren't at some of the ones covered by the pass. They are free at the main museums, and the only one I've visited that required me to wait in line to get a free ticket for my kids was at Invalides/Musée de l'Armée. I'd suggest buying the HO/HO separately. You can save a little money by buying your tix in advance on the internet. And then you can just buy carnets of 10 Metro tickets as needed.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
Buy ten-ticket carnets and share the tickets. An adult carnet costs €12.70. Children 10 and younger can use tickets from a carnet reduit which costs €6.35. Each ticket is good anywhere the Metro goes (some lines end in zone 3) and on the RER in zone 1 and provides unlimited transfers until you exit the system. Each ticket allows bus transfers up to 90 minutes after boarding the first bus. However, you cannot transfer between bus and Metro/RER on one ticket. A ticket is good on the Montmartre funiculaire that goes to Sacre-Coeur. If your four days will include a Saturday and/or a Sunday, you could buy one-day, zone 1-3 Tickets Juenes passes (€3.55) for your children for one or both days.
Posted by
OP
Land of 10,000 lakes
84 posts
Thanks, everyone! I think we have a PLAN! Museum Passes for the adults, combo HOHO bus & boat passes all around! Carnets of tickets as we need them.