Where can I purchase Paris Metro and RER tickets in the USA (Paris Visite)

By all means, just buy them when you arrive in Paris.

Wait till you get there it's cheaper no shipping
etc

Are you familiar with the Carte Orange? It's a pass that is good Monday-Sunday (not any seven-day period). Even if you won't be in Paris for a full week, it can be cheaper than a Paris Visite if your time in Paris falls on the right days of the week.

WHen you get to the Metro ticket window, ask for a Carnet (car-NAY). They'll give you 10 tickets for just under 12 Euro....1.20 Euro per journey...the cheapest way to travel on the subway. If you plan a LOT of trips, consider the aforementioned Carte Orange pass...the weekly (hebdomadaire) format, good Monday-Friday, on both the RER and Metro. You need a passport-sized photo, which you can get at one of the photo booths in the bigger stations. The main tourist zones mostly 1 and 2, for about 16 Euro. If you time it right, and plan to go back and forth to CDG, and back and forth to Versailles, and travel the Metro, the 1-6 zone Carte Orange might be more cost effective.

The Carte Orange covers a week Monday thru Sunday and goes on sale the previous Thursday. After Wednesday, you can no longer buy the Carte Orange for the current week. I think I paid 16 Eu for a weekly Carte Orange in April. The pass pays for itself if you take over 14 trips on it. Carte Orange is also available for a month's use. The Carnet is a good deal if your usage is less or your visit will not fit within their weekly pass use. Paris has an extensive city bus system which also takes Metro tix or the Carte Orange.

A small correction to Swan's post. The Carte Orange is NOT sold on Thursdays. If you buy it Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, it will not be valid until Monday.

Hi,

Well we arrive at CDG Tuesday afternoon and return Monday afternoon to CDG and in the past we have purchased 5 day Visite Paris tickets that cover zones 1-5. The Visite Paris tickets might be more expensive but they are very convenient. You can go anywhere in zones 1-5 on the Metro or RER trains. I think the Rossy Bus is about 8 euros I am not sure what the RER fare is. I have checked online and the 5 day Visite Paris pass is 47 euros.

Zone 1-2 Carte Orange = €16.30. Zone 1-5 Carte Orange = €32.10. You can use a Carte Orange everywhere you can use a Paris Visite. It requires a small headshot photo, like the one in your passport.

Roissybus = €8.50.

RER/Metro from CDG to Paris = €8.10.

Adding to my previous post. If you buy a Carte Orange when you arrive at CDG on Tuesday, it will be good for SIX days (Tuesday-Sunday) and still cost you less than a five-day Paris Visite.

I bought my Carte Orange at my closest Paris metro (Ecole Militaire). There was a photo booth where you could get the photo, but then we needed scissors to cut out the photo! I was glad to have my Swiss Army Knife with mini scissors! If you bring a small photo with you (even smaller than wallet size), that will save you time and money.

We got our Carte Orange since we were there from Sunday to the following Monday. We called it our Freedom Pass. Best money we ever spent in Paris.

RER ticket from the airport we bought from an actual person there. RER ticket to Versailles and elsewhere, we used the automatic kiosk.

If I want to buy a Carte Orange and use it on the Roissybus before getting into Paris... is this possible?

Thanks. :)

Addition to my previous post... I am arriving at Charles de Gaulle Airport and taking the Roissybus into Paris...so I would like to know if you can buy the Carte Orange at the CDG airport?

Thanks. :)

Liz,

Yes, you can buy a Carte Orange at CDG.

Thank you so much for the info and the quick reply! :)

Can you get the small photos there as well?

Thanks. :)