Need advice. First trip to Europe. Will be in Paris and then Spain.

I don't know the current price of a Paris Visite, but think most people say it is not worth it. I always buy carnets of 10 tickets from any ticket machine or teller at a metro station. And many sights in Paris are close together and can be walked to.

Rail passes are tricky these days and often do not offer much savings. I am guessing that point to point tickets would be cheaper for your limited train travel. However, just ot the national rail sites and check point to point tickets. Do not use Eurorail for comparison. Their tickets prices are very high.

With your short stay in Paris, consider getting the Museum Pass. It covers just about every admission sight in Paris, except the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame (which is free, but the pass covers the bell tower). You'll save a little money, but the biggest saver will be time. The museum pass allows you to jump to the front of the lines for most attractions.

If you are in Paris for only 2 days, and unless you intend to visit a lot of museums, I'm not sure the museum pass will be worthwhile for you. You are on a tight budget, as you say, and I think as students with student ID you will get reduced entry fees at museums anyway.

In my estimation, the most cost efficient way for you to sight see in Paris is to get on Buses 69 and 42. Get yourselves a bus map at any metro station so you can see the routes. You have very little time in Paris . . . you arrive one day and leave the next, so in effect you have probably only 2 half-days. I hope you will love it and want to return.

The Museum Pass is worth it (buy it in Paris), Paris Visit is not. Split a carnet of 10 tickets (or two if needed on day 2) with your friend.

I'd be very surprised if any pass beat point-to-point tickets, but you should check. Use the SNCF web site for prices.

Where are you staying in Paris. If you are in a central location you can walk to most sites,, and need not buy any sort of transport pass, even a carnet may not be needed.I can go 2 days on foot easily, and there are many sites clos together.

Ps you could fly to Spain cheaply ,, have you looked into that?

As a student I would not buy museum pass, unless you plan on seeing at least three or four musuems a day.. Line avoidance is not too difficult.. going first thing to museums like Orsay or sites like the ET, and using lesser known entrance at Louvre will help you avoid most line time. I never find it too much.

Mind you, when I went to Paris in my early twenties musuems were not a priority for me.. everyone is different.