Whats the best ticket to travel the light rail within Paris?
A great way to travel the metro is with the weekly pass known as a Navigo Découverte. The Navigo pass allows you unlimited travel on the metro rail system. However there are a few things you need know before deciding this is the best pass for you.
First, the Navigo pass is valid from Monday to Sunday. You can only buy the current weeks pass until Wednesday. On Thursday the pass is not sold, and if you buy on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, youll be sold the next weeks pass.
What if Im arriving in Paris between Thursday and Sunday, is there another option for me?
For this reason, if youre arriving in Paris between Thursday and Sunday youll have to buy a few single use tickets. You can either buy a single one for 1.90 or a pack of 10 tickets, known as a Carnet at about 30% discount for 12.70. Each of these tickets is valid for a one way trip, youll need to use another ticket to return. Also, each ticket allows you to take as many connections as you need but once you exit the gated area youll have to buy another pass to get back in.
Where can I buy the Navigo Découverte pass and how much does it cost?
To get a Navigo Découverte pass, you have to buy the pass and then charge it. You can do both of these at any ticket counter in a Metro station. You also need to provide a color photo that is 3cm tall by 2.5cm wide. You can either buy a photo from photo booths that are next to most ticket counters for 5, or just print one out at home and bring it with you. The ticket seller will take your photo, and attach it to the Navigo pass so that only you can use it. The pass alone costs 5, and then you have to charge it for a week. The weekly cost varies depending on how many zones you want to be able to cover. Paris is divided into 5 zones, but all tourist spots within Paris are covered in Zones 1-3, so youll want to buy a Zone 1-3 pass for 24.50.
So to recap, your Navigo Pass will cost you 5 (for the pass itself) + 24.50 (weekly charge) = 29.50 (plus another 5 for the photos from the photo booth, unless you bring your own from home). If youre in Paris for two weeks, your recharge for the second week will only be 24.50.
How often can I use the pass?
Keep in mind you can only use the Navigo pass every 10 minutes or so. So if you swipe the card on the card reader and dont immediately go through, youll have to wait another few minutes to try again, or just go to the ticket counter and explain what happened and they will usually issue you a single use ticket for free.
What places are not covered by the Zones recommended (1-3)?
Note that the airport and areas outside Paris such as Versailles are not covered in Zones 1-3. See the Zone map on the RER site to determine if you need to buy a pass that covers more zones if you want to travel outside central Paris via the RER system.
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