The Paris Pass

[mountaingirl]

Hello out there! My husband and two children aged 11 and 12 will be in Paris for a week in August and were wondering about purchasing the Paris Pass for 4 or 6 days. Have any of you used it or heard from others that have used it? Just wondering if it is well worth it. We do want time to just meander and experience, not race around the entire time...it claims to get you into major attractions more quickly, take care of transporation (ease the time and convenience of paying cash and waiting for tickets). Not sure...what do you think?
Mountaingirl

[Happygoin]

Mtngirl, are you talking about the Paris Visite Pass? If so, I've read that it's generally considered a waste of money.

[Katharine]

My opinion is different than happy's. I liked using it because I bypassed the lines for buying tix and walked right into the museums and monuments. Not sure what is on your agenda, but if you are ther a week, maybe the four day would work.

If this is your first trip there, and you will want to see the major things, this could be an invaluable way to save time, IMHO.

Have a great time!

Katharine

[luckyluc]

I think there might a bit of confusion between the Paris Pass and the Paris Museum Pass. The Paris Pass is definetely aim at tourists and at the prices they are asking one must spend all their time in museums for it to be worth. The Paris Museum Pass on the other hand can be a good choice is one can plan their visits according to the days. Do remember that the children will have some free entrance and rebates.

[Katharine]

Luc, thanks for the clarification. I was, in fact, thinking of the Museum Pass.

KH

[gertie]

There actually appear to be a total of four passes.

One is the Carte de Musee, sold online (they charge a delivery fee to cover postage, etc) www.parismuseumpass.com/en/pass_tarif.php and available at the airports and other locations as detailed on that site, without any delivery fee. I think about 50 museums and popular attractions in the Paris area, including some popular day trips like Versailles are on the list of locations it gives entry to. Given how nominal the charge, and that it allows you to pass up some (but not all) lines, it can be a worthwhile investment, if cost is your major determiner, since so many locations are included.

Second is the Paris Viste card, which is a travel card, marketed it tourists. Given many of the most popular sites afford walking between, many have stated they got by more cheaply with a carnet of tickets, but I would surmise this may not always be the case, seeing as you can use the card to transfer from metro to bus, for example, which I believe requires two tickets, and discounts on tickets to various attractions and 10% discount shopping Galeries Lafayette come with the card, available in all Paris Metro, RER, Transilien SNCF stations, bus terminal ticket counters, RATP Boutiques, RATP sales desks at Orly and CDG airports and Paris tourist offices. www.pariswelcome.net/metro/paris_visite.htm

Third is the Paris Pass, which is often spoken of as a combo of the two above, which is not really quite true, it has some extras. A guide book (have only seen pictures, it is quite petite, though), entry to some things not offered with the other two, plus a wine tasting, discounts, and Seine River Cruises (I've read some places the Paris Viste covers one of the Seine River Cruises, but apparently this is a better cruise?) - full info www.parispass.com/compare_paris_passes.asp

A combo Paris Viste and Carte de Musee is apparently also sold.

My personal comment is the value of these products would depend. If you will be visiting many of the included attractions on consecutive days and plan to shop where the discounts are offered anyways, these might be useful. They won't let you pass all lines, but they can be a significant savings if your time is extremely short. Travel cards can save time, too, because you won't have to wait in line for tickets (possibly particularly important if your credit card is not chip and pin as it may not only save you the time in line and possible translation difficulties, or save the time to get more cash to buy another carnet.)

My personal take on the issue, if you are an inexperienced traveler or bad about running short on cash toward end of trip, one of these cards might provide a little extra assurance. I originally wasn't much for them, but have seen friends get along nicely with only a very small bag because all they had to carry round with them was a small digital camera, a credit or debit card, a few euros, and one of these cards. Less to keep track of. Easier to manage getting around and in and out of places. Less worry of dropping something or being pickpocketed whilst dragging the bottom of the pocket book for that last ticket in the carnet. I expect when I take my daughter and her friend to Paris (for daughter's 16th summer) I will probably give them each a Paris pass, a small allowance of euros, and turn them loose for a morning or afternoon.

[holger]

Don't forget Carte Orange which you can get by the week or month. They make traveling around Paris very easy and are useful when at stations without assistance when you are out of cash and cannot use the automated machines.

While you can't use them at museums they are good for people who have been to Paris frequently and prefer to wander.

[Jody]

Carte Orange is being phased out and replaced with a Navigo Decouverte, which can be loaded with weekly or monthly passes. I wish they'd add Pay as you go cash , loke the London Oyster,to it so you could use it if you arrive in Paris on a Fri, Sat or Sun. The passes start on Mondays and go thru Sunday.

[GitteK]

I wish they would scrap that idiotic, bureaucratic rule about the Navigo MUST run from Monday to Monday !! Is there some Law of Nature preventing the RATP from deciding that you can buy a week on your Navigo from Wednesday to Wednesday ??

[sistereurope]

Yes, even our totally disorganized inefficient metro system in DC allows you to buy a pass and put however much money you want on it...so much simpler.

[sdtraveller]

As I understand it, there are two types of "Navigo" cards--which are RFID-like plastic cards that only need to be "waved" close to the turnstile or bus sensor.. The "regular" Navigo is for residents and must be linked to a French bank account. I don't know if it has a "pay as you use it option," but I believe it can be automatically recharged with a week/month of use directly from that account.

The Navigo Decouverte is for "visitors" and can be charged with a week or month of travel at metro stations and perhaps elsewhere. We will bring our plastic ND cards (picture-ID) with us when we return at the end of April and immediately "fill" them with a month's pass for May. They are so much more convenient to use than the former CO "tickets," which you had to insert into the turnstile slot and recapture each time.

If someone has more accurate info about the ND, please correct me.

San Diego is moving toward implementing an RFID-card system for our buses and fixed-rail systems, and I believe they expect to allow puchase of a thirty-day (rather than a calendar month) pass.