There are two types of rail travel passes that may interest visitors to Paris. Find out the details of these passes and choose which one is right for you.
El Paris Visite Pass
If you want to avoid the hassle and buy a Paris transport from the USA, you can get the Paris Visite Pass, which is specially designed for tourists and also offers discounts on museums and tours. The Paris Visite Pass is available online.
Although the Paris Visite pass is not as good as the Navigo Découverte, it has three main advantages:
- The Paris Visite pass is valid from any day of the week (the Navigo Découverte is only valid on Mondays)
- The Paris Visite pass can be purchased online from any country
- The Paris Visite also offers discounts on museums and tours.
Paris Visite is available in 1, 2, 3 and 5 day versions for zones 1 to 6.
El Navigo Discovery Pass
Navigo is the replacement name for the Carte Orange transit pass. Covers transport on trains, the RER and the metro in the Paris area chosen by the recipient. The current pass includes transportation within Paris and suburbs, Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY) airports, Chateau Versailles, Fontainebleau and Parc Disney.
Tourists can purchase a Navigo Découverte pass at almost any Metro, RER or Transilien train ticket window that normally sells tickets and passes in Paris. There are currently two versions of the Navigo pass, the standard Navigo and the Navigo Découverte. The Navigo pass is reserved for locals, but anyone can buy a Navigo Découverte, although, as with the Carte Orange, sellers of the popular transport pass may try to dissuade foreign tourists from purchasing a Navigo Découverte, leading to them to the most expensive, but Paris Visit Pass more flexible.
Obtain a Navigo Discovery Pass
For a one-week Navigo pass, you will pay a € 5 ($ 6 USD) fee for the card itself. Then you will need to add the cost of the transportation coverage you need.
You will need a photo of yourself for the pass, 3 cm high by 2.5 cm wide, which is smaller than the size of the passport. You can buy them at photo kiosks near the ticket windows that sell passes on the Metro, RER and Ile-de-France trains.
You can buy a Navigo at the ticket offices of a metro or RER station or authorized resellers (such as some local tobacconists). There are also machines at the stations, but they do not accept credit cards in denominations other than euros, some travelers complain.
Duración del Passe Navigo Discovery
The pass starts on Monday morning with the first cars and ends on Sunday. This can affect tourists who do not arrive in Paris on Monday.
Problems buying a pass?
Despite what a ticket seller may tell you, what to do with the right to purchase and use a Passe Navigo Découverte. “Elle est ouverte à tous (Franciliens et non Franciliens)” says the document, the pass is open to all.
