Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
stamps (though not all sell international postage—to mail something home, use two do-
mestic stamps, or go to a post office), prepaid phone cards, and...oh yeah, cigarettes. To
find one of these kiosks, just look for a Tabac sign and the red cylinder-shaped symbol
abovecertaincafés.A tabac canbeagodsendforavoidinglongticketlinesattheMétro,
especially at the end of the month when ticket booths get crowded with locals buying
next month's pass.
Winter Activities: The City of Light sparkles year-round. For background on what to do
and see here in winter months, see www.ricksteves.com/pariswinter .
Updates to this Topic: For news about changes to this topic's coverage since it was pub-
lished, see www.ricksteves.com/update .
Getting Around Paris
Paris is easy to navigate. Your basic choices are Métro (in-city subway), RER (suburban rail
tied into the Métro system), public bus, and taxi. (Also consider the hop-on, hop-off bus and
boat tours, described under “Tours in Paris,” later.)
You can buy tickets and passes at Métro stations and at many tabacs . Staffed ticket win-
dows in stations are gradually being phased out in favor of ticket machines, so expect some
stations to have machines only—be sure to carry coins or small bills of €20 or less (not all
machinestakebillsandnonetakesAmericancreditcards).Ifaticketmachineisoutoforder
or if you're out of change, buy tickets at a tabac .
Public-Transit Tickets: The Métro, RER, and buses all work on the same tickets. You
canmakeasmanytransfersasyouneedonasingleticket,exceptwhentransferringbetween
the Métro/RER system and the bus system, which requires using an additional ticket. A
single ticket costs €1.70. To save money, buy a carnet (kar-nay) of 10 tickets for €12.70
(cheaper for ages 4-10). Carnets can be shared among travelers.
Passe Navigo: You can buy a chip-embedded card, called the Passe Navigo (though for
most tourists, carnets are a better deal). You pay a one-time €5 fee for the Navigo card itself
(which also requires a postage-stamp-size photo of yourself—bring your own, print a color
photo, or use the €4 photo booths in major Métro stations). For a weekly (hebdomadaire)
version good for travel in central Paris (zones 1-2), you'll pay €19.15, which gives you free
run of the bus, Métro, and non-suburban RER system from Monday to Sunday (expiring on
Sunday, even if you buy it on, say, a Thursday). A monthly version is also available.
TousetheNavigo,whetherataMétroturnstileoronthebus,touchthecardtothepurple
pad, wait for the green validation light and the “ding,” and you're on your way. The basic
pass covers only central Paris, not regional destinations such as Versailles.
Navigo or Carnet? It's hard to beat the carnet. Two 10-packs of carnets —enough for
most travelers staying a week—cost €25.40, are shareable, and don't expire. Though similar
in price, the Passe Navigo is more of a hassle to buy, cannot be shared, and only becomes
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