Paris tourists prefer maximizing sightseeing and visiting the whereabouts. After running through city museums, legs become sore by the evening when you need bus or the subway near even requiring a spare ticket. Considering different trip plans, I’ll try to sum up Paris and Ile-de-France transport and tell how to save on it.
Ile-de-France with Paris, its suburbs and popular sights like Versailles, Fontainebleau constitute the RATP transport network (zones 1-6) uniting the subway, RER speed metro, bus, tram, suburban train and some tourist attractions like the Montmartre funicular with their single tickets and passes.
Paris metro tickets are sold by 1 (1.60 euro) or in a package of 10 (carnet in French, 11.40 euro) which is 30% cheaper. Despite this discount, it’s quite costly for at least a week in Paris. You’d better buy a 16.80 euro Carte Orange or Navigo Decouverte weekly pass for zones 1-2 (all Paris in fact). It gives unlimited use of the subway, bus, RER (zones 1-2) during a calendar week for only 40% more than the 10 tickets you’ll spend much faster.
Such a pass requires a photo able to be taken at some large subway stations. Its 2 drawbacks (validity Monday through Sunday and personal limitation) are easily compensated by convenience and affordability. For distant trips like to Versailles or Fontainebleau, consider buying an all 6-zone pass.
Getting to La Defense
To visit La Defense, the Paris downtown with dominating skyscrapers unlike the other city areas, choose a transport thoroughly. It’s accessed by subway line 1 to the La Defense and Esplanade de la Defense stations for 1 ticket or by RER (line A) for a surcharge.
Getting to Versailles Cheaply
Though your 1 ticket usually brings you only within zone 2, you can use it for bus no matter the distance. For Versailles, use the subway to the Pont de Serves station (line 9) with 1 ticket/pass for zones 1-2 from where transfer to bus 171 up to its end stop right by the Versailles entrance. So for zones 1 through 4, you need only 2 one-way tickets or even 1 with a zone 1-2 pass. A zone 1-4 pass can bring you to Versailles by suburban train or the above route.
Getting to Chateau de Fontainebleau
Here is suburban train from the Gare de Lyon terminal to Paris – Melun – Montereau- Montargis – Sens ending at the Fontainebleau-Avon station or RER to Melun with further train and bus to the castle. The train costs about 16 euro plus 2 bus tickets. It’s around 20 euro in total, with a weekly Carte Orange for zones 1-6 costing 37.20 euro. The pass will be cheaper with Versailles included.
Getting outside Ile-de-France
Towns beyond Ile-de-France are served by comfortable but expensive Grande Ligne speed trains. You’ll be lucky with a zone 1-6 pass letting you reach Chartres by getting to Rambouillet by SNCF suburban train from Gare Montparnasse and buy there a 2-way ticket for Grande Ligne to Chartres. Checking Grande Ligne schedules in advance will make your trip a bit longer than without transfers but will save you 40%. That way you can visit anywhere outside Ile-de-France.
Paris Metro Map and RER Map. Suburban and Distant Train Schedules
Buying subway tickets entitles you for free subway and RER schemes. At Paris terminals you can also get free train schedules. Don’t miss this opportunity.
In conclusion, if you’re mostly for organized excursions, a 10-ticket package for 1-2 people will be enough. For personal sightseeing, pre-calculate Paris transport expenses and the cheapest pass.
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