Lennart Petersen

"jcoulter" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email protected]...
    > "Lennart Petersen" <[email protected]> wrote in
    > news:[email protected]:
    >> "Mxsmanic" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
    >> news:[email protected]...
    >>> Greg Klipstein writes:
    >>>> On this web page:
    >>>> http://www.citefutee.com/informer/an...ris_visite.php
    >>>> it says "With the Paris Visite pass travel freely within the zone
    >>>> area of your choice."
    >>>> It appears that the link to the "zone map" is about "train" zones,
    >>>> not Metro
    >>>> zones.
    >>> Train and Métro zones are the same.
    >> La Defense seem to be in zone 3 with RER but in zone 1 with Metro?
    > La Defense is the end of a metro line
Yes it is. And there's a station on the RER as well, obviously in a
different zone.

Mxsmanic

Hatunen writes:

    > That's so English-speakers will buy the more expensive Visite
    > pass.

The strategy seems to work.

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Mxsmanic

Lennart Petersen writes:

    > La Defense seem to be in zone 3 with RER but in zone 1 with Metro?

It's in the same zone for both, but Métro rides always cost the same
(because there are no exit turnstiles to check tickets on the way out).

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Poldy

In article <[email protected]>,
Mxsmanic <[email protected]> wrote:

    > I recommend taxis for getting to and from the airport with luggage,
    > especially when arriving.

There are minivan services which will take you to and from the airport
from any Parisian address. You have to share rides with others but
we're talking about 4 or 5 other stops at the most.

Costs 20-30 euros per person each way.

Steve Cain

You may use the entire metro system and much of the RER with your pass. On
the metro map you will see a curled line passing through each RER line as it
progresses away from Paris. You will need to buy a RER ticket before
boarding if you wish to exit outside these demarkations. Meaning a metro
card will get you on the RER at d'Orsay for example but won't get you out
through the turnstile at Versailles. Regards, s


"Greg Klipstein" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > On this web page:
    > http://www.citefutee.com/informer/an...ris_visite.php
    > it says "With the Paris Visite pass travel freely within the zone area of
    > your choice."
    > It appears that the link to the "zone map" is about "train" zones, not
    > Metro
    > zones.
    > My question: If one buys this Visite pass, does one have the right to use
    > the complete Metro system, or are there zone restrictions on the Metro?
    > Is there a better ticket/pass one can buy for 2 or 3 adults traveling
    > together around Paris for 10 sequential days? Thanks.
    >

Frank F. Matthews

Greg Klipstein wrote:

    > "Hatunen" <[email protected]> wrote in message

    >>For all practical purposes, there are no zones on the Metro.

    >>The passes are also good on RER, though, and zones are a serious
    >>consideration on the RER.

    >>In general, though, many inhabitants of this group do not
    >>consider the Visite pass a very good buy.

    > OK, so the Metro has no zones. I have noticed in various discussions that
    > the Carte Orange is the "preferred local" pass that is also available to
    > visitors but run Monday-Sunday. Here are my main considerations for what to
    > buy for 3 adults 29 Dec-8 Jan. Arrive CDG (NWA-Terminal 1?) on a Wednesday
    > noon and probably just want to go CDG-->Gare du Nord neighborhood and rest
    > that day.

Unless you are unusually light on luggage a van service will be much
more convenient and not a lot more expensive. It is especially hard to
haul luggage up from some RER stations. The one at Notre Dame was hell.

    > Thursday thru the following Saturday (10 days) in and about
    > Paris. Need Metro passes for Thurs-Sunday.

A few books of tickets will probably serve you well.

    > Then, maybe Carte Orange Monday,
    > 3 Jan-Saturday 8 Jan when we depart via CDG. Is the Carte Orange
    > legal/valid to go Gare du Nord-->CDG?

If you get the full range of zones it will do. However it is not easy
to manage some of the in town stations. I was OK but my wife found it a
nuisance. If you are using RER to some of the outlying areas such as
Versailles it is worth it.

    > Or, Saturday 8 Jan, Gare du Nord to
    > CDG (other half of a return ticket?). Thank you for any suggestions.

As far as I can remember the return tickets are no cheaper. If you are
on an early flight to North America you might consider spending the
night at CDG. Most of the airport hotels are business hotels and should
have good rates for Friday night on line. If you have a Carte Orange
for the airport you can get back to town easily once your luggage is at
the hotel.

B Vaughan

On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 15:40:39 -0500, Ronald Hands
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >B Vaughan wrote:
    >>
    >> There is another pass that covers the metro only and costs less, but
    >> when I was in Paris in August, I heard some American students arguing
    >> with a metro clerk who wouldn't sell it to them, because she said it
    >> was for residents only. They had bought one a few days earlier and
    >> were pissed to be refused this time. I don't know who was right.
    > That would be the carte orange. We (my wife and I) had no trouble
    >buying them recently, for zones 1 and 2, at Bir-Hakeim Metro station.
    >We did have the foresight to take along the required passport-size
    >photos, which are then attached to the carte orange.
    > I've also heard that story that some clerks still insist they're for
    >residents only. Rick Steves, in his Paris book, says that's not true
    >and recommends just going to another station.

There seems to be a great deal of inconsistency on this point, which
surely generates ill feeling if tourists can buy them one week and not
the next.

    > Better buy than a Paris Visite? Dunno. Carte orange seems to be
    >preferred by the guidebook writers.

It's certainly cheaper, but it only covers the metro. I bought a
Visite Paris card for one day when I was in Paris, because I was
mainly planning on using the busses. In the end, I walked more than I
expected I would and probably would have been better off with single
fares, but it was convenient to have the card and not have to estimate
how many tickets I would need. I also got a free nylon shopping bag at
a department store with the pass.


    > I think we managed to get our money's worth out of the carte orange.
    > I'm much less convinced of the merits of the museum and monuments
    >pass, particularly at this less-touristed time of the year when lineups
    >are generally small or non-existent. We bought them for three days
    >(which have to be consecutive) and, looking back, I suspect it would
    >have been much cheaper just to buy individual admissions for as many
    >museums as we could tolerate over that period.
    >-- Ron

--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

B Vaughan

On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 21:59:46 GMT, "Lennart Petersen"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >"B Vaughan" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
    >news:[email protected].. .
    >>>In general, though, many inhabitants of this group do not
    >>>consider the Visite pass a very good buy.
    >> I seem to remember that it paid off after three or four rides. This
    >> seems like a fairly good buy. It also includes busses, as well as the
    >> RER and the metro. In includes discounts at some museums and
    >> restaurants, although probably not worth buying for these.
    >> There is another pass that covers the metro only and costs less, but
    >> when I was in Paris in August, I heard some American students arguing
    >> with a metro clerk who wouldn't sell it to them, because she said it
    >> was for residents only. They had bought one a few days earlier and
    >> were pissed to be refused this time. I don't know who was right.
    >-------------------------------------------
    >Possibly against EU rules of free trade. I can remember that Russia used
    >to have different higher rail prices for foreigners but EU forced them to
    >abolish such rules referring to the treaty of free trade.

How is Russia bound by the rules of the EU?

    >Another example is possibly Venice where locals are said to benefit from
    >lower fares on the vaporetto.

Yes, this is true, but I think it's because they buy a monthly pass,
which is very cheap. The single vaporetto tickets are really quite
expensive.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

Ulrich Neumann

B Vaughan wrote:

    >> Better buy than a Paris Visite? Dunno. Carte orange seems to be
    >>preferred by the guidebook writers.
    >
    > It's certainly cheaper, but it only covers the metro. I bought a

No, a Carte Orange allows you to use the metro, RER and buses.

Ulrich

Lennart Petersen

"B Vaughan" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email protected]...
    > On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 21:59:46 GMT, "Lennart Petersen"
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>"B Vaughan" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
    >>news:[email protected]. ..
    >>>>In general, though, many inhabitants of this group do not
    >>>>consider the Visite pass a very good buy.
    >>> I seem to remember that it paid off after three or four rides. This
    >>> seems like a fairly good buy. It also includes busses, as well as the
    >>> RER and the metro. In includes discounts at some museums and
    >>> restaurants, although probably not worth buying for these.
    >>> There is another pass that covers the metro only and costs less, but
    >>> when I was in Paris in August, I heard some American students arguing
    >>> with a metro clerk who wouldn't sell it to them, because she said it
    >>> was for residents only. They had bought one a few days earlier and
    >>> were pissed to be refused this time. I don't know who was right.
    >>-------------------------------------------
    >>Possibly against EU rules of free trade. I can remember that Russia
    >>used
    >>to have different higher rail prices for foreigners but EU forced them to
    >>abolish such rules referring to the treaty of free trade.
    > How is Russia bound by the rules of the EU?
They have signed trade treaties, simply.
The treaties were interpreted in a way that Russia can't have different
prices.

Lennart Petersen

"Mxsmanic" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email protected]...
    > Lennart Petersen writes:
    >> La Defense seem to be in zone 3 with RER but in zone 1 with Metro?
    > It's in the same zone for both, but Métro rides always cost the same
    > (because there are no exit turnstiles to check tickets on the way out).
Absence of exit turnstiles can't be the reason as you're obliged to have a
valid ticket for the correct zone in the case of a random ticket check.
Same thing for line 13 to St. Denis and Gabriel Peri.

Frank F. Matthews

B Vaughan wrote:

    > On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 15:40:39 -0500, Ronald Hands
    > <[email protected]> wrote:

    >>B Vaughan wrote:

    >>>There is another pass that covers the metro only and costs less, but
    >>>when I was in Paris in August, I heard some American students arguing
    >>>with a metro clerk who wouldn't sell it to them, because she said it
    >>>was for residents only. They had bought one a few days earlier and
    >>>were pissed to be refused this time. I don't know who was right.

    >> That would be the carte orange. We (my wife and I) had no trouble
    >>buying them recently, for zones 1 and 2, at Bir-Hakeim Metro station.
    >>We did have the foresight to take along the required passport-size
    >>photos, which are then attached to the carte orange.
    >> I've also heard that story that some clerks still insist they're for
    >>residents only. Rick Steves, in his Paris book, says that's not true
    >>and recommends just going to another station.

    > There seems to be a great deal of inconsistency on this point, which
    > surely generates ill feeling if tourists can buy them one week and not
    > the next.

Once you get the ID pouch you can get the weekly tickets from the machines.

    >> Better buy than a Paris Visite? Dunno. Carte orange seems to be
    >>preferred by the guidebook writers.

    > It's certainly cheaper, but it only covers the metro. I bought a
    > Visite Paris card for one day when I was in Paris, because I was
    > mainly planning on using the busses. In the end, I walked more than I
    > expected I would and probably would have been better off with single
    > fares, but it was convenient to have the card and not have to estimate
    > how many tickets I would need. I also got a free nylon shopping bag at
    > a department store with the pass.

    >> I think we managed to get our money's worth out of the carte orange.
    >> I'm much less convinced of the merits of the museum and monuments
    >>pass, particularly at this less-touristed time of the year when lineups
    >>are generally small or non-existent. We bought them for three days
    >>(which have to be consecutive) and, looking back, I suspect it would
    >>have been much cheaper just to buy individual admissions for as many
    >>museums as we could tolerate over that period. Ron

Mxsmanic

Lennart Petersen writes:

    > Absence of exit turnstiles can't be the reason as you're obliged to have a
    > valid ticket for the correct zone in the case of a random ticket check.

You can use a ticket for zone 1 on the Métro, as I recall.

    > Same thing for line 13 to St. Denis and Gabriel Peri.

I've never gone that far on line 13, at least not in many years.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

B Vaughan

On Mon, 01 Nov 2004 17:07:57 GMT, "Frank F. Matthews"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >B Vaughan wrote:
    >> On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 15:40:39 -0500, Ronald Hands
    >> <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>>B Vaughan wrote:
    >>>>There is another pass that covers the metro only and costs less, but
    >>>>when I was in Paris in August, I heard some American students arguing
    >>>>with a metro clerk who wouldn't sell it to them, because she said it
    >>>>was for residents only. They had bought one a few days earlier and
    >>>>were pissed to be refused this time. I don't know who was right.
    >>> That would be the carte orange. We (my wife and I) had no trouble
    >>>buying them recently, for zones 1 and 2, at Bir-Hakeim Metro station.
    >>>We did have the foresight to take along the required passport-size
    >>>photos, which are then attached to the carte orange.
    >>> I've also heard that story that some clerks still insist they're for
    >>>residents only. Rick Steves, in his Paris book, says that's not true
    >>>and recommends just going to another station.
    >> There seems to be a great deal of inconsistency on this point, which
    >> surely generates ill feeling if tourists can buy them one week and not
    >> the next.
    >Once you get the ID pouch you can get the weekly tickets from the machines.

If the Carte Orange covers busses as well as the metro, then it's not
the card the American tourists were trying to buy, as it was a card
specifically for the metro. Maybe the clerk was right, that it was a
card only for residents? However, someone else said that that would
violate a EU directive.

I remember seeing a sign at the cashier's window that mentioned two
cards: a cheaper one just for the metro and the Paris Visite which
covered busses as well.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

Phil Richards

Lennart Petersen wrote:

    > > There is another pass that covers the metro only and costs less, but
    > > when I was in Paris in August, I heard some American students arguing
    > > with a metro clerk who wouldn't sell it to them, because she said it
    > > was for residents only. They had bought one a few days earlier and
    > > were pissed to be refused this time. I don't know who was right.
    > -------------------------------------------
    > Possibly against EU rules of free trade. I can remember that Russia used
    > to have different higher rail prices for foreigners but EU forced them to
    > abolish such rules referring to the treaty of free trade.
    > Another example is possibly Venice where locals are said to benefit from
    > lower fares on the vaporetto.

Reductions or even free travel for locals who meet specific criteria are
quite common. Here in London, residents over 60 along with certain
disabled people are entitled to free travel. Surely it's unreasonable to
think that this should be opened up to the masses?

--
Phil Richards
London, UK
Home page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk