Overview
Pass valid for 1, 2, 3 or 5 days on Bus, Metro, RER, and Ile-de-France trains (not TGV).
Pass valid on OrlyVal train to Orly Airport (with 6 zone pass).
Price ranges from €8,80 to €48,40 depending on zone coverage and duration (1 to 5 days). Coverage of Central Paris (not incl. airports) for 5 days would be €28,30 adults, €14,15 for children 11 and under.
(Price schedule courtesy of RATP)
Carte Paris Visite counts days from day of first use, not 24 hour periods. If you arrive at night and use the pass, that will be counted as one day.
Details
The Paris Visite Carte is a 1, 2, 3 or 5 day pass good for either Zones 1 to 3 or 1 to 6 around Paris. If you’re staying just within Paris itself and not venturing out to Chateau Versailles, Chateau Fontainebleau nor Euro Disney, stick with the Zone 1 to 3 card, which will cover all of “central” Paris. See the Paris Fare Zones Map for more information.
The key difference between the Paris Visite Carte and the Passe Navigo Découverte is the timing. Pass Navigo’s are valid strictly from Monday 00:00 to Sunday 23:59:59. If you land at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport on Wednesday and buy a week long Pass Navigo Découverte, it will work only up until Sunday midnight. Starting from Thursday, you will not even be able to purchase the card.
Paris Visite cards are good from the day of first use (not time of first use). This means that if you arrive on Thursday evening at 8pm, buy and use a 3 day Paris Visite card, by 1am that night, the card will have “used” an entire day. So to maximize the value of the Paris Visite Card, start using it during the morning. If you’ve arrived in the evening at one of the Paris airports, simply buy a single Ile-de-France ticket from a ticket window that will get you into Paris (€8,40 from CDG, vs. €18 for 1 day Paris Visite 6 Zone Card).
In summary, if you’re arriving in Paris on Thursday and want to have a unlimited Paris transit pass for 3 or 5 days, this is the least expensive pass. In addition, there are discounts for various tourist attractions and services for Paris Visite pass holders, such as 25% off boat tours on the Seine, 20-40% off admission to the Arc de Triomphe, the Opera house, the Pantheon, and other sights and services.
