Navigo Pass (Android) Phone App

Is there a Navigo Pass Phone App?

As of February 2024, only Android phones can buy & use the (mobile) cell phone Navigo pass.

Not visitors, not residents.

See Paris 2024 Pass for the offered alternative.

See Why is Navigo not sold during Olympics for more information.

Overview

iPhone versions of the Navigo-on-phone apps can’t buy a new Navigo pass to use directly on the phone (yet).

Nor can the iPhone hold an existing Navigo (transferring an existing physical plastic Navigo card to digital card on iPhone wallet).

Support for Navigo on iPhone will (likely) start mid-2024 but no definite date is announced.  Until then iPhone users can only renew an existing physical plastic Navigo card using the NFC chip on the back of an iPhone (normally used for tap-to-pay Apple Pay).

How to get Navigo Pass on my phone

Android Navigo phone app – Ile-de-France Mobilités

Navigo Phone Apps

Confusingly… there are 3 different apps from official Paris region transport authorities which support Navigo on your mobile phone, which are:

1. Ile de France Mobilités
2. Bonjour RATP
3. SNCF Connect

I’d recommend Ile de France Mobilités app as this is what I’ll show below for buying a new Navigo pass on your phone.

Navigo Phone App Requirements

Before you can buy Navigo passes on your phone you need check your phone is supported.  (Older Google Nexus & Pixel phones, i.e. Pixel 4 and earlier, are not supported.  Nor are any Huawei / Honor phones or any phone that doesn’t have access to Google Play.)

To install & use the Navigo phone app the basics steps needed are:

• check your phone is Android 8+ and supports NFC (Near Field Communication)
• create an account on IDF Mobilités Connect website
  • (IDF stands for Ile-de-France, the Paris metropolitan region)
• install the IDF Mobilités app from Google Play (and in mid-2024 the Apple app store)
• open Navigo app & run diagnostics, install extension app if needed
• in Navigo app, log into account created on IDF Mobilités website above
• in Navigo app, take a selfie face photo for identifying cardholder
  • for ticket controllers to verify you own your digital Navigo pass
• buy Navigo pass on phone using credit card, debit card or Samsung Pay

Detailed Steps to Buy Navigo on Phone

This is a detailed step-by-step guide to buying a virtual/digital Navigo pass on your phone via mobile app on an Android phone:

1. Check your Android version.  You need Android version 8.0 or above.

2. Check your phone for NFC support and Turn on NFC for your phone

3. Create an account on Ile de France Mobilités Connect website.

   1. You’ll be asked to confirm your email address by visiting the link sent to your email.
   2. Keep your email address / password handy.  You’ll need it to buy Navigo on your phone.

4. From Google Play, install one of the three Navigo phone apps (I recommend Ile de France Mobilités, which this instruction page shows.)

   1. The other apps are Bonjour RATP and SNCF Connect

5. Open the Mobilités app on your phone and accept the Cookies request.

   1. 

      Allow cookies for the IDF Mobilités app

6. You’ll be shown several overview screens of what the app can do. Swipe through or skip.

   1. 

      Overview screen 1

      

      Overview screen 2

7. You’ll be asked to enable location sharing  / “access this device’s location”.  Accept this.

   1. 

      Android app location sharing note

      

      Android app location sharing request

8. On the bottom edge of the screen you’ll see several tabs.  Click on Purchase.

   1. 

      Tap Purchase on bottom nav bar

9. You’ll be asked to allow call management permission / “make and manage phone calls”. Allow this.

   1. 

      Allow call permissions

   2. 

      Allow make/manage phone calls

   3. The diagnostics routine in the next steps needs access to check where the app can store your Navigo pass. It’s possible to store the Navigo pass & tickets on your SIM card, or phone memory, or on a specialized Navigo pass container app (My Navigo Tickets).

10. You’ll be shown more overview screens for buying travel tickets, using your phone to validate tickets/passes, recharging physical Navigo cards, and payment options.

    1. 

       Buy Navigo on Phone – Preview

       

       Validate Navigo on Phone

       

       Pay by Credit Card / Samsung

11. After scrolling through preview screens of what the Navigo on phone app can do, you’ll be back on the Purchase tab screen.  You’ll see two cards: On my phone & On my Navigo pass.  Choose On my phone.

    1. 

       Purchase Navigo tab

12. You’ll be shown a screen noting different storage options for tickets you buy (SIM card, on phone memory, digital Navigo wallet app). Click next.

    1. 

       Navigo Storage Options

13. The next screen will ask if you already have tickets & want to transfer onto your phone.  Choose “I am a new user or do not have a ticket to reuse“

    1. 

       New Navigo User

14. The Mobilités app will quickly run a diagnostic to check for ticket / Navigo pass storage options on phone.

15. The app may show a “Extension required” screen and a Install Contactless Ticket button.  If shown, click the button.  You’ll be redirected to Google Play to install another app.

    1. You be asked to install the “Ticket sans contact” app (by Wizway Solutions).  Install this app.  This allows secure ticket storage & access in your phone’s memory.
    2. After “Ticket sans contact” is installed, you’ll go back to the IDF Mobilities app via a button reading: “IDF Mobility”.  Click it.
    3. 

       Extension required

        

       

       Install extension

        

       

       Open Extension

        

       

       Ticket sans contact extension running – click IDF MOBILITY button

16. Back in IDF Mobilités, you may be shown the Extension required page still.  Click the Install Contactless Ticket button again.  (This is some poor coordination between the two apps & repetitive / not intended).  After returning to IDF Mobilités app it should show a Configuring screen.

    1. 

       Configuring app+extension

17. Don’t let your phone sleep while configuration is occurring (keep tapping the screen occasionally).

18. Once the extension app is configured, you’ll be shown a summary of where you can store tickets / Navigo passes.  In this example it’s only “Your phone memory”.

    1. 

       Store Navigo in phone memory

19. Now in the Purchase section of the IDF Mobilités app you’ll see various ticket and pass options in a vertically scrolling list.  Scroll down to Forfait Navigo Semaine (translated: Navigo week pass). Click on Select.
    1. 

       scroll to Navigo passes

       

       Navigo “Semaine” (Week) pass

20. You’ll be asked to Log in to your IDF Mobilités Connect account.  You created this account above in step 3.  If you were unable to create your account earlier, scroll down to see a link to create a new account.

    1. 

       Log into IDF Mobilites Connect or scroll down to create an acct now

    2. You’ll be asked for last name, first name, birthdate, then email address, then accept terms & service, then you’ll be shown a page to continue to restart or continue the login process.  Click on the link for “continue” the login process.
    3. 

       Create Mobilites Connect Account, several pages

       

       Accept terms and conditions for account

21. You may see a “Restart/Continue login process” page.  Choose “To continue the login process. Click here.”

    1. 

       Continue log in process

22. Next you’ll need to supply a face photo by either taking a selfie photo or uploading a photo of your face.  A face photo is required for all Navigo passes, physical or digital.

    1. If you take a selfie, you’ll be asked for camera & record video permissions.
    2. 

       Provide photo for Navigo

       

       Take or upload face photo

       

       Give photo/video permission if you’re taking a photo.

23. After your photo is supplied, click Continue with my Purchase.

    1. 

       Profile Complete – don’t wear sunglasses.

24. Scroll down to Forfait Navigo Semaine Duration 1 week and click Select.

    1. 

       Navigo Week/”Semaine” pass

25. If you’re asked to Log In (again), use the IDF Mobilites Connect account email/password you created in earlier.

26. You’ll see the validity period of one week (here seen as “09/10/23 to 15/10/23”.  Dates in France as in format of DD/MM/YY.  The zone coverage will show Zone 1-5, which is the max and covers CDG/ORY airports, Disneyland, Versailles.  Click the Buy (30,00€) button.

    1. 

       Navigo Validity period & price

27. You’ll be shown an overview of the purchase and a request for your email address to send the receipt.  This should be auto-filled with your email address from the log in earlier. Below is the Buy button. Click Buy.

    1. If you can’t see the Buy button because your screen is not large enough, tap on your email address which will show your keyboard and the bottom of the screen.  The Buy button should now be clearly visible and able to be tapped.

    2. 

       Email for receipt & accept terms & conditions.

28. You’ll see a “redirecting to a payment page”, then shown a payment options page with various credit cards /debit cards and also Samsung pay below it.  Complete your payment using one of these options.
    1. 

       Pay redirect screen

       

       Payment options – credit/debit cards

        

       

       Pay options – Samsung Pay

        

29. Complete the payment and you’ll be redirected back to the app showing your Navigo pass.  You’re done!

30. To see your Navigo pass in the IDF Mobilités app, click on the bottom tab for “My space“.  Then under the My navigo section click on “My tickets on mobile“.

    1. 

       My space > My tickets on Mobile

Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

Can I use my phone as a Navigo card?

Yes, on NFC capable Android phones your phone can act as a Navigo card as of 2022 allowing you to tap/validate your phone-based Navigo pass on Paris Metro, RER, Tram, Bus, Transilien trains, just like you would with a physical plastic Navigo card.

On iPhone, Navigo on phone will (likely) be available in mid-2024.

I have a Navigo card. Can I reload/recharge it with my phone?

Yes, you can recharge physical Navigo cards using the NFC chip on your Android or iPhone using any of the three official Paris area transportation phone apps: Ile de France Mobilités, Bonjour RATP, SNCF Connect.

What payment methods can I use to buy a Navigo pass online/on my phone?

The Navigo phone app accepts payments by Visa & Mastercard credit cards, Maestro, V Pay, Visa Electron, Carte Bleu (bank debit cards) and Samsung Pay.

PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay are not accepted at the moment (as of Feb 2024).

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Hi my name is Ben and I’m the creator & author of Parisbytrain.com. I want to empower you with the knowledge & confidence to travel Paris like a local through personally researched, in-depth articles like CDG to Paris by train and the Paris Metro. I moved to Paris in 2006 and started Parisbytrain.com in 2008 to share what I’ve learned about the vast & comprehensive Paris train network. Have Paris train questions? Ask them here. Have a great visit to Paris!

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