Paris Metro Tickets – What to Buy?

Airport

If you only need a one-way train ride from CDG Airport to Central Paris buy a RER ticket from either of the CDG airport train station ticket offices in Terminal 2 or Terminal 1/3.

If you’re arriving at Orly airport, you can buy an Orlybus ticket for a bus from Orly to Paris Denfert Rochereau station or a RER ticket for OrlyVal+RER B trains into Paris.

Single Ride

Single-ride, one-way, inside central Paris using Metro (underground) / Bus / RER / Tram buy a Paris Metro Ticket – Ticket t+

One Day

Paris one day pass unlimited ride ticket for Metro / Bus / RER / Tram / Transilien – Ticket Mobilis (not valid for CDG airport and only Tram 7 for Orly airport with 1-4 zone Mobilis)

Buy a Navigo Day Pass 1-5 zone for use from either CDG Airport (on RER B train or Roissybus) or Orly airport (Tram 7 or Orlybus, but not OrlyVal) into Paris.

Multi Day

Multi-day unlimited ride Paris Metro / Bus / RER / Tram / Transilien (surburban train) /  Montmartre Cable Car tickets – Paris Visite Tickets

Week

Monday to Sunday unlimited ride tickets Paris Metro / Bus / RER / Tram / Transilien (suburban train) / Montmartre Cable Car – Navigo Decouverte Pass

How to Choose a Ticket

What ticket to buy depends on:

• If you want the simplest, easiest, no-thinking-required solution and saving 20-50 euros per person for the week isn’t an issue
  • Buy a 1-5 Zone Paris Visite ticket for the number of days of your stay, or a 1-5 Zone Navigo Decouverte week pass if you’re arriving Monday-Thursday (covers you till Sunday midnight).  This covers you for all public transport types (Paris Metro, bus, tram, RER, Transilien suburban train) to any destination in the Ile-de-France (Greater Paris Metro area) including Disneyland Paris, CDG/ORY Airports, Versailles, La Defense, Fontainebleau. See the Navigo Decouverte and Paris Visite pages for details & restrictions.
• How many days in Paris?
  • 1 day: Navigo Day Pass, Mobilis or Ticket t+ (single or 10-pack “carnet“), Navigo Easy
  • 2-3 days: Paris Visite, Navigo Easy
  • 3+ days: Navigo Decouverte
• Day of the week you arrive? (for multi-day tickets)
  • Friday to Sunday: Paris Visite
  • Monday to Thursday: Navigo Decouverte
• Rides per day?
  • 1-3 one-way rides: Ticket t+ (single or 10-pack “carnet“), Navigo Easy
  • 4+ rides: Mobilis, Paris Visite or Navigo Decouverte
• Visiting Versailles, Disneyland Paris, Fontainebleau or other destinations outside central Paris?
  • First decide on your best ticket or pass for visiting central Paris, ignore trips outside for the moment
  • Then look at purchasing single-ride RER/Billet Origine-Destination tickets for your “outside Paris” destination (Versailles & Orly Airport are Zone 4, Disneyland and Fontainebleau, CDG Airport are Zone 5).  Unless you make several return trips from Central Paris to destinations in Zone 4 or 5 during your stay, it doesn’t make sense to add these zones to your multi-use ticket or pass.  Just use Billet Origine-Destination tickets for trips outside of Zone 1-2 (i.e. Central Paris).
  • If traveling as a family or group, consider 10-pack RER/Billet Origine-Destination tickets called “carnet”.  These are discounted about 20%.
  • Have children 9 & under? Consider 10-pack discounted RER/Billet Origine-Destination tickets. These are discounted about 50%.

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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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