Hi Ben! I've been reading your website which has been very helpful in planning my upcoming trip to Paris! I wanted to clarify how exactly I can go about getting from point A to B here. So, I'm starting my trip at the Porte de Vincennes station and I see that I can take that to Champs Élysées Clemenceau and then walk to the Invalides station to ultimately end at Versaille. Is my one metro ticket purchased at the start valid to exit the station and then go onto the RER train since Versaille is outside Zone 1?
1 answer
You're correct that Versailles is outside Paris transport Zone 1 (in Zone 4 for station Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche) and that you'll need an RER ticket (a Billet Ile-de-France) for this trip, not just a regular Paris Metro ticket (Ticket t+).
The ticket window at Porte de Versailles or the automated ticket vending machines can print you out the custom RER ticket for this trip, which should cost 4.15€ in total. You'll use that one ticket for both Metro line 1 from Porte de Vincennes to Champs Elysées-Clémenceau (CEC), from CEC to Invalides on Metro 13, then RER C at Invalides in direction Versailles Ch. Rive Gauche to the end of the line.
Remember to hang onto that ticket until you exit out the gates at Versaiiles Ch. Rive Gauche station. The gates won't open without that ticket.
You can buy two tickets at Porte de Vincennes and use the 2nd ticket for your return trip, at any time in the future (there's no expiration).
Have a fun visit!