Hi Ben,
A group of us ( family and friends ) will arrive in CDG on a Wednesday morning early
on the last week of September 2024. We will be in Paris for 6 days. One day will be spent
on an excursion to Mont Saint-Michel ( I imagine a separate train ticket ), one day a trip to
Chartres Cathedral, one day a trip to Versailles, the remaining 3 days will be spent in the inner
zones of Paris. Would a ____visitor weekly Navigo train pass____
be the best option or might I consider some other option?
Thank you very much,
Myron
1 answer
Hi Myron,
I would generally recommend Navigo Weekly passes for everyone, even when arriving as late as Thursday into Paris, so will do so your case as well to cover Wed-Sunday.
If you won't use transportation services much on Tuesday you could forgo renewing the Navigo Weekly and just get a 1-2 zone Navigo Day pass for Monday and then buy a single-use paper RER B ticket for Paris - CDG to depart on Tuesday. This would 8.65€ + 11.80€ = 20.45€ total cost vs. 30.80€ of a full weekly Navigo to just for just Monday-Tuesday.
Note that you can buy the Monday 1-2 zone Navigo Day pass at the same time you buy the Navigo Week pass on Wednesday at CDG. You need to tell the ticket agent that you wish the Day Pass to be active on the Monday. (Day passes can be scheduled to be active up to 6-days in advance.)
Your Navigo Weekly pass won't cover Chartres which is outside of Ile-de-France's 5 fare zones. If you'd like to save a bit of money and don't mind a train change hassle, you can use your Navigo Weekly pass to take the Transilien N train from Montparnasse to Rambouillet station and then take a TER train from Rambouillet station to Chartres at a cost of 9.80€. Otherwise, the TER train from Montparnasse (the origin of the same TER train that stops at Rambouillet) will cost 19.60€.
Mont Saint Michel is not covered by Navigo and will require a couple intercity trains or coach bus or rental car. Do check the rental car option if that's available/possible for you as it may be a better option price wise for a group of 5+.
Have a great trip.