Paris METRO zone question
 

I'm staying at a hotel that is near the end of line 13 (Gabriel Peri). I know that I can use 1 ticket to get there. However, do I need 2 ticket to get to zone 1 (the usual tourist areas)? How does this change if I get a carte mobilis (day pass)?

I suppose I have the same question for visiting the Arch at La Defence...

http://www.ratp.fr/en/upload/docs/ap..._transport.pdf

This is in french of course, but the Paris Centre is a huge area all covered by the standard metro ticket.

Paris is a great walking city too. We always just buy the 'carnet' option which is 10 tickets for 13.30 euros. We've never come close to the value of the pass on one of our trips. The convenience is nice and you may value that over time to buy another carnet when you run thru the first one.

You have a slightly complex situation where single tickets are valid throughout the metro network, regardless of zone, but on the RER only within zone 1. So, for example, if you want to go to the Grande Arche, you can use a standard single to go on line 1 of the metro, but you need a more expensive ticket to catch RER line A or the train from St Lazare.

With the mobilis, the minimum zones are 1-2. All metro stations are considered to be i these zones, even if an adjoining RER station is in zone 3 (again, Grande Arche de la Defense).

I think you're right to consider the mobilis rather than the poor value Paris Visite, which tends to get pushed rather harder.

Thank you doglover and Stut for your answers. I feel better now for booking hotels way out in the suburbs...

So I guess the "zones" listed in the RATP map are to define prices (# of tickets) for bus and RER only...

What is the actual name of the metro station you will use for access to your hotel?

My hotel (Ibis) is at 10 Bis Rue du Chateau, Asnieres-sur-Seine 92600.

According to google map and RATP's website for direction, the METRO stop is
Gabriel Péri, the 3rd stop on the northwestern branch of Line 13. Just north of the river. That is why I asked about the zones...

The hotel is a 1.2km walk from the station to the hotel, but the price is very good for this hotel (I paid $121 for the 2 weekend nights in June)

Ah, but that's right nextdoor to Asnieres-sur-Seine railway station. If you have a Z1-3 ticket, then you can use the train service to Paris St Lazare (every 6 minutes, takes 6-8 minutes). You can also get to La Défense (and Versailles, for that matter...) with a simple change at Becon-les-Bruyeres.

Is that $121 for both nights or each? is that a prepaid rate?

Yes, 2 nights (~$60usd per night!). I thought it was a really good rate found on hotels.com. I booked this several months ago, but the same rate was available as late as 2 weeks ago. However, it is sold out now. I also should note that I have May 31 - June 2 (2 nights). May 30-31 (the thursday night before) rate was almost double! So I am staying at another hotel off Line 13. In case you were wondering, that hotel (Parc Even) had a great rate before May 31, but not for the complete 3 nights I wanted, so I split the reservation...I will waste some time repacking...(I'm "backpacking", so the repacking/hotel change won't be a big disruption).

Stut, thanks for that tip. I do know there is a train station very close to the hotel. I found very little explanation/discussions on Paris tourist blogs/forums regarding RER other than getting to/from CDG.
(I assume the train service you described above is part of the RER system?)

So, what you are saying is that if I have a Carte Mobilis Z1-3, I can use the Metro and RER to/from my hotel? Also, I assume that I can conveniently get from my hotel to CDG (I know it is in zone 5)? Or do you mean my normal METRO tickets work on the train?

Edit: I just looked up the RER map and can't find the Asnieres-sur-Seine station... I think that is a SNCF Transilien station, which I have no idea if it is part of the same ticketing system... however, I am researching this and may end up using it for my visit to Paris. Thanks again.

Getting to a metro station will be cheapest. I took the train to Saint Lazare from Becon-les-Bruyeres and the fare was 2.60 euros.

In 9 days in Paris my wife and I will go thru 4 carnets. The cost of a 9 day pass for 2 people would be nearly double. It really depends on how often you plan to ride.

Correct, it's part of the Transilien train network, but outside of the RER. The ticketing system is fully integrated. As it's outside zone 2, you can't use the "ticket t+" carnets for single fares, like on the metro, but if you have a Z1-3 Mobilis, that will be valid.

The 1-3 Mobilis is 8€80, so that's 7 carnet tickets. But only you can decide whether the convenience is worth it!

If the Carte Mobilis works on this train, I am sure I will get the Z1-3 day pass for at least one of the days I am there. This will save me ~2km of (needless) walking each day!

Yes, definitely valid on the train (I have some friends who lived near Pont Cardinet station, so I used to use this line regularly, albeit within Paris). Just make sure, when headed out of Paris, that you're on the right train! The destination will normally be Ermont Eaubonne, Maisons Lafitte or Nanterre-Universite, but check the stop list at the platform entrance.

I would like to tag on a question here, since I can't figure out how to check the RATP site...

From my hotel in Asnieres-sur-Seine, how much would it cost to take the "train" into Paris, then transfer (a new ticket?) to RER-B to CDG airport?