Navigo
 

I was hoping to get some advice on the Navigo pass. I am going to be in Paris in July, arriving on a Monday and leaving on a Saturday night and plan to use the metro/buses a lot. The Navigo pass seems to make sense, given the days of the week I'll be there. I've bought a carnet on past visits to Paris, but I think this pass would be more cost-effective for me this time around. I've had a hard time finding information about it in English on the RATP website, though. My French is OK, but I would be more comfortable reading more in English or getting some practical advice from FTers.

Where can I purchase a Navigo pass? Is there anyplace at CDG I can get one? I'm taking the Air France bus in from CDG and transferring to metro at Gare de Lyon, but thought it might be easier to just get the pass before I got to the metro station. I believe I need a photo for it -- is this correct? \

Any advice/help would be appreciated.

Here is some information.

Bobette

Your research is perfect-a one week pass runs from Monday thru Sunday and would seem perfect for your trip. However, getting the pass may be tough to do.

The Navigo is an electronically read pass in a plastic container which is replacing the Carte Orange, which is a small magnetic coupon. Both types of pass conferred the same travel privileges and cost the same.

The Navigo was first introduced a few years ago, and the Carte Orange will evetually be phased out. When we got our Navigos, they had to be mailed in to RATP and we got them back in about 10 days-obviously this won't work for you or anyone without a mailing address in France. I do not know if you can get a pass on a walk-in basis. Here's some info on where agencies are:

https://www.navigo.fr/pages/images/l...es_agences.pdf

Note that only a few are open Sunday ("Dim").

The Carte Orange is still around but to encourage Navigo use, they have stopped selling Carte Orange tickets at many Metro stations. I think the plan is to make it so inconvenient that everyone will go with the Navigo. Metro stations that do not sell the Cartes Oranges have a small sign stating that at the ticket window, but I don't know of any list of which ones do or don't.

If you're up for a little adventure, you could go to one of the agencies listed and see if they'll give you a Navigo right there. If not, chances are good (but far from certain) that they'll sell you a Carte Orange. If not, they might tell you where you can buy one-if they know.

There are two versions of Navigo: The regular one, which is what you have, and the Navigo Découverte which has been recently introduced. The Navigo Découverte costs 5 euros for the pass, which is issued on the spot and is valid for 10 years. Both versions require an ID photo. The main difference between the two is that the Navigo Découverte is not registered to its owner and thus can't be replaced if lost.

I am planning a Paris visit too and found those links:

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archive...r_carte_1.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navigo_card

http://parisbytrain.com/tag/navigo-decouverte/

Great info! Do you know where one can get a Navigo Decouverte?

Good links, though Lebovitz (who I read and usually like a lot) had bad info on two points at the time it was written:

1. I've been in Paris since Jan 17, 2008 amd they were still selling Carte Orange. They may well have stopped now with the introduction of the Decouverte.

2. Sales of the weekly Carte Orange were not just on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. You could buy the next week's pass as early as Friday and as late as Wednesday-I did both. Anyone know the real restrictions on sale dates for the Decouverte? There may not be any since it's electronic, rather than having coupons with the date on each one.

I believe you can buy it early/late but since it only seems to works from Monday to Saturday I'm not sure it is worth all of the hassle to try to get it before then.

Read post #2. It explains it.

Bobette

Perhaps you'd be kind enough to quote from that webpage where one can buy the Navigo Decouverte. I only saw mention that you could load a week or month's passage onto an established Navigo Decouverte. If indeed you can get the pass itself at any ticket office, that would be great and helpful to know for sure.

Mountain Trader, you can get it at the metro or at any tabac that has the RATP sign. You pay 5 Euros for the navigo and then load or re-load the carte orange fare onto it. The navigo is good for 10 years.

I've heard that some stations are still allowing you to get the carte orange tickets if you have an old carte orange in hand. This was earlier this month so I don't know if it is still happening today.

Bobette

Great to know-and finally an answer for the OP. To repeat your info, you can get the Navigo Decouverte at all Metro stations and at any tabac with the RATP sign.

On other websites there are reports of recent purchases of the Carte Orange, but if the Decouverte is this widely available, I recommend everyone go for that.

I expect to be in Paris over the summer and I'll report back with any other news.

From the page linked in Bobette's post:
This morning I went through the train station in Poissy and they had signs posted that they no longer sell the Carte Orange coupon, only the Navigo passes. Signs urging conversion to the Navigo are more prevalent in the metro, and many stations currently have temporary tables or booths where you can sign up. The definitive end of the Carte Orange coupon seems near.

Thanks, iff. I was hoping that I'd still be able to get by with my old trusty carte orange when I go in a few months. Looks like that won't happen.

Bobette

Well, bring it along and give it a try... perhaps there will still be some available at some stations, and if not, then you can switch over.

I'm back from my trip (had an amazing, wonderful time) and wanted to share some practical tips for obtaining the Navigo pass and then loading it with funds.

I purchased the Navigo pass and holder for 5E from the attendant in the booth at a metro station. I had brought my own photo (I think the dimensions are 2.5 cm x 3.5 cm) to paste onto in the indicated spot. Otherwise, most stations have a photo booth for just this purpose.

Before the fare gates, there are ATM-like machines for loading money onto your Navigo. I don't remember if there was an option to go through the steps in English, but if not, it was simple enough to understand the French, I think. Anyway, you choose the number of zones you want the pass for (for most tourists, zones 1 & 2 are sufficient) and you choose the duration - I think the options are for a week (Monday-Sunday) or more. For the weekly pass it was 16,80E.

You put the pass you purchased up against the machine in the indicated spot. As for payment, this is where I had a bit of a trip up. I tried to pay with a credit card, but it didn't accept them, although there was nothing on the machine to indicate what the accepted payment methods were. I think it only accepts debit cards and cash (bills and coins). Once I figured that out, I paid with cash, the card got loaded and I was on my way. The turnstiles have a spot on them to pass your Navigo over and through you go. On buses, there's a spot as you get on the bus.

Twice while I was there, inspectors were out to check people's tickets. You simply give them your Navigo, they hold it up to a handheld machine to see if it's valid.

Navigo worked out very well for me. I think it pays for itself in like 12 or 13 trips and I used mine well over 30. And the pass and holder are good for 10 years.

Bobette-- I saw signs saying that Carte Orange will no longer be accepted after July 31.

Is the Navigo like the Oyster Card in London? If you wanted to use it just for a single trip one week, for example, will it debit off the cost of one ticket from your 'account' automatically after you have made the trip?

Or can you only load a Carte Orange zonal pass onto your Navigo?

No, apparently that's in the works for some point in the future, but for now you can only load either the weekly or monthly Carte Orange in your choice of zones.

Regarding asdca's comment about the machines, normally those require a credit/debit card with a compatible smart chip in it; if you tried a card with only a magnetic strip, that would explain why it didn't work. Otherwise, you can go to the ticket window to have them load it using your credit card.

That was very prompt - thanks iff

Thanks for the update, tranmerechris. Glad you had a good trip.

Bobette

I don't think the 5 euro fee for the navigo is refundable. The 3 pound fee one pays for the london oyster card is refundable.
[There is another form of the navigo, for paris residents, which does not charge a fee...is this still the case?]

No, the 5-euro fee is not refundable. The pass is good for 10 years, though, so it can be used during future visits as well.

The regular Navigo for residents is still available. You have to submit an application with a local address, and the pass will be mailed to that address (usually within a couple of weeks, but that may vary).

I have found that US credit cards sometimes work in the automatic machines, sometimes not. But the manned ticket windows can also add a week or month subscription to a Navigo and they do take US credit cards.

Actually, it was me (asdca) who gave the update and had the great trip ;)

I couldn't hear a word the person in the booth was saying to me (the microphone wasn't working) so I felt like I was left to my own devices when it came to loading the Carte Orange onto the Navigo. Good to know I could have done it at the booth.

I think there is a euro threshold on the machines that requires a card with a chip. I was always able to use my US credit card to purchase a one-way trip to the airport or a carnet of metro tickets. I think I could even purchase a 1-week Carte Orange with my US credit card. However, I was never able to purchase a 1-month Carte Orange with my US credit card at the machines.

No, I don't think so. Over time I've tried to buy carnets from machines at various metro stations with a US credit card, and it's worked at some but not at others (for example, worked at Boissière but not at Vaugirard or rue du Bac).

Separate machines are used to recharge the Navigo passes but I've never tried a US credit card in any of those.

Sorry 'bout that, asdca :). So, when will we be reading your trip report?

Bobette

I bought my Navigo Decouverte at the CDG RER station. Never put my picture on it, though.

Card worked like a champ and was a great deal.

You can also do it at various merchants--tobacconists, for example--that sell metro tickets. Here's a directory by arrondissement:
http://www.ratp.info/informer/deposi...aire_index.php
If you click on "Où est ce ?", a window will pop up showing the location.

I don't know whether you can get the Navigo Découverte pass itself there but you can certainly load it. You can buy ticket carnets and other passes (e.g., Mobilis) there as well.

Did you ever encounter the RATP personnel checking tickets? Just curious to know how they would handle the lack of photo.

I suspect the consequences might depend on the agent: Some may simply scold you while others may make you pay a fine.

The RATP agents were out in force while I was there. They were out checking tickets/passes at 10:30 one night.

I've encountered the Rat-P Green Jackets the most late at night. Next is mid-day. Least is during rush hour (except buses where they seem to be more prevalant during rush hour). Airport trains are also popular targets.

I strongly recommend getting a photo as soon as possible and only traveling when you have the proper ticket - even on buses. The frequency of checks in Paris pales in comparison to Germany (e.g. Berlin, with their open gate systems), but they still make their rounds.