Paris metro: Carte Orange Vs Paris Visite

(Eugene) wrote in message . com...
Since I am arriving at CDG airport on a Friday afternoon (staying 4
nights), it is best to buy a 3-day Carte Visite plus one carnet. I
have another question though, about the use of Carte Visite: Does it
expire 3 calendar days after first use, or 72 hours after first use? I
need to know this in order to decide what to use on Friday afternoon.

thanks
The 3-day "Visite" is for 3 calendar days not 72 hours.
I doubt you will be able to buy a carnet of tickets at CDG. The RER
fare from CDG to Gare Du Nord is about US$10.00. A 1-5 zone "Visite"
is needed if you want to get to central Paris. Since you are arriving
in the afternoon, you will only get about 1/3 use of the card on your
first day. So factor in the $10 you are saving when you buy the
"Visite".

If all you plan to do is take local (within central Paris) trips, I
doubt that the "Visite" is worth it. But a RT to Versaille and other
interesting suburban spots would tip the scale in favor of the
"Visite". [Versaille is in the 1-5 zone region, and IMHO this is one
"must" spot to see!]

Mxsmanic wrote in message . ..
Eugene writes:

I am confused as to what the difference is between these Paris metro
cards: Carte Orange (zones 1-3) and Paris Visite (zones 1-3). I
understand that Paris Visite is meant for tourists and that Carte
Orange lasts 7 days as opposed to 3 days for Paris Visite. However,
Paris Visite must be better in something, otherwise it wouldn't cost
more!

Nope. Paris Visite costs more because it is sold exclusively to
tourists who cannot read French

Hi Mxsmanic,

NO ! It's sold to ANYONE who ask it, to the french included.
As Nathaniel rightfully said, the differences with the carte orange
are that :
"the "Paris Visite" pass duration is based on the day YOU start using
the ticket. The weekly "carte Orange" is Monday to Sunday only (...)
The "Paris Visite" has 1, 2, 3 and 5 day versions." The carte orange
delay is 1 week or 1 month. The Navigo contacless pass "carte
integrale" has a 1 year delay.
The carte Orange is a kind of season ticket for commuters living in
Paris region but it can be asked by ANYBODY else from France or
abroad.
Please stop these fables about this alleged rip-off strategy of the
RATP.
The difference of cost is only due I think to the fact that the carte
Orange is partly subsidied (subventionné) by the Paris region
authority (regional council) since it concerns normally people who
live in the region and PAY THEIR LOCAL TAXES there. The employers
normally reimburse too a part of the price of the carte orange to
their employees. Mine does.
Why on earth should the regional council give a subvention to the RATP
for a pass that parisian normally never use because they use the much
more usefull for them carte orange ?
And why should it subsidy a pass normally used consequently by
provincials from Marseille or Toulouse for ex. who are visiting Paris
and above all... foreigners ??

didier Meurgues

and don't know that there are other,
less expensive passes available. The only advantage of Paris Visite is
for the Paris transit authority, which makes a lot more money selling
them than it does with regular passes.

There are a few theoretical cases in which Paris Visite might be a good
deal, but you have to work hard to contrive them.

meurgues writes:

NO ! It's sold to ANYONE who ask it, to the french included.

I don't see too many French people asking for it. Certainly no
Parisians.

Please stop these fables about this alleged rip-off strategy of the
RATP.

I've done calculations in the past, and it was difficult to find any
real-world scenario in which Paris Visite was economical.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

On 14 Oct 2003 13:29:32 -0700, (meurgues)
wrote:

Mxsmanic wrote in message . ..
Eugene writes:

I am confused as to what the difference is between these Paris metro
cards: Carte Orange (zones 1-3) and Paris Visite (zones 1-3). I
understand that Paris Visite is meant for tourists and that Carte
Orange lasts 7 days as opposed to 3 days for Paris Visite. However,
Paris Visite must be better in something, otherwise it wouldn't cost
more!

Nope. Paris Visite costs more because it is sold exclusively to
tourists who cannot read French

Hi Mxsmanic,

NO ! It's sold to ANYONE who ask it, to the french included.

The French just aren't stupid enough to actually buy it.

As Nathaniel rightfully said, the differences with the carte orange
are that :
"the "Paris Visite" pass duration is based on the day YOU start using
the ticket. The weekly "carte Orange" is Monday to Sunday only (...)
The "Paris Visite" has 1, 2, 3 and 5 day versions." The carte orange
delay is 1 week or 1 month. The Navigo contacless pass "carte
integrale" has a 1 year delay.
The carte Orange is a kind of season ticket for commuters living in
Paris region but it can be asked by ANYBODY else from France or
abroad.
Please stop these fables about this alleged rip-off strategy of the
RATP.

Whatever the motivation, the Paris Visite pass is a bad deal.
Period. As a transport pass it is too expensive for what it
provides, and the extra museum deals are for places most people
won't want to visit until their fifth visit to Paris when they've
already seen the main museums and monuments.

The difference of cost is only due I think to the fact that the carte
Orange is partly subsidied (subventionné) by the Paris region
authority (regional council) since it concerns normally people who
live in the region and PAY THEIR LOCAL TAXES there. The employers
normally reimburse too a part of the price of the carte orange to
their employees. Mine does.
Why on earth should the regional council give a subvention to the RATP
for a pass that parisian normally never use because they use the much
more usefull for them carte orange ?
And why should it subsidy a pass normally used consequently by
provincials from Marseille or Toulouse for ex. who are visiting Paris
and above all... foreigners ??

What the hell do I care what RATP's philosophy is; if the Paris
Visite is a bad deal compared to Carte Orange I'll buy the Carte
Orange. Remember: the Paris Visite is not just a transport pass.


************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

Hatunen wrote in message . ..
On 14 Oct 2003 13:29:32 -0700, (meurgues)
wrote:

Mxsmanic wrote in message . ..
Eugene writes:

I am confused as to what the difference is between these Paris metro
cards: Carte Orange (zones 1-3) and Paris Visite (zones 1-3). I
understand that Paris Visite is meant for tourists and that Carte
Orange lasts 7 days as opposed to 3 days for Paris Visite. However,
Paris Visite must be better in something, otherwise it wouldn't cost
more!

Nope. Paris Visite costs more because it is sold exclusively to
tourists who cannot read French

Hi Mxsmanic,

NO ! It's sold to ANYONE who ask it, to the french included.

The French just aren't stupid enough to actually buy it.

How can you be sure that no french have ever bought a 3 or 5 days
Paris visite ?
All the fares are indicated for all tickets on the window of every
metro/RER ticket office in 5 languages on a very clear board. It's up
to anybody to read, compare and consider what he prefers.

As Nathaniel rightfully said, the differences with the carte orange
are that :
"the "Paris Visite" pass duration is based on the day YOU start using
the ticket. The weekly "carte Orange" is Monday to Sunday only (...)
The "Paris Visite" has 1, 2, 3 and 5 day versions." The carte orange
delay is 1 week or 1 month. The Navigo contacless pass "carte
integrale" has a 1 year delay.
The carte Orange is a kind of season ticket for commuters living in
Paris region but it can be asked by ANYBODY else from France or
abroad.
Please stop these fables about this alleged rip-off strategy of the
RATP.

Whatever the motivation, the Paris Visite pass is a bad deal.
Period. As a transport pass it is too expensive for what it
provides, and the extra museum deals are for places most people
won't want to visit until their fifth visit to Paris when they've
already seen the main museums and monuments.

The difference of cost is only due I think to the fact that the carte
Orange is partly subsidied (subventionné) by the Paris region
authority (regional council) since it concerns normally people who
live in the region and PAY THEIR LOCAL TAXES there. The employers
normally reimburse too a part of the price of the carte orange to
their employees. Mine does.
Why on earth should the regional council give a subvention to the RATP
for a pass that parisian normally never use because they use the much
more usefull for them carte orange ?
And why should it subsidy a pass normally used consequently by
provincials from Marseille or Toulouse for ex. who are visiting Paris
and above all... foreigners ??

What the hell do I care what RATP's philosophy is;

IMO the philosophy of the RATP is not in cause. The regional councils
have in France the competence for regional transports (they finance
the TER network for ex.) and thus decide freely WHICH KIND OD PASS
THEY WANT TO HELP. The RATP just say thank you, for the carte orange.

if the Paris
Visite is a bad deal compared to Carte Orange I'll buy the Carte
Orange. Remember: the Paris Visite is not just a transport pass.

So you are suggesting to suppress 1, 2, 3, and 5 days passes ?

I'm sorry, that's an addition to the RATP offer and some people do
really ask them even if they could consider too carnets of 10 tickets.
It just happen that these people are mostly tourists (french included)
and it's not a crime to consequently add discounts concerning sights
of mass tourism (bateau mouche etc...). The museums have already their
own specific pass which, besides, is sold at every metro/RER ticket
office too.

didier Meurgues


************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

On 15 Oct 2003 04:05:33 -0700, (meurgues)
wrote:

Hatunen wrote in message . ..
On 14 Oct 2003 13:29:32 -0700, (meurgues)
wrote:

Mxsmanic wrote in message . ..
Eugene writes:

I am confused as to what the difference is between these Paris metro
cards: Carte Orange (zones 1-3) and Paris Visite (zones 1-3). I
understand that Paris Visite is meant for tourists and that Carte
Orange lasts 7 days as opposed to 3 days for Paris Visite. However,
Paris Visite must be better in something, otherwise it wouldn't cost
more!

Nope. Paris Visite costs more because it is sold exclusively to
tourists who cannot read French

Hi Mxsmanic,

NO ! It's sold to ANYONE who ask it, to the french included.

The French just aren't stupid enough to actually buy it.

How can you be sure that no french have ever bought a 3 or 5 days
Paris visite ?

You win. I'll take it back and say some French are stupid enough
to buy it.


[...]

if the Paris
Visite is a bad deal compared to Carte Orange I'll buy the Carte
Orange. Remember: the Paris Visite is not just a transport pass.

So you are suggesting to suppress 1, 2, 3, and 5 days passes ?

How idd I say that?

I'm sorry, that's an addition to the RATP offer and some people do
really ask them even if they could consider too carnets of 10 tickets.

I've bought carnets; what's your point?

It just happen that these people are mostly tourists (french included)
and it's not a crime to consequently add discounts concerning sights
of mass tourism (bateau mouche etc...). The museums have already their
own specific pass which, besides, is sold at every metro/RER ticket
office too.

The plaes on teh Mounuments et Musees pass are not the same as
the minor places on the Paris Vistie. Furhtermore, many of the
items on the Paris Visite are for two-for-one admissions, or for
discounts; Paris Visite is not a pass the way the M&M pass is.


************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

Hatunen writes:

You win. I'll take it back and say some French are stupid enough
to buy it.

Or to promote it.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

(Eugene) wrote in message . com...
Since I am arriving at CDG airport on a Friday afternoon (staying 4
nights), it is best to buy a 3-day Carte Visite plus one carnet.

CDG is in the 5th zone... Don't buy a 5 zone Carte Visite at least...

Be also consious that a card for 3 days is 18.25 euros, nearly the
price of 2 carnets of 10 tickets. You're probably not going to use
metro as often as 6 times a day...