Paris transit tickets: check the current fare product before buying

For Paris public transport, choose the ticket for the journey you will actually make: ordinary rail travel, bus and tram travel, or airport access. In 2026 these are different products. An old reference to a t+ ticket or a photograph of last year's price can send you to the wrong purchase.

Write down the arrival airport, hotel address and dates before comparing passes. Then separate the airport transfer from city sightseeing. This makes it easier to see whether a pass covers your expensive journeys or merely adds rides you would not otherwise take.

The three single-ticket products to recognize

The Île-de-France Mobilités fare catalogue lists these full-price fares at the time of review:

These are product prices, not a quotation for every possible door-to-door route. A rail trip followed by a bus is not automatically one ordinary single ticket. Reduced fares also have eligibility conditions; do not apply a child's or concession price to every member of your group.

For example, four separately ticketed ordinary rail journeys at €2.55 total €10.20 per adult, before any card purchase or other travel. That arithmetic is useful only if those are the journeys you need. It says nothing about an airport transfer or an additional bus.

Transfers and stopping for sightseeing

RATP's visitor ticket guide describes a two-hour rail journey without exiting the network for Metro-Train-RER. The Bus-Tram product has a 90-minute limit and its own transfer conditions, excluding return trips and breaking then resuming a trip on the same line. Airport rail tickets also have specific network and time conditions.

Think of a journey ticket as a way to complete a permitted journey, rather than a sightseeing pass. If you exit to visit a museum and return later, budget another journey unless your chosen pass provides otherwise. A route planner's travel time does not by itself establish ticket validity.

Before tapping in, identify where your route changes mode and whether you remain inside the paid network. If a machine offers several similar names, show staff your destination instead of choosing solely by the lowest price.

Airport travel needs a route-specific check

Do not assume an ordinary regional rail ticket covers the airport because the train runs within Île-de-France. Identify the airport station and complete route. For a departure, also check that the service reaches the correct terminal or connects to the required terminal transfer.

A cheaper route may involve a different mode or more changes. Compare the actual walking and interchange requirements with your luggage and arrival time. A fare comparison is incomplete if its cheapest option stops operating before you clear the airport.

For a return trip, repeat the check for the date and time of departure. Planned engineering work can make the best outward route unsuitable on the way back. Save the itinerary and a practical alternative before leaving your accommodation.

A weekly pass is a calendar week

The official Navigo Weekly Pass page lists the all-zones product at €32.40 for 2026. It runs Monday through Sunday, not seven days from purchase. Orlyval is excluded, so “all zones” does not mean every airport service.

A hypothetical Friday-to-Tuesday visit crosses two validity weeks. Do not compare one weekly price against all five days of travel. Price Friday–Sunday and Monday–Tuesday separately, including the correct airport journeys and the required support. Conversely, a stay contained within one calendar week may make a different comparison sensible.

Make the calculation using realistic trips. A visitor staying near the places they intend to visit may walk frequently. Our Paris accommodation area guide can help you think about that geography before buying unlimited travel.

Card or phone: prepare the ticket you will present

RATP lists Navigo Easy, compatible phones and watches as supports for the visitor single products. Each passenger needs their own Easy card. It also warns that some ticket types cannot coexist on the same support, including ordinary rail and airport rail singles. Resolve a loading conflict before reaching a gate with a queue behind you.

Decide which device or card each person will use and keep it accessible throughout the trip. Validate at the required readers, including relevant transfers. Keep the ticket available for inspection; a bank notification showing a payment is not a substitute for presenting the transport entitlement.

If relying on a phone, check compatibility and the official purchase instructions in advance. Test that you can locate the loaded product. Do not assume that storing a bank card in a mobile wallet automatically means you have bought a transport ticket.

Fit the final walk around your arrival plan too. If you will reach the hotel after midnight, our guide to booking the correct hotel night explains the separate reservation issue. A valid train ticket does not hold a room after an unannounced late arrival.

Frequently asked questions

Does the €2.55 rail ticket include Charles de Gaulle or Orly?

The ordinary Metro-Train-RER product excludes airport access. Check the airport product or a pass that covers your exact route rather than relying on the ordinary fare.

Can two people use one Navigo Easy card?

RATP says each passenger needs their own Easy pass. Plan the supports for the group before buying tickets.

Is Navigo Week valid for seven days from Friday?

No. It is valid for a fixed Monday–Sunday week. A Friday arrival does not move its end date to the following Thursday.

Can I load city rail and airport singles together?

RATP identifies a compatibility restriction between those single-ticket types on the same support. Ask how to handle your existing tickets before purchasing another product.

Is a pass always cheaper for tourists?

No. Compare its validity, covered routes and support cost with the journeys you expect to make. Walking days and a stay split across calendar weeks can change the result.

Official IDFM and RATP information reviewed October 15, 2026. Prices are the cited 2026 full fares; verify the product and any service changes before purchase.