Is the Paris Pass 2024 worth it? We review prices and value here
After a couple of slow years like every other city, Paris is booming again and 2024 looks like another busy year for the city and its major attractions. The Paris Pass made some changes and then changed back last year and now in 2024 it’s easier and more straightforward than it’s been in a while. And unlike many other major tourist cities, most attractions in Paris didn’t increase prices in 2023 so the Paris Pass is about the same price as last year as well.
The Paris Pass can be a great tool for many visitors. Not only does it allow free entry into most of the top tours and attractions that are most popular with first-time visitors, but it also helps you plan an efficient itinerary that will save you a lot since so many of the best attractions are close together. As we will discuss below, I highly recommend both the hop-on, hop-off bus tour (in the morning) and the 1-hour Seine cruise (around sunset) whether you buy a Paris Pass or not. Fortunately, they are both included.
Note: This article was last updated in March, 2024. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. This helps to keep this site going.
The main Paris attraction passes
- Paris Pass – This includes a Paris Museum Pass (see below) and an All-Inclusive attraction pass, which includes entry to most of the famous attractions and tours that are not specifically museums.
- Paris Museum Pass – This includes only admission to nearly every major museum in Paris.
If you are NOT interested in things like the Hop-on, Hop-off bus tour, the Eiffel Tower guided climb, the (highly recommended 1-hour Seine Cruise or the wine tasting experience, then the Paris Museum Pass alone will save you money.
Prices for the Paris attraction and transportation passes
Paris Pass 2024 prices
2-day passes
- 2-day Adult Paris Pass: (including a 2-day Museum Pass) €179
- 2-day Child Paris Pass (ages 4 to 11): €94
3-day passes
- 3-day Adult Paris Pass: (including a 2-day Museum Pass) €214
- 3-day Child Paris Pass: €109
4-day passes
- 4-day Adult Paris Pass (including a 4-day Museum Pass): €275
- 4-day Child Paris Pass: €130
6-day passes
- 6-day Adult Paris Pass: (including a 6-day Museum Pass) €300
- 6-day Child Paris Pass: €140
Exclusive discount for Price of Travel readers
- Get 5% off all Paris Passes
Use coupon code: GO5POT – Look for “promo code?” in Step 4 of checkout)
Prices of the most popular museums covered by the Paris Museum Pass, which is included with the Paris Pass
Palace of Versailles: €18
Built during the 1600s and 1700s, the Palace of Versailles is one of the largest and most famous palaces in the world. Always one of the most popular attractions in the Paris area, it’s outside of town and it takes 60 to 90 minutes to reach, depending on your starting point. Admission is included with a Paris Museum Pass and you’ll have to make a reservation as well.
Louvre Museum: €17
Obviously you can visit Paris and not visit the Louvre, so it’s good that it’s included in the Paris Pass. You now have to make reservations for your visit, but it’s an enormous place so that is usually simple. The building itself is a historic palace that would be worth a tour even if it didn’t contain the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, among thousands of other important pieces.
If you are an art fanatic, feel free to spend 4 or 6 hours in the Louvre or even visit twice. But honestly for most people, it gets overwhelming after an hour or maybe two. When I bring new people to Paris I walk them to the Mona Lisa and then to the Venus de Milo. By that time we’ve passed by thousands of paintings and sculptures and been there 45 minutes. After that we look around at anything else that has caught our eye, and then exit through the gift shop. A focused hour is more enjoyable for most people than wandering around for four hours unsure of what you are looking at. It’s also always pretty crowded.
Musée d’Orsay: €16
Located across the Seine from the Louvre in a gorgeous former train station, the Orsay Museum is actually more enjoyable for most people because it’s far more compact and yet also filled with super famous pieces. Here, along with smaller crowds, you’ll see one of Van Gogh’s Starry Nights, Whistler’s Mother by Whistler, and Bal du moulin de la Galette by Renoir. Honestly, you’ll probably recognize at least 10 or 12 famous paintings and you won’t wear out a pair of shoes in doing so.
Arc de Triomphe: €13
You already know what the Arc de Triomphe looks like, and it’s definitely worth going up to the observation deck on top because you’ll get many of your best Paris photos from there. Most people will climb the 234 stairs, but they also have an elevator for anyone who doesn’t look like climbing 234 stairs is possible (or a wise move). The HOHO buses stop here and it’s a good place to get off for a visit because many other people also get off so there will be empty seats on top when you want to get back on. That isn’t true of several other stops.
Sainte-Chapelle: €11.50
Conveniently located just a short walk from Notre Dame cathedral, the Sainte-Chapelle church will be another unexpected highlight of your Paris visit. This 800-year-old church has easily the world’s most impressive and beautiful stained glass windows in several different rooms. It’s breathtaking when you first see it, and one other great feature is that it’s small enough that you can easily enjoy it in less than an hour. The Paris Pass allows you to pack in many smaller and quicker attractions like this without worrying about going broke in the process.
What ISN'T included in the Paris passes
- Eiffel Tower Elevators – 2nd floor elevator: €18.10, 3rd floor elevator: €28.30
- Catacombs of Paris: €18.00
The Paris Pass DOES now include a guided walk up the 700 steps to the 2nd Floor including expert commentary, but obviously the climb isn’t ideal for everyone.
Extras included in ONLY the Paris Attractions Pass
Eiffel Tower guided climb to 2nd floor: €38
This is an exclusive deal for Paris Pass holders and it’s not for everybody, but it will be the highlight of your Paris trip for many. This is a climb of the 674 stairs up to the 2nd Floor (out of 3) with interesting live commentary and explanations in English. It takes 3 to 4 hours in total, so you won’t be racing up. If you are fit enough this will be amazing. And honestly, the 3rd floor isn’t much higher and it’s so high that all of your best photos will be from the 2nd Floor anyway.
Wine Tasting: €36.00 (includes free full-size bottle of wine for each person)
If you want to learn more about wine and try a few interesting French bottles then this is perfect. It’s a long block from the Louvre but an easy walk along the Seine, so it’s an ideal activity to schedule for after your Louvre visit. You get an English-language mini tour in a historic cellar explaining the key aspects of wine making, and then samples of three different wines near the end. They even send each visitor away with a full bottle of French wine to take with you, so it’s a hard one to pass up.
1-day Big Bus Paris hop-on, hop-off tour: €45.00
This is a full-day hop-on, hop-off pass on the double-decker bus that goes by and stops at almost every major tourist attraction in Paris in about a 3-hour loop. You can use it as transportation to get from one attraction to another, but I highly recommend starting early and doing the full loop once before hopping off. I’ve done at least 25 similar HOHO bus tours in major cities and the Paris one is easily my favorite. Paris is compact enough that the loop isn’t too long, and all of the main sights are clustered on either side of the Seine, so you don’t waste much time driving through random areas.
Whether you buy a Paris Pass or not, I highly recommend you take the HOHO bus tour on your first full morning in the city, and you will have seen all of the main sights and know how to get back to them later before noon.
Bateaux Parisiens River Cruise: €18.00
In my opinion, this is the other must-do tour in Paris, whether you buy a Paris Pass or not. These large boats with plenty of top-deck outdoor seating leave from near the Eiffel Tower on a frequent basis, but they are popular so it’s wise to get there a bit earlier than you want to depart. The trick is to select a departure right around sunset. Paris is stunning as it is lighting up for the evening, and you pass under 18 bridges that are each lit up in a unique way. By the time you get back to the Eiffel Tower an hour later, it will also be gorgeously lit up for amazing photos.
Parc Astérix: €59
This large theme park in the northeast suburbs of Paris is based on the Astérix comic book and characters, so it’s a great option and compromise if you are traveling with young ones. The place has many roller coasters and other thrill rides to go along with the character-themed attractions. There are buses that leave from central Paris that take you to the park for a fee. You can also take the RER train to Charles de Gaulle Airport and then a special shuttle from that train station to the park.
Montmartre & Sacré Coeur walking tour: €36
Leaving three times per day (10AM, 2PM, 5PM), this 90-minute walking tour is a highly recommended way to get to know perhaps Paris’ most interesting neighborhood. Especially gorgeous at night (so the 5PM tour could be perfect), Montmarte is the city’s most famous art district and community. At its center is the namesake hill with the stunning Sacré Coeur cathedral perched on top. This will be one of your favorite stops in Paris and some of your favorite photos as well.
Emily in Paris: The Unofficial Tour
Fans of the hit Netflix show will definitely be interested in this 2-mile guided walking tour of some of Paris’s loveliest neighborhoods. It only goes on Tuesdays and Fridays as of now at 1:30 PM so you’ll want to plan well in advance and make reservations. You’ll see the character’s apartment and other famous exteriors including Gabriel’s restaurant along with the bakery where she has her first pain au chocolat. If you don’t watch the show it’s definitely not worth it, but if you do this will be a major highlight.
Grevin Wax Museum: €26.50
This is the French equivalent of Madame Tussauds and it’s far more enjoyable than most people expect. With a central location close to several other included attractions, the Grevin Wax Museum is in a gorgeous building filled with over 450 characters that look so lifelike that you keep expecting them to move. There are obviously many French historical figures, but also international historical figures and athletes and actors and pop stars. You’ll know scores of them. While it’s true that you might not normally pay €26.50 to visit a wax museum, it’s great with the Paris Pass because you can just pop in for an hour or so in between other places. Most people are very impressed.
The Paris Big Bus Tour and Seine River Cruise are great ways to get oriented for first-time visitors
On your first visit to Paris you definitely want to visit the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, and hopefully the Palace of Versailles (a bit outside the city center), but you also want to have a good look at the city of Paris itself.
Whether you buy the Paris Pass or not, you’ll want to strongly consider taking the Paris Big Bus Tour (included in the Paris Pass) as well as the Seine River Cruise. Both of these offer an excellent and efficient look at all of the famous places you might want to visit later, and you can do both of them in half a day. Take the hop-on, hop-off bus tour as early in the day as you can, and plan on doing the Seine river cruise just after sunset in order to see how beautifully lit the bridges and famous buildings are at night.
Is the Paris Pass good value?
If all of the above seems confusing, you are in good company. These ‘city cards’ can be a great tool for many first-time visitors to destinations, but in some cases they cost too much or disrupt your trip in other ways. Before a trip it’s easy to plan 4 or 5 museums and attractions for each day, but once you arrive that always feels too ambitious. A big part of what makes Paris so incredible is the gorgeous city itself, not just the museums and main sights.
Another thing to consider is that if you lock in your sightseeing expenses before you arrive there will be the temptation to just rush from one thing to the next to get the most from your money. If you happen to have a day when you only get to one or two attractions, you might have a sense of guilt over missing your pre-trip goals.
On the other hand, if you prefer to pay in advance and then challenge yourself to make sure you see all the amazing sights that Paris has to offer, then the Paris Pass can be a great deal. If you are mostly interested in the museums then the Paris Museum Pass is probably the better deal, but if you also want to take a bus tour or a river cruise or do the wine tasting then the Paris Pass is the way to go.
For great value hotels check out our recommended Paris hotels section, which gives you 5 excellent choices without the hassle of going through nearly two thousand hotels in the area.
New: How to get the most out of a 2-Day or 3-Day Paris Pass
Important advice for getting good value out of a Paris Pass
After using so many of these city passes through the years, and also getting some comments from customers who don’t feel like they got good value out of the Paris Pass, I can reveal two important bits of advice for Paris Pass holders.
1. Start early in the day, at least on your first couple days using the pass
The number one struggle for those who regretted buying a Paris Pass is starting early enough. Especially on your first couple of days using the Paris Pass you are strongly encouraged to leave your hotel by 09:00 or so, and go to the most popular attractions first. Places like the Louvre or the bus tour tend to not get too busy until 11:00 or so, which means that if you start on those things right after breakfast you will have time to do TWO top attractions before lunch. After that you’ll have the rest of the day to do one, two, or three more activities, and you’ll still have the whole evening free to have a long dinner and wander the beautiful neighborhoods.
Some people complain that by the time they got to their first attraction of the day, the place was packed, so they started on a bad note and then felt rushed the rest of the day trying to catch up.
2. Plan your day and route before you leave your hotel
The Paris Pass comes with a very helpful booklet that shows all of the attractions on a map, with hours of operation. If you spend some time before you leave your hotel for the day, planning an efficient route that connects the attractions you want to see that day, it will all seem easy and you’ll get the most out of your Paris Pass.
If you aren’t able to plan ahead like this then maybe the Paris Pass isn’t ideal for you. If you aren’t able to spend a bit of time planning ahead, chances are you’ll be racing around and wasting a lot of time, and you’ll be unhappy with the Paris Pass.
The Paris Pass is ideal for:
- First-time visitors to Paris who want to cover most of the main sights in a few days
- Travelers who want to see and do as much as possible on a short trip
- Visitors who want to orient themselves with the bus tour and Seine river cruise
The Paris Museum Pass by itself is ideal for:
- Culture vultures who plan on visiting at least 2 museums each day but don’t care about tours or anything else
- Budget travelers coming during busy season who want to skip the ticket queues
Visiting with no pass is ideal for:
- Visitors spending more than 7 days in the city who might prefer to see only one sight per day
- Backpackers and other extreme-budget travelers
Exclusive discount for Price of Travel readers
- Get 5% off all Paris Passes
Use coupon code: GO5POT ( – Look for “promo code?” in Step 4 of checkout)
One last thing to consider about budgeting your time in Paris
There are plenty of free things to do in Paris, many of which should be high priorities for first-time visitors, including strolling the Champs-Élysées, exploring the Montmartre neighborhood, and admiring the Eiffel Tower and the Arch de Triumphe from the street, so spending a lot of money on museums and attractions isn’t necessarily the key to enjoying the city.
Also, remember that there are only so many hours in the day, and you can only do one thing at a time. The Louvre itself takes at least 3 hours even for a “quick” visit, and while you are inside it doesn’t matter if you get 50 or 100 other “free” things included, you’ll only have time to do a few per day at the most.
However…
The Paris Pass is a popular and efficient way for first-time visitors to see all the best sights in a short time, with little stress and almost no time wasted in ticket queues. Whichever way you decide to visit Paris, you will have a good time. If you can get a discount on the Paris Pass, it’s obviously a better deal and worth considering.
Hi Roger,
Thanks for such an informative article, it really helps for first time traveller like me. I and my husband are visiting Paris in September for 3 days and are super-confused if we should purchase the Paris pass/Museum pass. We would be interested in visiting
Sainte Chapelle
Arc De Triumphe
Centre pompidou
Jarden Des tuileries
Musée d’Orsay
Louvre museum
Notre-Dame
Sunset cruise – on the Seine
Dining at Eiffel
jardin de luxembourg
Cheese and wine testing
Please suggest us whether it can all be covered in 3 days and how to do the planning?
Varsha,
Based on the list of things you are planning I would definitely say that a 3-day Paris Pass would be good value and a time saver. Nearly all of the things on your list are covered, and I think you should be able to do pretty much all of them in 3 days if you plan well. I notice you didn’t mention the hop-on, hop-off bus, which I actually highly recommend as early in your trip as possible because it takes you right by or very near everything on your list so you’ll know your way around. The HOHO bus also shows off how beautiful Paris is in about 3 hours if you don’t hop off. And because so many things are at the bus stops you can actually use it for transportation on one day if you plan ahead. The bus starts in front of the Eiffel Tower and it also stops at the Louvre, Notre Dame, Arch, Orsay, and a short walk from Saint Chapelle. The Seine Cruise docks are a short walk from where the bus starts and ends its loop as well.
If you do the HOHO bus and start early you can do the whole route and have time to hop off at Sainte Chapelle, Orsay, Notre Dame, and the Arch. I would save the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower itself for another day, and go early to the Louvre for the smallest crowds. You might also consider spending an evening in the Montmarte area, which is my favorite at night. Take the funicular up to the Sacré-Cœur around sunset and then have dinner at one of the colorful restaurants you’ll pass as you are walking down the hill. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
You are absolutely right Roger.
It is not making much sense to purchase teen passes for the above itinerary. At the same time 2 adult passes will not include my 15 and 17 years olds to the following:
– Hop In Hop Out Bus
– Sienna River Cruise
– Local Train rides
What would be your suggestion? Guessing that I have to stand in the general queue to get their tickets for the above three although I have 2 adult passes. Or is there some other way of handling it?
Thanks
Pam
Pam,
For the HOHO bus you can quickly buy youth tickets from an attendant while you are waiting to board the bus for the first time. There will be someone there in a uniform and holding a mobile ticket-printing device. You show them your Paris Pass and they’ll run them through the machine to print out your ticket, and then you can give them a credit card to pay for the youth tickets. It shouldn’t slow you down at all.
For the Seine Cruise you’ll have to wait in the ticket queue anyway, although there is a shorter queue for Paris Pass holders. Even in that queue I think you’ll be able to show your passes to get your tickets and also buy teen tickets for the others, so it won’t slow you down either. For Metro (subway) rides it’s easiest to either buy an unlimited rides ticket for each person if you’ll use it a lot, or buy a carnet, which is a discounted pack of 10 tickets, from a machine and then have the teens use those while you use your unlimited passes to enter the Metro. All of the tickets look the same, including the unlimited rides tickets, and they go through the machines in the same way. Once you buy the unlimited tickets or the carnets of discounted tickets it will be fast and easy each time. Have a great trip. -Roger
Hi Roger!
Shortlisted the following for the 2 day Paris trip:
Eiffel Tower (not included in Paris Pass)
Arc de Triomphe
The Louvre
Versailles
Sienna River Cruise
Hop in hop out bus
Children 15 years and 17 years with parents.
Question :
Do you suggest to buy both adult and teen 2 day Paris Pass considering the museums are free under 18?
Also, how do they verify the child’s age?
Pam
Pam,
As you suggest, it’s harder to get value out of a Teen Pass for those under 18 with the free museums. I don’t think you’d come out ahead so I would probably not buy the teens a pass unless you were doing more of the Attractions instead of a couple museums as well.
For the age verification, I’m not 100% sure but I’m almost sure it’s mostly on the honor system. Non-European children would all have their passports with them, but since most local young people do not need to travel around with ID, I believe they just let everyone in who looks in that range. After all, it’s not like they are giving free entry into new 3D movies, they are just allowing young people into a museum for free so I don’t think they are too worried about scammers. I’ve been in these entry queues many times and I have never been held up by a ticket person insisting on proof of youth, although I suppose it’s possible. Oh, and by the way, the kids don’t even need tickets so they can just go in the same entry queue with you and you’ll show the Paris Pass and they’ll just mention their age. So it’s not like a “free” ticket that they might sell, it’s just being able to walk in for free. -Roger
I am headed to Paris for 2 full days tacked on to the end of another trip. What would be your suggestion, the Paris Pass? I don’t think we will spend a lot of time in museums due to the time limits. My trip is in early October. Any special recommendations? What is tourist season like at that time?
Thank you
Darcie,
Early October should be great because the crowds aren’t bad and the weather should be pleasant and mild. The two-day Paris Pass could be a great option if you are interested in the hop-on, hop-off bus tour (which is my favorite in all of Europe so I recommend it even if you don’t buy a pass), and the Seine river cruise, which is also highly recommended just after sunset. If this is your first visit to Paris you pretty much have to at least spend an hour in the Louvre to get a quick look around at the Mona Lisa and a few others. The building itself is a former palace and it’s gorgeous. You should also spend an hour or so in the Orsay Museum across the river, which is much smaller and also an amazing space so it’s worth a quick visit. If you do those things, which can actually all be done in one day, the pass pretty much pays for itself. You also get the transport card so you can quickly get around, or use the HOHO bus to get between the places.
Again, if this is your first visit to Paris then the Paris Pass can be a great way to save a bit of money and time on the things that almost everyone wants to do anyway. It doesn’t cover going up the Eiffel Tower, but honestly I think that’s overrated because it’s so crowded and the views from the top aren’t as nice as the views from the top of the Arch de Triumphe or even the cathedral in Montmartre. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Dear Roger Wade,
Yesterday I had posted a comment for 3 days Paris and 4 days Switzerland tour itenary guidelines from you. No reply so far. if you have already commented, please let me know where i should find it.
Regards,
AK PAUL
INDIA
AK Paul,
I wasn’t able to answer questions on Sunday and I’ve commented on the Swiss Travel Pass question just a few minutes ago. -Roger
Wow, thanks for this great info. We will be in Paris 4 days in a little over a week. We are three adults and a 17 year old. We were contemplating the Paris Pass but aren’t sure. We want to do the following:
River Cruise
Orsay
Louvre
Arc de Triomphe
Notre Dome (not the tower)
Pantheon
Opera House
Disneyland Paris
And a metro pass
It seems to be cheaper to do things separate but will it be faster with the pass?? We can get in quicker at the Louvre but we can also spend 2 extra euros to get the quick line Louvre tickets. Am I missing anything??
Thanks – Jen
Jen,
First off, the hop-on, hop-off bus in Paris is fantastic and an excellent way to see most of the best of the city in a few hours. But if you don’t want to take it then it’s definitely harder to get value out of the Paris Pass. The Seine cruise is also lovely, but even more so just after sunset and it obviously only shows you things right along the river. Notre Dame is free to enter if you don’t want to go up to the top. And Disneyland Paris isn’t part of the Paris Pass, so it sounds like it might not be right for you.
For the Louvre and Orsay you’ll usually save some time with the Paris Pass, but sometimes it’s only a few minutes so I’m not sure it’s worth buying for that reason alone. And yes, buying those fast pass tickets online should get you into the same security queue. When you get downstairs in the Louvre you can just walk into the gates with a Paris Pass, but without you’ll have to stop to pick up your tickets at one of the ticket counters. If you go early in the day the lines are usually short, but later in the day they can get long. That really goes for all of the main attractions in Paris. Bon voyage. -Roger
Hello Roger
your article is so informative & I highly appreciate your contribution to many travelers.
I am travelling to Paris with my wife and daughter(Adult student) on 11th June till 16th ( 5 nights). We plan to stay at Couronnes. We would like to do the tour slowly, not in a rush. However, walking for too long is not preferred.
we would like to visit the following:
Eiffel Tower
Louvre
Notre Dame
Les Invalides
Palace of Versailles
One-Day Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour
One Hour Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Cruise
Sainte-Chapelle
Arc de Triomphe
sacre coeur
here are my questions:
Do you recommend a Paris pass?
if yes, which day pass should we opt for? 3 day or 4 day?
is there a student discount on the Paris pass?
Can we do the Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Cruise more than once using the Paris Pass?
do you have a day wise suggested itinerary for us?
Is there any android app which can help us navigate through the metro? or is the metro map good enough for it?
Thank you, please continue the excellent work !!
Bimal,
Yes, I think the Paris Pass will be ideal for your trip since it covers most of what is on your list. I think the 3-day version should be enough, but the 4-day version is only a bit more expensive and it allows you to go more slowly, so it might be worth it.
There are no student discounts, but museums are free to those 18 and under. It sounds like that might not help you though.
You can do each attraction only once. The Seine cruise is really wonderful and a great way to spend an hour, especially if you go around sunset or a bit later, but I don’t think you’d want to do it twice. There are itinerary suggestions in an article linked from this article, so hopefully that helps.
I’m sure there are Android apps for the Paris Metro. And Google Maps will give you exact directions also as far as which trains to take and how many stops before you switch or get off. But the Metro is pretty easy once you get there and try it out. Bon voyage! -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thanks for such an informative article. I and my husband are visiting Paris next week for four days and are super-confused if we should purchase the Paris pass/Museum pass. We would be interested in visiting
1) Louvre
2) Eiffel Tower
3) Palace of Versailes
4) Sainte Chapelle
5) Notre Dame
6) Luxembourg gardens
7) Pompidou centre, Louis Vuitton Foundation; my husband is an architect, so we also try to visit modern architecture elements when we travel 🙂
Although we are interested in doing an HOHO which will give us an overall idea of the city, we are still not very sure if we should buy the museum pass, since except for Louvre and Pompidou we still have to buy individual tickets, so it can all get pretty expensive at the end! It would be of great help to know what you feel.
Thanks in advance. Really appreciate your help.
Regards
Ash
Ash,
The HOHO bus is highly recommended whether you buy a Paris Pass or not, and the Seine River Cruise just after sunset is a wonderful way to see more of the city than you can any other way. If you want to do those things then I think the Paris Pass will be good value for you, but if you will skip at least one of those things it may not be worthwhile.
If you DO get the Paris Pass I’m sure you’ll find other included attractions that will interest you that you can do in between your planned attractions. That said, Paris is a wonderful city and you’ll have a great time with or without the pass. -Roger
First, this is the most helpful travel website I’ve used–and we travel a lot. Thank you!!! Secondly, we are a family visiting Paris the first weekend of May. We plan to see Versailles and Eiffel Tower on Thursday. Friday, we get to the Louvre at opening, then on to Orsay and perhaps HOHO bus tour before quick peek at Napolean’s tomb. Friday evening or Sat. evening, Seine cruise. With 3 pre-teen daughters, we’re trying to be realistic about packing too much in, which is why the bus and boat tours appeal–we see much with less walking for young legs. My question: does it pay to have any pass? Entrance fees are about the same, and we like flexibility of buying as we go. Oh but I hate the idea of spending any precious hours in line if we can avoid them! How hard is it to get into the Louvre at opening? How busy is Orsay–would the pass save us time? And finally, the bus and boat tours–how hard is it to show up the first weekend in May and just get on? Thanks a bunch! Melanie
Melanie,
Thank you for the very kind words. Reading something like that definitely helps make running this site worthwhile.
I think your itinerary looks very good and well thought out. If you add up the things you want to do and it comes to about the same as the Paris Pass, I think you should probably skip the pass. Going to the Louvre just as it’s opening for the day is a great strategy and usually the queue will be fairly short. It’s really the security queue that takes the time and everyone has to go through it, although Paris Pass and Museum Pass holders have a separate line and it’s usually shorter. Once you get downstairs the ticket queues are usually not too long either. You might get unlucky, but if you go first thing when it opens you’ll probably be inside in no more than 15 minutes and possibly less.
The Orsay usually has shorter lines, but of course it’s much smaller and if you get unlucky and arrive at a crowded time it could take maybe 30 minutes in the security line before you get in. The Museum Pass and Paris Pass security line is usually shorter, but not by all that much. As for the HOHO bus, you can buy a ticket when you first board the bus and there isn’t a queue to skip so it’s the same. As for the Seine Cruise I think everyone goes in the same line, and that line can get a bit long around sunset so it’s wise to get there at least 30 minutes before the departure you want.
One other advantage of the Paris Pass is that you can sometimes do things that you might not have done at full price. The wine tasting experience is probably the best example of this. It’s a bit overpriced for cash customers, but it really is fun and interesting and each visitor gets a full-size bottle of wine on the way out. But you should be fine paying as you go, and you might be too tired to do a couple things, which would end up saving money that way. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Can you show me how to go to my ibis Budget Paris La Villette 19eme by RER ticket from CDG airport. Then after chrckung in hotel at 12 pm, I want to go to HOHO bus close to my hotel ? Can I go Seine Cruise after HOHO tour on the rest of this evening ?
I have to go 8 days tour in the morning of next day, so when I go back Paris on June 20, where can I go from 10Am morning for the rest of that day ?
Thanks very much Roger.
Tuyen,
From CDG Airport you need to take the RER B line, which will take you to Gare du Nord. From there you’ll change to the 5 Metro line for 3 stops to the Laumière station, which is closest to your hotel. The whole trip should take a bit under an hour from the airport to your hotel. The closest stop of the Montmartre line to your hotel is at Gare du Nord, but you should really do the classic Red Route first, and the closest stop is at the Opéra Garnier. It should take you 10 to 15 minutes on the Metro from your hotel.
The HOHO bus takes about 3 hours if you don’t get off. You should definitely do the Seine Cruise later that day, and it’s best just after sunset so you can see all the bridges and famous buildings lit up. You could go anywhere after 10am when you return and I’m not sure how to help you with that. Bon voyage. -Roger