Paris Visit Pass, the Most Dynamic Means Around Paris for (Especially for) Tourists

How many days are you staying in Paris? One convenient way to move around Paris is with the use of the Paris Visite Pass. Paris Visite is a travel card pass enabling users to access andmake use of all the public transport services. Personally, I find Paris Visite Pass one of the best ways to get around Paris and its region! It depends however on each one's inclination and plan. A ticket's single use cost around Eur 1,70, while a "carnet" of ten tickets is around Eur 12, so if you have to only go back and forth, Paris Visite Pass is not a smart choice. However, if you would like to move anywhere in the area freely, this pass is really good. The Paris Visite pass consists of a travelcard and its ticket. It provides unlimited rides (naturally within its validity period) on the transport system of the Île-de-France region: Metro, RER (express regional trains), bus, tramway, suburban Transilien SNCF trains, funiculaire de Montmartre, Montmartrobus, Noctambus, Optile bus system,within a given fare zone (from 1-3, 1-6). It is good from the first day of use (not from the date of purchase) until the last consecutive day. You may purchase the Paris Visite Pass in advance and save time avoiding last minute lines and this can be bought in Metro stations (ours we had it from the service booth) but I assume the ticket vending machines have this too.


WHERE ELSE ONE CAN BUY PARIS VISITE?
Paris Visite Pass can be purchased in all Paris Metro, RER, Transilien SNCF stations, bus terminal ticket counters, RATP Boutiques, RATP sales desks at Orly and CDG airports and Paris tourist offices. One can also buy the pass in certain travel agencies and tour operators abroad.

Rates in euros for the Paris Visite Pass

ADVANTAGES?

1. Convenient for travelers

2. Prices are in package, the more days, the cheaper per day

3. Dynamic, can be used in many ways, trams, metro, RER, etc.

4. Practical and saves time: no need to buy individual ticket everytime

DISADVANTAGES?

1. If the user plans to travel once or twice in one of the days, it's a lost day (you spent more than necessary)

2. In case of loss, you lost the entire amount you spent!

3. It counts the day, not the number of hours (1 day is 24 hours)

4. Mine expires at 10PM (not midnight) and I was blocked in the Metro for this!  Of course you can always complain to the service desk if they are still open.

Below is the specimen of my Paris Visite Pass from Paris

Basically, the card contains the necessary information about the Paris Visite Pass and its usage in five (5) different languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish and German. Isn't it very smart idea to have all these langauges? In fact, you can also write your name in one of the folds of the card of Paris Visite Pass. One part of the fold contains a mini-pocket where the more valuable part of the Paris Visite Pass can be inserted: the magnetic tape pass itself.

Below is the mini pocket-like fold of the Paris Visite Pass where the user of the PVP can insert the magnetic tape pass. I found it very useful because the card is thicker, bigger (easier to find inside one's purse or bag) and it also contains the information that's useful in case I forget in five different languages. It is very good for safe-keeping purposes also. The place holds the pass securely. 

The reverse side of the pass with the magnetic tape.This is what users use to enable the station doors to open.

Eurolines Trip Experience from Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Breda to Paris: The Trip Itself

As noted here, thispost will beall about the trip itself on board eurolinesbus from Amsterdam, passing The Hague, Rotterdam, Breda bound to Paris (Galienibus station). As indicated, yours truly had to start from the Hague. There were already alot of passengers from Amsterdam. We were around 15 from the Hague but we almost filled each seat of the bus. Below is the timeline for the trip I took and might besimilar to those who're taking the same trip:

10:35 PM or 22:35 - the eurolnes bus bound to Paris (Galieni) arrived in the Hague (from Amsterdam already with passengers)

10:47 PM or 22:47 - the eurolnes bus bound to Paris (Galieni) departed, with 2 minutes delay (excusable)

11:08 PM or 23:08 - the eurolnes bus bound to Paris (Galieni) stopped in Rotterdam Central to pick more passengers up. After a few passengers got up the bus, the driverlooked for 2 unpresented tickets from passengers from the Hague. Thiscause delay of around 10 minutes. Thus, don't forget to give your ticket(s) to the driver.

11:26 PM or 23:26 -the eurolnes bus bound to Paris (Galieni) departed from Rotterdam Central Station

12:13 AM or 00:13 - the eurolnes bus bound to Paris (Galieni) stopped to pick more passengers up (a couple of them) in Breda-

12:16 AM or 00:16 - the eurolnes bus bound to Paris (Galieni) departed from Breda.

12:40 AM or 00:40 - the eurolnes bus bound to Paris (Galieni) stopped at a TOTAL service station somewhere in Belgium for a 20-minute break. Here we could either buy refreshments or go to toilet. The pause stops are very helpful andalso healthy!

01:00 AM or 01:00 - the eurolnes bus bound to Paris (Galieni) departed after the driver checked that everyone's on board the bus again.

01:58 AM - the eurolnes bus bound to Paris (Galieni) stopped for another 20-minute break in another TOTAL service station for either smoking, refreshment or toilet moments for the passengers.

02:25 AM - the eurolnes bus bound to Paris (Galieni) continued the trip, always after the driver checks the completeness of his passengers.

04:35 AM until 04:56- the eurolnes bus bound to Paris (Galieni) had another pause stop, this time in an Agip service station somewhere in France.

05:47 AM - the eurolnes bus bound to Paris (Galieni) actually reached the Galieni international bus station. At this hour, the station was still closed, thus the bus had to wait. There were a couple of other busses/vehicles ahead waiting.

06:00 AM - sharply, the station was opened, the bus we were in got in and there was a thorough police check (normal for busses coming from the Netherlands where drugs are legally used).

06:16 AM  - the checks were done and we took our luggage and went our way. Not that bad with the schedule considering the stops and the unexpected unavailability of the station and the "quite long" police checks.

The Hague (Central Station) to Paris (Galieni) Eurolines Trip: Waiting for the Bus at the Hague CS

It's the trip starting at night: at 22:45 or 10:45PM from The Hague (Centraal Station) to Paris (Galieni Parc de Bagnolet bus station). Tre trip was estimated to last for about 7 hours including all pick-up stops and pause stops along the way. The ticket for this one-way trip costed only Eur 39 but including insurance and other fees, the total is Eur 47... stillnot bad. This post will lay out what one can expect during the waiting period and the next post will be about the trip itself and it might be helpful, especially for this eurolines trip experience from The Hague to Paris. The bus passing The Hague, I assume, started from Amsterdam and thus, the same information in the succeeding post(s) apply for those passengers.You will see the following numbered points.

1. Since this was a night travel, the check-in desk wasalready closed. The ticket itself (no boarding pass)was enough for the driver. Make sure that you printed the page of eticket (not the receipt page) for presentation. Sample is shown below.

2. Where to wait? The stop for eurolines busses is not in theplace where thelocal busses stop. It is behind the eurolines office, and when you wait you can see the bike shed of the central station (CS). The stop is not labelled so be careful. See some of the pointsof view when one is waiting for the eurolines bus.

The CS bike shed

Really near this trash can

Not the eurolines bus, just wait for eurlolines bus... there might be a bus parked in the waiting area

There is also a waiting area with chairs and tables if you would like to stay 
there, especially if you wish to eat and/or sit/rest

 3. At around 22:05 or at 10:05 PM, a eurolines bus bound for Amsterdam passed by. It was NOT thebus for Paris, just wait for the bus. It will aeeive just around "on time" although passengers are advised to be present 30 minutes before the trip.

4. The bus arrived at 22:35 or 10:35PM and we were around 15 passengers who hopped on. The baggage packing, the arrangement and everything lasted for around 10 minutes. At 22:47 or 10:47 PM we departed. 2 minutes late, not bad at all!

Don't forget to give your ticket to the driver to prevent delays. You will know why in the next post.