Metro stations should have two ticket dispensers. One that accepts coins and bills and one that accepts credit cards with the smart chip. If you are using a credit card without the chip, the agent will process your non-chip credit card (USA type, for example).
This ticket will be good for the day on any bus, metro, tram, or RER, within the five zones (Paris center is zones 1 and 2).
Advice for Paris to Venice and Rome
Ludmilla wanted to know about train tickets to Venice and Rome:
“I will go to Paris in May and I will go to Venice and Rome as well.
I have made some research about train tickets and found that are much expensive in the webpage for USA. Some people recommend to buy them and collect them in France and say your residence is France. This is much cheaper as I can see. The issue is that I have to say I reside in France to get this prices. This people say is ok, but I am not sure. I don’t want to mess with my trip to Venice.
Do you have any advice on this?
If I buy the tickets the same day in France, am I getting the price for french people? I would prefer make a reservation now, but really is almost double the price”.
The response:
Buy your tickets on-line and pick them up in France. If your card has a smart chip you can retrieve them from the kiosk machines at any train station. Otherwise, take your paperwork to a ticket window and within seconds, you will receive your ticket.
The website Voyages-SNCF TGV (Thello is the current high speed train name linking Italy and France) is where to prepare your voyage and pick up your ticket at any French train station. Check both websites for options for connecting, times, length, price, etc.
You can also see their gallery to find out the layout of the train cars. If you want a direct trainleaving from Paris, the train will leave out of Paris Bercy. Read this blog entry on the Bercy train station.
To begin, visit the Voyages-sncf.com Web site and select “Train France, Europe”, fill in your information (dates, travelers, etc).For the direct train Paris-Venice, make sure to choose “Paris Gare de Lyon” on the departure drop-down menu.
Note: On the tariffs page for the direct Paris-Venice train (“Paris Bercy”), you can elect to pick up your tickets at the train station. As far as the French address, I cannot answer that question. I would put in your local address (or contact your hotel/apartment). Or contact SNCF directly and order the ticket.
