Is it possible to buy Carte Orange in the US, or do I have to wait to get to Paris?

Question

I will be a student in Paris, living in Acheres, taking the RER and the Metro, for a month. I also have Travel Agent status, and am sometimes eligible for discounts. I understand the Carte Orange is the best way to go. Where can I buy it, how much does it cost for a month, and do they offer discounts for travel agents? Is this card only for residents? I understand students are eligible for it as well. Is that correct? Thanks for all your help.

Answer 1

Rose T is quite right, but Carte Orange is not gonna disapear but changing: it used to be a ticket, it's now a smart card.

cause now you have to get a "Passe Navigo" : it's a smart card that you can get for free only if you live in paris/ile de france ; if not you have to pay 5€. (for more explanations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navigo_card ).

then you load the weekly or the monthly Carte Orange in the smart card... and use as this good old ticket.

so, it's not only for residents, but you have to remember it was first only for workers : that's why ppl who dont live in ile de france (even french ppl!) have to pay the 5€ smart card.

no discounts for travel agents, but you work for RATP (metro) or SNCF (train).

there is a discount for the students, but only for the 12-months ticket.

i don't think you cd buy it in the USA, but you could find it easily in the metro and RER stations, no worry.

ile-de-france is divided in 6 "zones" (paris is "zone 1", the farest towns are "zone 6"). achères is "zone 5". so if you want to go to paris, you do have to buy a "zones 1-5" ticket.

it's 32.10€ a week, 105.20€ a month.

go and see http://www.ratp.com/

i know it's the french website, but if you go to the english site (click the UK flag) you'll only have infos for tourists and nothing abt Passe Navigo and other stuffs.

Answer 2

I have always used the carte orange on my 4 visits to Paris.  It's very handy not to have to worry about having individual tickets.  That being said, carte orange is being eliminated in July.  They are transitioning to navigo, which I think may be a little more difficult for non-residents to get.

Answer 3

You will need the Carte Orange for zones 1-5 which costs 105.20 euros for the monthly pass.

Ticket agents will sometimes try to claim that this type of pass is only for residents but this is nonsense. they are simply trying to sell tourists the Paris viste pass which is a poor value compared to other types of passes.

Edit@Rose T: As I understand it, non residents will have to pay a 5 euro one time fee to get the Navigo identity card while residents will get this for free.

Edit@abdoucondorcet: The RATP sites states "Le coupon Carte Orange va bientôt disparaître" So I believe Rose T is correct to say that the "Carte orange" itslef will disappear and be replaced by the Navigo. This is a change in method and in name but not in ultimate function.