The Paris Pass — Local services in Paris

I wasn't satisfied with Paris pass, and infact if I could give ZERO, then I would have given that.

In comparison to other passes (such as Vienna pass) I can see very big differences.

My negative experience was due to the following reasons:

1- On 11/29/2019. I started to use my 4 days passes. I started my day at the Louver museum and waited in the line from the early morning to enter at 9 am when the museum open the doors. The line got bigger and the museum didn't open. We were informed that the museum will open at 10:15 am. I waited until 10:15 am, then we were updated that the museum will open at 11:30 am. I waited until 11:30 am, and then someone came out from the museum saying that the staffs are in strike, and that they may not open the doors at all or they may decide to open in the afternoon !! This is just a disrespectful attitude from the louver museum staffs. We were not informed from the beginning about the strikes, not they have announced about it. Actually, they continued to sell tickets to the tourists in the meantime. The line got so big, and we were waiting outside in a rainy weather. I truly have no sympathy with the workers at all. I ended up visiting the museum next day.

Anyway, I lost half of my first day, and have done nothing yet ! I ended up going to Orsay museum, the Army museum and then the Arc de Triomph that day.

2- You can't skip lines at many areas. So, if you are under impression that you can skip lines by showing your card and see too much things with this card then think again. Upon my visit to Versailles palace (one of few places where you can skip lines), There was a very big line. (I came on Sunday). I was told that on Sunday the admission is free to anyone, and since there are no tickets to be sold, then there is no line to be skipped and that I have to go to the rear end of the line. I showed the staff whats written in the paris pass book, where it is saying clearly that you can skip the ticket line. She shouted and yelled at me and said that she doesn't care about my paris pass and that I have to go back to the end of line. I wasted 2 hours waiting in the line, and apparently wasted half of my day for Versailles palace. She was allowing only visitors with certain kind of palace membership to skip the line and no one else. Actually they have a board at the entrance of the palace which says who can skip the line. (Paris pass holders is not mentioned). Not sure why Paris pass would falsely claim that you can skip the line with this card.

3- My 4 days pass fees was 195 euros. And even though if you were able to be a fast runner, and able to skip lines and play it smart, then you should know that there is a cap for the value you can use your card for. The cap of my card was 300 euros. So you can use your 4 days pass to visit things that have a sum up value of 300 euros (you should add the ticket fees and sum them up to ensure you are not exceeding the cap). Apparently, I don't think I have even reached a 150 euros value with my visits given that I wasn't able to skip lines and was wasting time here and there waiting for my turn to enter.

4- Many of the walking tours guides ask you for tips. The tips is not out of generosity from your side, they ask you for that and claiming that this their source of living. Apparently the suggested tips they ask for is 10-20 euros.

In comparison to Vienna pass, which was also unlimited pass, it was truly unlimited, and I used it with convenience and was able to skip lines and enjoy the privileges I was entitled for

In brief, if you want to have a nice visit with the least amount of Money, then start your trip on Sunday, where you can visit many museums and Versailles palace for free ( I didn't even know about that). Then, go for individual tickets for each place instead of getting Paris pass. No matter what, you can't do more than 3-4 things per day with Paris pass given that you have to stand in the line, and places close at 4-6 pm, except for towers and the...

Why we purchase the Paris Pass every year when we go to Paris. It is a 'one stop shop' purchase because it has everything you need and would want when it comes to getting around town and sight seeing; transportation and monuments. Thank you Rick Steves!! It is an excellent value for the money and it saves so much time. You will be very happy you have it. I have watched so many YouTube vlogs about peoples Paris experience and how excited they are to go to the Louvre but shortly after they get there, they say they were waiting too long and left! If they had only known about this pass, that wouldn't have happened. Things you don't think about are possible long lines, metro tickets and the time it takes to try to figure that out at a kiosk with people rushing past you etc. This pass has metro AND bus transportation too that you can continuously use for the Pass' duration. Nothing is more valuable on a foriegn country vacation than a smooth experience. This pass will help you tremendously and prevent the unexpected mishaps.

Ordering the pass: When you order, choose the maximum amount of time- 6 days (if you will be in Paris that long). It is worth it. If you don't, you will lose the transportation and have to buy metro or bus tickets every time you ride. Or take cabs which can add up quickly and you will quickly realize the money you spent on those extra days without the pass for transportation or sightseeing would have been more than just paying for the 6 day pass. You order it online and it is mailed to you with a booklet of everything that you can use the pass for so you can plan your days accordingly. I reccomend reading through it and getting with your travel party and pick the top sights you want to see. You will not be able to see everything in 6 days so plan out each day. Once you start using the pass, the clock is ticking on it. So dont lose a day without using it for something.

Some of my reccomends:

Louvre (go on Wednesday when it is open until 10pm. Arrive around 4pm. It is spectacular at night). Hop on hop off bus tour on you first day (get your barings of where you are). Seine river cruise (take the 7pm cruise at sunset infront of the Eiffel tower) They plan the return trip perfectly for when the Eiffel Tower lights up. Perfect view from the Boat). Opera Garnier Arc de Triomphe Versailles Palace (plan for an entire day and plan your train ride prior to departure. Time time time).

The Paris Pass store front is located in the 9th arrondissement on Avenue de L'Opéra a few clicks from the opera house. The hop on hop off bus stops infront of it. They offer various day tour services like Normandy or Loire Valley Castle tours, wine tasting tours etc. Do not try to impulsively hop on a train somewhere and figure it out when you get there thinking that will save you money. It wont. Unless you know exactly what you are doing. Take one of of these all-inclusive, easy and convenient tours where they do all the leg work for you. It is worth it and much cheaper. We did the Loire Valley 3 chateau tour last year and it was a bit quick through them but it was still very much worth it. It will help you get an idea of what you would need to do if you wanted to do it on your own in the future.

I hope this was informative for whoever is reading this. Thank you Paris Pass for making our vacations so effortless and easy. You have a...

BE CAREFUL! These people have taken a good idea and clearly scammed it! Yes it is nice to walk in to museums with put waiting "to much", to pick up your pass you have to find and go to their so called office where you stand in line to get your pass, they then get you to get an upgrade because a 2 day is really not and it is only good for this and blaw, blaw, blaw your the dumb tourist and they know better, so they get you to up grade to 3 or 4. Do not! You know your schedule and times, first you are not going to see everyrhing, they don't tell you certain things are not included until the end like the Eiffel Tower, transportation is only in Paris hub, they are snakes your the rat. On first Sundays of the month Museums are free. Do not let them influence you. Get what you think you need and tell them to stick to your program, when I was there to pick up my pass there where several diffrent people there who were ANGRY AND SAID OUT LOUD THEY WERE RIPPED OFF for exactly what I had just described and wanted to see manager who I can saw clearly from line in his office, but when the unhappy customers/suckers came and voiced their concerns he disappeared, the woman said he was done for the day, office door still open, he was standing among other people so no one can know he was the manager. The woman convinced me to up grade from 2 day to 4 explaining all kinds of benefits, in a hurry to start my Paris experience I agreed, up graded and paid an extra $68.00, I walked outside read all that was included and some fine print, realized I did not need 4 days and it was not a good thing for me I went back in to get refunded and stick my two days, all of a sudden her demeanour changed and said NO REFUNDS! I was floored, realizing I was taken as the others, I was there 35 minutes and had to leave, we had a driver and car waiting. DO NOT TRUST THESE PEOPLE, THEY ARE NOT LOOKING FOR YOUR BEST...