Hello. I am coordinating our university’s Paris program which be will be taking place during the month of July. As some of the students have never spoken a word of French-let alone left the country- I am trying to lessen the hassle of Parisian travel bureaucracy as much as possible.

I am interested in the pass Navigo Découverte since they will be there for the entire month of July. We will have close to 45 students and that would be a nightmare to bring to any metro station — one I am sure the attendants would not be happy to wait on.

Do you have any suggestions for the best way to go about making this purchase for the students?

I realize they need to have their oddly-sized pictures, but is there any way if the director has these beforehand that we can take these to a station and purchase them on behalf of the students?

Also, what is the cost of a ND for a month with and without the CDG airport inclusion.

Thanks so much for any response!

Hello Kyle,

One person can purchase all of the Navigo Découverte passes needed for your students. The N.D passes can be purchased and credited at any metro station that has an agent on site, at the RATP clubs (listed in my blog entry) or in any of the businesses listed here. N.D passes can also be credited at the ATMs listed here.

Once their N.D pass purchased (€5) your students can paste their picture I.D (size is about 1”x1.2”) on it themselves—the passes come with a sticker. Then those passes will have to be credited, which can be done either at an automated machine inside any metro station or with an RATP agent (not available at any metro station.) That’s where it might get a bit complicated: First, the RATP does not accept American Express cards; secondly, the metro stations’ automated machines do not take cards that don’t have a chip (which means most foreign credit cards… I know, that’s pretty lame!)
So, in order for you to credit your N.D passes I advise you go to an agent at either a Club RATP, a train station (both of which are listed in my blog entry under “WHERE to get your Navigo/Navigo Découverte pass”) or any metro station with an agent, with a VISA or MASTER CARD or maybe even better with cash.

I tried several times to refill a Navigo pass using an American credit card at an automated machine and it worked once only… you can try too, who knows, you might get lucky.

As for prices scroll down my (updated) blog entry until you get to “HOW MUCH is a Navigo/Navigo Découverte pass?”
A one-way ticket from or to Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport (which is considered a 1-5 zone ticket) is €8.20. If you want to purchase a monthly N.D pass to get you back and forth from Paris to CDG airport you will need a 1-5 zone pass which will cost you €109.90 (instead of €56.60/month for a 1-2 zone N.D, which is for Paris only.)

I hope this answers your questions.
Best luck on getting your passes on arrival. I’m sure it will be fine if you keep a smile on your face

Hey there, ive been in paris 2 years ago abd bought the nevigo pass. Im coming again this year on the 29.9. Can i recharge my nevigo? I read somewhere that its posibele only till wedensday and im landing a day after…

Hello, you shouldn’t have any problem recharging your navigo pass. The weekly pass works from Monday until Sunday. If you are planning on using transportation a lot between Thursday and Sunday during the week you arrive I would probably buy the weekly pass, otherwise get a ten-metro ticket booklet and use it until Sunday, then get a weekly pass for the following week.

I will be travelling to paris soon as i want to know whether i can purchase the Navigo Weekly Pass at CDG airport itself?

Hello, I’m not sure you can purchase a Navigo Pass at CDG. The listing of agencies selling it outside of Paris does not mention Paris’ airports. I will investigate more when I get back home early January and see if I can give you a definite answer.

Hello Asogaa,
So, you can purchase a NAVIGO DÉCOUVERTE pass at Roissy-Charles de Gaule (CDG) airport, as well as at any metro station. You will need a picture i.d (size is about 1”x1.2”) and it will cost you 5€. This pass is different from the regular Navigo pass that is free and only for people living in Île-de-France (Paris and surroundings) and can only be delivered at the Agences Commerciales de la RATP (CDG airport not included). The NAVIGO DÉCOUVERTE is for anyone else and doesn’t require filling up forms. You can get a weekly one. I hope this answers your question.

Hi!

I will arrive in Paris on 27 January and I will stay for 4 months. I would like to have monthly Navigo, but I’m not sure if it works only between the first and last days of the month or for example can I buy it from 27 January until 27 February? If i can buy it only from 1 February, what choices do i have until that? I will use the transport every day. Thanks for the answer!

Hello,
The Navigo pass does indeed work from the beginning to the end of the week or month. The best thing to do is to get a 10-ticket pass (carnet de 10 tickets) to use from the time you arrive until the beginning of the following month. You can purchase your Navigo pass a few days (4/5days) before the date it is supposed to start.

Thanks! Meanwhile I’ve found another type of ticket: Paris Visite. Does it work on the trains of Ile-de-France too? It can be good for 5 days, just what I need.

Yes it does work on the trains of Ile-de-France and it sounds like a good deal if you are planning on traveling a lot. Make sure you buy the one with the right amount of “zones” (there are 5 of them, 1-2 being Paris “intra-muros” and 5 going as far as Fontainebleau.)

Alright, thanks for your help!