Purchasing a Carte Orange...

We have always purchased a Carte Orange from the ticket window with no problems, but I%26#39;ve been hearing that people are being told to go to a machine to purchase the Carte Orange. This presents a problem because our US credit cards don%26#39;t work in the French machines. Not only that, I%26#39;ve been told that they only take change, not bills. Has anyone attempted to purchase a Carte Orange lately? Did they take bills or was a change machine available? We%26#39;ll be traveling to Paris in April, and I plan to try to purchase the Carte Orange at the ticket window as we always have, as I really don%26#39;t want to pay the high price of a Paris Visite. However, that would be preferable to trying to find change to use in the machines. I know that a change machine has been installed at CDG, but I don%26#39;t think we%26#39;ll have time to buy our Carte Orange there, as the shuttle will be picking us up. I%26#39;m wondering about the availablity of change machines in Metro stations. Anyone know? :-)

Sandy

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Sandy,

I purchased a CO two weeks ago. I purchased it at the RER station entrance at Notre Dame. I dealt with a clerk and used my credit card.

For the benefit of those who may not know, you will need a photo to put on your CO. I always bring copies of my passport, so I just cut out a picture and used it on the CO.

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;This presents a problem because our US credit cards don%26#39;t work in the French machines. Not only that, I%26#39;ve been told that they only take change, not bills%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

I%26#39;m not sure what your %26#39;..problem..%26#39; is. If you are using an airport shuttle service--rather than the RER %26#39;B%26#39; ligne---as your mode of airport transfer, you really have no need to purchase your CARTE ORANGE passes at CDG.. Once in Paris, you will have more than ample opportunity to get €uro cash from a local ATM (if you don%26#39;t already havea sum of %26#39;..arrival / convenience..%26#39; €uros in-hand) and may convert banknotes to coinage at any one of thousands of places. Though you may find it convenient and prefer to use a major credit card for most purchases of goods and services...you will STILL need €uro cash. So this shouldn%26#39;t be a big deal.

Even if you arrive at CDG without %26#39;..arrival / convenience..%26#39; €uros in-hand and must convert €uros banknotes from a CDG ATM into coinage, you can stop and purchase a copy of that week%26#39;s PARISCOPE magazine (a great local resource) at a newsstand and get coins there. And, even IF there are bill changer machines at the RER station, it would be a mistake to assume that they will be working when you need %26#39;em.

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pixfield,

Thanks so much :-) I%26#39;m really glad to hear that. It will make things much easier!

Sandy

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There was a recent thread more about the Navigo pass that also mentioned that the tickets for the C.O. are being pushed out to only the vending machines, useful only if you are already in possession of the carte orange id. card itself. This change in sales / availability is due to the ongoing phase-in of the Navigo pass and the phase-out of the C.O.

I read that it was only the airport kiosks that did not accept USA-type credit cards.

Do not bother buying C.O. at CDG if you don%26#39;t need them to ride into Paris - huge waste of time.

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KDKSAIL,

Looks like I don%26#39;t have a %26quot;problem%26quot;, since the Carte Orange is still available at the ticket window with a credit card. That%26#39;s all I really wanted to know. It will make things much easier. I know I can get Euros with my ATM, and will purchase a few Euros to have on arrival, but that would take quite a bit of change to purchase 2 Carte Orange cards in a machine, so I doubt whether a clerk would be too happy about my wanting that much change :-) I%26#39;m happy that I won%26#39;t have to do that this trip.

Sandy

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travelnutty,

Thanks! We tried a couple of years ago to use our credit cards in the D%26#39;Orsay station and were unable to use them, so I thought it was all over Paris. No, we wouldn%26#39;t have the time to purchase the Carte Orange at CDG anyway. I only thought of it because it was the only place I knew had a change machine. We usually purchase our Carte Orange passes at the D%26#39;Orsay station and have, of course, kept our original cover, so I%26#39;m hoping that they still are selling them at the ticket window.

Sandy

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pixfield,

At what station did you purchase your Carte Orange? Thanks :-)

Sandy

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Sandy,

I purchased my CO at the RER/metro station adjacent to the entrance to the Hotel Hospitel Dieu next to Notre Dame. I thought it was a relatively quieter station.

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pixfield,

Thanks! I%26#39;ll keep that one in mind in case the one nearest our hotel doesn%26#39;t sell them at the ticket window.

Sandy

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A footnote to this question of whether or not the Carte Orange must be purchased in a machine rather than at the ticket window. I was reminded today that there are lots of Tabacs -- with an RATP sign -- that sell the Carte Orange, and they will take credit card, cash, or coins. Here is the page on the RATP website where you can plug in the arrondissment nearby you to get a listing of these Tabacs that sell transportation passes. I wasn%26#39;t sure that they still did that, but it is still on the RATP website, so we will check that out before going to the nearest metro station, as there is one right on the street by our hotel, and we would be going there anyway to purchase a telecarte.

http://tinyurl.com/2oylm2

Sandy