Paris Navigo Decouverte Pass - What You Need to Know - Paris by Train (2024)

Paris Navigo Decouverte is a multi-use transit card covering all of the Metro Paris area, good for the Paris Metro (subway/underground), RER trains (including the CDG Airport train, Disneyland Paris, and Versailles), buses (including Orly airport buses), trams & surburban Transilien trains. Continue below for Navigo Paris prices, coverage, where, when and how to buy.

Not visitors, not residents.

See Paris 2024 Pass for the offered alternative.

See Why is Navigo not sold during Olympics for more information.

Navigo Price: 30.75€

• Navigo Decouverte week pass price is 30.75€ as of Jan 4, 2024 PLUS:
• 5€ fee (non-refundable) for the physical Navigo card itself
• color headshot photo3cm tall x 2.5cm wideyou provide to attach to paper card
• child price for Navigo Decouverte is the same as adult
• Discounts exist only for residents of Paris/Ile-de-France, but not for tourist/visitor Navigo cards
• covers central Paris and all Zones 1-5 (see zone map)
• (minor) discounts exist if you’re not traveling in Zone 1 (central Paris) and only need zones 2-3 (28.20€), 3-4 (27.30€) or 4-5 (26.80€)

Coverage / Places Included

• entire Paris Metro system
• zones 1-5 of Paris RER system
• all RATP city buses
• all Trams
• all Noctilien night buses
• Transilien Ile-de-France train system in zones 1-5
• suburban city buses (e.g. Optile) & trains (e.g. TER trains) in zones 1-5, except Orlyval train
• includesAirport CDG (in Zone 5)
• Disneyland Paris (Zone 5)
• Chateau de Versailles (Zone 4)
• covers ORY Airport (Orly, Zone 4) using the Denfert-Rochereau station to Orly city bus “Orlybus” or Metro 7 + Tram 7 or Metro 14 (coming early June 2024)
• Orlyval train from Antony RER B station not covered
• see Paris area transit zone mapfor coverage

Navigo Pass Duration

A Navigo Week Pass is valid from Monday at 00:00 to Sunday 23:59:59.

You can buy Navigo week pass for the current weekup until Thursday, midnight. Next week’s Navigo card week pass is on sale from Friday morning onwards. (In the past, the Navigo weekly train pass for the current week stopped selling at Wednesday midnight, but this has been moved to Thursday midnight.)

Note that you cannot choose the start & end date of your weekly Navigo pass; it is strictly Monday morning (00:00) to Sunday midnight (23:59:59), regardless of what day of the week you buy the pass.

Navigo passes are also available as a Day pass (Navigo Jour as of January 1, 2018) and a Monthly pass (Navigo Mois).

Where to Buy Navigo

Buying Navigo Cards Online

There is no mail-order shipping / delivery of physical plastic card Navigo. But, we can buy mobile phone app-based Navigo pass online through one of three official Paris transportation mobile phone apps. (Available on Android as of Oct 2022, iPhone as of May 21, 2024.) See the Navigo Pass iPhone / Android App article for more information.

Buying Navigo in Paris

You can buy a Navigo Decouverte pass in-person at nearly any Metro, RER, Billets Paris et Ile-de-France train ticket window that normally sells tickets and passes. I say “nearly” because a ticket window may run out of blank Navigo passes to sell you. But Billets / Tickets Paris et Ile-de-France ticket windows (like those below at CDG Airport or Gare du Nord train station) are much less likely to run out of Navigo cards than the average Metro/RER ticket window. In any case if you ask for a Navigo card and the ticket window has run out, you’ll need to find the next nearest ticket window and try again.

Buy Navigo at CDG Airport

There are two train stations at CDG Airport. Both CDG train stations sell Navigo passes & train tickets. In CDG Terminal 2, the train station is between sub-terminals 2C and 2E. (See the step-by-step guide for CDG Terminal 2 trains to Paris.) If you arrive at CDG Terminal 1 or CDG Terminal 3 the closest CDG train station is in the Roissypole building. The Roissypole building is midway between CDG Terminal 1 and CDG Terminal 2, and is a 5 minute walk from Terminal 3, as seen on this CDG shuttle train map (CDGVAL):

The CDGVAL Terminal Shuttle is free and has frequent service between CDG Terminals, parking lots and train stations.

CDG T2 Train Station Ticket Office

Here’s a photo of the CDG Terminal 2 train station ticket office entrance:

You’ll notice the sign above the door reads: Billets Paris et Ile de France. This means “Tickets Paris and [Region]”. This ticket office sells Paris Metro tickets & RER tickets, Navigo Decouverte, Navigo Easy, Paris Visite and every other ticket or pass available for Paris Metro, RER, Bus, and Transilien trains servicing the Paris region (Paris Ile-de-France). Another type of ticket office at CDG Terminal 2 train station is for Grandes Lignes trains going to cities outside the Paris area. You can buy Navigo Decouverte pass cards inside the Billets Paris et Ile-de-France ticket office. You cannot buy Navigo inside Grandes Lignes ticket offices.

Please see our full guide of CDG Terminal 2 train to Paris for more details on finding CDG T2 train station, buying train tickets & taking the RER B train to Paris.

CDG T1/T3 Train Station Ticket Window

The train station serving CDG Terminal 1 and CDG Terminal 3 is located in the Roissypole building. Here’s a photo of the Roissypole train station ticket window for CDG Terminal 1 / Terminal 3:

Please see our full guide of CDG Terminal 1 / Terminal 3 train to Paris for more details on finding CDG T1 / T3 train station, buying train tickets & taking the RER B train to Paris.

Both CDG train station ticket offices sell Paris Navigo Decouverte pass. Both CDG train station ticket offices will always have at least one English speaking staff member. The CDG Terminal 2 train station ticket office is larger (as it serves a larger terminal), has more ticket agents and will often have several English speakers, plus other common European languages such as German and Spanish.

Buy Navigo At Paris Train Stations

The major train stations in Paris all have Transilien suburban train ticket windows which are good places to buy a Navigo Decouverte pass.

The major Paris train stations include:

• Gare du Nord
• Gare du Lyon
• Gare Montparnasse
• Gare de l’Est
• Gare d’Austerlitz
• Gare Saint Lazare
• Gare de Bercy

The confusing part about buying Navigo passes at major Paris train stations is the separation of ticket offices between Paris regional trains and intercity / international trains (Grandes Lignes) for destinations across France and Europe. Grandes Lignes ticket offices do not sell Paris Navigo passes or any other sort of Paris Metro / RER / Transit tickets. These “main line” ticket offices only sell tickets for large trains bound for destinations outside Paris and internationally (such as TGV, Intercites, Thalys, ICE, etc.). So be sure you’re lining up for tickets at a ticket office that sells Paris region tickets (Billets Paris et Ile-de-France) and not for Grandes Lignes / Intercity – International trains.

Below is a photo of a combined Paris Metro, RER, Transilien Regional ticket window. These ticket windows are found at major Paris train stations like Gare du Nord. These ticket windows are where you can buy Navigo passes, Navigo Easy, Paris Visite, single-use RER tickets, bus tickets, Metro tickets and every other type of Paris regional transit ticket:

Requirements to Buy Navigo

Payment

Navigo Decouverte price is 30.75€ plus 5€ for the card fee (no card fee if you buy/use Navigo on your phone via the mobile app). Payments accepted for Navigo include Euro cash notes & coins, Visa / Mastercard credit/debit cards, European bank debit cards.

Identification

The Navigo Decouverte card comes in 3 pieces: 1) plastic smart card 2) paper insert ID card, 3) plastic cover to hold 1) & 2) together.

To buy a Navigo card, you must bring with you a 3cm tall x 2.5cm wide color photo of your face. This photo will be attached to the paper insert ID card which has an adhesive spot to hold the photo. There are automated self-service photo booths near train station ticket windows at all major train stations in Paris & at CDG Airport, costing 5€ for a set of four pictures. You are free to bring your own color photo printed at home (which I’d recommend as these machines are often out of order). Either way, be sure to have your photo ready before going to the ticket window. They won’t sell you a Navigo Decouverte card without a photo. If you’ve just bought your photos from the vending machine the ticket window will likely have scissors handy for trimming your freshly minted photo for the pass.

You’ll also need a pen to write your name on the paper ID card. If you’re hesitant in how to ask to buy the pass at a ticket window, try printing out this page and showing the ticket seller the image of the Decouverte card on the top right while holding up your small headshot photo. I’m pretty sure the ticket seller will get the idea.

What’s Included / Covered

Transit Services Included in Navigo

You can use Navigo Decouverte on any Paris area subway/train/bus/tram (with one exception) such as Paris Metro (subway, 16 lines), RER (suburban train, 5 lines), Transilien suburban trains (8 lines), trams (10 lines) and city buses (RATP/Noctilien/Optile). The one train not included in Navigo is the Orlyval train connecting the RER B train at Antony station to Orly airport.

Destinations Covered

The Navigo Découverte pass card by default includes all 5 transit zones which covers Paris and surrounding suburbs. This includes Roissy-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport (zone 5) and Orly (ORY) airport (zone 4), Chateau Versailles (zone 4), Fontainebleau (zone 5), Disneyland Paris (zone 5) and the majority of the Ile-de-France Paris Metropolitan area. The services included are any Metro, RER (suburban express) train, buses (RATP/Noctilien/Optile), Transilien suburban trains, and trams up to zone 5.

The Orlyval train is a notable exception and is not included in Navigo coverage. Orlyval is a train that connects the RER B train station “Antony” (closest RER B station) to Orly Airport. Orlyval is owned & operated by a separate private company which does not accept Navigo passes for travel and requires a separate ticket specifically for the short distance Orlyval train (although Paris Visite tickets are accepted).

Using Navigo Pass

Navigo at Metro & RER Gates

Using your Navigo pass at Metro stations and RER stations to open fare-gate barriers works by holding the card against the purple or blue reader zone on the tops of the turnstiles or barriers. The Navigo pass card may take a second or two to be recognized by the transponders, so keep the Navigo card against the reader area until a “ding” sound is emitted for an accepted pass. Keep in mind that Navigo passes near the end of its validity period will cause the barrier to emit a buzzing noise instead of a ding, along with a message noting the date of expiry. The gate is open though. Pass through the turnstile or gate as per normal.

Navigo on Buses & Trams

Using Navigo on Paris Buses & Trams requires holding the pass close to the Navigo reader pictured above until a ding is heard indicating a successful read. An expired Navigo pass will cause the bus/tram Navigo reader to emit a quick double buzz noise. A Navigo pass close to expiration will also emit a double buzzing noise, but is still valid for travel.

Navigo on Transilien Trains

Transilien train stations will commonly have no barriers to accessing the train platforms and require you to voluntarily validate your Navigo pass at readers such as the one pictured above, prior to boarding your train. Failure to validate your Navigo pass before a Transilien train ride can net you a 25€ fine by ticket controllers, so be sure to validate before you board.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I Buy a Navigo Week Pass?

If you arrive Monday to Thursday, by either CDG or Orly airport, and will be taking Paris area transit for more than one day, buy the Navigo Week Pass. In most cases it’s the cheapest and best option when you need to travel from zone 4 (ORY airport) or zone 5 (CDG Airport) into central Paris (zone 1). For example a round-trip from CDG airport to Paris costs 23.60€ using single-use tickets. The price of a Navigo Week pass is 30.75€. And keep in mind the better user-experience of an all-inclusive pass:

• easy to use: tap/hold pass on reader to unlock turnstiles/gates
• mistakes included: take a wrong train? No stress / No worry – Navigo is unlimited rides until expiry
• no need to organize/separate used tickets from unused tickets
• no misplaced tickets during travel, trapping you inside system with blocked exit gates
• no stress when checked by a ticket controller, finding your Navigo pass card is much easier than the small paper coupon ticket that’s hidden itself deep in the recesses of your wallet/purse/pocket

I arrive Friday/Saturday. Should I Buy a Navigo?

After Thursday midnight, you cannot buy & use the pass for the current week. If you buy Navigo after Thursday midnight / Friday morning onwards, the Navigo week pass cannot be used until Monday morning when its validity period starts. So, if you arrive Friday or Saturday & will be leaving Sunday, Monday or Tuesday; Navigo Week pass is not the best choice. Alternatively a Paris Visite Ticket is a multiday, unlimited use ticket option to consider. If you’re planning on making trips out to Disneyland Paris or Versailles and especially if you’re arriving via Orly (as Paris Visite will cover the Orlyval train, otherwise a 11.30€ cost one-way), a 1-5 zone Paris Visite is a viable choice for an easy, covers-all-transit option leaving you to focus on exploring the city & making the most of your time in Paris.

If you’re planning to stay mostly in Paris city center (zone 1) then you’re likely better off buying single-use RER tickets to get into the central Paris from CDG / ORY airports and then using single-use Metro tickets (either as physical paper tickets or on a Navigo Easy card preloaded with electronic tickets, or Paris transit mobile phone app) or 1-2 zone Navigo Day Pass (officially known as Navigo Jour, unlimited ride day pass, put onto a Navigo Easy card, Navigo Decouverte card, or mobile phone) while exploring the heart of the city.

Is there a Child Price for Navigo?

There’s no discount for children for Navigo passes unfortunately. It’s the same price for adults, children, and seniors.

Who can buy a Passe Navigo Découverte?

Some travelers to Paris in the past have been pressured by RATP staff into buying a Paris Visite by refusing to sell them a Passe Navigo Découverte. Please don’t let this happen to you. (Keep in mind: I haven’t heard this happening in over a decade.) You have the right to purchase a Passe Navigo Découverte as outlined in the official website page entitled Les Forfaits Navigo (Navigo Passes), published by STIF (updated January 2014), the parent organization of RATP (Paris Transit Authority). The section of interest is under the section Le Choix entre la Carte Navigo ou la Carte Navigo découverte, then click on the tab for La carte Navigo Découverte. The line that reads Elle est ouverte à tous (Franciliens et non Franciliens) says that “the card is open to all, residents of Ile-de-France or not”.

The old documentation below is kept for posterity.

Page 9 of this document explains that the Passe Navigo Découverte is open to all travelers. Here is the excerpt:

The translation of the first two points is as follows:

• The pass Navigo Découverte is open to all travelers, residents of Ile-de-France or not, and are allowed to load onto it a Carte Orange subscription.
• It’s purchaseable directly from ticket windows from a [Metro/RER] station or a train station or an authorized resellers at a price of 5€. It is then issued immediately without formality.

If you are concerned about hassles with purchasing a Passe Navigo Découverte when in Paris and don’t wish to be forced into buying a more expensive Carte Paris Visite, print out this page ofGuide Navigo(with the Navigo Découverte tab visible)and bring it with you to Paris. If a ticket seller tells you the Passe Navigo is only for residents, show the guide to the ticket seller. Below is a screen shot of the important text.

Navigo Month Pass

For those few, lucky travelers who are staying 3 or more weeks and arrive during the first week of the month, a monthly Navigo pass may be less hassle than buying several week passes sequentially. Navigo Month pass is valid from the first day of the month through till last day of the month:

• 86.40€ for central Paris and all Zones 1-5
• includes travel incentralParis and out to…
• CDG Airport
• Disneyland Paris
• Chateau de Versailles
• and Orly (see the Orly Airport page for included transport options).

Monthly Navigo Cards valid for the current month are on-sale up until the 19th day of the current month. From the 20th day onwards, you can only buy next month’s Navigo monthly pass. For example, if it’s January 20, you can purchase and apply February Navigo Monthly pass to your Navigo card and it will be good from February 1 to February 28/29 (depending on leap year). But you cannot buy the current month (January’s) Navigo month pass any longer on or after January 20.

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Hi my name is Ben and I’m the creator & author of Parisbytrain.com. I want to empower you with the knowledge & confidence to travel Paris like a local through personally researched, in-depth articles like CDG to Paris by train and the Paris Metro. I moved to Paris in 2006 and started Parisbytrain.com in 2008 to share what I’ve learned about the vast & comprehensive Paris train network. Have Paris train questions? Ask them here. Have a great visit to Paris!

Paris Navigo Decouverte Pass – What You Need to Know was last modified: May 22nd, 2024 by Ben