Change is underway on the Paris Métro. Last Wednesday, writes France 24, Paris “launched ‘Navigo Easy,’ a rechargeable plastic card that is set to phase out the French capital’s emblematic rectangular cardboard tickets that have been used on the city’s métro for nearly 120 years.”
The Navigo Easy card—not be confused with the monthly Navigo travel pass, which already exists—is comparable to London’s Oyster Card or a heftier version of NYC’s MetroCard in that it must be purchased for a small fee and then can be re-upped with funds as needed. A Navigo Easy card will cost €2. From there, travelers will be able to top it up as necessary (the cost of a single Métro ride, €1.90, isn’t changing).
Comments from Valerie Pécresse, the head of public transport in Paris and its wider region, in Le Parisien suggest that the change was inspired in part by a desire to be more environmentally conscious. “A ticket thrown on the ground takes a year to decompose,” Pécresse said. “We have been late when it comes to [adopting sustainable options for] the ticketing system.”
Going forward, the rollout will be extended to include more than just the Métro. According to France 24, Navigo Easy “will gradually be rolled out to cover the whole public transport network in the Île-de-France region. In time, users will also be able to top up their cards via their smartphones instead of using machines or counter service.” For now, grab a Navigo Easy pass the next time you ride the Paris Métro—and then hold onto it.
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Hello John, I can give you up to Secrets how to get cheap in Lisbon is more like getting to know Portugal by train buses if you want, right? Metro is very easy to travel é very chip
HEADS UP! You need to put a picture on your card. When purchasing, they give you no notice. I bought my new card in the morning at a station with NO way to take a picture, went to our local office all day, then on the ride home to the hotel, getting off “enforcement” stopped me and told me I was in violation of the standard as I didn’t have a picture on my card. My weekly card, I needed to buy a passport photo and put it on, I guess. I checked at the location where I bought the Navigo and there is no way to get a photo. So by using it once, I was in violation the SAME DAY as I bought it. 35 EUR for my violation on a card I only paid 22 EUR to get. I was so upset. They were so rude. Acted like they were going to rough me up.
Wow! That’s good to know. We will alert our readers
Appreciate the “heads up” on the new Paris Metro plans….When will the new Metro System in Paris begin? Will old paper tickets still be accepted
during the change over?
Thanks.