Can You Still Buy a Paris Carnet? 2026 Alternatives

Quick Answer

Key facts

What happened to the carnet?

The carnet was a discounted bundle of ten tickets. It disappeared in two stages:

• The discount ended. Buying ten current Metro-Train-RER tickets now costs the same as buying ten singles.
• Cardboard tickets were phased out of sale. They are no longer sold at station machines and are not accepted on buses or trams.

The transition is not identical on every mode. According to IDFM, old cardboard t+ tickets remain temporarily valid on the metro until autumn 2026, while old Origin-Destination tickets remain temporarily valid on the metro/train/RER network for the journey printed on them until autumn 2026. Eligible unused tickets can be exchanged at RATP or SNCF counters until 14 January 2027, up to five per day, onto a previously purchased Navigo Easy card.

Any guide that says “buy a carnet to save money” is out of date. For the current system, see the Paris metro tickets guide.

What to buy instead

You have four realistic options. Most visitors use the first two.

1. Navigo Easy card + single tickets — simplest

Buy a Navigo Easy card once for €2 at any station machine or counter. Load as many single tickets as you want (up to 20 metro + 20 bus at a time). Tap the card at the gate. This is the direct replacement for the carnet — the same "buy several rides in advance" idea, just without the discount and without paper.

Good to know: one card is for one person per journey. A couple needs two cards. See how Navigo Easy works.

2. Phone tickets — no card needed

Buy and validate tickets in the Île-de-France Mobilités or Bonjour RATP app, or add them to Apple/Google Wallet, then tap your phone at the gate. Same price as the card. Best if you travel light and your phone has NFC — but remember a dead battery means you cannot validate. See buying tickets on your phone.

3. A day or weekly pass — cheaper when you travel a lot

• Navigo Day pass (€12.30): unlimited travel for one day (airports excluded). It pays off once you make about five rides in a day.
• Weekly pass: unlimited travel for a calendar week (Monday to Sunday). Good for a full week in the city, but it does not follow your arrival day — a Wednesday-to-Sunday trip may waste part of it. Compare in our Navigo guide.

4. Navigo Liberté+ — cheaper pay-as-you-go for eligible users

Navigo Liberté+ charges journeys after travel and offers lower 2026 fares: €2.04 for Metro-Train-RER and €1.64 for Bus-Tram-Cable, with eligible transfers included. Once your eligible daily travel reaches the cost of a Navigo Day pass, further non-airport trips that day are free.

It is not a normal tourist product. IDFM limits eligibility to people who live or work in Île-de-France, and payment is billed later. Most short-stay visitors should use Navigo Easy, phone tickets or a pass instead.

Which option saves the most?

There is no longer a "cheap pack" shortcut. The way to save money now is to match a pass to how much you actually travel, not to buy tickets in bulk.

Real examples

• One traveller making 12 metro trips: singles cost €30.60, plus €2 if a new Navigo Easy card is needed.
• Five or more rides in one busy day: compare singles with the €12.30 Navigo Day pass; the pass usually becomes cheaper around the fifth full-price metro journey.
• A couple sightseeing: each person needs their own Navigo Easy card or phone ticket for the same journey.
• A Friday-to-Tuesday stay: a Monday-to-Sunday weekly pass may fit poorly; singles and day passes can be more economical.
• Old cardboard tickets in a drawer: check the ticket type and mode. Some remain temporarily usable on rail, and eligible unused tickets can be exchanged during the transition.

Common mistakes

• Asking for a discounted carnet. The product and its bulk discount have ended.
• Assuming old paper tickets are invalid everywhere. They no longer work on buses and trams, but some remain temporarily valid on rail until autumn 2026.
• Buying ten tickets expecting a lower unit price. Ten current metro tickets cost ten times the single fare.
• Sharing one Navigo Easy card during the same journey. Each passenger needs a separate valid medium.
• Choosing a weekly pass without checking the calendar. Navigo Week runs Monday to Sunday.
• Treating Navigo Liberté+ as a tourist pass. It is intended for people who live or work in Île-de-France.

Conclusion

The discounted carnet is gone. For a short visit, use single tickets on Navigo Easy or a phone, and switch to a €12.30 day pass on days with enough journeys. Old cardboard tickets need more careful handling: they are no longer valid on buses or trams, but some remain temporarily accepted on the metro or rail network until autumn 2026 and can be exchanged during the official transition period.