The end of the iconic Parisian paper t+ tickets is in sight
It’s one step closer to the end of an era in Paris. From 21 September 2023, cardboard carnets – packs of 10 t+ tickets will no longer be available for sale at all stations on the Paris region network. This marks the next step of a process that began on 14 October 2021, designed to give passengers time to get used to the new paperless ticketing system.
T+ tickets from packs purchased before 21 September can still be used. The sale of individual t+ tickets, with the recognisable black stripe on the back, will be discontinued by the end of 2024. Until then, it will be maintained to offer an additional option to tourists and spectators during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It will also still be possible to buy an origin-destination ticket, which allows travel to the suburbs, still sold in cardboard format.
The gradual phasing out of t+ ticket packs is taking place in three stages. From 14 October 2021, cardboard t+ ticket packs will no longer be sold from vending machines at 102 RATP stations. From 13 October 2022, cardboard t+ ticket packs were no longer sold from vending machines at 182 stations and bus stations. Finally, from 21 September 2023, the sale of cardboard packs of t+ tickets was stopped in all vending machines and ticket offices on the networks operated by RATP and SNCF, covering 265 stations and bus stations.
Digitalisation
The use of paperless tickets has now been launched. More than 71 per cent of t+ ticket packs are now sold in paperless form (via the mobile application, Navigo Easy or Navigo Liberté +). Only 29 per cent of t+ tickets are still sold in packs. Navigo Easy cards are available from ticket offices, and at the busiest stations in the Île-de-France region there is at least one automatic ticket dispenser. Sales of paperless tickets are set to increase further with the third phase this month, as well as the arrival of paperless ticket sales on iPhones in early 2024.
The move to phase out paper tickets also helps to prevent the environmental pollution caused by the vast majority of the 550 million paper tickets sold each year (before the Covid crisis), given that these tickets take 1 to 2 years to decompose.
New options
A number of new options are available for users of cardboard t+ ticket packs allowing them to choose a ticket and purchase or top up it electronically, according to their needs and how often they use public transport. More detailed information on the various tickets and fares is also available on the IDF Mobilités website.
The Liberté+ service allows you to travel by metro, RER within Paris, bus or tram. Once you have subscribed by providing your bank details, each journey you make is recorded, and the total cost of your journeys is invoiced the following month. If you don’t travel, you pay nothing! It’s worth noting that 10 journeys made with a Navigo Liberté+ cost a maximum of 14.90, i.e. two euros less than a pack of t+ tickets.
The Navigo Easy pass is suitable for tourists or people who occasionally use t+ tickets. This pass, which is not nominative, can be recharged at ticket machines or via a smartphone. It can be used to store single t+ tickets and digital t+ packs (up to three packs).
The SMS Ticket is an option for occasional bus users, enabling them to buy a ticket by SMS for 2 euros. Simply text the line number or the keyword displayed at the stop or in the vehicle (for the outer suburbs). Passengers will then receive a ticket in the form of a text message, and the amount will be debited directly from their mobile phone bill. Finally, it is also possible to use your smartphone to buy tickets and validate them by bringing them directly to the validation terminals using the Île-de-France Mobilités application.
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