Who would have thought that one day, the Parisians would envy the Londoners, the Lyonnais,, the Brestois,, or even the Dijonnais? Yet, for several years now, the residents of these cities, more or less close to the capital, enjoyed an extraordinary advantage: the ability to pay for their trips on public transport directly with their credit card, without passes or subscriptions. Luckily, it seems that the City of Light is finally catching up, having just introduced this amazing new offer. Hooray!
Offering a real solution
A few weeks ago, the paper ticket took its final bow in the capital, and we're not going to miss it!
let's be honest, we're not quite back to 100%. Thankfully, this great news could really help us turn the page. Since last week, 3 bus lines in the Île-de-France region (including 2 that pass through the capital) have been fitted with new kiosks that allow you to pay for your ride directly with your card.😱 Le #bus arrive et vous n’avez pas de ticket chargé sur un passe ou sur votre téléphone ?
— IDF Mobilités (@IDFmobilites) November 20, 2025
Pas de panique : le #ticket d’accès à bord existe toujours et s’achète désormais sur une borne dans le bus, par carte bancaire 💳
🎫 Ce ticket de dépannage à 2,50 € est valable… pic.twitter.com/tFanqjxOCg
A measure that offers several advantages. It allows drivers to focus on their primary role, without wasting time giving change, which creates a traffic jam at the bus entrance that can sometimes delay the journey. But it’s also a way to assist passengers who might forget their pass at home, or those who are a bit scatterbrained.
A still limited offer
However, please temper your excitement, as this system is not quite ready yet and has some limitations. For now, it is only available on a few specific bus lines, and while the goal is to equip all lines by June 2026, there are no current plans to extend this system to the metro. Indeed, that would require significant... More than 10,000 validators in over 750 stations, for a total amount of around a hundred million euros.
🚍💳 Plus simple, plus rapide
— Jean-Philippe Luce (@jp_luce) November 21, 2025
Le paiement par carte bancaire arrive dans les bus à Paris et en petite couronne !
Une avancée majeure rendue possible grâce à l’action de notre majorité menée par @vpecresse pour fluidifier et améliorer le trajet des voyageurs 👏@IDFmobilites pic.twitter.com/3EBHnwGE2y
Next, even if we appreciate the approach, we want to clarify that by using these new contactless payment terminals, users will need to pay €2.50 for their ticket, compared to €2 at the moment with an Easy or Navigo pass (and €1.60 with a Liberté+). A price that Valérie Pécresse, president of Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM), justifies by explaining that it’s a backup solution and that it’s not meant to become the norm. Well, that's already something, we just need to see how the project evolves…