What to Buy Alongside Your Paris Museum Pass (Eiffel Tower, Cruise, Transport)
The pass covers 50+ museums and monuments, but a complete Paris trip needs a few extras it doesn’t include: the Eiffel Tower, a Seine cruise, public transport, and possibly the Catacombs. Here’s exactly what to buy alongside your pass, how much to budget, and how to book it all so everything fits together seamlessly.
What the pass already covers
First, the good news: the pass handles the bulk of your sightseeing — the Louvre, Orsay, Versailles, Sainte-Chapelle, the Arc de Triomphe, the Panthéon, Les Invalides and dozens more, including châteaux. So the extras are genuinely just that: a handful of iconic experiences to complete the trip, not a second big spend.
The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower isn’t included, so book it separately on the official site, choosing a timed slot and whether you want the lift or stairs and how high to go. It sells out in peak season, so reserve early. Pair it with nearby pass-covered sites — the Rodin Museum, Les Invalides and the Quai Branly — for an efficient day.
A Seine cruise
A Seine cruise is the perfect evening complement to pass-packed days, gliding past the illuminated Louvre, Notre-Dame and a sparkling Eiffel Tower. Cruises run separately from the pass and range from short sightseeing trips to dinner cruises — book one for an evening, so it doesn’t eat into your daytime pass hours.
Public transport
The pass includes no transport, so budget for getting around: a Navigo Easy card or metro tickets for the city, and RER or SNCF train tickets for day trips (RER C for Versailles, mainline trains for Fontainebleau and Chantilly). For heavy metro use, a Navigo Day pass can be worthwhile; for mostly central, walkable days, single tickets may suffice.
Other popular extras
- The Catacombs — atmospheric and not included; book ahead.
- The Centre Pompidou — closed for renovation until around 2030.
- Opéra Garnier, Marmottan, Jacquemart-André — not on the pass.
- Audio guides and special exhibitions — separate charges where offered.
How to budget the extras
Plan these as separate line items alongside your pass: the Eiffel Tower, a cruise and transport are the main three for most visitors, with the Catacombs or a special exhibition optional. Treat them as the “experiences” budget to complement your pass’s “museums and monuments” coverage, and you’ll avoid surprises.
Book in the right order
- Buy your pass and reserve its free timed slots first.
- Book the Eiffel Tower for a specific evening or afternoon.
- Book a Seine cruise for an evening.
- Sort transport — a Navigo card or tickets.
- Add any optional extras like the Catacombs.
Avoid double-paying
Watch out for all-inclusive bundles (like Go City) that already contain a Museum Pass plus the Eiffel Tower and a cruise — buying those alongside a standalone Museum Pass means paying twice. Decide between a standalone pass plus separate extras, or one bundle, rather than stacking products that overlap.
Use the pass’s free views to save
If you want high views without extra cost, the pass already includes the Arc de Triomphe terrace and Notre-Dame’s towers, plus the Panthéon dome in season. These can satisfy your craving for a panorama, letting you treat the paid Eiffel Tower as an optional extra rather than a must — a neat way to keep the extras budget down.
A complete-trip budget snapshot
To picture the full cost, think in two buckets. The pass bucket covers your museums and monuments — one fixed price (€90 / €109 / €139) for 50+ sites. The extras bucket covers the rest: the Eiffel Tower, a Seine cruise, transport (a Navigo card or tickets, plus train fares for day trips), and any optional Catacombs or special exhibition. Budgeting the two buckets separately makes the whole trip easy to plan and avoids the trap of assuming the pass covers everything.
Buy your Paris Museum Pass and the extras
Buy your Paris Museum Pass online for the museums and monuments, book its free timed slots, then add the Eiffel Tower, a Seine cruise and transport separately. Secure your pass and round out your trip with the icons it doesn’t cover.
Frequently asked questions
What should I buy alongside the pass?
The Eiffel Tower, a Seine cruise, public transport, and optionally the Catacombs.
Does the pass include the Eiffel Tower or cruises?
No — book both separately.
Is transport included?
No — budget for a Navigo card or tickets, plus train fares for day trips.
How do I avoid paying twice?
Don’t buy an all-inclusive bundle (with a Museum Pass) alongside a standalone pass.
Can I get views without the Eiffel Tower?
Yes — the included Arc de Triomphe terrace and Notre-Dame towers offer great views.
In what order should I book?
Pass and its slots first, then the Eiffel Tower, cruise, transport and extras.