The cardboard ticket that for well over a century has not only allowed access to Paris transit but has served as a nostalgic token for millions has received its final termination notice.
The small cardboard (carton) ticket has been in phase-out mode for the past seven years, being replaced with passes and digital tickets. The last date for using the cardboard ticket, which has carried a magnetic stripe for the past fifty years, will be June 1, 2026, when the last turnstiles accepting them will be shut down.
The popular 10-ticket ‘carnet’ of tickets was dropped first, two years ago, and only a few stations still sell single tickets. Ile de France Mobilités, which oversees all transit operations in the Paris region, voted Thursday on the final date.
An IdFM statement says that “A historic ticket for getting around, the ticket carton is becoming increasingly obsolete with the digitization of transport tickets, which facilitates ticket storage, reduces cardboard waste and environmental impact, and makes it possible to avoid queuing at ticket offices thanks to smartphone purchasing,”
