Which Versailles ticket to buy
The 2026 ticketing page splits the year into a high season (1 April to 31 October) and a low season (1 November to 31 March). Since 14 January 2026, EEA nationals and residents get €3 off the standard price on showing an identity card, passport, visa or residence permit.
| Ticket | High season | Low season | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | €35 (€32 EEA) | €25 (€22 EEA) | Palace with time slot, Trianon, gardens |
| Late-admission Passport | €28 (€25 EEA), from 16:00 | €18 (€15 EEA), from 15:00 | Same, entering late |
| Estate of Trianon | €15 (€12) | €15 (€12) | Trianon only, no Palace |
| Gardens on show days | €15 (€12) | Gardens free | Gardens only |
For most visitors the Passport is the ticket: the palace calls it the only ticket that includes a Palace tour with a fixed time slot. The tickets and prices page adds that tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable, and that the Passport gives one entry to the gardens on Musical Fountains and Musical Gardens days.
The late-admission Passport saves €7 in either season but leaves little time inside the Palace. Its last admission is 17:45 on the 9:00 to 18:30 timetable and 16:45 on the shorter 9:00 to 17:30 timetable listed on the practical information page. Take it only if the gardens or Trianon are your main reason for going.
Who gets in free, and the booking rule
The free admission page lists free entry for these groups, among others:
- under-18s of any nationality;
- under-26s resident in the European Union (the 2026 ticketing page says EEA nationals or residents);
- disabled visitors and one companion;
- job seekers and recipients of minimum social benefits in France, with proof dated within six months.
Free visitors must still book a free Palace time slot, and they show their proof at entrance A in the Dufour Pavilion. The estate is free for everyone on the first Sunday of each month from December to March, but a Palace slot is still required.
Paris Museum Pass holders also need a free Passport ticket. The pass's reservation page says to choose PASSPORT on the Versailles ticket site, pick a time slot and enter the number of visitors under free admission; no booking is needed for the Trianon.
Musical Fountains days in October 2026
The Musical Fountains and Musical Gardens page lists the remaining 2026 dates (checked 9 October 2026):
- Musical Fountains Show: Saturdays and Sundays, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31 October, and Sunday 1 November. Afternoon fountain launches run from 14:00 to 17:20; the show closes early at 17:30 on 25 and 31 October and 1 November.
- Musical Gardens: Tuesday to Friday until 30 October, with music but no fountains, closing at 17:30 from 27 to 30 October.
The Passport price does not change on these days; the Passport includes one entry to the gardens. What changes is the cost of a gardens-only visit and the crowd on the terraces. After the show on Sunday 1 November the gardens are free and there are no more shows this year. That Sunday is both the first low-season day and a show day, and the fountains page still lists the €35 Passport for show days, so check the price on the ticket site if you plan to go then.
How to get to Versailles from Paris
The palace's practical information page lists four public transport routes:
| Route | Arrive at | Walk to the Palace | Fare from Paris |
|---|---|---|---|
| RER C | Versailles Château–Rive Gauche | 10 minutes | €2.55 |
| Transilien train from Saint-Lazare | Versailles Rive Droite | 17 minutes | €2.55 |
| Transilien train from Montparnasse | Versailles Chantiers | 18 minutes | €2.55 |
| Metro 9 to Pont de Sèvres, then bus 171 | The Palace | Stop at the Palace | €2.55 + €2.05 |
All three train routes take the same Metro-Train-RER ticket: €2.55 full fare, valid throughout Île-de-France except the airports, with metro, RER and train connections allowed for two hours. Load it on a Navigo Easy pass or buy it in the Île-de-France Mobilités app. It does not cover buses, so the bus 171 route needs a separate Bus-Tram ticket at €2.05; the palace estimates bus 171 at 30 minutes from Pont de Sèvres without traffic.
On line letters, the official sources differ. The palace's page names line P from Saint-Lazare and lines N or U from Montparnasse, while SNCF lists Versailles Rive Droite as a branch of Transilien line L from Saint-Lazare and gives Versailles Chantiers as the château stop of Transilien line N from Montparnasse. Follow the station name on the departure board.
What can go wrong
Monday. The Palace and Trianon are closed every Monday and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. The park stays open daily.
Bags. Every bag is checked at the entrance. The security page refuses large bags and suitcases over 55 × 35 × 20 cm (the main visit page gives 55 × 35 × 25 cm), and the practical information page says the left-luggage service is temporarily suspended. Leave suitcases in Paris.
Strikes and line works. A cancelled RER C does not change your fixed Palace slot, and tickets are not exchangeable. If the RER C is disrupted, the Transilien routes from Saint-Lazare or Montparnasse use the same ticket. Check traffic on the morning of your visit; our guide to checking for Paris transport strikes explains where.
Driving. The A13 motorway is closed in the Paris-to-Versailles direction from 16 November 2026 to 31 August 2027, according to the practical information page.
For how Versailles compares with Giverny, Reims and other trips out of Paris, see Paris day trips that are worth the travel. If you are buying several transport tickets for your stay, our guide to Navigo passes and fare zones helps you choose. Back in Paris, the Louvre ticket guide covers the other big timed booking.