Batobus Paris hop-on hop-off Seine boat at EUR 23: 9 stops in a 1 h 42 loop, and 48 hours costs a family of four EUR 16 more

An autumn-break train to Paris, and by the time the bags are down it is already afternoon. The Eiffel Tower, the Musée d'Orsay, Notre-Dame and the Louvre in one go means changing metro lines and climbing stairs; on the Seine they sit on the same stretch of water. The real question with two children is whether to buy one day or two.

Batobus describes itself as the only hop-on hop-off boat line on the Seine and works in partnership with Bateaux Parisiens, which shares its Eiffel Tower pier. The boats are fully glazed trimarans, each named after a Paris landmark such as Vendôme or Trocadéro, with 180 seats, heating in winter and an open deck. The line has 9 stops: Eiffel Tower, Invalides, Musée d'Orsay, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Notre-Dame, Jardin des Plantes, Hôtel de Ville, Louvre and Place de la Concorde. A full loop without getting off takes about 1 hour 42, with 7 to 15 minutes between stops. The crew points out what is near each stop, but it is not a guided tour; a free web app adds audio commentary, with no Chinese option.

Starting the next morning at the Jardin des Plantes and ending at the Louvre on the same ticket is what the 48-hour pass is for: the official FAQ says validity starts at the first scan and is counted over operating hours. The trade-offs are concrete. Off-peak, the boats stop early in the evening, so setting out at four in the afternoon may buy only a few stops; and this is a shuttle, not a commentary cruise, so anyone who wants the stories needs earphones and the web app. Children rarely sit through a two-hour loop; getting off at the Jardin des Plantes or Notre-Dame for a walk works better.

• Work out the family total first: 24 hours = 23 x people aged 12 and over + 13 x children aged 4 to 11; 48 hours = 27 x adults + 17 x children; age 3 and under rides free. Two adults and two children pay EUR 72 against EUR 88, so the second day costs EUR 4 a head. With only one afternoon, buy 24 hours.
• A cabin bag is fine: carry-on luggage up to 55 x 35 x 25 cm is allowed and suitcases or large bags are not, which matches many airlines' cabin-bag limit; drop the big case at the hotel first on arrival day. Pushchairs are folded and handed to the crew to stow at the front.
• Where to board: any stop works, and each day the first boats leave from the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame. The current Tiqets price matches the official one; according to the official FAQ, children under 4 ride free but need a zero-euro ticket collected before boarding.

Where

Port de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris (Eiffel Tower stop; the other 8 stops also board)

When

First boat 10:00; off-peak last boat 17:00 Mon–Thu and 19:00 Fri–Sun from the Eiffel Tower

Price

24 hours adult EUR 23, ages 4–11 EUR 13; 48 hours EUR 27 / EUR 17; age 3 and under free

Note

No toilets on board or at stops・ramp only at the Eiffel Tower・no refund or change once activated

Hokimi tip: to see the tower from the water, ride back from the Notre-Dame side; the last leg from Concorde to the Eiffel Tower takes about 15 minutes on the widest part of the river. Prices, times and rules checked on Tiqets and the Batobus site on 29 September 2026. This article uses an affiliate link; your price stays the same. Sources: source 1, source 2, source 3, source 4.