This pass really is great for the first timer. Easy to purchase, easy to understand. It helps that the bus pass is separate from the museum and subway passes. Use the bus first to get a feel for the city and your favorite sites. Activate first thing in the a.m. since it is valid for calendar days only - not actual 48 hours. Then we activated the subway and museum pass the following day in the a.m. The unlimited subway pass is wonderful as our least favorite part was figuring out how much a fare would cost. The only bummer is that Eiffle and Catacombs are not on the pass. Eiffle was too crowded to wait.