Nick's Travel Tips

Travel between CDG airport and Paris

There are a number of ways of getting from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport into central Paris. Which is best depends on your budget and also the location of your accommodation. If you want to use public transport, you really have to get hold of a map of Paris to see where your hotel is located in relation to the Métro system and to the transport stops mentioned below.

Shuttle services or car with driver

These services should be avoided. There are countless posts on Trip Advisor and other travel sites about the unreliability of shuttles and private car transfers. If you really want to risk this form of transport, do not use any service that wants payment in advance; and have a Plan B in mind in case the transport does not show up.

Taxi

Taxis licensed by the City of Paris are very reliable. There are now fixed fares between CDG and central Paris, of €53 to central Paris north of the Seine or €58 south of the Seine, for up to 4 passangers and luggage. There is a charge of €4 for extra passengers after the fourth. There is a well organised taxi rank outside each terminal at CDG, with plenty of taxis. Just follow the signs to the taxi rank. Ignore any touts inside the terminal offering "taxi" rides: these are all rip-offs. If you do not speak French, it is a good idea to have the name and address of your hotel printed on paper or card, to show the taxi driver.

To get from Paris to CDG, it is a good idea to phone the day before to book a taxi or have your hotel make a booking. Be at your hotel reception or out on the footpath (sidewalk) a few minutes before the booked time, as the taxi may turn up a bit early. There is a charge of €4 for a phone booking for immediate response or €7 for an advance booking. Taxis G7 takes bookings in English on 01 4127 6699.

RER and Métro

This can be a very convenient way of travelling if you do not have too much luggage. For €10.30, you can travel from CDG to any Métro station or to any RER station in central Paris (within the Périphérique ring road). The ticket ceases to be valid when you exit from the Métro/RER system. To use this option, you need to know (a) the Métro or RER station closest to your accommodation, and (b) which lines to take and where to change lines to get there from CDG. Your hotel's web site will almost certainly give the names of nearby Métro stations, or you could put the address into Google Maps and note nearby stations. To work out which line(s) to use, you need to consult a Métro map. Any guide book on Paris or France will have one; or there are downloadable maps (and an interactive journey planner) on the RATP web site.

Bus services

There are bus services from CDG into Paris, which can be convenient if your hotel is close to one of the stops, or if there is a convenient Métro line from a stop to your accommodation.

RATP operates the Roissybus service, which stops at Opéra and costs €17.

In addition, RATP operates two ordinary urban bus services between CDG and Paris, taking about 70 minutes. Bus 350 goes to Porte de la Chapelle, and bus 351 goes to Gallieni and Nation. Each journey can be paid for by validating three ordinary bus/métro tickets or by paying €6 to the driver.

Le Bus Direct (previously Air France bus) used to operate two services from CDG to Paris, but they were withdrawn in April 2020.

Where are these places?

This map shows where the major services into Paris have their stops. Use it to find which stop is best for your hotel.