Directions on how to get to Paris from airport

Getting from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris

Overview of Paris Transportation

Regional public ground transportation is overseen by RATP (a name many Americans find amusing but the French pronounce ooh-rah-tay-pay). It runs the Paris Metro (an incredibly extensive subway system), the RER (a system of trains connecting Paris with its suburbs), a bus system, and a late night bus system, as well as several specialized services.

Paris also has six major train stations that serve the national railroad network, SNCF, and various international trains: Gare St-Lazare, Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Gare de Lyon, Gare d'Austerlitz, and Gare Montparnasse (you've probably guessed what "gare" means).

Then, there are the two major airports: Roissy Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY), which are overseen by ADP (Aéroports de Paris). Since CDG handles most international traffic from North America, I won't discuss transportation between ORY and Paris proper here, although the means are similar, but I will talk about how to get from CDG to ORY in case you have to make a connection.

The most amazing thing about the system is how well integrated it is. All of the train stations connect to the metro and/or RER network, the RER serves both airports, and there is even a station for the TGV, France's bullet train, right in CDG Terminal 2.

Getting from CDG to Paris

RER. RER line B (sometimes known as Roissy Rail) runs every 15 minutes or more often, and costs about FF 49 for the half hour trip to Gare du Nord in Paris. You can exit here and take the metro or taxi to your final destination, but you should realize that the B line also goes on to other stations on the right and left bank and offers convenient access to the Latin Quarter at St-Michel ND station. The RER has longer service hours than most other alternatives, running from about 5 am to about midnight. If you use the RER to return to CDG from Paris, make sure you get on a B3 train because the line splits before the airport

RoissyBus. This bus service goes from CDG to Place de l'Opera in central Paris (45 minutes, FF 48).

Air France Coach. Les Cars Air France has two lines serving Paris. One goes to Porte Maillot (northwest Paris) and continues to Charles de Gaulle Etoille (location of the Arc de Triomphe) in about 40 minutes for FF 60. The other goes to Gare de Lyon and continues to Gare Montparnasse (50 minutes, FF70). This is probably the easiest way to make a train connection at either of these stations. All stops have convenient metro connections.

Taxi. Taxis cost about FF 220 and take about 30 minutes to central Paris. Limousines have a fixed fare around FF 550.

Getting from CDG to ORY

If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of coming into CDG and having a connection at ORY, there are several quick ways to get there:

You can take the RER line B through Paris to the Antony station south of the city and then transfer to the special OrlyVal train that goes directly to the airport. The fare is about FF 106, and I'm guessing it would take about an hour.

You can also take an Air France Coach, which will cost only FF 75 and take about 50 minutes.

A taxi ride will set you back FF 300.

Of course, all of these services make the return trip from ORY to CDG.

Some Advice

If you're on a budget and you're in good shape (that is, able to carry your luggage up and down several flights of stairs fairly easily), I recommend using the RER and metro as the quickest way to get from point A to point B.

Busses are generally a bit cheaper and slower, but they demand less physical exertion than the metro and RER systems, which often require lots of stair climbing.

For a family or group of three or four, the per-person cost of a taxi is competitive with the other modes of transportation, and of course, a taxi is much more convenient, so go for it. Note that some taxis will carry a maximum of only three people. Please write down the address of your destination and hand it to the driver! To paraphrase Mark Twain, I couldn't get those people to understand their own language!

If money is no object, you have a very tight connection, or you are uncomfortable using public transportation, taxis are the way to go. Actually, they're much cheaper than in many other large cities.