BobSwanson

Anyone have any recent experience with CDG and transferring planes in the short time they allow? From past posts we've just resigned ourselves to catching the next plane.
BS

doug_stallings

I did a connection of approximately 70 minutes in May and had time to spare; going back it was a bit of a rush, but I still made my flight with about the same connecting time. It really depends on whether you are connecting within the terminal 2s or to something else. If you can walk to your connecting terminal, then you can make a tight connection. A lot of people on this board have experience with CDG---both positive and negative---so you can probably get more specific advice if you can tell us which terminal(s) you are flying into and out of and what your connecting time is.

Statia

I always arrive around 6:30 a.m. and immigration has always been a breeze with maybe one or two people ahead of us. This past March, however, there were so many people from various flights in very unorganized lines (both times I went thru). I think I made it thru in about an hour, but everyone was stressed about making their connections and tensions were running high with people cutting in line, etc. I was very glad I'd changed my flight to a two hour connection, versus the one hour that was orginally booked.

BobSwanson

We arrive aerogare 2 terminal C at 11:50 am. We depart aerogare 2 terminal f at 1300pm.
BS

Statia

Those are the terminals that I arrived and departed from in March. Like I said we had it so easy at CDG for so many years and this past spring it was a bit of insanity (both coming and going). However, I could have just hit it on a bad week.

What is your connection time? I usually don't worry about the possibilty of being delayed and having to catch a later flight when it's just my DH and I traveling. On this last trip, however, I was traveling alone and due to meet my mom and sister in Rome...and they would have already been waiting for me at the airport there for three hours. So, that is why I changed my connection time from one hour to two hours to avoid missing my connection and being later than planned.

If you have no definitive plans to meet someone else or be somewhere at a certain time at your final destination, and don't mind taking a later flight if you are delayed, I would say an hour or so might work. It's been done by me and many others. It just may not work out each and every time due to unforeseen circumstances.

Hope this info helps.

Statia

My bad....I just saw that you noted your flight times.

I honestly don't know how busy CDG gets later in the morning since I have only arrived around 6 a.m. or so. Perhaps someone else might be able to give you more info on that time of day at those terminals.

If it were me, and I had no prior plans that I HAD to be at my final destination for, I would chance it and go with those flights knowing that I might possibly have to take a later flight if I miss my connection.

Dejais

We land on Friday morning at 7:25am and then fly out to London at 9am. I am keeping my fingers crossed but figure if they don't get us there on time, there is always another flight, right?

Statia

Dejais, when I have had close connections I always print out a listing of the other flights for the day to take along with me. Just so I know my options.

You might very well be okay with having over an hour and a half, though. It's those connections that are right around an hour that make me a bit nervous.

I've made them a lot, but I was certainly glad I had longer on my last trip with what I ran into unexpectedly at immgration.

Dejais

Statia...Funny you should say that as that is exactly what I have been doing since I posted that....LOL

Patty

You're flying AF EWR-CDG, right?

All US-CDG flights with the exception of those originating in DTW and CVG have been recently relocated to 2E. See my post here http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34862278

W9London

slightly off the topic, but found an article on today's Wall St Journal about AF-KLM.

&quot;The new airlines two-hub network (CDG and Schiphol) last year started stealing customers from rivals, particularly long-haul business fliers who need <b>quick transfers</b>...&quot;

Huh? Are there some tricks I'm not aware of?

GardenKim

We just got back 2 days ago and missed our connection from at CDG due to lack of time between flights. Air France assured us that 45 min would be Ok but then at CDG they said you should always have 2 hours. The security is so much more time consuming there that I would leave at least that much time. We went through 2 screenings and 2 pat downs plus a interogration (including asking us how ling ago we had used our iPods???)

DMary

I was getting a bit concerned with our upcoming connection CDG to MAD in November and was glad to see this post.
I called Delta - our flight is actually an AF flight SFO/CDG arriving into Terminal 2, connecting with a DL flight CDG/MAD - connection time is 1hr 5mins - leaving from Terminal 2.
We've terminated in CDG several times and realize what a maze that airport is - with a connection time of just over 1 hour within the same terminal - do you think we will have a problem as well???

zwho

I returned last week from an AF flight that had a connection at CDG. Going there we had about an hour and ahalf, and only made it because I asked for handicap assistance (sometimes I use a cane) and knew that walking at my speed, we would surely miss our connection! The airport helper walked us through security, with no checks. Without her I don't know if we could have made it. Flying home we had an hour more and did it ourselves. The security was so thorough. Pat downs for everyone and each carry on was completely checked and looked through! If you really don't think you'll make it, ask for assistance. I don't know, fake a limp!

DMary

zwho....LOL!!! I'm &quot;running&quot; over to the store and pickiing a cane as we speak!
did more research and we are arriving in Terminal 2E and departing Terminal 2F --hopefully our bags are checked thru to Madrid and we wouldn't have to wait and clear customs in CDG.

rkkwan

DMary -

1. Understand that your CDG-MAD flight is operated by AF. Find out what the AF flight number is, because the the displays at the terminal may not show the DL codeshare flight number.

2. There are many posts about this, but with a tight connection, you need to understand the process:

- Go straight through French immigration just like you're going to Paris. <b>Ignore</b> all the signs that say transit or connection.

- You don't need to claim bags at CDG. They will be automatically transfered to the MAD flight.

- After you get out to the public area, look for signs to walk to 2F. It's a short walk.

- Reclear security at 2F. Go to your gate and board your Air France aircraft.

rkkwan

3. Check out the map for CDG2EF from a link on this page. May want to print it and carry with you.

http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/Adp/e...sPratiques.htm

DMary

Thanks rkkwan! You are the Fodors Travel forum guru!
Our SFO/CDG flight is actually an AF flight (AF83). Thanks for the tip re &quot;ignoring&quot; the signs which we would have done had you not said anything.
Have since downloaded and printed the map for Terminal 2E to 2F.
Mucho gracias!

BobSwanson

I started this post on Sept. 5 with very few good pointers. Now that I have been thru the mill I can comment from experience. All of the little secrets of how to get here or there at CDG won't help if the flight is held up as it was last Thursday around noon. This made the original flight over an hour late (too much to make up in the air) of which I found out thru the AF people helping our flight was the NORM for the last 6 weeks. I repeat that this occurred around NOON and can't comment on other time frames. The end result was that connecting flights in Philadelphia were missed and we ended up at our destination around 1:00am on Friday instead of 5:35pm on Thursday. There has been further discussion on this subject a few days ago. BS

Limey1945

Well,
After reading all of the stories about the CDG Airport. I now have a new question concerning transfers. We will be arriving CDG from FCO, Terminal 2 F on Alitalia. We have a connecting flight on Air France(City Jet) which also leaves from Terminal 2 F, one hour later. Will we have to go thru Customs/Immigration, or security, as we are not actually making an official entry into France? Has anyone been this route before and what can we expect? Thanks