Paris transportation -- best way from airport to hotel

A frequent contributor on this page, GraceJoan3, recommends a limo service, shuttle-inter.com. We used a similar service through our apartment, very efficient. I do not have a name however.

I stay in that are a lot and know where that hotel is. What is your idea of what close is? The RER isn't that close at all to the hotel by my definition, nor the AF shuttle (which drops off at the Meridien hotel behind gare Montparnasse. YOu mention carrying heavy suitcases, so I don't think that is a good idea. It's about .75 to 1 km between that hotel and the RER stop or the AF stop. The RER is a little closer. So that's about one half mile to 2/3 mile or so.

What can you afford? I think a taxi is affordable, it is to me, but may not be to you.

Thanks for your responses. Christina, it's helpful to know that the RER really isn't that "close." I don't think 1 km is very close either, at least not with luggage! I'm not very good at judging distances on maps so I'm glad I asked.

We can certainly afford a taxi if that is the best way to go -- I was just thinking it might be a good place to cut costs if there were an easy alternative. And we can still consider taking the RER and changing trains to get to the Vavin station. Maybe we'll just wait and see how we feel when we reach the airport.

Thanks!

A taxi will be about 55-60 euros. It is worth it, in my opinion for less aggravation, especially if there are two or more of you.

Another thing you could do is to take the RER from CDG to Gare de Nord and transfer to line 4 of the Metro to get to
Vavin.

The RER gets VERY crowded after it leaves CDG and picks up riders in the suburbs of Paris. And when I write "crowded," I mean JAM PACKED! So beware, sweetie darling.

Thin

Oh, that is very good to know! These are things you can't learn from tour books. Thank you.

The Great and Powerful Thingorjus is BETTER than any old tour book.

Like Blackgama, I am a living legend.

Thin

My wife and I have taken the RER from CDG to Gare du Nord on our last four trips to Paris. It was about 15€ for the two of us in November 2007, which is hard to beat. It also gets us right into the Paris public transportation scene, which is one of the aspects of life in Paris that we enjoy. Note that we travel light, so hauling our luggage up or down stairs and escalators doesn't really bother us.

Take the express RER from CDG to Gare du Nord, labeled KROL on the front of the train, to avoid most of the stops in the suburbs. At Gare du Nord, follow the signs for Metro Line 4, which will take you right to the Vavin stop.

Enjoy!

Thank you! We'll keep our options open to both taxi and train. I'll try to convince my husband to pack light

The www.shuttle-inter.com mentioned above is a private vehicle service. They will be outside security exit door with your name on sign, take your luggage to nearby vehicle and you will be off. They check for delays and adjust when necessary. Mention my name and you will recieve a 5 euro discount on your return trip(I think). Cheaper than a taxi and no meter running if you get stuck in traffic. I use them all the time, along with many friends. They will be picking me up on 4/14 and returning me on 5/13. They do not have CC capabilities. Make you R/T reservation online...enjoy..

Joan

Hi G,

Shuttle vans run about 18E pp and provide service to your door.

http://www.paris-blue-airport-shuttle.fr/index_en.php
www.beeshuttle.com
www.parishuttle.com

grommet19 - I know your dilemma about judging distances and making these kind of decisions based on how it looks on a map!
In my planning, I've built up a bunch of little 'walking distance' maps to places from the apartment we are renting, and from place to place that we think we might want to walk to. I've used both google maps and viamichelin, who both provide "walking distance" to and from maps. We have now started taking to kids on little "in town" walks, both to get in shape for our trip and to make those distances meaningful (i.e. park the car 1.7 KM from the library and then say "ok we are now walking home to the apartment from the Louvre") We are finding this is really helping us figure out how "close" is "close" for various things!

Wow, 18E for a shuttle vs. 55-60 for a cab! That's a huge difference. I'll check out the shuttle services.

Canada_V, I applaud you on your walking training! We're planning to walk A LOT on this trip to make up for all the eating we plan to do. Just maybe not on the very first morning, with luggage. Our tendency to overpack doesn't help matters.

You could also ride RER B to Luxembourg and get the N°82 bus to the Brea-Notre Dame des Champs stop at the end of your street.

That would avoid the line change at Gare du Nord. And getting out of the Métro at Vavin. And save about ten minutes of wretched subway stops.

grommet - shuttle price is per person, and those are shared shuttles, ie, there will be other passengers on the shuttle and you may be the first one to be dropped off or could be the last.

bookmarking

Only you can judge trade-off between paying for convenience or not. Consider also a need for a contingency plan. If you choose to go with RER, consider a possibility of escalators not working - pack light. I can't tell you how many totally exhausted tourists I have seen struggling to take heavy luggage up stairs from subway stations.

To actually visualize the path to the destination, I use maps.google.com. It works very well in big cities like Paris. In case you have not used it, once you have a map of the vicinity, you can drag a man to the street and see the photo of your intended route.

Grommet - are you back yet? How was your trip? I'm eager to hear what you decided to do and how it worked out.

bookmark

I have recently posted on this board about the same issue. After exhausting all possibilities I have decided to take the shared van shuttle service from CDG to my hotel (5th) when I go to Paris next week. Expense-wise, it is a compromise. More expensive than public transport but less than a taxi or private limo service. My concern about public transport is having to lug a heavy suitcase up flight(s) of stairs from the metro stop. I believe the shared van services need to be booked in advance and they have websites where you can do this. Personally, I'd rather spend my money on a wonderful souvenir from one of Paris' wonderful boutiques than on getting to/from airport. Enjoy!

I agree that a shuttle is the way to go, especially if you have luggage and aren't an experienced Paris visitor. You might have to wait around a little for the other shuttle passengers to arrive, but that beats waiting in a long line for RER tickets and having to navigate train stations when you're exhausted from a long flight, etc. Our RER/taxi combo worked out fine but I probably wouldn't do it that way again.

Luckily all the escalators worked when we were at Gard du Nord -- my DH would've had a heck of a time lugging his ginormous suitcase up a flight of stairs. He is not a light packer!

Grommet, SO and I had our first France trip a few years ago. I wanted a taxi, or at least a shuttle but he insisted on the train. None of the escalators were working at the various stations, and you had to go down on one side, then go up the other. Let's just say I was less than a great sport (princess me) and when he said, "Don't worry, babe. I'll get that suitcase", I dropped the handle mid-staircase. By the time we emerged near our hotel, we were panting and struggling with our bags (neither of us have mastered the art of packing well), walking past all these calm, collected people sipping their wine at cafes on the warm afternoon,with red, sweat-drenched faces, he made promised "Never again!" We often refer to this as our Paris moment, meaning what is it going to "cost" to save a few dollars!

We leave next week and are safely booked on Shuttle-Inter.

Ha! Great story, Cat. Have a great time on your trip and enjoy the shuttle!

Unless you are on a deadline what's wrong with a shared shuttle? About five years ago we started talking to another couple on a shuttle and became close friends. We went out together in Paris, and still correspond.

What am I not understanding? I'm checking the rates of the various shuttle services mentioned here and see prices in the 24-26 euro range (one way/pp) from CDG to Paris. Ira mentions the rate is about 18 euros. Which of the services mentioned here offer the less expensive rate? I understand that some of the shuttle services are not reliable so would like to avoid those.

Arielle,

If you look at the rates again you will see that the higher price is for a person traveling alone. The 18 euro rate is for each person if there are 2 people booking together. Hope this clears this up

I don't know where the Air France bus stops, but we have used it several times and it is so easy and affordable. Have you asked the hotel where it stops in relation to the hotel? You can purchase a round trip ticket and the buses are very reliable.

Rumseydog...

Thanks for the tip about taking the KROL train...we're arriving May 12 going to Chatalet-Les Halles, and I had forgotten about that important info.

The RER B schedule can be found at:

http://www.ratp.info/horaires/index.php?etape=choix_rer_ssotr

Choose Line B and Tous les horaires à une gare to pick your starting stations.

Looking at the schedule, it appears that returning to CDG is best done on the EKLI train which is express after G.d. Nord.

Is that right? (It's strange...the EKLI train is designated express on the schedule, but the KROL is not...but I think you're right about it also being an express.)

SS

Ooops...

Just noticed that the earliest EKLI train won't get to CDG in time (11:30 departure). We learned from experience to get there 3 hours before takeoff, having arrived with 2 hours to spare and almost missed our flight.

Too bad...I guess we'll have to ride the local.

SS

There seem to be a number of shuttle services and most are within the same price range. I have read some negative comments about the Bee Shuttle service (on Trip Advisor) so I will avoid that one. Any others any of you have had less than stellar experience with? There are two that seem to be recommended with similar sounding names. Paris-Shuttle.com and Parisshuttle.com - they have different websites and I think are different companies. Anyone know?

I just booked my shuttle service using the www.parisshuttle.com that was listed in Ira'S reply. The website was very professional looking and easy to use. I assume that there will be no problems.

More on the train:

It appears that there are fast trains to CDG earlier than the EKLI trains. These leave Chatalet-les Halles at 7:11 7:26 7:41 7:56, etc. -- and are not marked as expresses, but only take 31 minutes, just like the KROL trains going to the city.

Not of any interest to those above who are taking a shuttle, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

SS

Well i live in Paris, and i would say that is easier to take the public transport which is quiet efficient in Paris, and in that case quiet easy. When you arrive at Roissy charles de gaulle, you take the free shuttle airport and in one minute you arrive at the RER B station. Take a ticket (8,5 euro/pers) and you go to Paris until Denfert Rochereau. Then you take the metro line 4 to "porte de clignancourt" and two stations later, here it is. And your hotel is very close from the vavin station, just 100 meters. So for 17 euro you can do it easily.
But just one thing, if you arrive late in Roissy Charles de gaulle and you want to take the RER B, avoid train that stops before Paris, choose train direct to Paris (gare du nord, chatelet). Some of them stops before at "Aulnay sous bois", "le blanc mesnil"... But it could be dangerous. And in that case don't choose a empty train, and don't stay close the door.
Otherwise you have airport shuttle service, It more or less the same as a taxi, but you have to book it first and your driver is waiting for you, it is more comfortable than waiting for a taxi for hours and cheaper. I know this one which is cheap and efficient. www.allonavette.fr
Enjoy your trip in Paris.
Sylvain

Cracov02 - we are arriving early morning at CDG, and departing late morning when we go home. You suggest avoiding the RER that stops at Aulnay sous bois, but it looks like all the trains before approx 9am will stop there (looks like it is more difficult to find a true "express" that early).
What kind of danger are you refering to (relevant to a 7 or 8am Friday or Monday trip?)

thanks!
V

The danger is that RER B is a popular venue for cutpurses and pickpockets because it's frequented by tired travelers from overseas - the most vulnerable.

The first KROL on weekdays departs CDG2 at 8h55.

The complete CDG->Paris timetable is here: http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_horaire.php?nompdf=b_jo_rob&loc=horaires
Paris->CDG is here: http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_horaire.php?nompdf=b_jo_cdg&loc=horaires

Robespierre...

Looking at the schedules (and the durations), it appears that going back to CDG (from Chatelet-Les Halles, my stop), the earliest listed "direct depuis Gare du Nord" (EKLI - 31 min. duration) is at 9:26 -- way too late to catch my 11:30 flight back to PHL.

However, when I check actually travel times using their form to find specific trains, there are 31-min trains every 15 min starting 5:41 up to the time the EKLI trains start (EMIR, ESTE, ENZO, ETAL). Am I understanding this correctly?

(Note: Any train that starts wit E goes to CDG, right?)

SS

I make reference to physical attacks on tourists who are easy preys for young delinquents. No paranoia, but it is necessary to know that it exists, particularly on this axis. If you arrive early in the morning there is not too much risk, the delinquents are still sleeping at this time. If you have no direct RER, choose a train with a lot of people, and do not stay close the door (and please don't read a touristic book about Paris!!!!!). For evening, I do not know schedules for RER, but there is regularly express towards the airport. But anyway if you take your RER at 7:30 pm, it is the hour where trains are full, thus no risk, take any of it who goes to the airport. You would have said to me 21 or 22pm , I will have said attention. Good journey and don't be afraid : There's no risk by taking the RER at the hours of big influx.

Thanks cracov02 -
We were planning to use the RER to get both to and from CDG, and in both cases it would be a 7am ish type time.
Sounds like our greatest risk coming in at that time might be a crush of commuters from the suburbs ? Am I correct in interpreting that we just need to maintain the diligence of being in any large group of strangers in any big city?
We won't have a lot of luggage, but are under no delusions that our little family of 4 will look like anything but visitors from out of town

The low cost transportation method is the RER/Métro at 8.50€ each. It is inexpensive but though not particularly difficult, I do not recommend it for first time travellers into Paris as it requires your finding the departure station (in terminal 2 and near terminal 1), purchasing tickets (the line can be lengthy), making underground connections (which can be confusing the first time you attempt this) and may involve stairs (obviously awkward with luggage).

Back to shuttles, all require a reservation, most require a prepayment. Difficulties arise when a prepayment is made and you arrive late or the van arrives late. To avoid the possible loss of a prepayment, if you want to use a shuttle, use one where the driver accepts payment. This way if the van fails to show you can use an alternate transportation method:

http://www.odysseetransfer.com

Avoid shared ride vans, use private vans only. Shared ride vans are inexpensive but the travel time into Paris can be lengthy as you will never know where you are in the pickup/drop off sequence. If the low cost of shared ride vans appeals to you, use the RER instead. The RER is about half the price and can be a lot faster.

The RER line starts at CDG, so you have a better chance of finding a seat. My last trip I did RER/Metro in, Metro/Air France bus out. I had a large bag on wheels.

After doing this the cheap way one time and using the Roissy Bus and I would highly recommend spending some money and getting to your hotel the quickest and easiest way. You will be very jet lagged and you don't want to waste your time in Paris. It took us almost four hours (half the day) to get to our hotel after taking a bus, finally finding the correct metro stop (not easy at the Opera) and then walking to our hotel. What a waste of time.

I'm all for saving money but this is one case I will splurge next time.

Also, our hotel--not a large one--had a shuttle service. You might check with your hotel.

This is great info on transportation. Thanks to all for listing the options and the pluses and minuses of each. Very refreshing!!

Deb