Hi,
I will be in Paris for the first time and am a little concerned with transportation. What is the best way to get from the airport (CDG) to my hotel? Bus, Metro, Taxi, any other ideas?

Thanks

Hi again,

Why not ask all of your questions under one thread?

You will find transportation options and information on CDG at http://adp.fr/webadp/[email protected]

Ktyson, Go ahead and splurge for the Taxi! Much easier than pulling your luggage through the streets or Metro. Finding your way around Paris the first time is a bit confusing. Have a great time!!

Tracy

We took the Air France bus from CDG to Montparnasse station. The current fare shows 7.50 euros. Cab from Montparnasse to our hotel in the 6th was about 10 euro incl. tip. There were 2 of us, so that's a total of 25 euro.

We took a cab to CDG at departure and I think it was around 45 euros after tip. You'll have to decide if saving 20 euros is worth it. Personally I would take the cab next time.

The AF bus was easy to find and we only waited 15 minutes or so. It took about 40 minutes to Montparnasse. You'll need euros upon arrival. For information, go to the Air France website, look on the left side and choose "Trip planning"--then "Air France coaches". Click on the bus number for complete details.

A taxi all the way from the airport will cost about 40E. For convenience without major expense, JeanneB's suggestion of an Air France coach plus a taxi is a good one. However, if you're traveling alone, an airport shuttle will cost you about the same (25E) for door-to-door service from the airport to your hotel. You'll probably share the ride with other passengers so it won't be a direct non-stop trip. If you're traveling light and don't mind hauling your luggage each time you have to change trains, the RER + Metro would be your cheapest choice.

I've always used the RER and never found it to be a problem with limited luggage. If you have quite a bit of luggage, however, I would go with one of the other suggestions mentioned.

In my previous post I forgot to mention that there is also a Roissy Bus from CDG to central Paris. That gives you another bus + taxi option. Obviously, the location of your hotel would determine whether you should take one of the Air France coach routes or the Roissy Bus route.

Hello and thanks to all that replied. The general concensus seems to be to spend the money on a taxi. Every time I travel I always say next time I'm going to travel lighter, but I never do. It would be difficult to drag my luggage on the metro or bus then through the streets of Paris. So I will go with a taxi. Now for one more question. Are taxi's as readily available in Paris as they are in New York?

Thanks again for all your help.

Kathy

No, it's not like NY. You can't count on a taxi coming by every few minutes no matter where you are in Paris. But on the main thoroughfares you'll have no trouble finding a cab during normal operating hours.

Sorry, I just realized you may be talking about the airport taxis. You'll have no problem at all.

(In the city you'll take the metro unless it's late at night.)

i agree with the rer option. it is very easy to figure out. and fast.

And just something that happened to my friend and me. Decided to take a taxi. It was a Thursday morning. Got to the taxis at about 7:30 a.m. Rush hour? YES! Plus there had been an accident up-ahead. Our fare was 92E's.

Taxi availability? Sometimes you can hail one but it is more certain if you go to a cab stand. To the person who said the RER is easy to figure out--perhaps, IF you have experience on the Paris Metro. It is not at all easy if you have never used it and have no idea where you are going. Plus dealing with luggage.

Since you're going to have a lot of luggage, of the options I and others have outlined above, I'd recommend an airport minivan shuttle. One set price, regardless of traffic jams (unlike a taxi). Door-to-door from the airport to your hotel. But I already said that. <g>

I still agree that a taxi or shuttle is your best option if you have a lot of luggage. You really won't want to deal with the RER/metro at that point.

However, I will add that I used the RER from CDG to the city center my first time in Paris, the moment I stepped off the plane, and had no problem whatsoever. I have used it frequently since and have only gotten turned around once.

I'm certainly not a metro guru, but I have found the Paris metro to be very simple in comparison to other major city metro/subway systems. I've been to NYC 15+ times and still have yet to figure that one out.

So, please give the metro a try during your stay. It's fast, convenient, and inexpensive. If you get a good metro map from your hotel, all you really need to know if your last stop (the lines are color coded and named). At least that's what I've found.....even a novice like myself.

The most important thing is, where is your hotel?

Even if you don't have a lot of luggage...do you want to mess with metros and trains or buses when you are whipped? Maybe you are young and can handle it...but for me I'll take a taxi and count it as a travel expense. we landed in Paris, went thru immigration and customs, got our luggage from the baggage claim ,got a taxi and were checking into our hotel in 1 hour after we landed , 3 weeks ago. After a long overnight flight , it is worth the 40 Euros to me to take the taxi.

Hi and thanks to all who answered. I've decided that it will be worth the additional money to tale a taxi.

Jody, I was leaning toward taking a taxi, but your comment made me decide to definitely do that. I live in Wisconsin and for my last vacation I had to change planes in Chicago. Well my plane was very late getting to Chicago and I missed the last connecting flight to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for that night. The airline offered to put me on a Grayhound Bus to get me home. At that point I spent several hours in a plane sitting on a runway waiting for takeoff then missed my connecting flight and they want to put me on a bus. I ended up staying in Chicago for the night. So I know exactly what you mean about being whipped after a long day and flight. As far as being young enough to handle it goes, it all depends on what you consider young. If your 80 you would think I was young and if your 20 you would think I was old.

Thanks again to everyone,
Kathy

I'm reading along w/ interest b/c I am considering taking the RER to my hotel on my upcoming trip. I have read on other threads, however, a poster or two saying not to use the Metro after a certain hour.

Is the Metro deserted at night? Or filled w/ folks one wouldn't necessarily want to be stuck w/? My plane arrives at 9pm. I'll be w/ my sister and we both have a high comfort level in trains, at night, out and about, etc. I wouldn't, however, want to be foolish about it all. If it's well known that the Metro is filled w/ petty criminals or something after 10pm, we may not use it. I suspect we'll be comfortable, but if you know something about it I should, please share!

Thanks!

When we went in June we took the BlueVan from CDG to our hotel. We bought round trip ahead of time and it cost us 58 Euros.

We have take the Roissey Bus on at least two ocasions but the taxi's don't like us to our hotel it is too close?!?! ;_b