Just booked Air France tickets from NYC thru CDG to MAD leaving Aug 30 directly from AirFrance. Connection time in CDG is 50 min (2E to 2F). I see from prev forums that it is tight but can someone clearly say what will happen step by step from exiting plane to boarding next flight for 1) taking bus or 2) walking; and approximate time for each. Also, AF has another flight to MAD 1 hour later (which I am NOT booked on). Experience with AF "putting you on the next available flight" and quickest way to get the switch if I do miss the 1st flight? Thanks

You will have to go through passport control, and then you will have to go through security again -you just follow the signs for correspondence (transfer) to 2F-you will have to hurry-I walked between these two terminals, but very quickly. If there aren't many flights at that time of day you can do it-your holdup will be at security, there could be a long line. It took me about 20 minutes.

We just did AF metal, cennecting at CDG, from 2E to 2F but we had a lot more time than you did (1:45 minutes). I hope your plane does not arrive at one of the 80-number gates at 2E, because that requires an extra bus, and you will not make your next flight.

Having said that, there are 2 ways of going from 2E to 2F:

<b>1. Bus Connection </b> When you get out of the plane, you follow the &quot;Correspondence-Transfer&quot; signs. This will take you to the bus (navette) that connects the terminals plane-side. You will <b>not</b> have to re-go through security. We followed this route initially, but there were a lot of people waiting for the bus and the bus from 2E to 2F stops at all the other terminals first.

<b>2. Walk Connection</b> Air France gives you a map of CDG in your Boarding Pass sleeve. We looked at it, plus I knew that there was a way to walk from Terminal 2E to 2F (right across). The key for us from the gate that we arrived, was to NOT follow the Correspondence signs but to follow the &quot;Sortie&quot; (Exit) signs. We went through passport control, customs, and then exited to the non-secure area. Walked across the gallery to 2F. Went through Security and arrived at our 2F gate. We had time to spare (got $ out of the ATM, used the restroom, etc).

I know for a fact that AF has no problem putting people on the next flight, since they are aware that the connections at CDG are difficult.

Hi C,

2E and 2F are adjacent to each other.

Your plane will land somewhere in the hinterlands.

You will wait for a shuttle bus.

You will take the shuttle bus to 2E.

You will walk for miles to passport control. Yu will stand on line.

Bring a pen - you will have to fill out a form.

You will exit PC and Customs and run or walk to 2F.

You will go to Security. You will wait on line.

You will exit S and run to your departure gate.

Your plane will have left.

OR

Your plane has been delayed.

Good luck to you.

We did that in May last year with one hour between flights, the terminals were quite close to one another, however we had to go through immigration where we were held up for a long time. We missed our connecting flight and had to take the next one. The problem is that an hour sounds like a lot of time but they appear to start take off procedure about 15 minutes before advertised take-off time. No one can guarantee anything here!

Thanks everyone. I just called AF to try to nicely ask if they would change my flight. Sales agent seemed nice at first but after listening to me for about one minute said &quot;Look, if you want to change your ticket then pay the fee, anything else?&quot; (very abruptly). Lovely.

It seems that the gamble of going thru security the 2nd time will be quicker than wiating for a bus that will go to every other terminal first.

It seems odd to me that they just don't have walkways to get between areas in Terminal 2 that keep you in the security area.

Mariarosa gives a very good description for the two methods, but I believe for option 1 (bus), one still need to go through security if connecting to a MAD flight at 2F.

The bus will drop them off at the non-Schengen side of the terminal, they'll go through immigration between the two halves of 2F, and still have to go through security between getting to the Schengen gates.

Anyways, like Mariarosa says, the bus will stop at other terminals first - 2C, 2A and 2B, before 2F. I suggest option 2 - walking.

just a tip...walking is often better. signage is not the easiest thing at cdg, but figuring out which bus to go on, and waiting for it in such a tight (&quot;legal&quot connection, is not fun. good luck. i've had 3 buses to take in just over an hours connection there. they know it's a problem. ;-)

It's best not to assume anything transferring at CDG.
You may or may not make your connecting flight. AF will try to transfer you to the next flight, but if it's full or overbooked, you are in a for a long wait. And the line at transfer counter can be long and slow moving, and agents seemingly unconcerned.
Even if you make your original flight, your luggage may not. It's likely it will be delivered to your hotel/accommodation within 24 hours. You need to speak to AF agent at Madrid and fill in a report - not always easy or visible.

Ira, you are a travel savant if ever there was one.

What Ira said.



Jules

&gt;&quot;Look, if you want to change your ticket then pay the fee, anything else?&quot;

Sounds like AF.

Horror of horrors at CDG. Got back of my trip and will NEVER fly thru CDG again. Here is how it went... Boarded in EWR on time but sat at gate for 50 min before leaving for runway. Despite this, landed at CDG only 10 min late. Parked plane in remote area. Deboarded, got on a bus that apparently only goes 5 MPH. That took about 15 minutes to get to some random door where we got off and got thru passport control in 10 min (not too bad). Ran from 2E to 2F. Looked up on board to see &quot;closed&quot; by our flight (that still had 10 min before it was supposed to leave). AF agent said &quot;sorry, no it is closed, nothing can be done&quot;. Went to be reticketed and was told that they could not put us on a flight for at least 2 hrs as they &quot;need that much time to redirect luggage&quot;. Becuase of this we knew we would miss our last connection (EWR-CDG-MAD-IBZ) and would arrive 6 hrs late. This is what happened. Our next frustruation on this outbound trip was that we boarded for the CDG-MAD flight at one gate, to go to a bus, to drive to another gate in the other wing of 2F. This is probably why our original flight CLOSED early. It made no sense to us why they didn't just board us from the gate where the plane was actually located.

We made our return flight (which was only MAD-CDG-JFK) but similar questions about how they run their airport. Left MAD right on time, landed in CDG 15 min early (nice!!). Walked back to 2E. Passport control took 15 min (there were only 3 agents working). Got on a tram, waited another 15 min to get thru security, walked 15 min to gate. They were boarding 50 min before departure. We walked down ramp (towards a 777 parked there) only to be diverted down stairs to a bus, which drove around the airport again (this time going about 10 MPH which was nice) going back to the remote parking lot.

Positive: AF international gave very nice service, very friendly, and young attractive flight attendants.

Negative: As everyone who knows AF well says, give yourself 1.5-2hrs for any international connection at CDG or you will NOT make your flights and will end up sitting for hours appreciating the nice new terminals.

ira wrote back in April:

<i>&quot;Your plane will have left.</i>

And Rd's post is right on for the OP.

So, you see, we Fodorites are quite correct.

yeah, but some people have very unrealistic ideas about travel on planes, or have never traveled before. Like the remarks about expecting to be allowed to board a plane that was only 10 minutes from takeoff, and to be allowed to board up until the minute of takeoff. You can't do that on any airline.

<i> It made no sense to us why they didn't just board us from the gate where the plane was actually located. </i>

Because both France and Spain signed the Schengen treaty.

Er, sorry, my above reply makes no sens. I thought you were asking why you weren't bussed from the EWR plane to the MAD one.

That plane to MAD was probably parked at a non-Schengen gate. You cannot board it directly from the Schengen area, so they have to bus them over.

That'd be my guess.

oh boy. I have had the opp a few times to have the tighter connection and was glad I took the longer connection. I think everything would have to be perfect to make your next flight in the short timeframe.

I see some of my story wasn't clear so hopefully this answers some questions.

Yes I knew that I would have to change terminals from 2E to 2F after landing in Paris from Newark.

Yes I know that usually airlines can assume you aren't going to be on the flight if you aren't there 10 min before departure. It just happened that we arrived to 2F 10 min before and were hoping somehow they would board till departure time. (I seem to think that at most US airports, they keep the door open till pretty close to the actual departure or till everyone expected is on). I have a feeling it &quot;closed&quot; so early (as it was closed when we got there) is that they needed extra time to do the shuttle bus thing.

When I was boarding the CDG-MAD flight, we were told the flight was departing from one gate. We gave our ticket there but then were put on a a bus that drove around to the other arm of terminal 2F. For example (I don't remember the exact numbers), we boarded from gate 60 to finally get on a plane at gate 34.

Similar bus experience getting on my CDG-JFK flight. Were told plane was departing from a gate (had to go thru passport control, ride a tram, walk and walk, show ticket, walk towards a 777-300, diverted to stairs to a bus, to ride back to the remote parking lot where our 777-300 was sitting.

I guess the thing I remember being annoying about that is that the gates that attach to the actual airport were empty.

Long story short. Yes Fodors travelers know what they are talking about when they say &quot;give yourself at least 1.5 hr connection or you will miss your plane&quot;. I wish I had read these opinions before booking my trip.

Regardless, AirFrance did rebook us and get us there. The airport is beautiful but with all the different terminals and crazy gates and parking lots, I will not fly thru there again to make a connection.

clintonuws - I am totally clear about what you said.

CDG 2F has two halves. The eastern half has non-Schengen gates while the western half has Schengen gates. There's immigration control between them, as well as between the public area and the non-Schengen gates; in addition to security.

My guess is that they ran out of room at the Schengen side of the terminal, but there's a parking spot open in the non-Schengen side. Therefore, they check your BP at the regular Schengen side, then bus you over to that non-Schengen gate to board. They cannot just let you walk over.