CDG Airport help
 

Mu husband and I will be visiting Paris for the first time next month. I will be arriving at CDG via American Airlines and my husband will be coming in separately from Kuwait via KLF (I think). My flight lands first and I will be waiting at the airport for him. Can anyone recommend an easily found spot in the airport to wait?
Thanks a bunch.

Please help..

Find out at the <b>adp.fr</b> site which terminals your airlines arrive at, and look at the maps for a meeting place that suits your convenience.

If you're taking the train to the city, for example, you might want to meet at the RER station in Terminal 2.

Well, for openers, let me say that you underestimate your adversary.

CDG is not just one airport; it is 6, with a 7th under extensive repair after a major disaster.

First and foremost, find out where exactly your flights are arriving.
And it would help if you know the correct name of the airline.

For example there is no KLF that I know of. KU is the symbol for Kuwait Airlines. KL is the symbol for KLM, the Dutch airline. If KLM, it arrives at T1
So does KU.


If my guide is correct, American arrives at Terminal 2A.

Chances are that your husband's flight arrives at T1 because that is the terminal used by almost all other carriers into CDG. (T2 is mostly Air France and Delta.)

If you are arriving at separate terminals, then one of you has got to find the other one. If you are scheduled to land first, and there is no assurance that you will do so, then you might want to take the shuttle bus over to T1.

Once at T1, you need to pick a common point to meet.

There will be quite a few suggestions ranging from some common point to meeting at the hotel.

I have never tried meeting anyone at CDG and I have never tried to change terminal buildings.

My suggestion is to meet at La Brioche Doree. It has, great pastries, food, coffee, cokes, a place to sit, it is visible, and findable within T1. If you buy something to eat and drink, you can stay in a French restaurant/cafe for a long time before a staff member bothers you.

Good Luck. But I suggest you both look up an airport map on the web, and survey the situation.

Relax. You'll be able to find your DH.

First find out the correct name of his airline. Look on this website to see what terminal his airline will come into: http://paris-cdg.com/

You arrive at Terminal 2 Hall A, he will probably arrive at Terminal 1.

If you have any questions about that call American Airlines and ask them for help. They will be able to tell you what terminal their flight comes into, and what terminal your husband's flight arrives in. I have been impressed lately with how helpful they can be.

Don't worry about who is coming first. That may change. Where are you going after the airport and how are you planning to get there?

The RER train station is by Terminal 2. The airport buses AirFrance and RATP both pick up at Terminal 1 and 2. The train interfaces with the metro so is easier to get around Paris. We took the Air France bus since we stayed in a hotel near the bus stop.

If you are taking the train into Paris you should meet somewhere in Terminal 2. The web site has a list of restaurants. Just pick one. There is a free shuttle that will take you around to the terminals.

There are information booths at levels 0 and 2 in Terminal 2 hall A. They can help check on your husband's flight arrival so you'll know if he's on time or late. If he arrives and you aren't there he can do the same. And they could always page him overhead if necessary.

If somebody gets horribly delayed, just go to the hotel and meet there.

bob, cdg is not that bad, and they won't be anywhere near the damaged area. and you didn't have to be so snotty.

Thanks for all the advice.
I really don't like to travel alone- have only done so one other time- last year when we met in London.
We will be taking the RER and city metro to get us to the hotel- near Montparnasse. I will probably stay put in Terminal 2 and have him come to me. He speaks a little French if he needs help- I speak only English and Spanish.
Thanks again and any more suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

I agree. I wrote my first posting in a hurry and I should have revised it. It came out poorly and I admit it.

Regardless of my imperfect syntax and inappropriate phrasing, I still feel that CDG is a complex airport which is user unfriendly. For a first time visitor, I think it can be daunting without preparation.

My impressions of the place are the product of experience gained after several trips in and out of the various terminals.

So, MLISS, I regret the hurried outcome of my first communication. But that does not alter my opinion that you need a careful, detailed plan for meeting your husband because things can go wrong without definite plans. And CDG is not a place I would want to be adrift.

I suggested La Brioche Doree as a meeting place in T1 because it meets the requirements, namely

* it is well known
* it is findable
* it is public
* you can find a place to sit and wait where you are visible
* you can get something to eat and drink
* you can stay there a long time if need be

I do not doubt that there are several options where a meeting place is concerned. After you consider your options, you may well decide to meet elsewhere.

Just for a second opinion, I asked my traveling companion what she thought.
She has been in and out of CDG as many times as I have, so her experience is comparable to mine. She has also flow in and out of quite a few other cities, so I would classify her as an experienced traveler.

To her, T1 is multi layered, circular, tight, crowded, and confusing.
She agrees that selecting one of the restaurants as a meeting place is a good idea. If you would like to bounce questions off of her, email me per the above address, and I will forward your enquiry. I guarantee you will get an insightful answer.

why not meet at the sheraton right there in the terminal (2?)near the train station?? has a coffee shop that looks out onto the walkways where everyone is passing by.

there is only one sheraton connected to the terminals, so that would be very easy, and convenient for later catching the train.

All the terminals have at least one information desk, with a great big I on it, and that's an easy place to decide to meet.

I think that you will find that KLM now uses Terminal 2F, not Terminal 1, since it has merged with Air France.

In any case, check the arrival terminal on adp.fr. as Robespierre has advised.

MLISS, if you are uncomfortable with the idea of changing terminals, by all means stay in Terminal 2A and make your husband come to you! I've tried to find restaurant/bars in that area with no luck. Hopefully some observant person (as opposed to oblivious me) can tell you a name of a bar/restaurant in that area. The people in the information booths are very nice and will be able to steer you to whatever restaurant/bar you choose (if you can't find it), if only someone can come up with a name.

i just walked through this terminal TWICE last week.
the sheraton is right NEXT to the signs for the train station.
would be impossible to not find it. it is on every map.

there are free luggage carts everywhere in the terminals to use.

and it is a comfortable place to relax.

good luck.