amy

Hi--arriving at CDG early a.m Christmas week. We are a family of 4 (two young teens) with luggage(say 1 medium case each) Taxi seems to be the best bet, convenience and price wise---my stupid question is--the taxi will fit 4 of us---oui or no???

Surlok

If there's a monospace, a Renault Scenic or the like among the cars outside CDG, oui, if just sedan cars, non. Since you won't know in advance, maybe you should book a transfer, otherwise, if there isn't larger, van type taxies available, you'd have to split the party in two cars.

Bob Brown

There is a Paris van shuttle service that you can engage (reserve) before leaving home via the web. I have used the service twice and it worked like this: I reserved two or three days before leaving home, after landing at CDG and as soon as I could, I called a cost free (toll free) number from a public phone. The receptionist, who spoke good enough English, told me where to wait for a van near an exit. We collected or luggage and went through the various controls, which at the time were minimal. <BR> <BR>In my case, there were two of us and we were the last ones dropped off. That was in part because there were 3 groups of 2 on the van, and in part because we were on the south side of Paris, thus logically in line to be the last ones. If there are four of you, then the chances of having more than one other party on the van is minimal. <BR> <BR>I have heard, and been told, that Paris taxis are not reqired to take 4 passengers. <BR> <BR>The shuttle van charges 89 francs per person. That is 356 francs, or about $50.00 for 4 people, with luggage. <BR>Not too bad a deal.

greg

We took taxis, also family of 4 with two teens. We always "managed" to fit all of us. But I understand there is panache as well as scam involved. <BR> <BR>Panache: There is a an official extra charge for the 4th person. I am not sure whether taxis are obliged to take 4th or it just how the driver feels at that time. We were mostly in a car about a size of Mercedez 180 class cars. I felt that for the driver, it always looked like a bother to accomodate the 4th, had to clean up newspaper and breadcrumbs from the front seat. <BR> <BR>Scam: Knowing tourist's unfamiliality of 4th passenger, we were approached on Gare du Nord by English fluent guy (automatic red flag when someone approaches you speaking English in Paris) offering "large" taxis that will accomodate 4th person for 5x the normal charge! Having seen several families of 4 getting in the taxis by this time, I knew it was a scam. I presume they try to hit you before you realize this.

Christina

a panache? Out of curiosity, I don't understand what that word is supposd to mean in the sense used, have not heard of such a use in French. <BR> <BR>Yes, there is an official extra tarif for 4th person; in my observations, there is not much trouble nowadays in getting a larger taxi at CDG for 4 people, there seem to be enough that you shouldn't have to wait long or not get one.

Patrick

If that is all the luggage you have, there should be no problem with a taxi. When four of us had four large suitcases plus 4 small to medium ones, it was a problem. Haven't done it at CDG, but at Gare Lyon and Gare du Nord, there has always been an "expeditor" who seems to arrange for the larger taxis to come forward for the groups of four. Just don't take one of the "special" taxis that aren't in the regular line up.

jean

Amy, I had the same concern for our group of 4 in September. We took a taxi from CDG to the 7th with 3 21" bags, 1 26" bag and 2 totes in the trunk of a sedan-no problem. There is an extra charge for the 4th person, plus a charge for each bag in the trunk over a certain weight. I think the cost was about 260 plus tip.