Guess what? The CDGVAL automatic metro was inaugurated today, linking the 3 terminals by rail.

Starting tomorrow, no more shuttle buses between the terminals.

The line goes: Terminal 1 > PR parking lot > Roissypôle (CDG1 RER station and Terminal 3) > PS parking lot > Terminal 2

Another line opens later this year with other stops.

Wow how did i miss this - i thought it was only in the planning stages. Thanks Jack!

Oh, Jack, is it free like the old navettes? thanks.

I was on one of the shuttle buses a few weeks back with beaucoup de baggage. Unusually there was a fair bit of room, then around thirty orientals squeezed on with their luggage.

Now if only we didn't have to walk about a mile between different lines on the metro.

http://www.metro-pole.net/actu/breve262.html

Yes, it is free.

The ADP site says "Un service gratuit pour 150000 passagers quotidiens et 80 000 salariés." It's free.

Anselm

Oops, kerouac was faster.

AA

I went to the site and tried to read about CDGVAL in my limited french. I assume that once we get our luggage from baggage claim in T2E it is relatively easy to locate the CDGVAL to take us to T1? I need to meet my son who will be arriving before me and speaks absolutely no french.

The picture of the CDGVAL arriving at what appears to be a part of terminal 2 - out the window you can see it emerging from underground appears to be the very same tunnel i saw several years ago when tracking down remains of what i read about... of a people mover that was built between terminals 1 and 2 years ago and for some reason was never put into use.

At least looks like same tunnel.

PalenQ, it's no surprised you missed it. ADP has one of the worst public-relations operations I have ever seen. Anyone who has ever used the pokey CDG navettes would be thrilled to learn about CDGVAL... yet the main adp.fr website doesn't say a word about it. You have to go to their corporate group website, and even there you have to search for it, and it's only in French. Here's the link, for you francophones out there...
http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/Adp/f...vestissements/

En anglais:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/a.../03/c9689.html

It doesn't specify a separate stop for RER-T1... how far is it to walk to this RER station if the stop is at T3?

The RER station for T1/T3 is very close to T3. Very short walk. So, whether the CDGVAL stop is at the T1/3RER or the actual terminal shouldn't make too much a difference. My guess is that it's actually at the current RER, as the station name is Roissypole, not T3.

As for the ADP website, I'm glad the English version is back up. It was missing for months sometime last year.

For normal1983 - The stop at T2 is at the RER/TGV station. So, just follow the signs for that from 2E, in case they don't have the CDGVAL signs up yet.

thank you... we'll be trying this on our return later in April.

Just back from France and I wanted to post on our use of the new CDGVAL rail system.

We used it from Terminal 1 to Roissypole. It was fast, quiet and frequent. The exit from Terminal 1 is door 36 directly to CDGVAL line up the ramp. Very easy to follow.

Roissypole stop connects very easily to RER B station into Paris. There is an information booth and ticket booth within this area. A few hotels (Hilton) are at this location - and within walking distance.

So much better and faster than the shuttle busses.

I'm a little confused about the upgrades. Since the terminal collapse, when landing at CDG from the US, either on Delta?Air France or AA, I've had to take a bus to get to customs, baggage, etc. Is that no longer the case?
Thanks
Jess

Jess215: I can't speak for Terminal 2, but I know for Terminal 1 we arrived at an actual jetway and could exit directly into the terminal. From there on to immigration and customs without a bus.
Arrival last time into Terminal 2 on Air France did require a bus from the jet to the terminal building for immigrations/customs.
Either way, the CDGVAL is after you clear all those obstacles.

At the various CDG2 gates, it just depends on your luck that day. Sometimes you get a bus, sometimes you get a gate. Can't say for sure.

The last time I had to take a bus at CDG was for Air Tahiti Nui in February. And even though we were supposed to bus back for the return, the plane hooked up to a jetway. All other flights have been with jetways.