from CDG into Paris
 

What is the best way to travel from CDG into Paris? We will be staying in the 7th.
Thanks!

Here is a thread that offers many viewpoints on your question:
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34705413

Hi S,

The best way is to have a private limo meet you.

See www.parishuttle and www.beeshuttle about 18E pp.

For public transportation see
http://www.paris.org/Accueil/Airport/

((I))

Certainly one of the easiest ways to travel from the airport (with luggage) is by taxi. The taxi line at CDG is not intimidating in the least; it's convenient and moves quickly, and there's no need to call a prearranged shuttle service upon landing. It ran us 50 euros in May '05 to get to the 7th. Just be sure that your taxi says "Taxi Parisien".

While a shuttle might save a few dollars depending on the size of your group, we usually opt for the convenience of a taxi. It's ready when you, are as opposed to having to call shuttle service then wait for their arrival. We had to wait an hour once after our call to the shuttle and have used taxi's since then.....worth it to us after a tiresome flight.

We used parishuttle.com to arrange for someone to meet us and take us to our hotel in the 7th and I was very happy I used them. CDG wasn't very easy to navigate and after a long flight we were not in the mood to figure out where the RER was.

The price was 19 euro per person. We called as soon as we arrived and by the time we made it down to the gate someone was there waiting for us.

www.parishuttle.com

Tracy

And since you don't state what you mean by "best" I'm going to weight in with the budget method - which is the RER. It costs about 8€ versus the shuttle cost of about 18€. Those are both per person. Taxi is about (depending on time of day and traffic) 40-50€, but that can be split by up to 3 or 4 people.

I have always found RER to be very easy (and faster than other methods) but I travel light, have some familiarity with the metro system, and usually stay in the 5th. If you travel with a ton of luggage, are part of a party of 3 or 4 people, or rarely ever use public transportation then you would probably be better off with one of the ohter methods.

We (2)will be staying at the Quai Voltaire in the Latin district next May. What will our best mode of transportation be and what should we expect to pay....and tip?

Thanks for all the info. A private shuttle it will be!

Taxi.
If there were a few of you and a lot of luggage, a shuttle might be important, but if you are just walking out of the airport and getting to your hotel/apt, take a cab. They are sitting there waiting at the door.
From CDG to our apt in the 7th, it was (according to my husband who has a bit better memory than I) between $40-50 USD.

Is Parisshuttle/beeshuttle <i> Private?</i> Or do you share with other people, with a limit of 2 stops?

seeksocean, if you decide on the train, take the RER B to St-Michel Notre-Dame, then the RER C to Mus&eacute;e d'Orsay. Here's the neighborhood map:

<b>http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan.php?fm=pdf&amp;nompdf=musee_orsay&amp;loc=q uartiers</b>

Quai Voltaire is a block east of the RER station.

I think ira's tongue-in-cheek post might have misled you.

He said a &quot;private limo&quot; was the best (meaning, if you want to spring $$ for one).

Then he suggested the shuttle services, which at their best rates, are not private and may take one or two other parties at a time, along with you.

I do believe one can pay the shuttle company for a private car, however.

After an overnight flight, with bags, just head for the taxi queue.

You could possibly save a few euros with a shuttle service (but they are notoriously unreliable and may take lots of extra time, with stops for othes all over the city).

I suggest taking a taxi for all of the reasons given above.

Scarlett, our parisshuttle van was not private. We rode into Paris from CDG with two other families. Our hotel was the second stop, but luckily not too far away from the first couple's stop. We were at our hotel within about 45 minutes of leaving CDG.

Tracy

I'm just curious...in the many different RER vs taxi vs shuttle discussions i have checked out while planning my trip next month, why is it the Roissy bus gets so few mentions? It seems like a fairly easy and inexpensive option. lynda

After several visits taking shuttles and always ours the last stop, I grew tired of taking up to two hours to get from CDG to our hotel. Now it's taxi everytime. The one time we were caught in a traffic jam the fare was E62 - usually it runs about E50 to our hotel which is on the border of the 7th and 15th. Just walk out of the terminal and look for the taxi line. It moves fast and it's not likely you'll wait more than 10 minutes (if the line is extremely long).

Roissybus is handy if you're staying within walking distance of the Op&eacute;ra, but as a budget-minded option, it is typically less desirable than the RER, because the latter includes M&eacute;tro transport to the station nearest your hotel. Roissybus doesn't include that last leg, and costs a little more than the RER to begin with. If you will use a pass for transport within the city, that's moot, of course.

The bus also takes somewhat longer, but many people feel that this &quot;scenic route&quot; is a nice introduction to the city that the train doesn't afford.

lyndash, perhaps because it only goes to Opera. I have used it several times and was very satisfied. It's pretty scenic coming in as it passes the cemetery in Montmartre. I took the RER last month as I was near St. Michele and it was easy too.

Hi Scarlett

&gt;Is Parisshuttle/beeshuttle Private? Or do you share with other people, with a limit of 2 stops?&lt;

I reread my post. It does look as if I'm saying that the shuttle is private. They are not.

Sorry for the confusion.

((I))

well, it is not a private limo, but some folks refer to private companies as compared to public transportation (run by cities or countries), and those shuttle companies are private in that sense. They have no official govt. owners. But, they aren't private in terms of not being with others.

I also think people don't mention Roissybus just because not that many people want to go to the Opera.

well, it is not a private limo, but some folks refer to private companies as compared to public transportation (run by cities or countries), and those shuttle companies are private in that sense, and they are private as compared to Air France buses in that you must reserve in advance, etc., and are only for a few people. But, they aren't private in terms of not being with any others.

I also think people don't mention Roissybus just because not that many people want to go to the Opera.

How much will a taxi be from the airport to the Latin Quarter (Quai Voltaire)? Also, we will be taking the train to Amsterdam from there, so how far is it to the train station and what should my transportation and cost be? Thanks!

Taxi into town from CDG ranges from about 35&euro; to 55&euro;, depending on day, time, and traffic conditions.

For train information go to www.sncf.com

Seeksocean: Taxi price for 2 with carry on bags only to the Latin Quarter (Rue Monge/Cardinal Lemoine area) on a Tuesday morning around 10:30 AM turned out to be 38 Euro total. Just two weeks ago.

38&euro;, huh. Lowest data point on the chart. The highest I can remember seeing is 85&euro; for the same trip.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of public transport (including shuttles) is that you know how much it's going to cost before you hit the road.

The apartment I'm renting is quite close to metro Ecole Militaire in the 7th so I thought that getting off at Opera and then catching the metro there would be a direct [meaning no other transfers] to my destination. Near as i can tell from where the RER stops i would have a couple of transfers to get to that stop. Is that the case? thanks, lynda

Arriving in Paris tired and with sizeable luggage isn't the time IMO to initiate oneself into the RER system. There are plenty of chances later. In spite of what some say, it's no piece of cake under the circumstances, especially if it's your first time. Better to get your vacation off to a good start and get a taxi. People who think nothing of dropping big bucks in a restaurant with wine, etc. will unexplainably try to scrimp on transportation. And a cab is usually not much more than a shuttle, if there are two or more passengers. We don't spend a lot on eating. Would rather &quot;splurge&quot; a little and begin and end our trips on a comfortable note.

That's true. &Eacute;cole Militaire is on Ligne 8, which is a straight shot from Op&eacute;ra, but would require one additional change from RER B (at St-Michel, for example).

Taking a train from CDG to Paris is no different than if you were riding one to another city. In either case, you would get off at the station and ride a taxi, subway, or bus to your hotel.

Spend the bucks and take a taxi! No muss , no fuss!

Another way to Ecole Militaire is to take the Air France bus to Etoile, and then catch the 92 city bus. There is a stop on Avenue Marceau, a short distance away. City buses sell tickets on board.

one more question on this oft discussed topic.....say you aren't going to go the taxi option, is it any less crowded/cumbersome to get on a city bus with one suitcase as opposed to the metro? [one 25&quot; that i can pick up and carry when needed] thanks for the info Robespierre and Ron. lynda

I just did that trip and used the Yellow Van service. They were pretty good.

http://www.yellowvanshuttle.com/EN/index.php

They arrived on time, spoke English and were friendly.

lyndash, I think it's easier on the Metro with a suitcase but you have the stairs to deal with. Sometimes there is an escalator but not so often. The Roisseybus is easy because it is designed for luggage.

I meant Roissybus.

To lyndash:

The Air France Bus stores your luggage like the Roissy bus. Then alighting at Etoile, you head clockwise to the next street past the Champs-Elysses and there is the 92 bus stop. This is a snap, no dragging luggage through the Metro, plus you get great views along the way.

You also get to try out the bus system--a great way to get around town.
There are 4 other lines at Ecole Militaire [28, 80, 82, 97] which you can look up on ratp if you wish.

Sure you can begin to learn how to take public transportation as soon as you arrive. However, to me that's really not appealing after a tiring flight especially if you have luggage.

Ask your hotel if they provide Airport Transportation. Ours does (we leave this Friday). It is 17E per person and they meet you just outside of customs. Have a good trip!

I booked Airport Connections with my Go-Today.com package. It was $33 a head for a shared van. We were the only pickup, so we went straight into Paris. On the way back the van was full, and one person wasn't at his pickup. The driver and the friend who was aboard got into a huge argument. We got the airport a little late, but really it's such a short drive from the city center to CDG.