jenniferg

Hello, it will be my and my husband's first visit to Paris planned for January 2008 and we are so excited! We will be staying at the Hotel Tamaris, 14 rue des Maraichers, 75020. What is the easiest and cheapest way to travel from Charles de Gaulle Airport to our hotel?

Thanks in advance!

ira

Hi J,

Cheapest way is the RER from TGV2.

Go to www.ratp.fr
for departure: choose "station" and enter "Aeroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV"
For arrival, choose address and enter "14 rue des Maraichers, Paris".

The easiest way is to take a cab, about 50E.

Enjoy your visit.

jenniferg

Hi Ira, many thanks for your advice! Unfortunately we do not want to take public transportation at least not from the airport.

The taxi sounds good but we are on a tight budget and 50 euros seems so expensive. Do you know of any shuttle companies that can take us to our hotel?

bilboburgler

Tell me (be nice) if i'm nosy but what is the issue with Public transport you just flew the Atlantic that way?

The RER is ok and the worse thing that will happen to you is a begger will get on and sing you a song. The whole thing is done very nicely and there is no pressure to give. The train goes very fast and will be probably faster than a cab. Jet lag can be a problem but this is easy. even the tickets can be bought from a machine using a credit card

jenniferg

Hi bilboburgler, yeah, you are nosy bugger! Tee hee! I sure hope I can say that!

Well, we just figure we would be so pooped out and lose our bearings taking the train because we are traveling from Santa Fe connecting first in Denver then lastly in D.C. before arriving in Paris.

But I will check with hubby and see if he wants to take the train from the airport.

Since you seem like you know this RER system can you help me look it up? I'm no good with figuring these things. Which stop do we get off and can we walk from the stop to our hotel?

Thanks a bunch!

bilboburgler

Well I normally look at the map so this afternoon I tried to use ratp.fr as Ira suggested. Is it complicated??? I think it is. Any way using the Union flag I think its take the B from CDG and then the A to the hotel.

Loads of trains but a very clumsy web site

Nikki

I have used this shuttle service several times, and the rate for two people to or from the airport looks like it would be 34 euros:

http://www.world-shuttles.com/

ELB

When we go, we take the Air France Bus from the airport to the stand nearest our hotel. Then we cab it to the hotel. You can buy a one way or a return ticket. It is a motor coach and the staff are very helpful. They run often. http://transfer.airport-paris.com/ai...ch-service.htm
We use line 2 to Arc de Triomphe as it was the closest. You can get the ticket for the bus from the driver, you do not have to buy it online. He needs cash, though.

ira

Hi J,

Try these shuttle services, all about 18E pp:

www.beeshuttle.com
www.paris-blue-airport-shuttle.fr/index_en.php
www.parishuttle.com

j_999_9

bilbo: I considered public transport or a shuttle for the same trip, and I'm taking a taxi because:
a. As you said, after several hours of tiring travel, dealing with public transport and lugging bags seems like the antithesis of "vacation." I'm OK with public transport once I'm settled -- bus, subway, etc. But not when I arrive.
b. The shuttle option doesn't seem like it's much cheaper and is considerably less convenient. However, no one can criticize you for trying to save +-15euros.

RonZ

Your hotel is removed from the city center, so a cab fare will be fairly reasonable.

You could also take the 351 city bus.

Put the address here:

http://www35.ratp.info/Proxi/proxi.php?

Then see the bus route here:

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...amp;nompdf=351

Robespierre

If you are convinced you will be overwhelmed by jet lag, you surely will, in which case a taxi would be your best choice.

But since your original question contained the word "cheapest" evidently you would rather save a few bucks if it's not a total hassle (which changing trains would almost certainly be for the uninitiated).

So may I offer the following hybrid mix of taxi and train: ride the RER B from CDG Terminal 1 or 2 to Luxembourg station. Then hire a taxi for the rest of the way - the total cost will be much less than the airport fare, and you'll get delivered to your front door in a timely way.

Here is a map of your hotel neighborhood: tinyurl.com/2duyjd

jody

YOu could take the Air France bus #4 to Gare de Lyon, then transfer to Metro line #1 direction Chateau de Vincennes. The closest metro stop to your hotel is Porte de Vincennes

Michel_Paris

I recommend that you look at www.pagesjaunes.fr and enter your steet address. The hit "plan", that will give you an overview of your neighbourhood, including RER/Metro stops.

You are... a distance from central Paris, not a bad thing but not my first choice for an ideal "first visit" location. You will need to be on the Metro/RER every day, but I assume the hotel is a good deal.

Yes, the RER B will get you from CDG to central Paris (Chatelet station, a large station), then you would take RER A to Nations station, where you can take a short cab ride, or walk for ~20 minutes east( ~600 m walk)

Or...RER B to Chatelet, then Metro line 1 to Porte de Vincennes station. Very short walk from this station to hotel. This would be the cheapest and shortest walk itinerary.

Or...Air France bus to Gare de Lyon, then cab it to hotel. It is ~14 euro for a one way ticket, then the cab.

Or cab it/shuttle from airport.

Option 2 may be the most economical. I know there are bus experts here, who may give you another choice.


Mike

RonZ

The 351 bus can be boarded at the various CDG terminals, and there is a stop a block from the hotel.

But the poster prefers a cab or shuttle, and a cab wiil cost about the same given the location of the hotel.

Robespierre

In case you can't make sense of pagesjaunes.fr, here is a direct link to the photos: http://photos.pagesjaunes.fr

tower

Jennifer:


At the risk of sounding too cavalier, (with your tight budget, no less)may I sincerely recommend that you take a taxi while bravely biting the proverbial bullet. After all you have just spent a big bundle on air fare, so the 50e's (or less) looks tiny in comparison...

So...take that taxi... for peace of mind, comfort, not having to drag your luggage, having to decipher the RER, all the while fighting the inevitable jet lag,etc...(To be more mathematical, you'll be spending for taxi fare about 30e's more each way than the alternate modes of transportation...approx.)

So as I've said on this forum several times on the sensitive subject of budget, a few weeks after you return home, the money to and from CDG will be a faint memory among the many more vivid ones...you won't miss one meal or house/car payment because of it.

Meanwhile, enjoy your first visit to this heavenly City of Light! May they all shine brightly for the two of you!

Stu T.

SuzieCII

Errr..uuum... First trip to Paris?
Why are you staying in the 20th? Nothing wrong with that but dern ...
you're far out of the thick of things (so to speak). Still in all, being in the 20th in Paris is still loads better than my living room! Enjoy your trip.

kerouac

One of the best ways to get over jet lag is to deal with 'complications' immediately. It will give you a triple head start when you go out to discover the city, because you will already know how the system works.

Robespierre

Hear! Hear!

Consider the following scenario: your destination is Lyon. There aren't any flights to there that work for you. So what do you do?

• Fly to CDG
• Ride the train from the airport to Lyon
• Get a cab from the station to your hotel

Why should going to Paris be any different?