Has anyone used The Airport Shuttle service from CDG to Paris? My children (8 & 11) and I are going to Paris next week for the first time and I'm wondering about the cost of a taxi versus this service. Their web site quotes a price of $18 for an adult and $9 for each child. Reservations are made in advance. How does this price compare with a taxi? Any info or advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I'm replying to my own post. I made the mistake of posting before searching! Having seen nothing about the shuttle, I jumped the gun! After my search, I know more than I wanted! So... Never mind...

Mary: That's OK, I understand. <BR> <BR>Emily <BR>

I would not be so reluctant to abandon ship on a question. The scene rapidly changes where those van services are concerned. And, the Fodors opinions are just that -- opinions. Sampling is hardly scientific and some of the responders are, in my view, overly opinionated. <BR> <BR>Two cases in point: last year I read the "tacky tourist" thread. Two admonitions came from the Fodors cadre of posters: <BR>don't wear jeans and don't wear jogging shoes. Well, it ain't so. We changed flights in Amsterdam and just ahead of me in line to board the flight to Zuroch were three Dutch business men, carrying expensive briefcases, and clad in blue jeans. This year, all over, we saw every kind of shoe you could imagine. <BR>I even sat beside a man wearing a T-shirt at the Opera Bastille. He was seated in the next to most expensive seats in the house. I guess it was a formal T-shirt because it was black. <BR> <BR>So given the sample side, and the somewhat vocal but not necessarily authoritative opinions of Fodors' posters, I see no harm in repeating the question to gather a new subset of answers. <BR> <BR>By the way, I did use one of the shuttle services and had no real complaint, except he was a little slower to arrive that I was told. <BR>

Things do change, especially when it comes to services (The Louvre never moves, but the Italian train schedules do). But, Bob, what's the generic difference between responses three months ago (opinions) and those that might be posted now. Aren't they opinions, too? And, please, can you define 'overly-opinionated' so I don't step over the line from 'opinionated'? I do so hate to offend.

We have used the Airport Shuttle two times, March 99 and Oct 99. They were very reliable both times, perhaps the only confusion is if driver is 'foreign', not only French but other nationality, and doesn't speak any English. The "800" number operators speak English very well, and took my credit card# over the phone when the driver did not have a machine in the van to run the charge. They have a Web site, www.paris-anglo.com/clients/ashuttle.html <BR>Here is a tip to eliminate confusion when calling them to pick you up at the airport - you go to the public phone at the baggage claim and look for a little button that will indicate you can make a call without using a phone card, push that button, then dial the number - otherwise your call will not ring through. Their prices are better than a taxi - 89francs per person, about $15. You can arrange for ride to and from your hotel in advance. <BR>A taxi will be about 260-300 francs, more like $43-50 for two people, and they will charge extra for the bags, as well as charge you for their trip to pick you up from wherever they were when called. Using the shuttle or a taxi will be the best choice since you are traveling with children - other services only deliver you to selected spots in city, then you still have to get a way to your hotel from there, ie. AirFrance bus or using Metro.

In my opinion the best and most reliable method of CDG to the city is the Rossy bus. It leave about every 15 minutes during daytime hours. It's on the Paris Web site. The end of the line I think is at the old Opera building. Good drive evry reasonable price.