eastave

I would normally take the RER into Paris. However, I will be arriving on a Friday morning with my six-year old daughter and not my husband. He is meeting us later. We will travel light, but I am worried about having to take charge of our stuff and a sleepy kid. Our apartment is right off the RER line, so we wouldn't need to change. Should I be worried about pick pockets in this situation? The rental agency seems to think so. Also, if we go for a car service, any recommendations? Thanks!

LarryJ

Assuming you will be arriving early in the morning which is usually the case from the USA to CDG I would take the RER but sit close to the door. There is very little danger of pickpocketers especially early in the morning as their work ethic is poor. You will find the train empty when you get on at CDG but sit close to the door because by the time you get to Paris the train will be very crowded with people going to work and it can be difficult to get to the door with your bags etc due to the crowds. You probably know that the RER from CDG to Paris Gare Nord for example takes about 25-30 minutes but by highway it can take well over 1.5 hours at times due to rush hour traffic. Take the RER and you will be fine.

annhig

Hi eastave,

the other way to avoid as many problems as possible is to get the fast service which doesn't stop at many of the stations in northern Paris which could cause a potential problem, if only with more people getting on to go to work and wanting the space that your luggage is taking up.

anyway, i don't think that pickpockets are so much of a problem when you are sitting down as you will be on the RER having got on at CDG.

Gretchen

Why not just take a taxi from the queue? Easy. You don't say how old your daughter is but if less than a teen, you will want to be helping her. A car service certainly isn't necessary.
The taxi has never taken the 1.5 hour mentioned above. It will cost about 50E for both of you. Have the address printed out for the driver, and maybe a map.
Pickpockets are a problem for people who are distracted by their luggage or minding a child--and can be anywhere.

cybor

We recently had a man next to us on the RER stick his hand deep into DHs pocket. He was carrying
a down jacket to disguise his activity. He was very well dressed, middle age and blended in nicely with the am biz commuters.

Sarastro

While it is true that some of the RER B trains have shorter en route times than do others, the trains never actually pass one another. The train withe the earliest arrival time into Paris will always be the next train.

I agree with Gretchen, take a taxi from the official taxi queue, usually but steps from the customs exits. En route times are typically under an hour and cost around 50€.

FrenchMystiqueTours

Actually, on my recent arrival at CDG I took the RER into Paris and was surprised to look out the window and see another train passing us. Perhaps it was a suburban line but based on my experience with RER B trains it looked just like the stock used on the RER B line.

Gretchen

We have had encounters with various pickpockets in various places--on Metro, a group of "girls" rushing onto the train pushing up against you--in St. Petersburg "offering" a scarf to you while the other hand is trying to get in your belt pack-- just crowding up on you when it doesn't seem "necessary". When you have luggage and are jet lagged, just save some stress and start out relaxed in a taxi to your door, not having to look for signage, fare, etc.

eastave

Thank you for the advice. I am not normally an alarmist, but do recognize that having to prod my kid and most likely carry all of our stuff will make me less able to be on top of things. A taxi is a good suggestion.

kerouac

The RER will be fine in the morning and your daughter will probably be all charged up with adrenaline for the first hour or so.

justineparis

Take a taxi from the taxi stand, you do not need a car service ( some apartment agencies seem happy to recommend them, at twice the cost of a taxi!!) . I think with a 6 yr old just make things easier.

yestravel

I always use the RER to and fro cdg, but I agree with a sleepy six year old In tow, and having to handle all the luggage, make it easy on yourself and get a taxi.

kerouac

Of course in France, age six is considered to be the "age of reason" when children are capable of understanding certain responsibilities and making an extra effort.

As for pickpockets, I have never understood how anybody who knows of their existence can be worried about them. If you know that you are going somewhere that is likely to have pickpockets, you just take the necessary measures to make your valuables inaccessible. Pickpockets prefer to take advantage of people who are completely unaware -- they do not like difficulty.

yestravel

Yea and in the US it might be about age 25...

kerouac

Well, it is at least 21.

I fear that a lot of the questions hare are just requests to validate people's desire to take the "easy" way out (at least what they think is the easy way out). "They all told me to do this just to be safe" is a way to justify a 60€ expenditure when one could have spent so much less. Well, that is certainly one way to prevent the pickpockets from getting your money -- just give it voluntarily to other people who don't even need to slip their hands in your pocket.

I give up.

eastave

Well at least the people who get my money are providing me a service.

We also have flown to Europe many times so I have some sense for how charged up she will be upon landing.

I appreciate the suggestions.

justineparis

Kerouac when you have been in charge of travelling transalantically with a six year old then comment, otherwise it comes across as someone who hasn't had kids lecturing others on what they should or should not do.. and you wouldn't mean that would you?? Its so easy to advise people when you haven't walked a mile in their shoes..

A six year old may be tired, kids physically require more sleep then adults, this is not an indulgence this is medical fact. A tired child can in a strange place can be cranky or need extra reassurance, this means mom may be more distracted watching stuff and comforting or putting up with child, and she herself may be tired,, as a mother flying with a younger child they have more responsibilty, they don't get to just knock back a gin and tonic and flake our after the flight meal...

annhig

at least the OP will have all the info she needs when she gets to CDG to make the choice - depending on how she and her DD feel at the time.

I have sympathy with both views but what might swing it for me is the amount of luggage that the OP may be travelling with - managing a case, a handbag and a small child, however co-operative, in a strange and foreign place might be a bridge too far.

that G & T does sound attractive though.

eastave

To be clear, if my husband were with us we would definitely take the RER. I was hoping to travel with just carry on, but that would mean we would need two small suitcases instead of 1 bigger one we normally use when we check things.

The nice thing about the taxi option is we can just play it by ear.

annhig

eastave - as you have identified, the one larger case will definitely be easier here, plus a handbag that you can loop across your body securely to give you your other hand for your DD.

if she will carry a back-pack, she can take responsibility for her own things for the journey and have both hands free which will help you.

good luck with your trip!