Can anybody think of any reason why I'd want to reserve Bee Shuttle ahead of time (now?) for a June trip? We will need them for CDG to Paris and then Paris to Beauvais on the way out. Thanks.

How many of you are there? And how much is it? Cheaper than a taxi? What do you have to do, call them when you arrive and then they come pick you up? I have yet to "get" why people like most of the shuttles I've seen or heard of over a taxi.

The most significant reason I've heard is that you can be assured of a set cost, whereas there's a bit of a gamble if you get in a taxi that hits enormous traffic, etc. Plus the reported costs are slightly cheaper for a shuttle vs. a taxi most of the time.

For Paris to Beauvais, a taxi would be very expensive indeed. Not sure about a shuttle. Have you ruled out the Ryanair shuttle bus?

Patrick: I'm thinking a shuttle because there are four adult sized people (well, parents + 2 teenagers). Don't you think that's the best plan? I really can't see us all in one cab. I'd never do it in NYC, and I presume the cabs are smaller in Paris? Thanks.

willtravel: I've sort of ruled out the Ryanair shuttle because it leaves from a train (or some kind of) station that looks like it is quite far from our apt. in the 5th. Our flight is very early (9:00 AM). What do you think? Thanks!

Bee Shuttle costs 58 euro for four people with an unknown number of extra stops enroute. I can't imagine a taxi being that much to central Paris. There are numerous mini van taxis in Paris. You merely need to wait a few minutes for one at the airport. But someone else needs to say if those are large enough or not for four of you.
Meanwhile, if you want to be guaranteed a maximum of two other stops with Bee Shuttle, it costs 80 euro.

If a regular mini van taxi holds four, I'd go for that any day over contacting a shuttle and waiting for them, plus making detours on the way to the hotel when you're tired.

wliwl, there's been some discussion of how to get to that Ryanair shuttle bus on previous threads. I believe it leaves from Porte Maillot, which is in the northwest area of Paris.

I don't know when the metro starts running in the morning and if that would allow you enough time to get to the bus from the 5th, but you could take a taxi to the Ryanair shuttle bus location. Whether that will save you money in total is hard to say.

Hmmm...I was unaware of the taxi "mini van." I'll post a question about that seperately. I would much rather take a cab - especially when we get in. Last time I was in Paris we took the train into town. It was a pain even with small luggage.

Hi wl,

The cab stand at CDG has a dispatcher, who will find you a cab for 4. You will probably have to wait a (short?)while.

If you have a reservation with Bee Shuttle, you call as soon as you arrive at the luggage area. The driver will be waiting for you when you clear Customs.

Occasionally you will find a driver who claims that he doesn't have the credit card machine and will want you to go to an ATM to get cash. Do not accept this. Insist on his calling the office to authorize the charge.

This trick is not limited to Bee.

To me, the obvious "advantage" to using a shuttle would be the set price regardless of the time and regardless of the traffic. People often pick this option because "the money" issue is the most important one.

If someone would be standing there when the taxi leaves and could guarantee that it would cost no more than a shuttle then I suspect the shuttles would all go out of business pretty fast.

Bee shuttle was actually really cheap for us compared to a cab--there were 2 of us..and you get a discount for using them on the way back.

Also there was only the 2 of us in the van which surprised me. I thought we'd be overflowing going by some of the posts on this forum.

CAVEAT-there was NO ONE waiting for us outside baggage claim as promised!! We had to find a phone and call the toll free number. THREE TIMES AT LEAST. Then the guy argued with me about where to meet.

He kept telling me to follow the instructions in an email I received earlier that week. I kept telling him that's exactly where I was--he kept saying if I was there, then the driver would be there too!! Like an Abbott & Costello routine.

Finally (45mins later) we saw the driver pull up outside--see? told you he wasn't where we were!!

The driver was great though..he even let us use his cell to call our apartment.

So, just be prepared I guess is all I'm saying. Good luck and happy travels!

Hi lucy,

We had the opposite experience.

My sister was supposed to call when she arrived, because her plane landed after ours.

She forgot.

We called after we had all of our baggage.

The van arrived within 15 min.

Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose.

I hate to beat a dead horse (why would I want to do that?), but to those who keep talking about the price being better for a shuttle than a taxi, will you please read and see that we are talking about FOUR people here, not TWO. That doubles the price of the shuttle from two people and it is a very safe bet that a taxi WILL be CHEAPER. The shuttle price is now 58 euros -- hard to believe a taxi would ever be that much. Add stories like that 45 minute wait (or even a 15 minute one), and the taxi sounds like a more attractive alternative all the time.

Patrick has it exactly right. Take a taxi.

OK Patrick, I think people get it...they're just exploring all options. Careful or you'll pop a vein.

Arggg...I just know this is the beginning of the fun of travelling in a party of four! (I'm trying to picture sharing a little tiny cafe table with my 2 boys, one at 6'3" and the other at 6'5", and my 6'2" husband - gee do ya' think anybody will suspect we're Americans??? HA!)

Anyway, now I see a lot more horror stories about Bee Shuttle on here. I got a response from "paris.shuttle-airport.com" that the trip in from CDG for all 4 of us will be 85€ and the trip to Beauvois will be 155€. I will happily pay that 155€, but they sure as hell better show up on time to get us there for a 9:00AM flight!!!

Perhaps the bottom line is, do you think I'm better off pre-planning this or should I just deal with it at the airport?

P.S. to Patrick - Sometimes I take a shuttle (preferably those BIG buses outside Grand Central!) in NYC rather than a cab because it feels a little safer and if I'm not in a rush it is worth it, although I am, admittedly, perhaps more fearful than the average person of scary cab rides.

Hi wl,

>...do you think I'm better off pre-planning this or should I just deal with it at the airport? <

Depends upon how phlegmatic you and your family are.

There is another way to get to Beauvais. I think you take the Metro to a place and then a bus for like 10E. And since we took all our adult children and their spouses to Paris last fall, they fit around cafe tables quite well. Still can't figure out why you won't take a taxi. They are vans--price will be about 50E.

"Author: lucygirl
Date: 03/18/2005, 11:26 am
Message: OK Patrick, I think people get it...they're just exploring all options. Careful or you'll pop a vein."

Huh? You think all the people really do "get it"? Even those who still said that "for two the cost of a shuttle will be less than a taxi?"
No vein popping here, just was aware that obviously some people were missing the four people bit. Sorry that somehow caused you to get in a tizzy, lucygirl. Talk about vein popping!

lucygirl,
I can't believe you actually waited the 45 minutes. I would've taken a cab after 10.