Shuttle vs. Taxi
 

Assume that taking a shuttle from CDG to Paris is cheaper than a taxi....correct me if I am wrong.

You are correct. Depend on where you are going in Paris but probably 40 - 60e via taxi. Shuttle depends on the company and where you are going, probably 14 - 20e. RER and metro is cheaper still and can be a good choice depending on how much luggage you have and your destination.

For one person, definitely yes. Two people - maybe. Three or four - no, better to take a taxi.

For 3 people it's still cheaper to take a shuttle and it may be cheaper for 4 people as well. I believe taxis charge a supplement for the 4th person and they do charge for every bag. The shuttle price is all inclusive (except tip to the driver), even if you're stuck in traffic; taxi meters never stop ticking. For example, taxis charge 40-60 Euro as stated above plus baggage supplement. A shuttle is 16 Euro per person for 2 or more people; baggage is not additional. That means 3 people can take a shuttle for 48 Euros and 4 people would be 64 Euros.

So far I've seen 24 per for two people/cheapest. Going both ways that's quite a bit. Will keep looking...

Yes, but in the shuttle you might be crammed in with several people you don't know and get treated to stops at their hotels/apartments before arriving at your own. That's about the last thing I want to do after several hours on a transatlantic flight!

I can never understand the economic logic at play here either... the flight has cost $500, $800, 1,000 dollars or more per person to get you across the Atlantic to Paris. Why do people agonize over spending 50 Euros on a cab once they arrive?

Rob

Shuttle =Inter is 55 Euro and worth every penny. We usually would take a taxi but on the recommendation of gracejoan here we booked SI. I was so glad we did as there was a huge traffic jam on the way in from CDG and the meter would have been over the top! It's a private car so for 2-3 people it isn't too expensive. I much prefer it over a shared shuttle. The only time we took a shared it took almost 90 minutes picking up people before we got to the airport.

Barnum - which shuttle has rates of 24 Euros for 2? Can you give a link please.

<I>ParisAmsterdam on Apr 21, 09 at 10:31 AM

I can never understand the economic logic at play here either... the flight has cost $500, $800, 1,000 dollars or more per person to get you across the Atlantic to Paris. Why do people agonize over spending 50 Euros on a cab once they arrive?</i>

Because the $50 represents an additional 10 skipped lunches?

Consider riding the train to town, then taking a taxi right to your door. The RER stops at Gare du Nord, Ch&acirc;telet, Notre Dame, Luxembourg, Port Royal, and Denfert-Rochereau.

55 euro for a private shuttle is not cheaper than a taxi -- the majority of the time. It is possible one time it could be, that is true, although I have never paid over 55 euro for a taxi from CDG to Paris, even far Left Bank.

I've never paid less than 55 Euro for a taxi to the left bank hotel I ususally use. And that is on over 20 trips to Paris. It might be that my planes usually arrive at rush hour, but I'd never plan on spending less.

I just paid 50 euros, for a taxi, week before last from CDG to my Parisian friend's apartment, in the 10th. We'd just gotten off a plane from Italy and were going back to his apartment. It was on a Wednesday, around 6:30PM, and with traffic.

I paid 51 Euros,, on Easter Sunday, when there's usually little to no traffic, from his apartment back to CDG, but we caught some traffic on the freeway. It was 10:30AM.

I paid less, last spring, with the shuttle service from CDG to the 6th. Happy Travels!

ParisAmsterdam on Apr 21, 09 at 10:31 AM

"I can never understand the economic logic at play here either... the flight has cost $500, $800, 1,000 dollars or more per person to get you across the Atlantic to Paris. Why do people agonize over spending 50 Euros on a cab once they arrive?"

One has few options re transAtlantic travel cost, but there are a multitude of options for CDG transport. Many of us choose to save money where we can.

Our immediate family has 5 members. It is extremely difficult, and often impossible, to find a taxi extemporaneously that can carry us and our luggage to and from airports. We use private driver services such as Shuttle-Inter in those circumstances.

We've used a shuttle in Paris and other places when traveling without children. It's hit or miss as to number of stops you make before it gets you where you need to go. Seems to work best with early morning trips to airport when there's little chance of stopping along the way.

Enjoy your trip.

Adrienne, the 24$ I stated above was per person...sorry.

As for agonizing over the cost of a shuttle or taxi... My wife and I are not independently wealthy, and we look to save where we can.

You should use Leader Shuttle for 32 Euro for 2 people. It's a bit cheaper than the one you found. Leader will meet you at the airport with a sign with your name on it.

The other option, depending on where you're staying, is the Air France bus for 14 Euro per person. If you don't have to take a cab from the closest stop or the metro you can save a few Euros.

I agree with trying to save some money where you can.

Barnum,

I'm not Bill Gates either but I refuse to agonise over a couple of euros in transport costs on a vacation that is costing into the 5 figures.

We took a cab from CDG to Ile St Louis... 45 euros. That's less than the Air France bus or a shuttle and the driver helped load the bags and then unload them at the front door as well.

Rob

I think it's perfectly natural to fly into an airport, ride a train from there to my destination city, and take a cab from the station. If you were going to Tours, that's what you'd do - so why not to Paris?

<<We took a cab from CDG to Ile St Louis... 45 euros. That's less than the Air France bus or a shuttle >>

I disagree that 45 euros is less than 32 or 28 euros.

I find paying 65 euro for a private car and a driver with a sign helping me get out of the CDG airport after an 11 hour flight from Los Angeles to be a real bargain. I'd rather skimp on the cost of some dessert and enjoy the scenery of Paris on the way to the hotel.