suezanna

Due to the UK chunnel being closed on June 15th for repairs. (Just my luck) All of my travel plans got messed up and I have to fly to Paris from London. We've decided just to make the hop from Heathrow on BA after our Virgin Flight arrives. Here is where I need expert opinions. We arrive CDG at 4:20 Monday Paris time. I'm worried that if we try to take a taxi, the traffic will be horrendous and I'll have to watch the meter go up and up and watch my husband have a heart attack at the fare. But I know we will be exhausted and jet laggy and taking a shuttle with stops might be worse. We are staying at le Madison in St. Germain and I'd just really like not to deal with a cranky husband right off the bat. Do Paris taxi's have any kind of limit from CDG or am I better off taking a shuttle. We will not have any significant luggage...
I'd appreciate any insight.

Lesli

If you're headed for St. Germaine and have little luggage, how about the RER? It's by far the quickest, especially during times of day when traffic will be heavy. Here's one recent thread (for others, type "RER and CDG" in the text box at the top of this page):

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34417428

DonTopaz

The trade-offs are defintitely time vs. money vs. convenience.

The fastest and least expensive way is the RER-metro combination. However, the trains will be packed (rush hour) and you'll have plenty of walking/stairs to negotiate when changing from the RER to the metro. For me, this would be the last thing I'd want to do after a tiring air trip.

Taxi is the most expensive, but the cab will get caught in rush-hour traffic.

A good compromise would be to take the Air France bus to Montparnasse, then a (fairly short) taxi ride to your hotel.

suezanna

I've pretty much decided to take the Air France bus to Montparnasse and then just try to cab it from there. It will be more fun to see the sights up top anyway. I've searched the threads but haven't seen if anyone says if its difficult to find the Air France bus. We are coming in on British Air in Terminal 1. Do I need to buy the tickets ahead of time for the bus? Or is it pretty self explanatory?
Less than 2 weeks, I can't believe its real!

StCirq

The Air France buses depart from outside gate #34, which is where the information booth is. Walk out the door, cross the street, go into the glassed-in office, and buy a ticket. I think it's 11€. There are three or four different AF buses, so make sure get on the one going to Montparnasse.

klondike

We have done as Rizzuto suggested. St. Cirq's info is correct. It is pretty straightforward and there will be a "Tete de Taxi" at Montparnasse which will take you to your hotel. We, too, stayed in the 7th and it is a short ride. We did get caught in traffic on the AirFrance bus, but the same would be the case if you were in a shuttle or taxi.

Have a marvelous trip!

zil

I'm staying in the 5th...would I get off the bus at MOntparnasse too? About how much would a taxi be for me, from Montparnasse or whatever my stop would be to the 5th? (rue mouffetard)

LVSue

Suezanna, rather than AF shuttle and taxi, why not just take a regular shuttle that will pick you up at CDG and drop you at your hotel for just a little more than the AF shuttle. I've used parishuttle.com with no problem. Mark Harris the manager posts here regularly and you can e-mail him at [email protected]. I've used the AF shuttle, but only when my hotel was near Montparnasse.

There's a lot to be said for skipping the taxi during the rush hour. Once DH and I took a taxi from Gare de Lyon to the 6th (not far at all) and ended up with a $25 taxi bill because we arrived in the middle of the Gay Pride parade which had several major thoroughfares in the 6th blocked off. We finally had the driver drop us off a couple of blocks from our hotel because "you just couldn't get there from here."

Cluny

With a cranky husband, I think the Air France bus might be a better choice than a shuttle--no driving around to other people's hotels and no one trying to make conversation. When my husband is tired, the last thing he wants to do is talk to anyone. The bus also feels a bit less claustrophobic and the view is better if you're stuck.

Zil, Gare Montparnasse is about two miles from rue Mouffetard (you can plug addresses in Paris into the Driving Directions box at viamichelin.com to find out distances--click on map to see the route). The cost will depend on the amount of traffic. The other stops for the Air France bus are Etoile and Port Maillot on the right bank.

PhyllisB

We will be staying in the 12th district of Vincennes - what mode of transportation should be take to get from the 12th to CDG to catch an 11:00 a.m. flight? Thanks for your help. Definitely appreciate all the great tips received from Fodors.

Christina

I like the AF bus myself -- find it very pleasant and easy, a very good value (it's 11,50 euro). It's free for kids under 2 and 50 pct off for kids up to age 12, 15 pct discount for 4+.

As for getting to rue Mouffetard from the Montparnasse dropoff, that shouldn't be too bad because I don't think that route would be as affected by rush-hour traffic as much as going through the center of the city somehow. Of course, you'll end up paying about the same for two people with the AF bus + short cab ride as paying for an airport shuttle to begin with. Hard to tell what someone would prefer.

To go to the airport from the Vincennes area, I would definitely take a taxi from there, especially since there is more than one of you00or go with an airport shuttle company if you like that idea. You could also take the AF bus to/from there, however, as the bus that goes to Montparnasse stops first at Gare de Lyon which is in the west end of the 12th. I wouldn't want to fool with that method on going to the airport, myself.