Our flight arrives into CDG at 4:10pm. I wanted to know what time to tell our shuttle service to pick us up.

We will need to collect our bags, go through customs and security, and stop off at an ATM - what time do you think I should give for them to meet us?

depends if you want them waiting or you want to wait. also depends if your flight is on time. I would go with 530.

It also depends (heavily) on what the passenger loads and immigration staffing is like.

In other words, have them pick you up at 6h00 if you want to be absolutely sure they won't have to (charge you to) wait.

I always thought the shuttle service told YOU what time the pickup would be, based on your flight's arrival time.

many shuttles just want to know your flight number and they decide the pick up time (since they can monitor the flight's status). Often they will give you a phone number to call after you are in arrivals . . . .

Thanks everyone for the help - we won't need to call them since they will be waiting for us at the airport.

I noticed that some shuttle services asked you what time you wanted to be picked up, while others told you a time.

Then there is the option of a Taxi Parisien...or the RER...

Thinking about it - I would rather do business with a shuttle that <i>doesn't</i> want to know what time you want them there. The kind that monitors flights and arrives coincident with the arrival sounds like a smarter-run business.

Out of curiosity, how would a shuttle company monitor flight arrivals? Watch web site for delays? Is this an &quot;active&quot; monitoring, or &quot;passive&quot; where they would look at a timetable to see when the flight arrives, then factor in time for unloading, clearing customs?

If <u>I</u> were running a shuttle business, I'd instruct my dispatchers to monitor www.adp.fr for real-time arrivals information.

Horseback estimates of immigration/customs delays could be garnered from recently-served clients.

I've never had one that didn't want me to tell them when I wanted them to be there, but if they really take responsibility and monitor flights closely, that would be great. I just find it hard to believe a shuttle company could really do that very well for all their customers, but if they can and promise to be there, sounds good to me. I've never used one in Paris, but have in some other countries (more like private cars), and I always tell them both my scheduled arrival time and that I would like to be picked up about an hour later. That has worked well.