Transferring between CDG and Orly airports in Paris
 

My husband and I are traveling from NY to the CDG airport in early October. We then have a three-hour delay until our next flight, which is out of the Orly airport. <BR> <BR>I visited http://www.paris-airports.com/ and have learned that there are three ways to make this transfer: <BR> <BR>1. the Air France bus <BR>2. the train and <BR>3. a taxi <BR> <BR>Has anyone made this transfer recently? How long does it REALLY take? Which form of transport is the safest and fastest? <BR> <BR>My husband and I travel light...we will have only carry on luggage. (So, we will not need to wait for the luggage carousel) <BR> <BR>Any help will be greatly appreciated. <BR> <BR>Thank you.

If you are departing Orly Sud, then you can take the RER B to "Antony" and change to ORLYVAL. Allow about 1 1/2 hrs travel time (doesn't count getting to RER B from your arrival; add at least another half-hour for that). <BR> <BR>If it is Orly Ouest, then RER B to Denfert-Rochereau and take the ORLYBUS from there. <BR> <BR>I've done the train to Orly Sud, and it's a no brainer, and with just carryons, it's easy. <BR> <BR>Never done the Ouest terminal, so have never used the orlybus... <BR> <BR>Depending on the time of day, a taxi or any bus could take longer (think rush hour traffic).

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Marna, In the olden days when U.S. flights arrived/departed Orly, the Orlyval stopped at both Ouest and Sud, is this no longer true? Is there a ticket booth at CDG (or Roissy as the French insist) or only vending machines.After a long flight from DFW we had a frustrating time trying to figure out the #@%!&* vending machines at Antony.

Yes, Orlyval does now go to Ouest (didn't when I took it back when God was a baby). Good, I hate changing from train to bus... <BR> <BR>I don't know about a clerk at CDG itself (there must be a booth somewhere for trains/metro, but I've never looked for it); if you take the RER shuttle bus (gate 28ish?) to the RER station, then there is a live human bean from whom to buy your ticket; just tell him or her you want to go to Orly...

Elvira, <BR> <BR>Thank you so very much for your response. <BR> <BR>Do you think that 1 1/2 hours will be ample enough time to deboard our plane and arrive at the Orly airport? We arrive CDG at 6:30 AM. When does the rush hour begin in Paris? <BR> <BR>I know that CDG and Orly are only 21 miles apart....

Pam, I'd allot 2 1/2 hours to be on the safe side; the trains run every few minutes (like 10 or so), so you might just miss one and have to wait for the next. With a 3 hour layover, you should have no problems...unless those pesky French decide to go on strike. <BR> <BR>Bon voyage! If you'd like to meet for drinks, I'll be in Paris through 10/15. Email me - I am leaving in 15mins for the airport, so I won't see my email until middle of September.

Arriving CDG at 6:30AM is good, but traffic depends on what day of the week you are arriving. I took the bus once from CDG to Orly and missed my flight even though we "supposedly" had more than enough time. I would opt for the train next time. Road traffic is difficult to predict.

John, <BR> <BR>Thank you for the response. I arrive in Paris on Wednesday morning, so I assume that traffic will be typical to any weekday rush hour. I will take your advice and take the train. I have 2 hours and 40 minutes for the transfer <BR>so *hopefully* it will all work out! <BR> <BR>Pam

Pam, you are right. You will run smack into the normal weekday traffic jams. I lived in the 16th near the Bois de Bologne and use to take the peripherique to A6 south past Orly everyday and the norning traffic is typically bumper-to-bumper. I would guess that you wouldn't get to Paris earlier than 7:30AM, landing at 6:30AM, and I am afraid you would hit the worse of the traffic. I would defintely take the train. 2hrs 40 min isn't that long when you have to transfer from CDG to Orly. The only time it would be ok to go by auto or bus would be on a Sunday morning.