Paris Airport to Paris City Centre: the cheapest routes

We have to say it, Charles de Gaulle isn’t an “easy airport”, in fact, it’s between the ten busiest airports in the world and measures 12.5 mi²! However, don’t worry about it, because here you’ll find the best routes to get from Paris Airport to Paris City Centre hassle-free! Moreover, we’ll provide you with the best tips to save money and time!

Let’s start with a quick overview of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

The airport has 3 terminal (T1, T2, T3).
There are several sub-terminals (e.g., 2A, 2B) to make it easier to move through it.
It’s located 25 kilometers (about 15 miles) from central Paris.
Gossip time: it’s the biggest airport in Europe!
Free WIFi available all over the airport.
There are medically-equipped areas for emergencies and special care.
You’ll discover a wide range of restaurants, shops, and pharmacies.

Now that you know all the essential information about this fantastic airport let’s go deeper into details!

Before choosing your way to get from Paris airport to central Paris, consider whether you can face another long journey.

There isn’t a universal best solution to move to the City Centre. First of all, you have to consider where your accommodation is and, above all, if you are too tired to wait for public transports. It’s known that going to the City Centre is time-consuming: 50 minutes with the fastest connection (by train).

Besides, you could take a taxi. Yes, it’s costly, but is it worth it? We have to admit a taxi isn’t always the quickest solution to get to your hotel. During rush hours, the road to and from Charles De Gaulle Airport is busy, and it could take more than an hour to reach a specific area.

Last but not least, you should think about your budget. Before revealing what’s the cheapest option from Paris Airport to the City Centre, we want to mention that even if taxis are much expensive than coaches, they guarantee a flat rate.

Anyway, don’t forget that if you want to move from one terminal to another, there is a free shuttle bus outside each terminal.

Getting from Paris Airport to Paris City Centre by train (recommended option)

Although the railway station is not so close to the arrival area, catching a train that leads you directly to the city centre (or back, from Paris City Centre to Charles de Gaulle Airport) is undoubtedly the best choice.

Reaching the train station is quite easy. You only need to follow the signs you see everywhere in the arrival hall and get carried away by moving walkways and escalators, situated in every part of the airport.

Paris Airport is served by RER B (blue), a convenient train managed by RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens), a state-owned public transport operator.

RER B reaches two different stations, the one at Terminal 1 and the Roissypole (for CDG Terminal 1 and CDG Terminal 3 passengers).

This train runs north-south through Paris City Centre from Charles de Gaulle Airport to North Station (French: Gare du Nord). Departures every 10-15 minutes.

Other stops:

Gare du Nord (Eurostar Station)
Châtelet les Halles (a super exchange station with 4 metro and 3 RER lines)
St Michel/Nôtre Dame
Luxembourg
Port Royal
Denfert-Rochereau
Cité Universitaire

Price

At the end of the escalators, you’ll find several machines to purchase tickets. You can pay with euro coins or a credit card. The price is very affordable: €11,40 (Zone 5 -> Zone 1). You can also buy tickets online on the Parisinfo website.

Other fares:

€7 children 4 – 9
Children 0―3 years travel for free

City passes accepted

Navigo Pass
Paris Visite
Navigo Day Pass
Ticket Mobilis

If you are staying in Paris for a few days, we suggest you buy a city pass. These cards allow you to save money and to move from one district to another (even to and from the Airport) totally free of charge. Also, some of these companies allow you to get to the Disneyland Paris area without buying a new ticket and offer discounts on many attractions.

Arriving in Paris: Where to sleep?

Accustomed to welcoming millions of tourists every year, Paris offers a wide range of accommodation. Hotels, hostels, apartments, holiday houses, campsites, or even boats… There’s no lack of possibilities!
Finding the ideal accommodation can give a real headache. To help you find your ideal accommodation quickly, we recommend using the Cozycozy.com search engine. Easy-to-use, it’ll quickly help you with finding what you’re looking for in the neighborhood that suits you the best!

Taxi from Cdg to Paris

Nothing is better than landing in Paris and being whisked off to your accommodation in about one hour (or even less!) by a comfortable taxi that is waiting for you right outside the terminal.

With a private taxi, you can forget about queueing at ticket vending machines or having to wait for the next train (in case you have just lost the previous one).

The good news is that Paris taxis offer a flat rate to go from Charles de Gaulle Airport to the City Centre area.

Approximately, a taxi ride from the Airport to the City Centre costs €50 and rises by another €10 at rush hours or overnight. Nevertheless, during peak hours, the journey can take more than one hour, so don’t forget to think about it, especially if you’re about to attend an important meeting.

Most importantly, don’t forget to rely on legitimate companies! On the internet, you can read several stories about tourists scammed by illegitimate taxi drivers!

Useful tip: how to Recognize Legit Airport Taxis in Paris

Here are some tips that will help you understand if a taxi is verified or not. Follow them, and you won’t find any surprises in your wallet!

An official taxi in Paris has an illuminated sign on the rooftop. If you see a queue outside terminals and a neon taxi sign, well, it means that you are in front of legitimate taxicab stands.

In general, official taxis park near the baggage claim office of each terminal. Do you see a queue there, ok, you are on your right way!

Remember that fares are metered! So make sure your taxi driver puts the meter in a clearly visible place.

If you want to avoid stress and problems, pre-order a taxi, for example, you can choose G7, a company with a fleet of over 7,500 taxis whizzing all over town and, most importantly, recommended by the Paris Airport Authority.

Alternatively, you can book a ride with Taxi2Airport and get 5% off on your first ride if you book it online.

How to get from Paris Cdg to the City Centre by bus

Are you looking for an affordable way to get to Paris City Centre? The answer is simple: take a bus! At Paris Charles de Gaulle, you’ll have a choice of six routes (from 3 separate companies) that lead you to different districts. 2 services are run by RATP, 1 by Roissybus, and the last one is Bus Direct.

Before you make your choice, don’t forget to consider which is your final destination. Not all routes go to the same places.

If you decide to take a bus, take into account that your journey to the city centre of Paris will last about 80 minutes and cost from €6 to €11.50. Paris Visite Pass includes the airport shuttle transfer.

Get more information here: RATP Shuttle Bus.

Anyway, the most popular bus transfer at CDG is for sure Roissybus. It serves all the terminals and takes you directly to the Opéra district. It works h24 with departures every 20 minutes and leads you to Paris-Opéra in one hour (depending on traffic congestion).

Buy a ticket or get further information here.

Another shuttle service between Charles de Gaulle and Orly Airport is Le Bus Direct. Although more expensive (€17 one-way & €30 round-trip), it offers various onboard services, such as free WI-FI, USB plugs, and unlimited luggage. Bus stops are situated close to the most famous attractions: Trocadéro, Porte Maillot, Eiffel Tower, Etoile Champs Elysées, Gare Montparnasse and Gare de Lyon.

The cheapest route ever from Paris Airport to City Centre

Moreover, there are two other local buses (350 and 351) that connect Paris Airport to the City Centre (and back). The first one goes to Gare de Lyon, while the other to Champs-Elysees. Even if they are cheap, don’t forget that they have many intermediate stops, so it’ll take them a long time to reach the central district.

Tickets & Fares

Single journey:€6.

You can use the Paris Visite travel card (zones 1-5) or Navigo (zones 1-5).

Tickets can be purchased directly on board and at all Metro/RER stations.

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How Do I Get From Paris Airport to the City Centre?

By Anna Maria Parente