Getting from Paris CDG Airport to Paris

Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is 25 km northeast of Paris center. Getting into the city takes 40-90 minutes depending on transport and traffic. The RER B train costs €14 and takes about 35-50 minutes to central Paris. A taxi has a fixed fare of €56 to the Right Bank or €65 to the Left Bank, set by decree. Uber works but costs about the same as taxis. A pre-booked transfer is quoted per vehicle when you book. Note that the Roissybus to Opéra no longer exists — it ran its last service on 28 February 2026. CDG is a massive, complicated airport — give yourself extra time for everything.

CDG has three terminals (1, 2, and 3) spread across a vast area. Terminal 2 alone has sub-terminals (2A through 2G). The free CDGVAL shuttle train connects the terminals.

Terminal 1: Older, circular design. Air France long-haul, some Star Alliance airlines. Terminal 2: The main hub. Air France, major European and international airlines. Sub-terminals 2A-2G are connected but the walks are long. Terminal 3: Budget carriers (some Ryanair, easyJet, Vueling). Basic facilities, far from everything.

After immigration and baggage claim (which can take 15-45 minutes), you need to navigate to your transport. The RER B station is at Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 area. Terminal 1 passengers take the CDGVAL to reach it. This adds 10-15 minutes.

Immigration warning: CDG immigration lines can be terrible, especially for non-EU citizens arriving between 2-6 PM when transatlantic and Asian flights cluster. Budget 30-60 minutes for worst case.

RER B train: The backbone option. Runs from CDG to central Paris stations (Gare du Nord, Chatelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel, Denfert-Rochereau). Costs €14 with the Paris Région <> Aéroports ticket (€7 for children 4-9), the single fare that covers CDG since 1 January 2026 (Île-de-France Mobilités). It is not a paper ticket — load it onto a Navigo Easy card, the Île-de-France Mobilités app, or Apple Wallet. It is valid for two hours across zones 1-5, so your onward metro or RER connection in Paris is included, and it also covers the CDG↔Orly journey. Takes 35-50 minutes to Chatelet, every 10-20 minutes from about 5 AM to midnight. Pros: cheap, fast, no traffic. Cons: can be crowded, pickpockets target tourists on this line, no luggage space in busy cars, multiple escalators/stairs.

Roissybus — gone. The direct bus from CDG to Opéra ran its last service on 28 February 2026 and has been withdrawn by Île-de-France Mobilités after a long decline in ridership and poor reliability on the périphérique. If a guide, blog or old forum post still offers it to you, that page is out of date. There is no direct replacement to Opéra: the RER B is the fast route in, and route 9517 (Argenteuil–Saint-Denis–CDG) serves a different corridor entirely.

Le Bus Direct — also gone. The premium coach network to Étoile, Montparnasse and Orly (formerly Cars Air France) was shut down permanently by Groupe ADP in August 2020. It has not existed for years, despite still appearing on a lot of travel sites.

Taxi: Flat fares set by decree. €56 to the Right Bank, €65 to the Left Bank — the two banks of the Seine, so the north half of Paris is €56 and the south half €65. These are flat fares fixed by decree (arrêté of 24 December 2025, applicable through 2026) and they are mandatory: the same price day or night, weekday or holiday, for up to four passengers with luggage. The tariff is revised each year, so check the current one before you fly. Journey takes 40-90 minutes depending on traffic. The A1/A3 autoroute into Paris can be brutally congested — but the fare does not move, which is the whole point of the forfait.

Uber: Works at CDG. Prices are dynamic and the app quotes your trip before you accept, so check it there rather than trusting a number printed anywhere — that is the only figure that is actually current. Surge pricing during peak hours can push it well above the taxi forfait. Uber pickup is from designated areas (a 5-10 minute walk from arrivals in some terminals). Uber Green and Comfort are available too.

Pre-booked transfer: the price is fixed per vehicle and confirmed when you book — sedan, minivan or something larger. The driver meets you at arrivals with a name sign. No surge, and traffic is the driver's problem rather than yours. Good for families and business travelers.

CDG Express: a planned direct train to Gare de l'Est in about 20 minutes. It is not running, and after repeated delays the operator is now targeting 2027. Do not build a plan around it.

Key fact: the €56/€65 flat fares apply Monday to Sunday, including holidays, day and night. The only variable is which bank of the Seine you are going to. No luggage surcharge. A fourth passenger adds nothing. The price is the price — and a driver who tries to charge more is breaking the law.

The catch: the forfait only covers journeys between CDG and Paris proper. La Défense, Versailles, Disneyland and Orly are outside the city, so the meter runs instead and the final figure depends on traffic. For those, a pre-booked transfer is the only way to know the price in advance.

CDG handles flights 24/7 including many red-eyes from the Americas and Asia landing at 5-7 AM, and late evening arrivals until midnight+.

The RER B stops running around midnight (last train varies, check RATP schedules). The first morning train is around 5 AM. Between midnight and 5 AM:

• Noctilien night buses (N140, N143): run through the night to Gare de l'Est and Gare du Nord, taking about 80-100 minutes. They are charged on ordinary Bus-Tram tickets (€2.05 each in 2026, Île-de-France Mobilités) rather than the €14 airport rail ticket, which makes them much the cheapest way out of CDG — check with Île-de-France Mobilités how many tickets the airport section needs before you board. Slow, but very cheap.
• Taxis: available 24/7 at the rank. Same €56/€65 flat fare — there is no night surcharge on the forfait. Can be a 15-30 minute wait at peak arrival times.
• Uber: works, but surge pricing is likely between 11 PM and 1 AM.
• Pre-booked transfer: guaranteed, same price as by day. The stress-free choice for middle-of-the-night arrivals.

CDG is challenging with kids. The terminals are huge, the walks are long, and the RER B is not family-friendly when crowded (pickpockets love distracted parents). For families, a taxi or transfer is strongly recommended.

Child seats: French taxis are technically required to transport children but carry no child seats. For proper child restraints, pre-book a transfer and request them. The RER has no car seats either (children sit on regular seats or parents' laps).

Luggage: The RER has minimal luggage space during rush hour. If you have more than one medium bag per person, avoid it. Taxis handle 3-4 bags. For 5+ bags, book a minivan transfer.

RER B: Stations at Terminal 2 (under Terminal 2, follow "Paris par train" signs) and between Terminal 3 and Roissypole. Terminal 1 arrivals: take CDGVAL to Terminal 3/Roissypole station.

Taxi: Ranks outside each terminal. Follow "Taxi" signs. Use the official rank only — never accept solicitation from drivers inside the terminal.

Uber: Designated pickup areas outside each terminal. The app guides you. At Terminal 2, the walk can be 5-10 minutes from arrivals to the Uber zone.

Transfer: Driver waits in the arrivals hall of your terminal with a name sign. Best meeting point — you walk out and they're there.

• Solo traveler, light bag, budget: RER B train (€14, 40 min)
• Overnight arrival on a budget: Noctilien night bus on Bus-Tram tickets (€2.05 each) — slow, but by far the cheapest
• Couple going to Right Bank: Taxi (€56 flat) — quick and reliable
• Family with kids: Pre-booked transfer with child seats
• Group of 4-6: Minivan transfer (cheaper per person than taxis)
• Business traveler: Pre-booked sedan or taxi
• Going to Disneyland: Pre-booked transfer (fixed price, direct)
• Late night (midnight-5 AM): Pre-booked transfer or Noctilien bus
• Peak rush hour: RER B (avoids traffic entirely)
• Tons of luggage: Transfer with larger vehicle