There are many options at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris for both parking and ground transportation, and it's a good idea to become familiar with them before traveling begins.
Parking
At the Charles de Gaulle Airport, each of the terminals has its own car park. Parking at the terminals is fairly expensive, so other options that are not as close to the terminals may be better for the budget-minded traveler. The charge for Terminal parking is all the same:
- EUR 2.40 for the first hour
- EUR 4.80 for two hours
- EUR 7.00 for three hours
- EUR 8.80 for four hours
- EUR 14.80 for eight hours
- EUR 20.00 for a day.
A multi-level garage is located right at Terminal 1.
A cheaper option for that Terminal, actually almost half the cost at EUR 10.70 a day, is along the approach to Terminal 1, near the Hotel Sofitel.
Terminal 2 has three car parks: one for Terminal 2A and 2B, another for Terminal 2C and 2D, and a third for Terminal 2F. There is covered parking at these lots. Terminal 3 has a car park that is not covered, and which is divided into two areas: Sud (South) and Est (East). Another inexpensive car park is located along the approach to Terminal 3. It has the same lower rates that the cheaper option for Terminal 1 has.
Ground Transportation
There are many ways to reach Paris from Charles de Gaulle Airport. One of the cheapest is to take the RER train, which makes several stops in central Paris and connects with the Métro. Travelers on the RER train have to carry their own luggage, which may be a drawback. The fare to Paris is EUR 8.20.
A second option is a bus. Buses of Les Cars Air France bring travelers from Terminals 1 and 2 to both the Right and Left Bank. Line 2 goes to Place Charles de Gaulle, where the Arc de Triomphe is located, and to Porte Maillot near the La Defense skyscraper area. The buses only run from 5:45 a.m. to 11 p.m. at night. The fare is higher than the train, with one-way at €15, and €24 for a round trip. Line 4 runs to the Gare de Lyon and the Gare Montparnasse, and the fare is EUR 16 for a one-way or EUR 27 for a round-trip ticket.
The RATP, the Paris regional transport authority, runs the RoissyBus, which brings travelers from all three terminals to the rue Scribe near the American Express building and the Opéra district. The one-way fare is EUR 8.60, and it takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half during rush hour.
There is also the taxi option, but there is always a long line waiting for one. The fare can run anywhere from EUR40 to EUR50 or more during rush hour. In addition to the fare, there is an additional charge for each piece of luggage.