dejarnett

I'm flying into Paris CDG Terminal 1 (United) on Tuesday at 10:55 am from the U.S. Totally unfamiliar with international travel at this point, so trying to find the protocol for what to do when I land -- do I exchange USD for Euros, or will I likely be able to pay the taxi with credit card?

Also, how much should it cost to get from CDG to my hotel near the Arc de thriumphe? Is 20% tip standard for taxis?

I've been looking through this forum, but haven't found these specific answers yet, so appreciate the help of experience here before I go to the airport tomorrow morning.

Feel free to advise as if explaining to a first grader ("when you deplane ....") -- nothing's too basic at this point.

Thanks,

Gary

Sheikh Yerbooty

Don't take a taxi. It's going to take forever and is very expensive. Take the CDGVAL (tram) from T1 to the train station at CDG Roissy Pole, it's only one stop and takes but a couple of minutes. Take the RER B (Blue) train to Châtelet les Halles (around 30-40 minutes) and grab a taxi from there. It's really not complicated at all, but do keep in mind that Paris is a metropolis and the biggest tourist destination in the world, with all the ups and downs that goes with it. That sadly includes petty theft, particularly at places where lots of tourists gather. Now I've been to Paris umpteen times and have never been robbed of anything; don't be stupid and keep your wits about you and you'll be just fine.

As for the "when you deplane ...", you'll find that deplaning is much the same anywhere in the world you go, and that CDG T1 is a wonderful piece of utterly bewildering architecture. But to overcome the French idea of logic in design, there's signs leading you first to passport control, then to baggage claim and then to the CDGVAL station. You can exchange money where ever you wish, or you can pay for your train ticket with a credit card. There are few places in the world I'd trust a taxi driver with a credit card, and Paris is not one of them. Suggest you withdraw cash from one of the many ATMs, or do your exchange business at one of the many exchange shops at the airport or the train stations.

Enjoy Paris, it's magical this time of year. Well, anytime of year really but particularly so in the autumn.

PS
You'll find one pleasant thing about France, Europe or, indeed, anywhere outside the US: There ain't no massive tipping culture. If the taxi bill is 20 Euro, that's what you pay; the tip is included in the fare. Now if you want to slip the driver a couple more sheckels, fine, but there's absolutely no "requirement" to do so.

sparksals

Be careful using your credit card for the train at CDG. The only card of ours that worked in the machine was the Hilton Honors Reserve Visa with the chip. Great card to have.

For someone who has not traveled internationally, I personally would not recco digging right into the metro from the airport. It is confusing, the machines are for different trains and there is a huge lineup if you want to buy tickets from the window.

We took a pre-arranged shuttle from our hotel to the airport. If you contact your hotel, I bet they know of many shuttles that are at the airport that can take you to the hotel. It is not a hotel specific shuttle as they go around to several hotels picking up and dropping off. That is what we used to get to the CDG Hilton our last night before departing. It was far cheaper than a taxi. Maybe someone here knows the names of various shuttles, but when you are in the airport, there will be signs directing you . We paid 35Euro for the two of us. Pretty good value.

I think that will be the easiest and least stressful for you. Just look for the shuttle signs when exiting the airport. They will be easy to find and the least stressful. You will get to your hotel in good time and not have to worry about lugging your bags up and down stairs and through transfer stations.

need2ski

It depends on how you value your time. A taxi from the airport could run about 50-60 Euro, depending on traffic (bad traffic = greater cost). I have taken the train into the city and it is relatively easy, but if you are traveling with a bunch of bags or tired from your flight and just want to get to the hotel, a taxi may be the way to go. Or you can go with a car service if you want to have a defined cost and like the convenience of having someone waiting for you at baggage claim. If you are staying at a major hotel, I would check that specific forum (search for "Paris" or the hotel name under the loyalty program i.e. Hilton) to see the approach that people have taken recently to gain a better understanding of your options.

I generally just use an ATM at the train station to withdraw Euros. Always good to have cash for cabs and I tip 10%, which I think is about the standard.

Sheikh Yerbooty

I'm not suggesting the OP should take the Metro, and I will contest the notion it's "complicated'. It might be a tad bigger than what you may find in Milwaukee, but there's a logic to it that is really not that difficult to understand.

But, again, it's besides the point. The RER is a regional train, not a metro. You alight from the platform, go to the exit and step into a taxi. A child could do it. In fact, as a 15 year old kid traveling alone I did just that. And not just in Paris, but also in London and Amsterdam when I was about the same age.

The RER is 9,25 Euro from the airport to Les Halles. Depending on where the hotel is, taxi is probably another 20 or so. The train will make it into town in around 30 minutes, a bus or taxi can be anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, depending on traffic.

The shuttle buses you are talking about service the hotels in the vicinity of CDG, they don't venture all the way into town. Air France operates a bus that does that, but it's even iffier than the train/taxi combination I'm suggesting. It's not difficult at all, and the bus does stop right at the Arc De Triumph, but it can be dreadfully slow. And you still need a taxi or, if you're feeling adventurous, a rickshaw for the last bit

As mentioned above, I've been there many times. RER/Taxi is by far the fastest and easiest.

Sheikh Yerbooty

Nope, the standard is that the tip is included in the fare.

JackInThePlane

No disrespect to Sheikh Yerbooty. It's terrible advice to a novice international traveler.

1. Don't take RER B to Chatelet Les Halles. You're asking for trouble. This is the most inexpensive way to get to the center of Paris, but doesn't get you anywhere near the Arc. Moreover, the petty thieves that Yerbooty mentions operate quite regularly on this line. Furthermore, Chatelet Les Halles is not the best part of town. You are putting yourself at more risk of getting lost or putting yourself in front of thieves and gyspies.

Instead take the Air France Bus to Etoile. That puts you right in front of the Arc. If your hotel isn't too far from the Arc, you might even be able to walk there. Otherwise, there are lots of taxis right there. This method puts you from CDG to pretty close to your desitnation without transfers/without coming in contact with gypsies. Check out this link: http://www.lescarsairfrance.com/en.html

2. Credit Cards Are the Same Everywhere Many US credit cards don't work in European ATMs. Most US credit cards don't work in the ticket machines at the train station. You can use your card at various establishments easier, but putting them in ATMs and automated service machines is limited liklihood for success. Some ATMs accept. Some don't.

You get the best rate from ATMs where you can find one to use, but it's always better to have a pocket full of Euro. You can exchange at airport.

3. Tipping is not as prevalent in Europe. Round up or an extra Euro or two is sufficient. 20% not necessary - certainly not for taxi. In restaurants, you can ask if service is included or not. Most times it is.

4. Have the address of your hotel written down so you can give to Taxi Driver.

Philatravelgirl

I also recommend asking the hotel for a shuttle or car service. The trains are easy once you've slept from flight, jetlag, and get settled but w/luggage, not speaking French, new city and long flight not worth the stress in my opinion. I think I paid 40 euro from the Westin in the city. You can always take the train back for departure flight. Some European rail station machines won't take US cards w/o chip -I bought my metro pass from agent.
I generally use ATM at airport to get money.
Paris is one of my favorite cities to wander, eat croissants, chocolate and lots of red wine.
for the louvre book in advance online to skip long lines (I love Egyptian and Polynesian wings) also download their app and the Metro app too. Their cafe is quite good and reasonable.
have a great time

sonofzeus

We liked the cheapo express bus to the Arc. It was a nice way to see the city in the morning light.

Ocn Vw 1K

Please follow as the thread moves to the Destination->France forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

Sheikh Yerbooty

My learned co-poster above do have a point regarding the safety of the RER. Having been in far dodgier places perhaps I'm a bit immune to it all, but can easily imagine how it might be a tad disturbing to a traveling novice from the new world, particularly if he or she hasn't experienced a couple of rowing gypsies plying their "trade".

So allow me, please, to re-visit my earlier recommendation and change it to that suggested above, namely to utilise the services of "Les Cars Air France". I'm not sure, however, if those buses also depart from T1 or if one has to take a shuttle bus over to T2.

PS
They do speak English in Paris. Not perfect, but good enough. Again, it's the biggest tourist destination in the world, with people coming from damn near every corner of the world to take a stroll down the Seine.

dejarnett

Really appreciate all the great advice here, and am glad I asked.

Thanks also to travelbuzz for moving the thread to a more appropriate forum.

To give more background, I am supposed to join a tour at 2:25 which is about 20 min from my hotel.

The hotel is very small, and in fact I haven't been able to contact them directly (booked the room through venere.com), so am going to probably need some alternative to a hotel car or shuttle.

Being in France < 24 hours before flying on to India, it would be nice to not exchange any more currency than necessary.

youreadyfreddie

I usually do an overnight flight to get to Paris meeting up with the future mister youreadyfreddie, so we'll grab a taxi which works out to about the same as what we would both pay on the Air France bus, but I have taken the Air France bus to Etoile and then caught a taxi to my hotel or apartment. Here's a link to some info. It looks like Route 2, Roissy CDG-Porte Maillot-Étoile, is the one you want.

If you DO decide to take a taxi, be sure you get a legitimate taxi at the airport taxi stand and not one driven by guys that approach you near the airport exit doors.

bgmo81

I recommend taking Les Cars, a bus service provided by Air France. http://www.lescarsairfrance.com/en.html. It's fairly inexpensive and they will drop you off at the Arc, which I imagine is within walking distance to your hotel.

If you are concerned about needing a card with a chip or cash, purchase your ticket in advance by going to their web page. But, be sure to use a card that will not charge you a foreign transaction fee.

As for tipping, no need to tip like we do in the U.S. Rounding up a Euro or two for a tip is considered sufficient.

b1513

Another option is Roissy bus to Opera and then a cab. But, seriously, I think a cab from the airport is the best option. Just get in queue. It moves quickly.

Bobette