CDG and RER-train
 

Hi,
In trying to meet a friend who is arriving in CDG in a few days. I'll be coming in from downtown Paris to meet them. is it generally easy/frequent to get from the RER CDG1 station to Terminal 1? How does Terminal 1 look right now with the construction, and for any given airline, is the arrival exit point obvious and unique (i.e. when they exit immigration/baggage claim/customs, is there only one possible place they would be exiting?)

I ask because they don't have a mobile phone... Thanks...

Moving to FT Paris Forum.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

From the train station, get on the CDG VAL to Terminal 1. It is free and reasonably well marked.

I only walked through the T1 area briefly, but it looked like it was pretty clearly marked. You should have no problems.

I don't find T1 arrival exit locations very clearly marked, at least from the inside. Which exit from baggage claim is open seems to vary whenever I've been there, with only one rule applicable: it's exactly 180 degrees around the building from where I pick up my bag!

All of my sxits from baggage claim in T1 have been all the way to the left (as you face the roadway outside) for over a year now. I would plan to meet there, but pick an outside exit door-say door 28-to meet a bit later as a fallback.

I would also consider going to CDG on one of the Air France buses-available for about 20E round trip to anyone-rather than the RER. They will take you right to the door or T1 with no transfer at CDG needed.

Yes, I always seem to exit at that same place--near door 34, if I recall correctly.

Roissybus is another option, running between Opera and CDG terminals 1, 2, and 3 for 8.50 euros one way. (For reference, the one-way RER fare is 8.10 euros.)

I would take the RER. there is now a new fast train from RER stop to Term 1. Takes 2 minutes. Everybody coming from US exits at same exit so easy to find them. Construction as of a month ago is not too bad just keeps you from making a loop around.

Can I buy Paris Visite Pass at the RER stop at CDG Terminal 1?:confused:

(I'll fly United to CDG, Term 1?)

You can buy it at any RER or metro stop including CDG.

You will have to buy it from a ticket counter at CDG (in the Gare). The machines don't sell them (or didn't in T2). 16.70 Euro, IIRC.

€17.05 right now for Paris Visite 1-day pass, zones 1-5. As of July 1 all fares will be going up about 1.8%. I don't recall ever seeing them in machines, either.

There is no RER stop at Terminal 1, which is where UA operates. You have to go to Terminal 2.

This is not exactly correct. There are two RER stops at CDG. There is one at Terminal Two which is walkable from some of the sub-terminals but not all.

The RER stop that is labeled Terminal 1 is near but not at Terminal 1. It is directly connected to the Terminal by the CDGVal airport driverless train service as etch5895 has indicated. You do not have to go to Terminal 2.

okay let me clarify this:

After I get off UA at CDG Term 1, do I need to go to Term 2 RER Station to buy Paris Visite cards or will Term 1 RER Stop sell them? :confused:

I'm somewhat confused. Thanks for the help. ;)

T2 RER station has a large staffed ticket office, and sells all kinds of tickets, definitely can get Visite card there. It is possible that the T1 RER station, which has a much smaller ticket office, might not sell it (probably it does, but I have never been there as I don't ever fly into T1 at CDG).

I just checked out the ratp.fr site and it says this:



Paris Visite is a pass to discover Paris and its region.

The user's name must be written on the pass (no photo necessary). Each coupon is valid for either a 1, 2, 3 or 5 day period (calendar days and not a 24 hour period) of your choice: 1-3, 1-5, 1-8 zones.

You can purchase you pass in advance and avoid the queues, since ParisVisite is valid as of the first day of use and not the day of purchase.

With the Paris Visite pass travel freely within the zone area of your choice.

This pass offers a reduced rate for children between 4 and 11 years of age.

This pass is on sale in all metro, RER and SNCF stations, the Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports and in certain Parisian hotels and many tour operators abroad.

Before utilisation, write your name on the card and copy the coupon number on the card, also the pass expiration date.

The 1-day Paris Visite 1-5 costs 17.05 euros; the oneway RER fare is 8.10; a metro carnet is 10.70 euros. Unless someone is going to do a lot of metro-rer trips in one day it is probably cheaper in the long run to buy one way ticket and then when you get to central Paris buy a 10 trip carnet, which essentially has no expiration date.
A longer period visite could be justified if one were to do a lot of trips outside Paris spreading these over several days.

This is good to know-I haven't used the driverless train yet.

From a user's perspective I think the key question is: Is there clear signage on the RER so that a user knows where to get off for Terminal 1, and is there clear signage from where you get off so that a user can see how to get to and use the train?

From my perspective yes. Everything is pretty clearly marked in both terminals of CDG.

We're arriving ORLY, and heading up to the Marriott timeshare property near Disney. We expect to travel into town (Paris) every day. We arrive on a Sunday, and depart on a Saturday (7 days).

Would the above advice offered by nrr be good?

dh

yes it is. but you need to be careful to get a pass for zone 1-5 (disney is in zone5), best value is to get a 2day pass in your case.

I admit I'm confused here -- a two-day pass? As I understand the question, they're going to be going from Zone 5 to Zone 1 every day for nearly a week.

Wouldn't the best strategy be to get a weekly Carte Orange zones 1-5? (currently €31.50, will be €32 and some cents once the prices change July 1) That would be valid Monday through Sunday, so they would simply need a regular ticket or one-day pass, depending on their needs, for their arrival on Sunday.

oops. I misread. saturday - sunday vs. sunday - saturday :eek::o

There are essentially two airport stops coming in from Paris. The first one is the station below the airport hotels and the second one is below T2 proper. Both have CDGVAL access closeby and somewhat well marked. Whichever station you get off at (and the 1st one is probably easiest), follow the signs for the CDGVAL and take that to T1. I don't remember if the first stop is named Terminal 1 or not, but it any case, just follow the signs for the CDGVAL.

Yes all of the RER cars have a map of line B. You can make it easier and quicker on yourself by getting on the right train as well. Heading towards the airport there will be one train that stops at every stop along the way and one that is much more direct to CDG (after Gare du Nord the first stop is terminal 1 at the airport). All of the stations are clearly marked, and the signage in the airport is fairly clear as well.

Another question:

Can I buy Carte Orange at CDG Terminal 1 RER Station?

I don't have photo with me, can I get photo taken there? :confused: