The mini-van should be the same price as the regular taxi, see my post above. PLUS the added Louie mentioned.

I suppose it would come in around 60Euro once all is paid.

I think this is totally worth it being that you are with three kids and luggage. I wouldn't do it any other way. No sense in tiring everybody out as soon as you arrive. Not a good way to start the trip. First impressions are so important. You will also be tired and possibly the kids (or even you and your wife) might be cranky after the long flight and waiting for luggage. The Taxi is faster and much more convenient. In this case it is totally worth the extra money in my eyes.

Till

It will depend on day of the week (Sundays and holidays are more), time (nights and rush hour are more), and traffic. Northern/eastern locations probably average 50 EUR -- less say midday on Tuesdays with no traffic. Southern/western locations could be more. I'd estimate 55-60 EUR, particularly with extra pax and luggage.

A general question about taxis in Paris, but specifically for CDG into the city: Do they take credit cards or is cash only the norm?

Well, we're only coming from MAD so we shouldn't be too tired. :) And I'm sure we'll get to the MAD airport by train, as I think the fare is only like 2 euros.

We're arriving midday and staying near the Arc de Triomphe, so hopefully it will be on the low end of this range. I hate to pay $85 to get from the airport, but I must say I'd hate even more to pay $60 to take a bus and THEN walk!

To get back, is it easy to have hotel reception call a minivan taxi? Same price for all companies, right (like I don't need to make sure I get an affordable one)? My flight out of CDG leaves around 9:30 am. Am I correct in assuming that traffic OUT of Paris is not bad in "rush hour"?

Well, Taxis G7 are supposed to accept credit cards, whether booked through the call center or just taken in the queue at CDG. If they don't and you complain, they can be suspended or lose their G7 affiliation altogether.

The process I have experienced when I take a taxi at CDG and do not book with G7 is as follows:
- ask before boarding if the taxi accepts credit cards
- be told that there are ATMs where you can take cash
- disregard the comment and say that I really want to charge it to a credit card
- ask the next drivers whether they accept credit cards; this usually is not a problem as long as I haven't entered into a shouting match with the first cab driver ;)

Note that ORY is different, though, as you have a mix of Parisian Taxis, the only ones allowed to take customers at CDG, and local taxis. The fare structure varies between the two categories and the Parisian Taxis at ORY can refuse to take you to suburban destinations, IIRC.

As my taxi charges out of CDG at night are usually above EUR 100, I have never had a shortage of taxi drivers willing to take my credit card.

Have you experienced that? I have always thought that Parisian taxis could not refuse to drive you, whatever destination you ask, when getting clients at Paris airports?

I imagine the hotel would be able to call for a minivan taxi without problem. The rates are the same for all. Be aware that when you call for a taxi, the meter starts running when the driver takes the call so it will arrive with a balance already on the meter. Considering what time you'll need to be at CDG to check luggage and board your flight, traffic shouldn't yet be too bad for the trip out there.

Aw, jeez! :)

I know! :) Otherwise, if there's a taxi stand near your hotel you might find one there, but you'd be taking your chances that one of the right size would be there when you need it.

I have never experienced it personally, as I usually take Taxis G7, but that's what the taxi drivers have told me several times. This link confirms that they have no obligation to take you outside the first 3 departments around Paris, except from CDG, where they need to take you everywhere.

http://www.taxi-paris.net/page36.html

"Environ 17200 taxis parisiens, sous le contrôle de la Préfecture de Police de Paris, couvrent Paris et trois autres départements : Hauts-de-Seine(92),Seine-Saint-Denis(93) et Val-de-Marne(94).

Certaines communes de ces trois derniers ont leurs propres taxis communaux. Les taxis parisiens dans ce cas, sont dans l'obligation de vous y conduire mais ne peuvent pas y charger sauf sur appel ou réservation.

Si vous désirez vous faire conduire au-delà de cette zone d'activité, ils ont le droit de refuser la charge sauf au départ de Roissy CDG."

Another difference is that you are not charged for the return journey with the Parisian taxis; the cost is included in the fare structure.

Indeed I have always thought that CDG and ORY where under the same rules.

Thank you for the information.

Thanks. That is good to know.

In general, do Taxis G7 take credit cards or is this just from CDG?

I believe the G7 cabs all take CCs, no matter where you take the cab or what type of car it is. They are really the company I had the best experience with. Still, charging anything less than 40 Euros to a CC might seem a bit strange in Europe.

I personally have no qualms with charging anything above EUR 20 to a credit card in France. Anything under EUR 15, except at locations such as a post office, could be tricky.

I didn't express myself well. I mean charging taxi fares under 40 Euro to a CC. I've gotten strange looks when I tried. The 40 Eur threshold always put me in the strange look free zone. :)

Till

I'm arriving CDG 2E in two weeks, on a Wednesday morning (8:35am arrival). What do you all think is going to be the fastest and easiest way into the city? Will the RER take much more time than a taxi? I'm going to the 7th arr.

Never done RER before. Always taken a taxi, but I'm alone this time, so curious if better way than a taxi. I'll have one roll-aboard carry-on and perhaps a laptop bag. And I speak fluent French.

Thanks!

BTW, how long does immigration usually take at 2E?

We arrived at CDG via American Airlines and went thru customs in no time flat. They checked passports and that was it. I don't know if it was us or that's the way they normally do it.

We had never been to CDG let along Paris and I was wondering how it would all work out. We took the RER and it was a piece of cake. Our RER stop let us off 5 min from our hotel. Couldn't have been easier.

It's the norm. It's not unheard of to be stopped by customs on the way out, but it is rare. I've been through many times and have only been stopped twice (and they were disappointed when they found out I wasn't French...and probably very confused when they opened nearly empty suitcases :D)

No idea for immigration but RER B from Terminal 2 is really good. With your light luggage it should be a piece of cake and save you at least 30-40 Euros, as compared to the Taxi ride which is around 50 Euros. Just check a Paris metro map online and let them give you a small foldable map for your personal use.

Till

The RER is great if (a) you have little luggage and (b) it's not on strike. Just keep track of your belongings and be careful not to doze off on the ride in and you'll be fine. Figure about an hour to arrive in the 7th.

I usually ride from CDG to close the other end of the line (Courcelles sur Yvette) after 10:30 PM, with a forced change that I choose to do at Luxembourg. Never had a problem. It usually is longer than the flight, though :(.

Meeting at CDG
 

Hello!

I have perused this forum and have found some great info, however I'd like advice specific to my situation next month. There are four of us meeting at CDG. We all arrive as follows:

- 1 arriving on AC from YUL at 8:30 AM
- 2 arriving on AA from ORD at 8:45 AM
- 1 arriving on UA from ORD at 9:25 AM (this is me)

Looking at the map, it seems I arrive in T1, whereas the others arrive in T2. As they all get in ahead of me, what would be the best way for us to meet up after I clear customs?

Other pertinent info: we're going to the 3rd arr. and will catch the RER to town.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Tell the others to have breakfast at their own pace at a place of their choosing in T2. You then make your way over to T2 and meet them at the ticket office for the RER where they will have already bought you a ticket.

There is a shuttle from T1 to T2. I think it takes roughly ten minutes. Others will certainly chime in. The RER stop for T1 is not directly under the airport as it is for T2. So you either need to take a shuttle to the RER stop of T1 or you take the shuttle to T2 and then take the RER from there.

Till

Perfect, thank you!

Hi,

Question about getting from Paris to CDG? Specifically from Arc de Triomphe to CDG? Would I consider taking the Air France Bus Back? Or do they not provide this service?

Thanks

Oh yes, you can take the Air France bus from Etoile to CDG. If you plan to use the same line from the airport to the city, make sure to buy a return ticket, and get some discount.

6 people getting from CDG to Marriott Champs-Elysees
 

Group of 4 adults and 2 children (4 and 1 yo), plus bags (at least 6!) looking to go from CDG T2 to Marriott Champs-Elysees around 10 am on a weekday - we would be looking for minimal walking.

Will there be taxis big enough to fit everyone or should I reserve a private van?

Any other recommendations?

I'd reserve a van as I doubt you will fit in even the van-type taxis (which are called "bricks").

As noted several times in this thread, there is an Air France bus that will take you from CDG to the Arch de Triomphe, and one can walk down the Champs Elysees to the Marriott from there. But with the kids and bags, your situation is way too complex for that.

Arrive Sunday, Leave Following Sunday
 

I will arrive on a Sunday evening and leave the following Sunday. I plan on getting from CDG to the Bastille station Sunday evening by way of one-way ticket on the RER-B and metro. The next morning (Monday), I plan on purchasing the Navigo Decouverte to cover the rest of the trip (Monday through Sunday- works out nicely).

My question is this: For the Sunday that I arrive, when I purchase a one-way ticket on the RER, is it good only for the train? Would it allow a transfer to the metro at Gare du Nord or Chatelet, or would I have to get a separate metro ticket at either of those stations for the transfer?

From what I saw today - and this was at Invalides - there was one gate to get into the Metro and RER, and then you went down this hall or that hall to get to the platform you needed. Also, coming back from Versailles, I thought I saw people disembark our RER train and head for a Metro platform without scanning a ticket or passing a gate.

Double check this, but I think you're okay. Enjoy!

Your RER ticket from CDG to Paris always includes the transfer to the metro. Same from Paris back to CDG.

Since I didn't want to schlep bags all around Gare du Nord to transfer from the RER to a regular Metro line and again from my station to my hotel, but didn't want to drop 50 Euros on a taxi, I chose to take the RER B from CDG to Gare du Nord, then just exited there and took a taxi straight to my hotel. In my case it was 7.50 to to Vendome, but I would have done it even staying a bit farther away. Within Paris, taxis are not exorbitant, so it's a good option when Metro doesn't suit.

Parishuttle shared vans are 20 Euros door to door, they will take you to your exact destination. You don't need to go through these machinations.

www.parishuttle.com

Machinations? Heh! The machinations would have been the bag schlepping I avoided. It really wasn't any major inconvenience to take a train and a taxi, but will look into them next time, thanks.

If you can, you might pick up the Navigo on Sunday, as lines often form at Metro stations on Monday mornings since the weekly passes start then.

I am not familiar with Paris Shuttle-perhaps they are quite good.

I am familiar with the many posts about shuttle services from CDG in general. They tell of how great they are, until the time they don't pick you up as planned and you're left wandering around the airport on jetlag wondering what happened. Sort of like the great motorcycles stories that always seem to end with the accident.

As I indicated, maybe Paris Shuttle always comes through-I just don't know.

So what is the best way to get from CDG to Trocadero, and how long would it take? I'd be arriving either at 0600 or 0755 on a Thursday morning and meeting a friend there for breakfast. I would only have a bookbag. It looks like I could either take the AF shuttle to Etoile and connect to Metro 6 to Trocadero, or the RER to Chatelet and then metros 1 and 6. How bad would rush hour traffic be at that time of day?

RER from CDG
 

It is easy to catch the RER from CDG as there are signs giving directions throughout the airport.

I have arrived at CDG at 7AM several times and found that the RER was not crowded leaving CDG as that is/was the starting point. Cost to Denfort Stop on RER B is 8,7 Euros and I think that is the standard cost from/to CDG from/to anywhere in the 2 Paris zones.

Although the RER was not crowded when we embarked, once the train started moving and picking up passengers, it became more crowded. However it was not overcrowded and was OK. We each had a carry-on rolling suitcase and backpacks, and had seats all the way.

Overall, we have found the RER less crowded than the Metro during rush hour. I cannot speak about the Metro in the AM to your destination. However, I think that it would travel the RER/Metro method rather than land travel for cost and time.

The cost of a RER trip from CDG to any station in zone 1 is the same.
Then, the fastest from CDG to Trocadero by RER would involve RER A between Chatelet and Charles de Gaulle.
The crowd in public transport depends on the line you are using and when.
RER B can be over crowded inside Paris at high peak hours (8:30-9:15). At peak hours, you will have a metro or RER every 2 mins in Paris (5-10 mins at CDG).

About the Car AF, I wouldn't take it if you arrive at 0755 due to the traffic jams on highways to Paris.

I am working off a list of transport companies the my hotel site provided. So far two of them that the hotel lists require CC to reserve, but they report you have to pay the driver cash - http://www.shuttle-inter.com and http://www.parisairportservice.com/.

www.parishuttle.com has allowed me to book and reserve with CC online and that appears to be the payment that will be used. More expensive, but I am not sure I want the extra 100 Euro on me for the whole trip when I can just pay via CC. Will keep this saga updated.