Are you planning a quick trip to Paris? Well, this is always an excellent idea, as Audrey used to say so eloquently! Plus, if you’re flying within a European airport, you’ll find plenty of low-cost airlines and very cheap options. With so many affordable options, if you’re staying only for a few days, you might want to carefully consider which Paris airport to land at to make the most of your visit.
Paris officially has two airports: Paris Roissy / Charles de Gaulle – better know as CDG – and Paris Orly (ORY), but looking for a flight with Ryanair and Wizz Air, you’ll probably get Paris Beauvais (Beauvais-Tillé) too, and in general, this is the cheapest you can get, but it’s far away from Paris…
Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport
Roissy Airport, also known as Charles de Gaulle, is 25 km northeast of Paris and serves as the primary airport for international and long-haul flights, as well as low-cost carriers.
The RER B blue trains connecting Charles De Gaulle Airport CDG to central Paris represent the fastest (25 minutes from Gare du Nord station) and cheapest transfer option by Parisian public transport, running every 15 minutes from 4.45 a.m. to midnight. Just be careful, and if you are in a rush, take the “fast train”, which has seven fewer stops than the slow one. Just make sure to take the train to CDG and not the one ending in Mitry! RER has two stops at CDG: one is in Terminal 2 (end of the line) and one in Terminal 1, from where you need to walk along the glass walkway when flying from Terminal 3 (count 10 minutes – might be longer by N1-3 free shuttle buses). Tickets cost 10.30€ one-way.
The RER is the train connecting Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris Gare du Nord. The bus leaves from any of the three terminals and runs every 15 minutes from 6:00 a.m. to 8:45 p.m., and then every 20 minutes until 11:00 p.m. Tickets cost 12€ one-way, and the journey takes up to an hour. A perfect option if you’re staying in the Opéra-Louvre area.
When landing at night, night buses N140 and N143 operate daily from the three terminals, terminating at Gare de l’Est. N140 runs hourly to Paris between 1:00 and 3:00 a.m., and N143 runs every 30 minutes from midnight until 4:30 a.m. The one-way ticket costs 6€, and it can be purchased on board.
If you are in no rush, you can spend the same amount of money travelling by local bus numbers 350 or 351 running through the Parisian suburbs. They both depart from Terminals 1 and 2 every 20 minutes between 6:15 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., and it can take more than two hours to get to Gare de l’Est (350) or Nation (351).
If you fly Air France, you can also take the comfortable Air France Coach, also known as Le Bus Direct, for 17€ (one-way) or 30€ (return ticket purchased online). Line 2 connects Terminals 1 and 2 to the Arc de Triomphe, running every 30 minutes between 5:45 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Line 4 terminates at Gare de Lyon.
For a smooth journey from the busiest airport in the city, book your Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport private transfer.
You could also take a taxi from any terminal at any time. Reaching Paris downtown takes approximately one hour and costs around 90€ or more, depending on traffic conditions. Getting a cab on the street downtown can be less easy. I recommend calling for one or several hours in advance (€ 10 extra).
*Note that since March 2016, taxi drivers are required to charge a fixed rate for trips to and from Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports and can’t charge fees for each piece of luggage or an airport fee anymore. What you might get charged extra is an additional 4€ fee for each passenger above four.
Paris Orly Airport
Paris Orly is my favourite airport! Smaller and closer to town, it’s dedicated to domestic and Mediterranean flights.
Charles De Gaulle Airport, as well as Paris Orly, also known as ORY, are connected to central Paris by the RER B blue trains. Antony’s closest RER station is directly connected to the South and West terminals by the driverless metro line, Orlyval, which runs every three to four minutes between 6 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. The combined fare for the Orlyval and RER is 12,05 € one-way, and the whole trip takes 20 minutes.
The Orlybus is also a good option. You can get it every 15 minutes in any terminal from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. or at Place Denfert-Rochereau. The trip takes 30 minutes and costs 8€ one-way (you can buy the ticket on board).
For a cheaper transfer, you can take a bus running every 20 minutes to Pont de Rungis in any terminal between 5:00 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. The trip lasts approximately 10 minutes, and from Pont de Rungs station, you can take the yellow RER C towards Pontoise or Montigny Beauchamp. This combination costs 6,85€ one-way.
Even from Paris Orly Airport, you can take local city buses serving Paris neighbourhoods. For instance, number 183 connects the South Terminal to Porte de Choisy in 45 minutes, and number 285 terminates in Villejuif in just 15 minutes. The ticket costs 2€ one-way, and buses run from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. every 15 minutes from Monday to Saturday and every 30 minutes on Sundays. B
The Air France Air Coach is available every 30 minutes from 6:00 a.m. to 11:40 p.m. in both terminals, connecting Paris Orly Airport to the Arc de Triomphe. The journey takes 45 minutes, and a one-way ticket purchased online costs € 12.00 (return tickets cost € 20.00).
Enjoy a smooth and timely ride by choosing a Paris Orly Airport private transfer.
Same thing as when landing at Paris Roissy airport: you might prefer a taxi. Reaching Paris downtown from Paris Orly takes approximately 40 minutes and costs around 60€.
Paris Beauvais Airport
Paris Beauvais-Tillé International Airport is a relatively small airport located 80 km from Paris.
The Aérobus is the fastest option connecting Beauvais airport to the Pershing car park at Porte Maillot. Buses are lined up outside the terminals, and tickets can be purchased online in advance or at an Aérobus machine (€ 15.90 one way or € 29 for a round trip, free for children under 4 years). Aérobuses leave every 20 to 25 minutes after each plane lands. When returning to the airport from Porte Maillot, expect a delay of at least 3 hours and 15 minutes before your check-in time.
Another option is the TER train (Regional Express Train) from Beauvais railway station to Gare du Nord, but it requires taking a 5€ shuttle or a 20€ taxi to the station and then a 14€ train. The journey takes 1h20.
For a stress-free trip from the city’s most remote airport, go with a Paris Beauvais Airport private transfer.
Some cooler transfer options to and from Paris airports
When living in Paris, I was also used to booking myDriver Airport Transfer Paris to find a chauffeur driver waiting for me in the arrivals hall with a name shield or in front of my door on Canal Saint-Martin and load my suitcases… a very calm and relaxing transfer! Pre-book it, and you’ll see that most of the time, it’s not much more expensive than a regular taxi transfer.
I prefer to book the shared or private Super Shuttle online or upon arrival at Paris Roissy or Paris Orly. When picking up your baggage, call a special toll-free number to be given a meeting point in the terminal. Once the shuttle arrives, it will generally complete its circuit of the terminals to pick up other passengers, and then it will drop you off at your final destination in Paris.
