Cheapest Ways to get from Orly & Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Paris

If you are a traveler, heading to the city of love for the first time, getting from CDG to Paris or Orly Airport to Paris can seem a bit daunting.

Especially if you are unable to speak the language, waiting until you get to the airport to ask around may not be the best of ideas.

The transportation system in Paris is very predictable and reliable, so if you read through this guide carefully, you should have no problem finding your way around the great city.

Just a note – prices may increase as time goes on for the different modes of transportation, so the best way to check the exact price is by going to the official websites.

Getting to Central Paris from Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

Also known as Roissy; Charles de Gaulle Airport is France’s main and largest international airport. More than 65 million people fly through this airport every year, making it the seventh busiest airport in the world.

Even with its size and traffic, there are still plenty of transportation options when going into Paris. You can choose to make the trip by the RER Train, bus, shuttle, or taxi.

• Note: Neither CDG or Orly Airport are serviced by the Paris Metro or the public transport.

Commuter Train from CDG to Paris (RER)

If you’re traveling alone and do not have to worry about lots of luggage, taking the RER Line B is the cheapest and most efficient way to get from Charles de Gaulle airport to Paris.

The suburban train leaves the airport every 15 minutes from terminals 2 & 3, and the typical journey time is about 30 minutes to get to Paris’ center.

How to get to the CDG to Paris Train

Finding the train terminals depends on what part of the airport you find yourself in.

You may need to walk or take a free Aeroport de Paris shuttle bus to the train terminals where you can board the RER B to the Centre of Paris.

• If you are at Terminal 1, take a line 2 shuttle from gate 22 and drop off at Roissypole-Terminal 3. From there, follow the directional signs to the RER.

• From Terminals, 2A and 2B, board a shuttle departing from gates 8 and 6 respectively and drop off at the “TGV/RER” stop.

• If you find yourself at Terminals 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, and Terminal 3, these are the easiest to navigate as you can simply look for signs that say “Paris par train” and follow them until you get to the RER ticket machines.

• CDG to Paris Train Cost:  €9.75 for adults and €7 for children ages 4-9.
• Train runs every 15 minutes from 3:02 AM until 1:53 AM the following day.

As you will be headed to Paris’ center, board a train headed towards Antony, Robinson, or St-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse and you can drop off at the Paris Gare du Nord station.

The RER also goes on to stations at Luxembourg, St Michel/Notre Dame, Denfert-Rochereau, Port Royal, and Cité Universitaire.

Bus

Almost as popular as the airport bearing the same name, the Roissybus is the main bus that takes passengers from Roissy Airport on a 60-minute trip to the center of Paris.

The Roissypole Bus #350 travels to Gare de l’Est. in the northeastern part of Paris, while Bus #351 heads to the Nation Metro Station in southeastern Paris.

Both buses depart from Roissy Terminals 1 and 2 and there are directional signs to guide travelers in their direction.

If you are at Terminal 3, you will be able to get a free shuttle towards Terminals 1 or 2.

• Cost: Roissybus provides space for luggage and costs €13.20 per person. Tickets can be purchased on the bus or from the RATP vendor near the gate. Credit or debit cards are not accepted for purchases on the bus, so make sure to have cash on hand.
• The bus departs Charles de Gaulle every 15 minutes from 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM every day.

Shuttle to Paris

For those who do not wish to get on the Roissybus, Air France provides an excellent shuttle service called “Le Bus Direct” that depart Charles de Gaulle Terminal 2.

Travelers at Terminals 1 & 3 can take a free airport shuttle to Terminal 2 and then look out for the directional signs to lead them there.

Every fifteen minutes (between 5:45 AM and 11:00 PM), the first Air France shuttle leaves the airport on a 35-minute trip to Western Paris, stopping at Etoile and Porte Maillot.

Between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM, the second shuttle takes a 50-minute trip from Charles de Gaulle to Gare de Lyon and Montparnasse.

The shuttle costs vary by destination and age, and prices can be found on the Le Bus Direct website.

MotorCoach

Apart from its Le Bus Direct, Air France also offers its Air France Coach service, which is available to passengers of all airlines.

The lines 2 and 4 coaches both depart from Terminals 1 and 2.

Line 2 departs for the Arc de Triomphe every half hour between 5:45 AM and 11:00 PM, while Line 4 departs for Gare de Lyon every half hour between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM.

• Cost: Online, prices are €15.50 for a one-way ticket or €13 per person if you are in a group of four or more people.
• Tickets can be purchased at the booths or at reduced prices online in advance.

Taxi from CDG to Paris

If you want a more private and stress-free method of transportation, there are taxis available at all three of the airport terminals.

They are easily identified by the yellow lights on their roofs.

• Charles De Gaulle to Paris Taxi Cost: Approximately €50 to get to the city center.
• That fee may go up by about €10 if you happen to catch the taxi between 5:00 PM – 7:00 AM.

Private Airport Transfer: CDG to Paris

If you don’t want the hassle of train stations or busses then you can opt for a private transfer.

They will meet you with your name on a placard and get you downtown to your hotel in style. The cost for this is about 100 Euro.

Book your Private Transfer Now!

Uber from CDG to Paris

Expect to pay around €50 for a normal UberX or €32 for an UberPool. We recommend budgeting around 35-60 minutes to get to/from the airport.

Getting to Paris City Center from Orly Airport

Simply referred to as Orly, at least 30 million travelers fly through Orly Airport every year, making it the secondary hub for domestic and international flights in France.

While it may be secondary, travelers can easily get to from this Paris airport to the city center from the airport by train, bus, shuttle, and taxi.

Commuter Train

As with CDG airport, going by the RER is the cheapest and most efficient way to go if you are traveling without too much luggage.

From the South or West terminals of Orly, you can take the Orlyval – the airport’s driverless light rail transit line – to the closest RER station at Antony.

Between 6:00 AM and 11:00 PM, the Orlyval leaves both terminals every few minutes and takes ten minutes to get to Antony.

Upon arriving at the Antony station, board the RER B line (blue) which is headed towards Mitry-Claye or Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Once in motion, the journey will take less than ten minutes.

The combined cost of the Orlyval and the RER B train typically comes to €11.30 for a one-way ticket.

If you are looking to save costs and do not mind a slightly longer journey to do so, you can also get to Paris on the RER C line.

These can be found at Pont de Rungis-Aéroport d’Orly RER station, which is connected from Orly’s south and west terminals by shuttle trains.

The shuttle trains leave the terminals every 20 minutes between 5:00 AM and 11:30 PM, and take ten minutes to get to the RER station for the price of €2.50.

At the station, the RER C line (yellow) goes towards Pontoise or Montigny Beauchamp.

Passengers will be dropped off at Paris’ center in 25 minutes and will have to pay €3.90 for the fare.

Bus from Orly

Just like the Roissybus, the Orlybus is the most popular option for commuting by bus from Orly Airport to Paris’ center.

From 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM, travelers can find an Orlybus departing every 10 to 20 minutes from the South and West terminals at Orly.

For €7.20, a bus will take you from either terminal to Place Denfert-Rochereau at Paris’ center in 30 minutes.

Orly Airport is more optimized for saving money.

• Cost: For a 30-minute wait, you can board Orlybus #183 from the southern terminal and take a 45-minute trip towards Porte de Choisy for €1.90.

For the same price and from the same terminal, you can also board bus #285, which loads up every 20 minutes from Monday to Saturday (every 30 minutes on Sunday) and embarks on a 15-minute journey towards the Villejuif and Louis Aragon areas of Paris.

While bus #285 has adjusted wait times for Sundays, both buses operate between 5:00 AM – 1:00 AM every day.

Coach from Orly

While Le Bus Direct is unavailable at Orly, Air France does run one line of its Air Coach Service from Orly Airport to Paris’ center.

The line runs from both the Southern and Western terminals of Orly. Every 30 minutes, from 6:00 AM to 11:40 PM, coaches depart Orly and head to Arc de Triomphe which takes 45 minutes.

Just like the Air Coach Service at Charles de Gaulle Airport, you can buy tickets at the booth, but you will save if you purchase online.

• Cost: On their website, adult tickets cost €11 going one way (€18 for return), while group purchases for more than four people bring the pricing down to €9 per person.

Taxi from Orly

As with Charles De Gaulle, taxis can be found sporting their bright yellow signs at both terminals of Orly Airport.

A trip to Paris’ center typically takes about 40 minutes (longer if there is traffic) and costs between €40 – €50, but that depends on where in the center you are going to.

As already mentioned, fares will increase by about €10 if you hail a taxi during rush hour or overnight periods (from 5:00 PM to 7:00 AM).

Private Airport Transfer: Orly to Paris

If you don’t want the hassle of train stations or busses then you can opt for a private transfer.

They will meet you with your name on a placard and get you downtown to your hotel in style. The cost for this is about 80 Euro.

Book your Private Transfer from Orly to Paris Now!

Read More About Paris Vacation Trip Planning:

• How to Visit Paris on a Budget – 20 Tips to Save Money
• Where To Stay In Paris – A 2020 Guide To The Best Neighborhoods
• 27 Free Things to do in Paris, France
• What to do in Paris at Night
• Famous People Buried in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery of Paris
• Visiting the Catacombs of Paris – An Underground Labyrinth of Death

If you are planning a trip to France, make sure to check out our France Travel Guide!

Many people plan their trips to Paris and include London on their travel itinerary, you may want to read these London Travel Guides.

• 3 Days in London – The Ultimate London Itinerary
• London Landmarks – 18 Famous Places in Photos
• Where To Stay In London – A Guide to The Best Areas and Places
• 22 of the Top Things to do in London, England

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That should be everything you need to know about how to get from the airport to Paris.

Let us know if you need any more detailed information in the comments.