Overall8.7/10Easier to reach than about 85% of cities
Good to know
Good to Know
- RER B airport trains are prime targets for pickpockets, especially during peak hours. Keep valuables secure and stay alert in crowded cars.
- Avoid unlicensed 'pirate' taxis that approach you in airport arrival halls—they are illegal and potentially unsafe. Use only official taxi ranks or pre-booked services.
- Roissybus (the old direct CDG–Opéra bus) was permanently discontinued on 1 March 2026. Use RER B or Express Bus 9517 instead for fastest/cheapest options.
- For airport tickets, do NOT use regular Paris metro tickets (€2.55). Airport trips require a separate Paris Region Airports Ticket (€14) or a valid Navigo pass covering airports.
- Beauvais Airport is 85 km away; only book flights there if the airfare saving vastly outweighs the 90+ minute bus journey.
- CDG Express rail link opening 28 March 2027 will cut airport travel time to 20 minutes, but currently (July 2026) is still in pre-operational testing.
- RER C to Versailles splits into several branches—always check departure boards for trains marked VICK (destination: Versailles Château–Rive Gauche) to avoid ending up elsewhere.
- Versailles palace operates timed-entry tickets year-round. Book online in advance, especially from April to October, or risk sold-out slots and hour-long queues.
- All digital and smartphone tickets must be purchased via Bonjour RATP or Île-de-France Mobilités apps (NFC-enabled phones/watches). Magnetic paper tickets ended June 2026.
- Gare du Nord is Europe's busiest station and has a complex multi-level layout. Allow extra time for connections; RER/Metro access is on lower levels (-1, -2).
Airports
Paris-Charles De Gaulle (CDG)
- IATA Code
- CDG
- Distance From City Center
- 25 km north-east
- Description
- France's largest and busiest international airport, primary hub for Air France and long-haul flights. Three terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2 (split into 2A–2G), Terminal 3.
Ground Transport
RER B Train
- Cost
- €14
- Frequency
- Every 10–15 minutes, 4:50 am–11:50 pm daily
- Key Stops
- Gare du Nord, Châtelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame
- Duration Minutes
- 30-40
- Notes
- Most frequent and reliable; runs from all terminals. Pickpockets reported on peak-hour trains; keep valuables secure.
Saint-Denis Pleyel Hub (Access to Lines 13, 14, RER D)
- Cost
- €2.05
- Type
- Express Bus 9517
- Frequency
- Regular service, 5:40 am–10:30 pm
- Duration Minutes
- 30
- Notes
- Replaced the discontinued Roissybus in March 2026; efficient alternative to central Paris.
Right Bank (Rive Droite) or Left Bank (Rive Gauche)
- Cost
- €58
- Type
- Taxi (Official)
- Duration Minutes
- 45–90 (depending on traffic)
- Notes
- Flat-rate fares; surcharge for 5th passenger. Official taxis from designated ranks only; avoid unlicensed 'pirate' taxis in arrival halls.
Ride-Hailing (Uber/Bolt)
- Cost
- Dynamic pricing, typically €35–70 one-way
- Duration Minutes
- 45–90 (depending on traffic)
- Notes
- Surge pricing during peak hours; no guaranteed availability. Designated pick-up zones at each terminal.
Paris-Orly (ORY)
- IATA Code
- ORY
- Distance From City Center
- 13–14 km south
- Description
- Paris's second airport; main domestic hub for easyJet, Transavia, and Air France domestic/European flights. Four terminals.
Ground Transport
Central Paris (Châtelet-Les Halles, Denfert-Rochereau)
- Cost
- €13
- Type
- Metro Line 14
- Duration Minutes
- 30–40
- Notes
- Most efficient public option from Orly; direct metro connection.
Denfert-Rochereau metro/RER Station (Southern Paris)
- Cost
- €13
- Type
- Orlybus (RATP)
- Duration Minutes
- 30–40
- Notes
- Direct public bus from both terminals.
Gare Montparnasse, Invalides (Near Eiffel Tower)
- Type
- Le Bus Direct Coach
- Duration Minutes
- 30–60
- Notes
- Air France/Le Bus Direct service; travel time varies with traffic.
Central Paris (Left or Right Bank)
- Cost
- €37
- Type
- Taxi (Official)
- Duration Minutes
- 30–60
- Notes
- Flat-rate fares; surcharge for additional passengers.
Paris-Beauvais (BVA)
- IATA Code
- BVA
- Distance From City Center
- 85 km (53 miles) north
- Description
- Budget airport used almost exclusively by Ryanair and other ultra-low-cost carriers. Located near the city of Beauvais, far from Paris.
Ground Transport
Central Paris
- Cost
- €17
- Type
- Beauvais Airport Shuttle Bus
- Duration Minutes
- 90–120
- Notes
- Must be pre-booked; substantial distance makes this option only worthwhile for very low fares.
Gare Du Nord
- Name
- Paris Gare du Nord (Paris-Nord)
- Status
- Europe's busiest railway station
- Location
- 10th arrondissement, northern Paris
- Facilities
- Car park, bike park, luggage storage, Vélib' rental, shops, restaurants, free Wi-Fi
- Ticket Offices
- Multiple SNCF ticket counters (Grandes Lignes), Navigo SNCF services desk
- Notes
- Busy station with complex layout; RER/Metro access on lower levels (-1, -2).
Services
- Eurostar to London (Platforms 3–6, upper level with passport/security checks)
- Thalys/Eurostar to Brussels, Amsterdam, Cologne, Germany
- TGV InOui to Lille, northern France
- TER regional trains to northern France
- RER B to CDG Airport, Châtelet, Saint-Michel, southern suburbs
- RER D & E connections
- Metro Lines 4 & 5 (nearby Metro Lines 2 & 7)
Other Paris Rail Stations
Gare De l'Est
- Connections
- TGV/ICE trains to eastern France, Germany, Switzerland; RER E
Gare Montparnasse
- Connections
- TGV to western/southwestern France, Brittany; suburban train L to Versailles
Gare Saint-Lazare
- Connections
- Suburban train N to Versailles Rive Droite
Upcoming Infrastructure
CDG Express
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes, 5 am–midnight daily
- Opening Date
- 28 March 2027
- Journey Time Minutes
- 20
- Notes
- Will be the fastest airport connection when operational; currently in pre-operational testing phase (started May 2026).
- Description
- New direct rail link from Gare de l'Est to CDG Terminal 2
Public Transport Tickets 2026
- Purchase Methods
- Digital via Bonjour RATP app or Île-de-France Mobilités app (recommended), Navigo Easy cards at stations, ticket vending machines, ticket counters. Paper magnetic tickets phased out; contactless card payment rolling out on buses during 2026.
- Note
- Paris transport overhauled January 2025: zone-based fares replaced with fixed prices.
Metro Rer Buses Trams
Single Journey (Métro/RER Within Paris Zones 1–5, Excl. Airports)
- Cost
- €2.55
Bus/Tram Single Journey
- Cost
- €2.05
Paris Region Airports Ticket (CDG/Orly Single Journey)
- Cost
- €14
Navigo Easy Pass (Rechargeable Card)
- Cost
- €2.00
Navigo Weekly Pass (Zones 1–5, Mon 00:00–Sun 23:59)
- Cost
- €27
Navigo Day Pass (Zones 1–5)
- Cost
- €31
Paris Visite Pass (1/2/3/5 Days, Zones 1–5)
Day Trip Access
Versailles
- Cost
- €2.50
- Frequency
- Every 15–20 minutes
- Train Code
- VICK (critical: check departure boards, as RER C splits into branches)
- Key Stations
- Saint-Michel Notre-Dame, Musée d'Orsay, Invalides, Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel to Versailles Château–Rive Gauche
- Primary Route
- RER C train
- Distance From Paris
- 20 km (12 miles) south-west
- Travel Time Minutes
- 30–50
- Notes
- Most popular day trip; palace uses timed-entry system (pre-booking essential, especially Apr–Oct). Walking distance from station to palace entrance: ~10 minutes. Alternative routes: SNCF N from Montparnasse to Versailles Chantiers, or SNCF L from Saint-Lazare to Versailles Rive Droite.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.