I will arrive at CDG via connecting flight on British Air on a Tuesday afternoon about 4 pm. (I am flying from Seattle.) My friend is flying in on Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Terminal 1 CDG and we need to meet.
It’s a bit unnerving-We are both 75 and I will be jet lagged, so we need a concrete plan to rely on! My questions:
1. I know I’ll go thru security again at Heathrow, but will immigration and customs happen at CDG or Heathrow?
2. About how long should I expect that will take if it’s at CDG?
3. What terminal will my flight arrive at?
4. Where should we plan to meet, where one of us could sit down and wait for the other? (Outside of customs and immigration, I would think.) Is there a restaurant where we could find one another without confusion?!
5. We think we should take a cab or car and driver from CDG to our hotel near the Eiffel Tower. Can/should we arrange that in advance, and with what company?
6. Anything else we should think thru on this?
Many thanks! Nancy
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11180 posts
- Where should we plan to meet, where one of us could sit down and wait for the other? (Outside of customs and immigration, I would think.) Is there a restaurant where we could find one another without confusion?!
I have seen the Sheraton hotel lobby suggested multiple times
- We think we should take a cab or car and driver from CDG to our hotel near the Eiffel Tower. Can/should we arrange that in advance, and with what company?
Just go to the OFFICIAL taxi line once you are together. Helpful to have the name/address of your hotel printed out. ( perhaps from the hotel website?)
Immigration happens at CDG... Customs is a non -event
Posted by
Vancouver
61 posts
Hi Nancy. It would be nice to meet in the airport, but may I make another suggestion? You might want to take a taxi and wait for each other at the hotel. These days, so many things can come up with flights: schedule changes, delays, missed connections. I would hate to see one of you waiting on a bench for hours in the airport. Your hotel will be a comfortable place to wait. I'm sure someone here can give advice about taking a taxi from the airport.
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2322 posts
British Air flys into 2B. Customs happens after you pick up your luggage, if you checked any. Typically tourists have nothing to declare so you walk right through. I’m not sure if you’ll go through immigration in Paris, someone else will know. Your friend will take the CDGVAL to terminal 2. There are a few places in the train station: https://easycdg.com/restaurants-cdg-airport/
I would be very specific about which restaurant, in which terminal, you will be meeting at. There could be several with the same name. You might try using the Find My feature if you both have an iPhone. You’ll have WiFi in the airport.
If you think one of you may be waiting a while, you could meet at the Sheraton in terminal 2. There is a bar and also a restaurant there.
For a taxi, just use the official taxi line outside the airport. It’s a flat fee into the city. Ignore any offers for taxi rides as you walk thru the airport - it’s a scam.
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
6327 posts
Nancy, all the above advice is good. I do agree that if one party is delayed, it's not fun to sit and wait for hours, but in that case, I would suggest just having a contingency plan. That way if one person gets to CDG and finds out that the other's flight is delayed for several hours, the person there already could grab a cab to the hotel, and send a message to the other that they should do the same. Otherwise, make your plan for meeting at CDG and have the fun of taking a cab to the hotel together.
Posted by
Queens, NYC
549 posts
- I know I’ll go thru security again at Heathrow, but will immigration and customs happen at CDG or Heathrow?
Assuming this is on one ticket, at Heathrow you will not need to clear passport control but will need to go through security (as you mention) , and then at CDG you will clear passport control and customs.
(If your friend is also originating in North America and connecting via Frankfurt, they on the other hand will go through passport control in Frankfurt. Customs will occur in Paris but will just involve walking through a door, as joe32F says it's basically a non-event.)
Posted by
Paris
9584 posts
I don't want to sound discouraging, but rather want to help empower you with conserving time and energy.
Terminal 1 and Terminal 2B at CDG are completely separate facilities that are at least a few kilometers apart.
Yes, you can transit between them on the airport train CDGVal, but honestly,rather than expending precious energy making your way between terminals and trying to find a suitable meeting place, I would have each of you take a taxi from your own arrival terminal to your hotel when you arrive.
Instead of sharing a 55€ taxi, you will each spend 55€ for your own separate taxis.
In other words, for a negligible difference of 22.50€ each, you will each arrive at your hotel in the easiest, most hassle-free way possible.
You can conserve your energy for arriving at the hotel, checking in, freshening up, and finally reuniting.
CDG is a massive complex. Save yourself some trouble, and spend as little time there as possible.
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Many thanks for all of your responses-VERY helpful.
I think we have developed a 'game plan' with everyone's guidance.
Nancy