Car Services Paris

Try either FreeNow or Bolt. Either company operates from an app.

William, if you use the Bolt App you might want to set up your account ahead of time with credit card information. Thanks for posting this question!

Tocard-- can you answer this: is Bolt allowed near the pick up and drop off areas at CDG and the Gate de Lyon the way taxis are? I didn't think so.

When departing either CDG or ORY for Paris, I prefer taxi to a VTC (Uber, Bolt, FreeNow, and the like). There are always scores of taxis waiting to pick you up. If there is ever a wait, it is not due to a lack of taxis but rather, to the very inefficient way taxis are loaded. Always avoid clandestine drivers working within the terminals. Only board taxis at the official taxi queues.

However, from CDG to Paris I often use the train as it can be so much faster. A1 and périphérique traffic can stretch a 35 minute ride into Paris into a 90 minute ride. In only takes 30 minutes on the RER B to reach Paris from CDG. Métro connections to one's final destination can admittedly make the trip longer, but still generally faster than taking a taxi.

For international arrivals, there is no easy pickup location for VTCs at CDG. The taxi stands are but steps from the Customs exits. For Gare de Lyon, VTC drivers typically park their vehicles on the north side of the station, not far from the arrival platforms. The walk can actually be shorter than the walk to the taxi queues which are at the front of the station.

Overall, I use a hybrid plan referencing transportation in Paris to/from the train stations/airports:

To CDG - VTC or train

From CDG - Taxi or train

To ORY - VTC

From ORY - Taxi

From a train station - VTC

Late at night - VTC or métro

A special note about Gare du Nord - If you are ever taken advantage of by a taxi driver, this will be the place. There are too many unscrupulous taxi drivers working Gare du Nord exclusively, just to rob the unsuspecting tourist. If you speak French to the driver, all should go well. If you only speak English, I would highly recommend you arrange for VTC pickup in advance, just to avoid taxi problems. You can do this when you purchase your train tickets, as the SNCF contracts with a number of VTC companies. You can arrange for a car from the SNCF website, pricing is very fair. You can also arrange directly with Bolt, FreeNow, or Lecab. The same drivers work for all of these companies.

Thank you Tocard!!

Bolt was the company I could not think of the name for.
And thank you very much for detailed post regarding best mode of transportation depending on situation ... helpful on so many levels!

Thanks to Tocard for the recommendation — I needed to be at the airport early last week so took my first Bolt to CDG. They gave me a nice discount for my first ride, and my ride to the airport cost less than €22! Obviously it won’t always be that cheap (and I live on the “right” side of Paris for it to take less time/be cheaper to get to CDG), but still, I was impressed.

I am returning home during the day next week so will just take the RER, but for a situation where I needed a VTC, I was very pleased with Bolt.
Thanks again, Tocard.