CDG to Gare de Lyon

Hi Don,

There's a timetable on Les Cars website. Your route's the CDG-Montparnasse line. They'll stop at Gare du Lyon on their way to Mpasse. You'll need to know your CDG arrival terminal--select that and then select Gare du Lyon as your destination. It will give you a list of times. That will provide a ballpark estimate for you.

Thanks for your response, Rachel but I was trying to figure out how much total time it would take to get from the airplane to Gare de Lyon including immigration, customs, etc.

I'd allow three hours minimum to be safe. Your plane may be parked way out, have to taxi for what seems forever. Next there could be a shuttle thingie from the tarmack to the terminal. But you can't tell which end disembarks first. You end up at the wrong end are the last off. Next two other flights may arrive at the same time, making it longer to get through passport. After you get your bags, find the gate for the AF bus, buy the ticket, you get in line for the bus-- but you just missed one and have 29 minutes to wait. Then traffic's heavy getting to town. Got the picture. This did happen to us and it took us four hours to get to our apartment. Or you could have a flight that taxis right up to the gate, you're in the front of the plane, get through passport before everyone else, get on the AF bus--and you're there quickly. That's happened too. I'd plan conservatively.

Thanks, Bets.

Don,
Sorry, read too quickly and thought you meant from the curb not the entire process. I did the reverse of the trip you're doing and for a 12:25 pm flight to Dulles, I think I caught the 8am (if not 7:30) bus from Montparnasse. So slightly less time for de Lyon.

Have a good trip!

Just a word of support for Bets's answer. She knows what she's talking about - you can trust her advice!

I've taken LEs Cars twice to Gare de Lyon. I did have to wait half an hour after immigration and luggage retrieval as I must have missed the previous bus. Then it was an hour or more thru the airport and traffic. There is no bathroom on the bus so use the facilities in the airport before you get on! I remember the time it took about an hour and 15 mins and I and another passenger were very uncomfortable :) We both thought there was going to be a restroom on the bus!

Duh, why do you want to go to Gare de Lyon?
Do you have a hotel next door to the station, or are you getting train to some other place? Where do you actually want to get to?
Why not get a train from Charles de Gaulle airport to direct wherever you really want to get to, or at least a train from the airport changing somewhere to your final destination. That may be the simpler option.

Actually, Chris, we're spending the night near the station and catching the TGV the next morning to Nice.

Don, In which case, if you can carry your luggage just get the RER, Charles de Gaulle --> Gare de Nord, then a cross-platform change and 2 stops to Gare du Lyon. Frequent trains so there is no time pressure.

I've done both RER and Les Cars to Gare de Lyon. It really just depends on my mood. RER is about 11euros and Les cars is about 17. Both are perfectly acceptabl and wayyy cheaper than a cab.

Thank you all for your help.