Paris Airport to Caen transportation

Google "CDG to caen by train" in the exact phrase box (don't include the quote marks)--and you'll probably have all the info you need on that subject.

The train to Caen leaves from Gare St-Lazare in Paris. There are two ways to get from CDG to St-Lazare:

(1) Taxi direct from the airport to the station. This will cost 50 euros for up to four people. Easiest way with luggage, and well worth the cost if there are a few of you.

(2) RER "B" train from the airport to Chatelet-Les Halles, then Metro Line 14 to Gare St-Lazare. I believe this costs 11 euros per person, and involves walking with luggage through the large underground Chatelet station following signs, maybe with some stairs. The Paris by Train website has everything you could want to know about this, and much else.

I don't know which route is faster, that will depend on traffic and how long you take to navigate stations with luggage.

RER B to Gare du Nord, then RER E to Gare St Lazare. That much will cost 10.30 EUR. Then buy a ticket to Caen, which costs 40.70 EUR.

what are RER B and RER E? busses or trains? subway? not understanding...never been in France.

Many people omit the better option in my humble opinion. The Roissy Bus runs from CDG to the Opera Garnier (7 minute walk from Gare Saint-Lazare). It is €12/pp, leaves from right outside of arrivals at the airport, has no changes or stairs, and is a pleasant way to enter the city rather than tunneling underground. From Gare Saint-Lazare, there are many direct trains to Caen, Bayeux, and beyond. I have done this transit many, many times, and consider it the best option for CDG to Caen

Hi,

The RER is not a bus or subway. From the looks of it, it is a train but a certain type of train. RER "B" goes from CDG to Paris Nord ie, Gare du Nord, the terminus.

You cannot go to Normandy from Gare du Nord. For that you have go to Gare St Lazare, either by RER "E" or the metro or you can take the bus outside of Nord, (Nord is big bus junction). Bus # 26 and bus #43 outside of Gare du Nord go to Gare St Lazare.

At Gare St Lazare you can catch the train to Caen.

Thank you all for your advice! We will be flying in from Pittsburgh, PA to Paris for the 75th anniversary of D Day. Both our fathers were paratroopers in Europe. We are renting a car I Caen the staying at an AirBnB in St Lo. Doing Normandy til the 7th and taking a train to Brussels to rent a car again and go to Bastogn, Nijmegen, Arnhem and Eindoven then fly home from Amsterdam.

Oh, should we wait till we get to the CDG to get euros out of an Atm? Also, what about a SIM card? we both have unlocked phones. Which sim car would be the best?

If you reserve train tickets from Paris to Caen well in advance -- 3 or 4 mos or so, the tickets are about 15 Euro; walk up tickets are about 40 Euro. Leave at least 4 hours between ETA at CDG to departure from St. Lazare. Take a taxi to St. Lazare for 50 Euro.

It is irresponsible not only to your own family but also to the rest of us on the road to drive after an all night flight in a strange car in a foreign country.

From your responses, it is clear that you need a good guidebook to assist you in your planning. I suggest since this is your first trip to France that you purchase the Rick Steves 2019 France guidebook. It is for sale on this site or through Amazon.

Literally, it will tell you 90% of the information you will need for your trip. Without it, you will spend WAY TOO MUCH money doing the simplest of tasks, and will not optimize your time and sightseeing activities. The alternative to being an independent traveler like many of the posters to these forums is to hire others to do the thinking and planning for you. My late mother would have been happy with others doing the planning, but most of us prefer to know the nuts and bolts of European travel. Have a great trip!

Looking into staying in Caen for the first night after we pick up the car then going on to St Lo. Concerned about buying the train tickets ahead of time if the plane is late, etc....

I would be concerned as well, that is why I suggest you bite the bullet and just buy tickets when you get to St Lazare station. The alternative is to allow at least 6 hours from your landing time until you depart from St Lazare, and buy advance nonrefundable tickets at 15 EUR each a few months in advance. If everything goes smooth, you can walk around Paris for a couple of hours after storing your luggage. Nannybag and Bagbnb can get you places for short term storage in the area. Galleries Lafayette department store is nearby and you can kill a few hours there, including lunch at the cafeteria on the top floor.

Helpful blog, including photo tours of various stations:

www.parisbytrain.com