Paris CDG to Gare Lyon

<> Probably taxi, which will probably be a 40 minute drive if there is no traffic. Next is via mass transit which would be the RER B from CDG to Chatelet Les Halles and changing there for the RER A to Gare de Lyon (total time = approximately 50 minutes from the time you purchase your ticket and not including the time to get to the RER stop at CDG).

<> Yes. Have you also checked to see if you can get to your destination by train from CDG? You'd have to have horribly bad luck to miss a 11:30 AM train with a scheduled arrival time of 6:30 AM.

Luggage might be a factor. You'll have an elevation change at the airport, one at Chatelet, and another at Lyon.

The Les Cars Air France bus goes nonstop from the airport to the station and costs about five euro more than the RER system. Overall, it's also faster unless there's a traffic snarl. Taxis and buses use separate lanes from the cars on the surface streets, so software estimates are meaningless.

I'd disregard the first response since it contains at least five factual errors - - the only accurate phrase being that there are no reservations required on the RER.

Note that these software-generated metro/rer times are always shorter than they are in the real world and much shorter than a floundering newbie could possibly make it. Also they assume perfect train connections.

Great responses from everyone. Thanks. Jim

I would choose (and have used) the Les Cars Air France bus that is direct to Gare de Lyon. Five hours is enough time to transfer unless your flight is significantly delayed. Note that advance-discount train tickets are not changeable or refundable if you miss the train. With a rail pass, a seat reservation is not a big expense to lose, but a new TGV pass holder reservation is not sold in French stations less than 3 days ahead of travel, so you again would be told you had to buy a new ticket, at or near full fare.