Recommendations for going from CDG to Paris city

Take a taxi. Have your destination written down and prepare to pay in cash just in case. The taxi area is well-organized and efficient. The rate is fixed for left bank and right bank.

IMO, there isn’t a best there are different options that take different amounts of time, cost, and pre planning. It also depends on where you’ll be going within paris for example if taking a train but going somewhere that will require 4 changes with luggage the extra $ for taxi could be worth it. Or if you’re a group with loads of luggage and needs maybe consider a pre arranged car service.

When do you land and when can you check-in? if you land too early to check-in then save your money and just take the RER into town and the metro/walk/or taxi to your accommodation. J

Anyone who walks up to the airport and tells you they can get you to Paris, will rip you off. Follow the blue footsteps to the official taxi stand, do not accept a ride from some guy who tells you he’s gonna give you a deal. It’s a flat rate, 53 or 58 Euros, depending on where you’re going. I just read yesterday somebody got ripped off paying €150 by the “friendly taxi guy” at the exit from baggage claim. Follow the footsteps

That depends on a few factors. How much luggage you have, (2). how many in your party and who are they, and (3) what time is the arrival in CDG.

Coming from the west coast, ie, SFO , I always land sometime between 10-11 AM. I always take the RER to Paris ending at Gare du Nord, super convenient; a taxi is not needed, no uber,...not an option.

There are three good ways to go from CDG to Paris:

Cheapest is RER B for 10.30 going up to 11 something Jan 1. The ticket will take you anywhere in Paris; you transfer to the metro at Gare du Nord or Chatelet or one of the other central RER B stops.

Next Cheapest is Roissy Bus that goes to Opera. It is about 14 Euro.

both the RER and the Roissy Bus will accept the Navigo Decouverte for the fare if you have a weekly or monthly pass.

Most comfortable and door to door service is a taxi from the official cab line. Just get in the official line which is well signed and take your turn. It costs 53 Euro to the right bank and 58 to the left. Have your address written down for the driver and make sure the fixed fare shows on the meter as you are underway. If it isn't alert the driver. Cheats are rare. The only time someone tried to run the meter on us, he immediately posted the fixed fare when I pointed to the meter.

If you are asking this question, it is likely you are going to Paris for the first time. If this is the case, you want to take a taxi and from the official taxi queue only.

Been to Paris at least 6 times since the 1990s. Every single time I arrive at CDG, I just get on the next RER train to Paris.

Fred gave some good reasons why you might prefer a taxi instead, like if you are arriving in the middle of the night or if your hotel is nowhere near a Metro stop.

Yes, the train does stop at some of the sketchy suburbs on the way in. But there are always a lot of other air travelers with luggage in the same train car going into Paris. It's the cheapest way, and looking at the Google Maps travel time estimate right now (9 am Paris time) the train from CDG to central Paris would be faster than driving a car. I also take the train back out to CDG at the end of the trip.

When we were young we took Brio's advice and even now if we are staying near an RER stop we would take it. But now that we are old, we no longer want to carry luggage up and down very steep metro stairs and so we always take a taxi in.

If you take the train, be sure you are pickpocket proof; this is easy to do and you will need this habit for transport all during the trip. I personally use a money belt under my clothes for passports cards and money in transit from the airport if using public transport -- then stow most of it in the apartment before going out to explore.

On my own, I take the RER. With my mother, I take a taxi, due to her limited mobility and ease of being dropped off at the apartment.

True, there are the stairs at Gare Magenta if your terminus is that station. There are almost always other passengers with luggage in tow catching the RER from CDG as you are. You certainly won't be the only one. If the first RER is too crowded, ie no seat, take the next one.

My first time landing at CDG (ages ago) I took the Roissy bus which ended across from the Opera. I didn't know what I was doing then, just followed someone else.

Good information here. Les Frenchies on youtube have an excellent video on this very subject as well.