Sharing a Taxi from CDG

The problem with sharing a taxi is that you'd need to be going to destinations fairly close to each other, and then both be willing to pay cash to split the fee. There would have to be a lot of negotiation with a stranger also waiting for a cab. This seems unnecessarily complex to me. As a young woman traveling in Paris, I never had trouble with the metro. (Well, I did, and I missed my flight home, but that was from misreading the signs, not due to safety.)

I suspect finding someone in the taxi line going to 'your' hotel is unlikely.

I also suspect the regulated ( fixed) rate for the 'airport to city' trip applies for only ONE destination. After the 1st stop, regular fares may apply from there to wherever the 2nd stop is, thus negating some/(all?) of the savings of sharing.

If your seatmate on the airplane is going to or very close to your destination and you get a chance to chat with them ( size them up) on the flight, then it might be something to do.

I cannot bring myself to suggest to a woman traveling alone to hop into a cab with a total stranger.

I guess I assumed the "flat rate" of 55 Euro's to the left bank would not matter if there were 2 stops on the Left Bank.
Did not consider that there would be extra charges after the first stop.

Take a taxi by yourself and arrive in splendour at your Paris destination. If getting into the city at minimum expense is important, take the Roissy bus or Bus 350 or 351 into Paris, easy and safe, and then a cab to your hotel.

When you say you have never taken a cab before, do you mean never ever? If so, just get in the line for taxis at CDG (do not accept a cab offer from any wandering individual) and when a cab appears for you, get in, give the driver the full address of your hotel, settle back and enjoy the ride. If you are shy to speak French, have the address written down on paper and give it to the driver.

I don't know how one would find a stranger to share a taxi with and I know that I would not share with a person who approached me in the airport looking to a person to split the cots of a taxi ride. It's sort of like picking up hitch hikers to me -- something I would never do. Given how international a city Paris is and how many people visit from all over the world, there could be major language/communication issues. And of course, there is the fact that the fixed rate is for one stop so you would have to find someone going pretty close to where you are going. But the most amazing thing is that you have never taken a cab before, wow, that is incredible. I can't imagine reaching any age over say 12 and never having been in a cab. Just follow Norma's instructions above. The one thing that I would add is clarify is that the full address includes the postal zone (the number that begins with 75).

If you've not taken a taxi before do have some cash altho some will take credit cards. As mentioned above I always have the name of the hotel and full address (including the numbers that are like a zip code - something like 75002 for example) and phone typed out and taped to a 3x5 index card. I just hand that to the driver.

And....laughing...I always do that for London too because I'm afraid they won't understand my American accent!

As others say, this is not going to work to take a taxi with someone else. When you get to the front of the taxi queue the taxi manager will motion you to a taxi. There are usually 3 or 4 that have pulled up and he will tell you which one to go to. Go on your own, enjoy yourself and have your first look at Paris! Fasten your seat belt.

When you are running a meter, dropping a passenger is not a big deal, but for a fixed fare trip, that fixed fare is from CDG to one destination; it is not a shuttle service.

If you are going from CDG to a hotel, there are charges associated with the 2nd passenger.
I would not do it.

You know.. depending on where your hotel is.. and time of day, and how much luggage you have.. I really think you could consider taking the RER.. 10 euros. .

Ive stayed in hotels that are less than a 5 minute walk from a stop.

Which hotel are you staying at?

I can't imagine reaching any age over say 12 and never having been in a cab.

I can assure you that it's very possible! Grow up in a small town, in a rural state, and not make any trips to big cities before you're 12 (or if you do, go with frugal parents who take public transportation). As a small random sample, I can think of myself, my brother, and my five cousins, and I would bet a thousand dollars that none of us had been in a cab by the time we were 12. And that wouldn't have been at all unusual where we grew up.

Many, many people have never taken cabs. If you live in an area where this is common, I can understand being surprised that in most of the nation it is not a common occurrence.
It is probably similar to the surprise I experienced in NYC when a woman in her 50's told me she had never owned or driven a car because she had no need for it.

It is easy to assume that what is familiar to us is familiar to everyone else, when it simply isn't so.

Yes. I probably average less than one taxi per month when I'm in Europe, and one or two per year at home in Washington DC. And I've never owned a car. (Those are two reasons why I can afford to travel to Europe.)

The last three times I've flown into CDG, I've taken the Roissy bus to L'etoile or the Trocadero for 17Euros ($21). Taxis are usually waiting at L'etoile.

But your hotel may or may not be within walking distance of the taxi rank.
I'd just take a regular Parisien taxi from CDG.

Not a stupid idea at all, but as others have said not safe and not really done. Thinking back I really do not think I had taken a taxi until I was in my 30's maybe? Why would I, I have a car and drive everywhere. When you land in Paris there will be signs to the official taxi stands. Listen to the advise that you have been given, do not engage with the men that will say "taxi "taxi" as you are following the signs for the taxi stand, do not let them grab your bags as they say 'right over here", walk with a purpose and hold onto your bags. The official taxi stand will be very obvious. I think last time we were there we must have been solicited by about 4 of these guys before we arrived at the official taxi stand. The cost of the taxi is small in comparison to the convenience and safety.