Tips for smooth arrival at CDG (United Airlines) ?

This is probably the most common question asked in the France category and nobody will tell you anything different. Once you clear immigration; Follow the signs and footprints on the floor to the official taxi stand. Don't let anyone steer you different; or persuade you that you can get a ride from the them...ignore...just get in the quick moving line. Rates are fixed depending on left bank or right bank. Then go directly to your accommodations!

When we arrive that early from the west coast we are wiped out. We always reserve our hotel for the night before and let them know we will be there in the morning. Then we can immediately check in; drop our luggage; freshen up and get out and about until we are ready to call it a day. Otherwise the slow wait until 3/4pm seems endless and exhausting.

When you see the restrooms, use them, in case you are stuck in a long line to get through passport control. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can just wait until you get out into the public side of the terminal.

Otherwise, just follow the signs. There are employees to direct you along the way.

How many people is "we". I always use the RER B train from CDG. At that time on a Sunday, the train shouldn't be that busy. If we is a family, at that point, a taxi becomes similar in price.

Thanks folks!

Twin Cities... The We is my wife and I and my question was about fight arrival at CDG (Immigration, Customs, etc...). Sorry if I was unclear about that. Thanks for your reply.

I will mention the escalators. Each one has no steps and one steps on a sort of spongy/soft conveyor belt and the entire thing is enclosed a clear tube. I used to fly into CDG on United a couple of times per year and many times there would be person having difficulty with the escalators. I think that the effect is sort of cool like you are an envelope in a slow moving pneumatic tube but I have seen may people trip on those things or get very confused by them maybe because you can see all the others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2_W3YT0yuY

Use the bathroom on the plane when you are about half an hour out so you don't have to stop in the terminal and lose your place in the immigration queue which CAN be very long. It took us two hours a couple of years ago -- usually it takes about an hour from arrival to the cab line and we do check bags.

You follow the crowd to baggage control as immigration precedes that and then the only tricky point is to get in the right passport line. They are pretty well signed and you will go in the line for Canadians and Americans. There is an automatic kiosk that reads your passport, no glasses or hats, and then when authorized you go through the gate and have the agent stamp the passport. At that point you exit through baggage control

You'll be arriving at Terminal 1. Do not try to take the RER into Paris--it leaves from Terminal 2, and the transfer can be confusing. As others have stated, take an official taxi from Termnal 1 to your hotel. As KD has noted, it is very smart to book your hotel room for the night before you arrive, telling them that you are actually a morning arrival. There is nothing worse than trying to stay awake in a Paris cafe all day waiting until 4 p.m. to check in.

Do not try to take the RER into Paris--it leaves from Terminal 2,

While it is true that the RER departs CDG from terminal 2, it also stops at Roissypôle, easily reached using the free CDGVAL rail line. If you arrive on United, which uses terminal 1, and want to take the RER B into Paris, go to the lowest level, there is an elevator just opposite the customs exit, and take the CDGVAL to Roissypôle. Buy your ticket/pass there and board the train. There is absolutely no need to go all the way to terminal 2 just to take the train to Paris.

Just arrived on United and noticed that the signs were quite clear for trains to Paris if you wish to take the RER -- Roissypole is nearby and the CDGVAL links terminals and the train station.

We took a cab and there are signs on the floor once you exit through the customs doors which take you to the cab line - which is covered so you are protected iin case of rain and as has been the case in our last few trips there was no line. There is a huge bank of cabs waiting and we were immediately directed to a cab when we made our way down the passageway to the head of the cab rank. If you are a large group and need a van cab, if there is not one in the row of waiting cabs, the dispatcher will summon one from the huge line of cabs waiting below the station.

That’s a brilliant arrival time. Much of CDG’s inherent chaos is because of the crowds, and the old terminal isn’t really geared towards the modern capacity. You ought to be able to navigate through just fine. Might be a much different story on your way home though, so don’t be fooled!

the old terminal isn’t really geared towards the modern capacity.

Terminal 1 has been renovated with completely new security, lounge, shopping, and gate space.

I was just there in August and flew in about 8:30 a.m. on a Tuesday. The line for passport control took probably an hour. It seemed endless. Follow the signs to the taxis (i did have to avoid some rather agressive men). The taxi meter read both coming and going the fixed amount I was to pay. It was well worth it.