Paris: Getting from CDG airport to Hotel

The name of your hotel would help a bit. Getting into central Paris, the cheapest and easiest way is by Rossy Bus to Opera. From there you can walk, take bus, take Metro or take a cab, depending on location of hotel. If close, I would walk. After sitting in a plane for 8 hours, walking actually sounds good and you get to see Paris up close. Of course, you have purchased beforehand from ebay or other source a really good street map of Paris, right? You also are traveling light, one backpack each and maybe one small wheeled suitcase each.

I too vote that you take the Roissy Bus. I've been to Paris many times and found this is the easiest and cheapest way to get into the heart of downtown Paris. You can purchase your ticket as you get on the bus. Signs are well marked at the airport. The RER can be a little confusing to find and navigate if this is your first time in Paris. If you do end up taking the RER, make sure you have euros to pay for your ticket at the self-serve machines as the machines don't take American credit cards. (After learning this the hard way, I can now chuckle at the frustrated Americans I see at the self serve machines!) Americans will learn quickly if you don't have cash, you'll have to stand in line and talk to someone at a window for your ticket - and the lines are usually pretty long. Not a fun thing to do after a long flight!

We are staying in the area of LaDefense, the business district, outside the city center. We are traveling light: one small wheeled suitcase each and one backback for both of us. I bought the Paris popup street map but maybe thats not detailed enough. Would this change your suggestions? Thank you for your replies.

Claudia[INVALID]what area in La Defense are you staying? I stayed at a hotel in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a very upscale part of Paris. It's a nice area, however, it is obviously a little ways from downtown. I think you should still take the Roissybus, which will drop you off at Opera[INVALID]-literally across the street from the Metro stop. Once you get in the metro, you only make one transfer to get to the line you need. Take the Ligne 8, Direction Balard to the Concorde stop. Once at Concorde, transfer to Ligne 1, Direction La Defense, and you'll be on your way to La Defense! I recall there are a few flights of stairs to go down at the Opera metro stop, but it's not bad if you don't have too many bags.

Taking the RER B (8.70 EUR) to central Paris is actually cheaper than taking the Roissybus (9.60 EUR). Plus you can transfer to the metro at no additional charge. However, the Roissybus gives you a good above-ground introduction to Paris. If you follow John's metro route (Opera-Concorde-La Defense), the fare for a single t+ ticket is 1.70 EUR. If you walk to the Auber RER station and take the RER A directly to La Defense, the fare is 2.35 EUR. Why the difference? La Defense is in zone 3. A single t+ ticket is good anywhere the metro goes, but on the RER it is only good in zone 1. If you were to take the RER B from CDG to Chatelet-Les Halles and transfer to the RER A there to get to La Defense, the fare for a single ticket would be 10.65 EUR. However, Chatelet-Les Halles is a huge station and you may prefer to avoid it until you're more familiar with the system. Following the "Correspondances" ("connections") signs will help you when transferring.

I know everyone says take the RER and I am actually comtemplating it for my trip in May. Last time we took BluVan and they were reasonable & great!

For detailed instructions (including photos) on getting from CDG to Paris on the RER, visit www.parisbytrain.com.

Claudia, I strongly suggest the RoissyBus/RER (Auber to La Défense) for you. Do you know how to use 'Google Street View' maps? If not, please send me a Private Message - you'll see why!!! At the airport, you can pay the bus driver directly (with Euro, of course), or use their ticket machines if you see one, then you walk 1/2 block from the bus stop at Opéra Garnier to the Auber RER station. You can use Euro coins only in these machines, but as already posted the tickets don't cost that much. Now, don't let this next statement freak you out LOL, but never allow anyone to 'help' you buy a metro ticket...it's a scam...you'll need to research the favorite scams on theGraffiti Wall and in guidebooks............Please read the info on the website I've given here:...http://parisbytrain.com/paris-rer/.........this page will show you, in photos - (click on the photos to expand them) - some very important information. Please peruse the entire site, too - it's a great source of spell-it-out-for-me info!.........Also, metro maps are available at metro stations - many, if not most, are NOT manned booths anymore but instead ticket machines so the maps (tiny, credit-card sized folded maps) are somewhere...good luck. Also, if you are interested, you can buy at any tabac/grocery store/bookstore a book of Paris - a detailed map (like MAPSCO, Thomas Guide, etc., if you're familiar with those) in book form; includes bus/metro routes, and anything else you'd want. They're really detailed and great for finding anything you need to. You have to wait to buy them there, though - sometimes I see them for sale online in the USA, but their $10-14 price goes up to $50+ with S&H...

Claudia, the RER and Metro combination is very easy to use! The Metro Map is available as a PDF file, so you could print it out and pack it along. The Map is also in the Guidebooks. ¶ It appears that you're packing reasonably "light" so you could probably manage the station changes. Châtelet Les Halles is a "super transfer station, and has three stations (Chatelet Les Halles, Chatelet and Les Halles) joined by passageways (so a bit of walking is required - there are often some very good musicians playing in the tunnels to provide a bit of "entertainment"). If you follow the signs to Chatelet, you'll find the RER "A". All you need to know is the correct direction, in this case Cergy/Poissy/St.Germain en-Laye. The advantage of the RER over the Bus or Shuttle, is that it isn't affected by traffic. ¶ A few points to mention if you decide to use the RER. Tickets are available either at the ticket office (which often has a huge queue) OR via automated ticket machines. The ticket machines ONLY accept "chip & PIN" credit cards OR Euro coins (as I recall, there are change machines in the vicinity but of course you'd need some Euro cash to use those). The parisbytrain.com website gives a good description of the ticket options. There are charts near the ceiling in the trains, so you can follow your progress from station-to-station. Each of the stations has a large sign on the wall, so you'll know when you arrive at La Defense. Buon Voyage!

I see a streetwise Paris pocket map book on ebay.com now, with 1 day + left for .99 plus shipping at: http://cgi.ebay.com/Streetwise-Paris-Pocket-Map-/390238191045?pt=US_Nonfiction_Book&hash=item5adc023dc5 The map, if fairly current would be worth a buy. Also, you will need some Euro bills and/or some Euro coins early in your adventures. Get Euro at a ATM machine in CDG, then go buy a coffee and give them a 20. Ask for change to be in change. You now have fortification and change. A doubble dipper. Once you have these, then go to the Rossybus and away you go. As said before, you will get a "tour" of Paris on the way. We use the bus system exclusively (I use an electric scooter). I am not at home now, but if you would like a really nice bus map, email me and I will send it to you. It is a large pdf file but well worth it. It is from a former poster who died last year.

Claudia, I would recommend the RER/Metro route. Last summer was our families first trip to Paris. We used RER/Metro to get from CDG to Rue Cler. The Metro is very well marked, and easy to use. Don't worry about looking like lost tourists. You aren't the first, and you definetly won't be the last.

Thank you all for your timely responses. We head out soon, so when I return, I will let you all know the results. I did visit the parisbytrain website.. very useful. Thank you!

As a heads up, I just read on another thread on this board that the RER B is not going to be running on weekends for the next few weeks.

I'm sorry, I mean to say the RER B to and from CDG will not be running..

Just back from vacation! Wanted to let you know what we ended up doing after all: Upon arrival we took the bus to Opera and then the metro to our final destination in La Defense. It was easy, however we felt it the bus ride was too slow, or maybe we were just tired from the flight. After a week of zipping thru the metro all over town, we felt confident. So on our way back we did the metro and RER B back to the airport. It was easy and being early in the morning, the stop at Chatalet-LesHalles was not too crowded. We returned on a Monday so we did not notice the interruption in service. We had a great time on our first visit to Paris. Thank you all for your help!

Claudia, thanks for posting an update. It's great that everything worked well. Like many of us here, you're probably already starting to plan the next trip!

Thanks for the update. A lot of people ask for help but never tell us if it worked.

I recently returned from Paris 2 weeks ago as a solo traveler. First thing I did, used my ATM and got euros at the airport. Next, bought train ticket on the RER B to Paris. The train ticket machines are very easy to use! (You can pick your language.) I think it cost me 8.70 euros to take the train, then transfered myself, and BTW, my one large suitcase, to the Metro and then a short walk to the hotel. Let me tell you one thing, you are a tourist in Paris and there are a ton of people doing the very same thing you are, so don't worry about being labled a tourist. Once I got over that personal hurdle, I had a fantastic time in Paris!!!