CDG to downtown Paris

Bob , As far as the RER B is concerned it's not much different than the T commuter up to Newburyport or Rockport . I'm 67 and don't recall the walk to the train as being particularly onerous . As far as pickpockets , or robbery , IMO , this is a generally overblown fear . You probably stand a better chance of it in downtown Boston or NYC . Stop worrying over nothing . I have no qualms about the RER . Enjoy Paris ,it's wonderful . By the way , Newburyport is one of our favorite places ( even though Fowle's is closed ) and we visit several times a year .

If you wear money belts and keep a close eye on your luggage, you will not have to worry about getting your pockets picked while riding the RER and Metro. For added measure, you could use small padlocks to secure the zippers on your bags. If you pack light, riding the RER and Metro with luggage is easy. If you'll be weighed down with luggage so that negotiating stairs could be a challenge, then a taxi would be a better choice. If you take a taxi, be sure to only take one that has been in an official taxi rank. If anyone comes up to you and offers to provide taxi service, give a firm "No". Write the name and address of your hotel, including the arrondissement, on a piece of paper and give it to the driver. Bon voyage et bonne chance!

We took an Air France coach from CDG to one of the city stops (Gare de Lyon), then a taxi to the near by hotel. While we were not traveling too heavy, we had rolling duffle bags with gear and the AF coach had a luggage compartment. On our return to CDG our hotel arranged a shared shuttle service with a fixed price.

Bob, well lets disregard age for a minute, ( its just a number, and my dad is 78 and takes RER himself) but look at your particular sitiation. Robbery , non issue, its not the wild west.. lol.
Pickpockets, well if your stuff is in your moneybelt and your moneybelt is worn under your clothes pickepocketing is also a non issue. Carry only a days worth of cash with your in purse or pocket. The main issue with taking the RER is there can be stairs involved, and when you arrive in Paris the possibility of having to transfer to get to hotel ( what hotel are you staying at, this can help determine how easy your trip may be) and some metro/rer stations have long passageways to walk in.. so if you feel that would be taxing then forget all this , and just take a taxi. Taxi is easy and cost is 45-55 euros . For many people its a small price to pay to avoid having to haul luggage or "think"( trying to figure out where to go etc) .. The RER is fast and cheap ( 9.50 euros) Go outside to official Taxi rank. Have address written down on a piece of paper, full address with zipcode. Its easier then worrying about mispronouncing the place and ending up in Timbuktu.. Extra fees outside metered cost for taxi, for luggage in trunk in taxi. one euro per bag.

StevieD that shared shuttle company has a horrible reputation in Paris, late shows no shows so no, its not worth it. Its only about 20 euros more to take a taxi, so why hassle with a shared shuttle.
Google for reviews for it in Paris,, terrible..

Bob, where exactly are you staying? That could make a difference in our recommendations (the name of the metro stop near your hotel would be great). Also, don't forget - you're not in a race to get to the train station at CDG! Take your time; in fact, we nearly always stop for a drink or a snack (if it's just the two of us) to recover from being in a tiny little flying tube for the previous 47 (or so) hours :-( And if you haven't taken the RER into Paris before, your entire walk to the station is within the airport (meaning, it's just like walking to another gate or to baggage claim); it's a regular ol' RER/metro station at the other end. While at a metro station, just don't allow anyone to 'help' you with anything, anywhere...unless you've asked for the help. If you keep an eye on your luggage and are in physical control of it (you're not bringing 3 pieces each that you couldn't possibly control all at once), and if you look alert but not 'inviting' (making eye contact, etc.), then your chances of any pick pocketing go waaaay down. That's where stopping at the airport for a bit to refresh yourselves does wonders! Have a drink, comb your hair, straighten your clothing, apply a little lipstick (maybe not for you!) - you look less tired and distracted than you really are when compared to the rest of the pool of potential victims.

The good news is that you can decide when you arrive. If you are tired, you can take a taxi; if you feel ok, you can try the RER. Personally, I usually decide upon arrival.

We were in Paris in 2010 and 2011. Both times we had our hotel (Le Littre) arrange a taxi for us. They used a particular taxi service. It was a pre-arranged price. We paid the driver directly. It was wonderful to have the driver meet us at the train station or at the airport, right after we got our luggage. Then the driver helped us with our luggage. When we returned to the airport, the driver met us at the hotel, at the arranged time. As the price was pre-arranged, we didn't have to worry about the meter running up the charge either. After a long flight and five pieces of luggage, it was wonderful to have our own individual driver.

Elaine's method, that is, having your hotel arrange the pick-up at CDG, is probably the most expensive way of getting into Paris, except maybe booking a Rolls Royce yourself.

The RER is a good option and money saver depending on where your hotel/Metro stop is located. On our last trip we got off at the Luxembourg Garden stop and there were many steps(30/40) to exit the station-not fun with luggage. The RER became very crowded as we got closer in but if you watch your belongings there is no problem. We will use it again but the hotel we choose will depend on the nearest Metro Station having an elevator. If I remember correctly the escalator to get down to RER rails was not working but there may be an elevator. We always have our hotel arrange a shuttle to get back to CDG. Another option is the Roissybus which worked well on another trip but we still had to take a taxi from the drop off place. Have a nice trip!

I suggest either the Rossybus or Les Cars Air France. It's simple and almost fool proof. I always pack light, so I don't have to worry about my luggage under the bus. I usually go straight from Paris to Chartres, so Les Cars Air France whisks me off to the Gare Montparnasse. Public transportation isn't fun, but I prefer this over the RER hands down.

We've taken a taxi once and the RER 5 or 6 times. In my opinion, the most important determinates are how difficult your bags are to handle (number and weight) and your physical condition (some of the train stations/transfer points are huge). If you're arriving on an overnight flight and have had little sleep, I'd consider that. Considering all of the above, I much prefer the RER.

You have to keep in mind your physical condition and the amount of luggage you have. The RER is easiest if you arrive in Terminal 2, but even then, it can be a long walk. If you need to transfer to the Metro, say at Chatelet, you need to be prepared for a 10-15 minute walk through a confusing maze--with stairs--to get to line #1 (I know because I just did it without luggage). Paris has not been retrofitted for disabled travelers--you will find lots of stairs in the Metro, and that can be hard if you have heavy bags. If you don't like shuttles, the best option is to take Air France Les Cars or the Roissybus to Paris and then a taxi to your hotel.

Someone above said my suggestion of having our hotel book our arranged taxi, was extravagant Actually I talked to other people at our hotel and our price those two years in a row, wasn't that much higher. Plus we were told that with a regular taxi, off the street, the meter might run, if we hit traffic. We did hit traffic one morning, but our price was arranged. Plus once, we had to have the driver return to the hotel, as my husband had forgotten our money in the hotel safe. We didn't pay any more for the taxi's driver's inconvenience, but we tipped him more, due to that mistake. We really liked having the reassurance that our driver would be there, when we asked. We were told in Istanbul, to definitely have the Intercontinental call for our taxis, as the regular taxi drivers in Istanbul, were real crooked. Some of the people (6 to be exact) on our Tauck tour, learned that the hard way, when they got in taxis at the Grand Bazaar.