CDG transfer

Short answer: There are maps online that you can print out and follow to catch your flight. Stop reading here if you do not want unsolicited information. Before a trip last month, I was assured repeatedly by Delta and various posters here that a layover of 2 hours 5 minutes was plenty of time to catch a connecting flight at CDG. Unfortunately, it took nearly 2 hours just to get through passport control. And, since the flight arrived on time, Delta did nothing to expedite passengers trying to make connecting flights. And, I did ask. A complicating factor is that many arriving and departing flights are parked some distance from the terminal and passengers are bused to and from the planes. Buses leave the terminal 20 or 30 minutes ahead of the posted departure time, and if you miss the bus, you miss the flight. I realize that you can sometimes get through in just a few minutes. But the often-repeated advice about arriving at the airport three hours before your departure should also apply to transfers at DeGaulle Airport. In the future, I will not book through CDG again without at least a three-hour window. PS: "Unhelpful staff" is too mild a term; they do not give a dmn.

A few years ago we waited an hour for my friend's checked luggage at CDG. She said, "They must be on their lunch break." The wait for luggage took just as long as the flight from Heathrow.

Roy, our original Delta flights were changed and we now have a 1 hour 10 minute layover at CDG in late August. I have been assured it's plenty. I was also told that people with short connections are met at the plane and escorted to the connecting gate. You are making me nervous! Can you tell me what time of the day your flight arrived at CDG?? We're arriving at 6:10 am at terminal 2E and leaving at 7:20 from 2D. Thanks.

Charlene, I don't mean to make you nervous. I have gone through Passport Control at CDG in just a short time on an earlier trip, but I got nervous, myself, this time, because it took nearly three hours from start to finish to catch a departing flight to the US from CDG two years ago. That is why I posted a similar question to your's in April. And it is why I found the latest delay so frustrating. But if you do miss the flight, Air France should be able to get you on a later flight to Madrid the same day. I am answering your other question in a private message.

Looks like I'm in the same boat. I have an ATL-CDG flight that gets in at 6am. I have 1 hour and 5 minutes to make my next flight to Prague. This makes me nervous. Also, I'm checking a bag...will my bag actually make it to the next flight?! I would hope there's someone there to assist us with the connection/customs circus if we have such a short amount of time.

Jennifer, you might try to travel with just carryon luggage for this trip. Or at least pack a change of clothing and all essentials (meds, toiletries, all guidebooks/hotel docs, etc.) in your carryon. Just in case. To help speed the connection at CDG, I printed out directions on the Air France website. Here's the url: http://www.airfrance.fr/FR/en/common/guidevoyageur/aeroport/correspondance_cdg.htm On this page, click "Display the transfer routes between the various terminals". Enter the cities you're arriving from and departing to, and you get very clear instructions on how to get there. Good luck to you! Let us know how you do.

Sandra, et al - Try this: http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-GB/Passagers/flight-timetable-airline/ : "How to Make Connecting Flights". And this: http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-GB/Passagers/Access-maps-car-parks/Paris-CDG/maps/ for maps of CDG; this shows the 'main map' you can print/download, PLUS be sure to scroll down to each of the detailed maps of each of the terminals... Also, I'd recommend you look at http://parisbytrain.com/ to familiarize yourself with the signage at CDG. Lots of photos on that great site!

The transfer link with instructions was super helpful, thanks! One last question...does customs usually take a long time? That's where I'm concerned time wise the most.

Customs is super fast (usually). Immigration / passport control is what can be the hold up.

Just wanted to reassure anyone with a tight connection at CDG that it can be done. We went through there last week. Our plane (Delta) touched down at 5:35 am, then taxied for almost 20 minutes. We were due to arrive at 6 am, and actually were in the terminal at 5:55. (We did buy the Economy Plus tickets so we'd be among the first passengers off the airplane.) (I don't know what they count as "arrival" time. Is it when you touch down? Or when you can exit the aircraft?) We had a long walk to Passport control, but went through it very quickly. They did have a "fast" lane at Passport Control, but with almost an hour until our flight, we didn't qualify to use it. Then we had another fast hike to our Air France gate. We went through security (again very quickly) and were at our gate at 6:30. Our next flight left at 7:10. Admittedly it was very early in the morning, so the airport was fairly empty, but it was a piece of cake! So don't worry. Print out the instructions in the earlier post regarding arrival & departure gates, and just keep moving!

Charlene has the best strategy for getting through passport control at CDG: Choose a flight with a very early arrival hour. Unfortunately, that is not always an option. Otherwise, there would be many flights arriving before 6 a.m., and the lines would be just as long as they are for flights arriving after 8 a.m. And, at any hour, the lines move only as fast as the personnel at CDG choose to let them move. Still, that is a good strategy for making a connection in a short time if you do have that option. If not, and a three-hour layover is not an option, I would probably look for a connecting flight at a more efficient airport like Amsterdam or Frankfurt.