Paris Airport Transfers: How to Get From CDG & Orly to Your Hotel

You’ve just landed in Paris after a long flight. You’re tired, possibly jet-lagged, dragging suitcases, and now you need to figure out how to get from one of the largest airports in Europe to your hotel in the city center. This is the moment where your Paris trip either starts smoothly or goes sideways.

The good news: getting from CDG or Orly to central Paris is straightforward once you know your options. The bad news: there are enough options to make your head spin — trains, buses, taxis, Uber, private transfers — and the right choice depends on your budget, your comfort level, how much luggage you have, and what time you land.

We’ve helped thousands of American travelers plan their Paris trips, and airport transfers are one of the most common questions we get in our Facebook community. Below, we break down every option, compare them honestly, and explain why we personally recommend booking a private transfer with Welcome Pickups — especially if it’s your first time in Paris.
Important update (March 2026): The RoissyBus — the direct airport bus from CDG to Opéra — was permanently discontinued on February 28, 2026. If you see older guides recommending it, that information is now outdated. The RER B train remains the main public transit option from CDG.

CDG to Paris: All Transfer Options Compared

Our Recommendation: Welcome Pickups Private Transfer

After years of helping American travelers navigate Paris arrivals, Welcome Pickups is the service we recommend most — and the one our community members consistently thank us for suggesting. Here’s why:

How it works: You book online before your trip and enter your flight number. Welcome Pickups tracks your flight in real time, so even if your plane is delayed, your driver adjusts automatically. When you walk out of customs and baggage claim, your English-speaking driver is standing right there in the arrivals hall with a sign showing your name. They greet you, help with your bags, lead you to the car, and drive you directly to your hotel. That’s it. No searching for taxi lines, no fumbling with train tickets, no trying to explain your hotel address in French to a driver who may not speak English.

What you pay:

CDG to Paris Right Bank: €73 (sedan, up to 3 passengers)

CDG to Paris: €108 (minivan, up to 6 passengers)

CDG to Paris: €250 (minibus, up to 10 passengers)

Orly to Paris: Slightly less (check Welcome Pickups for exact quote)

The price is fixed and all-inclusive — no surge pricing, no tolls added, no surprises. You pay when you book. If traffic is terrible, you still pay the same amount.

🇫🇷 LES FRENCHIES TIP: Book your Welcome Pickups transfer at least a few days before your flight. You’ll get a confirmation email with your driver’s name, photo, and phone number. Save the app on your phone so you can track your driver’s location when you land. If your flight time changes, the system updates automatically — you don’t need to do anything. For families or groups of 4+, the minivan at €108 is the best value — split between 4–6 people, it’s only €18–27 per person for a stress-free, door-to-door ride.

Official Paris Taxi (Taxi Parisien)

Price from CDG: €56 to the Right Bank | €65 to the Left Bank (fixed rates)
Price from Orly: €37 to the Right Bank | €32 to the Left Bank (fixed rates)
Duration: 30–60 minutes depending on traffic
Where to find them: Follow “Taxi” signs outside each terminal — official taxi stands are clearly marked

Official Paris taxis are a reliable option, and the fixed-rate system from both airports means no meter anxiety. The prices are set by the city and printed on the car — €56 from CDG to the Right Bank (north of the Seine, including Le Marais, Montmartre, Opéra) and €65 to the Left Bank (south, including Saint-Germain, Latin Quarter, Eiffel Tower area).

The process is straightforward: follow the signs to the taxi stand, wait in the queue, and a dispatcher will wave you to the next available car. During peak hours at CDG, especially summer afternoons, the queue can stretch to 20–30+ minutes. At quiet times, you’ll be in a car within 5 minutes.

⚠️ Be careful: At the exit of customs, there are many FAKE TAXIS that will try to offer their services! ONLY USE THE OFFICIAL TAXI LANE

The honest truth about taxis:

The cars are generally clean and safe, and the fixed rate protects you from being overcharged. However, there are a few real-world issues worth knowing about. Many Paris taxi drivers speak limited English, which can make communication about your hotel address tricky — always have your hotel address written down or ready on your phone. Not all taxis accept credit cards; ask before getting in. Drivers are not required to help with luggage beyond putting it in the trunk. And if your destination is outside the fixed-rate zones, the meter runs instead — be aware of this if you’re staying in the suburbs.

Most importantly: never accept a ride from anyone who approaches you inside the terminal. Unlicensed drivers (often called “pirates” in Paris) approach arriving passengers in the arrivals hall offering rides — these are illegal, uninsured, and potentially dangerous. Always use the official taxi stand outside.

🇫🇷 LES FRENCHIES TIP: Have your hotel address written clearly on your phone or a piece of paper. When you get to the taxi, hold up your credit card and ask “Card OK?” before getting in. The fixed rate applies for up to 4 passengers with luggage. A 5th passenger incurs a €4 surcharge. Tipping is not expected in Paris, but rounding up the fare for good service is appreciated.

Uber, Bolt & Other Ride-Hailing Apps

Price from CDG: ~€35–€70 depending on time of day, traffic, and demand

Price from Orly: ~€20–€45

Duration: 30–60+ minutes

Apps available: Uber, Bolt, Free Now, G7 (taxi booking app)

If you use Uber at home, it works the same way in Paris. Open the app, enter your hotel address, confirm the ride, and walk to the designated pickup zone at the airport. CDG has clearly marked ride-hailing pickup areas at each terminal — follow the signs for “VTC” (that’s the French term for ride-hailing vehicles).

The main advantage of Uber in Paris is flexibility — you see the price before you confirm, you can choose vehicle size, and you don’t need cash. Bolt is another option that’s often a few euros cheaper than Uber. The G7 app lets you pre-book official Paris taxis, which is handy if you want the fixed taxi rate but don’t want to wait in the physical queue.

The downsides are real, though. Unlike taxis, Uber prices are not fixed — they fluctuate based on demand, and surge pricing during busy arrival times can push the fare well above taxi rates. There’s no meet-and-greet — you need to find the pickup zone yourself, which can be confusing at a sprawling airport like CDG. And the biggest complaint we hear from our community: driver no-shows and last-minute cancellations, especially during peak hours. When you’re exhausted after a long flight, standing with your bags trying to rebook a ride is not fun.

🇫🇷 LES FRENCHIES TIP: If you’re going to use Uber, make sure your app is set up with a European payment method or international card before you land. Check the price estimate before confirming — if it’s close to €60+, you might as well take an official taxi or book Welcome Pickups for the better experience. Uber is most reliable for return trips to the airport, when you’re already in the city and can request a car with a clear pickup point.

RER B Train (Budget Option)

Price: ~€11.80 per person from CDG to central Paris

Duration: 25 min to Gare du Nord | 28 min to Châtelet-Les Halles | 35 min to Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame | 45 min to Denfert-Rochereau

Frequency: Every 10–20 minutes

Operating hours: ~4:50 AM to ~11:20 PM (weekdays), slightly later on weekends

The RER B is the cheapest realistic way to get from CDG to central Paris. It’s a commuter train that connects the airport directly to several key stations in the city center: Gare du Nord (for connections to the northern part of Paris and Eurostar), Châtelet-Les Halles (central hub for almost every Métro line), Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame (Latin Quarter), and Denfert-Rochereau (Montparnasse area).

From any of these stations, you can transfer to the Paris Métro to reach your hotel. The entire trip from touchdown to your hotel room is typically 60–90 minutes, including walking, waiting, and the Métro connection.

When the RER B makes sense: You’re a solo traveler or couple with light luggage (one carry-on or small roller bag each), you’re comfortable navigating train systems, and you land during normal operating hours. At €11.80 per person, it saves you €40–50 compared to a taxi.

When it doesn’t make sense: You have heavy luggage (no elevators at many stations, crowded cars, narrow turnstiles), you’re arriving late at night (no service after ~11:30 PM), you’re with children, or you’re anxious about navigating a foreign transit system after a long flight. Pickpocketing on the RER B, particularly at Gare du Nord, is a well-documented concern — keep your valuables close and stay alert.

🇫🇷 LES FRENCHIES TIP: If you decide to take the RER B, buy your ticket from the machines at the airport station (have a chip credit card ready — US magnetic-stripe cards don’t always work, so carry some euros as backup). Keep your ticket for the entire journey — you need it to exit through the turnstiles at your destination station. Avoid rush hour (7:30–9:30 AM, 5–7:30 PM) when trains are packed.

Check our full guide – How to take the Train from CDG to Paris →

City Buses (Most Affordable, Least Convenient)

Bus 350: CDG to Porte de la Chapelle / Gare du Nord / Gare de l’Est (~70 min, ~€6)

Bus 351: CDG to Nation (~80 min, ~€6)

Night buses (Noctilien N140/N143): CDG to Gare de l’Est (~80 min, ~€7.60) — runs midnight to ~4:30 AM

City buses are the cheapest option but also the slowest and least convenient. They drop you at specific stops in Paris (not your hotel), have limited luggage space, and take well over an hour in traffic. The night bus (Noctilien) is your only public transit option if you land between midnight and 4:30 AM — otherwise, a taxi or Welcome Pickups is the way to go for late arrivals.

We generally don’t recommend buses for visitors arriving from international flights. The savings over the RER B are minimal (€5–6 difference), and the extra time and inconvenience aren’t worth it unless you’re on an extremely tight budget with plenty of time.

Getting From Orly Airport to Paris

Orly is Paris’s second airport, located 18 km south of the city center. It’s smaller and closer to Paris than CDG, which means transfers are generally faster and cheaper. Most of the same options apply:

Welcome Pickups from Orly: Same service as CDG — meet & greet at arrivals, English-speaking driver, fixed price, flight tracking. Slightly cheaper than CDG transfers due to the shorter distance. Book through the same link below.

Official Taxi: €32 to the Left Bank | €37 to the Right Bank (fixed rates). Orly taxis are generally quicker because the airport is closer, with typical ride times of 20–40 minutes.

Orlyval + RER B: An automated shuttle train (Orlyval) connects Orly to the RER B station at Antony. From there, the RER B takes you to Châtelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel, or Denfert-Rochereau. Total cost: ~€11–13. Total time: ~40–50 minutes including the connection.
Tram T7: A tramway connects Orly to Villejuif – Louis Aragon Métro station (Line 7). It’s cheap (~€2.15) but slow — about 45 minutes just for the tram, plus Métro time after that.

Getting Back to the Airport (Your Return Trip)

Your return trip to the airport deserves just as much planning as your arrival — maybe more, because a missed flight is a much bigger deal than a slow start to your trip.

Our recommendation is the same: book a Welcome Pickups transfer for the return. Your driver picks you up at your hotel at the time you choose, loads your luggage, and gets you to the airport with plenty of time to spare. No worrying about whether an Uber will show up, no dragging suitcases through Métro stations at 5 AM, no uncertain taxi queues.

That said, the return trip is where Uber actually works well. You’re at a fixed pickup point (your hotel), you can request the car when you’re ready, and prices tend to be lower heading out of the city in the morning. If you’re comfortable with Uber and want to save a few euros on the return, it’s a reasonable choice.

How much time to allow: For CDG, plan to leave your hotel at least 3 hours before your flight (3.5 hours during peak season or for early-morning flights). For Orly, 2.5–3 hours is usually sufficient. Factor in Paris rush-hour traffic — leaving central Paris between 7:30–9:30 AM or 5–7 PM on weekdays can add 30+ minutes to your drive.

What to Know Before You Land

CDG is enormous. Charles de Gaulle has three terminals, and Terminal 2 alone has seven sub-terminals (2A through 2G). Make sure you know which terminal your airline uses — this determines where your taxi stand, train station, or Welcome Pickups driver will be. A free automated shuttle train called CDGVAL connects all terminals, running every few minutes.

Wi-Fi is free at both airports. Connect to the free Wi-Fi as soon as you clear customs so you can pull up your transfer confirmation, open your Uber app, or message your Welcome Pickups driver. Having your hotel address accessible on your phone is essential.

Have euros ready. While most taxi and transfer services accept credit cards, the RER ticket machines can be finicky with non-European cards. Having €20–30 in cash as a backup is smart. You can use the ATMs in the arrivals hall — just avoid the currency exchange counters, which give terrible rates.

Late-night arrivals. If your flight lands after 11 PM, your options narrow significantly. The RER B stops running around 11:20–11:30 PM. Buses stop even earlier (except the Noctilien night bus, which runs midnight to ~4:30 AM but is slow and inconvenient). For late arrivals, a taxi or pre-booked Welcome Pickups transfer is essential. Official taxis are available 24/7 at CDG and Orly.

Scams to avoid. Never accept a ride from someone who approaches you inside the terminal. Licensed taxis are outside at marked stands; Welcome Pickups drivers identify themselves with your name on a sign and you’ll have their photo in advance. If anyone asks “Do you need a taxi?” inside the arrivals hall, the answer is always no — walk past them to the official taxi stand or to your pre-arranged driver.

Beauvais Airport (BVA). If you’re flying a budget airline like Ryanair, you may land at Beauvais-Tillé, which is 85 km north of Paris — not a “Paris airport” in any practical sense. The shuttle bus to Porte Maillot takes about 75 minutes and costs ~€17. Factor this into your plans and avoid booking if a CDG or Orly option exists.

This is what they say about their ride with Welcome Pickups 👇

Airport transfers FAQs

Ready to Book Your Paris Airport Transfer?

Your Paris trip should start with excitement, not stress. The walk through a foreign airport, the confusing signage, the language barrier, the unfamiliar currency — all of that melts away when you know someone is waiting for you at arrivals with your name, ready to take you straight to your hotel.

Whether it’s your first time in Paris or your tenth, a pre-booked transfer with Welcome Pickups is the smartest investment you can make for the start and end of your trip. Book both ways and you’ll never have to think about airport logistics again.