Travel information: getting to Paris

Getting to Paris is almost as easy as falling off a log. Choose your preferred mode of transport – train, plane or coach – but the most painless for Londoners is undoubtedly the Eurostar from the super dedicated terminal at St Pancras International.

Getting to Paris by air

Paris airports

Most international flights use Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport, 30km (19 miles) north-east of Paris. Its two main terminals are some way apart, so check which one you need for your return flight.

Domestic and international flights use Orly airport, 18km (11 miles) south of the city. It has two terminals: Orly-Sud (mainly international) and Orly-Ouest (mainly domestic).

Budget airlines such as Ryanair serve Beauvais, 70km (44 miles) from Paris.

Orly airport: 01.70.36.39.50/www.adp.fr
Paris Beauvais airport: 08.92.68.20.66/www.aeroportbeauvais.com
Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport: 01.70.36.39.50/www.adp.fr

Major airlines

Aer Lingus: 08.21.23.02.67/www.aerlingus.com
Air France: 08.20.32.08.20/www.airfrance.fr
American Airlines: 01.55.17.43.41/www.americanairlines.fr
bmibaby: 08.90.71.00.81/www.bmibaby.com
British Airways: 08.25.82.54.00/www.britishairways.fr
British Midland: 01.41.91.87.04/www.flybmi.com
Continental: 01.71.23.03.35/www.continental.com
Easyjet: 08.26.10.26.11/www.easyjet.com
KLM & NorthWest: 08.90.71.07.10/www.klm.com
Ryanair: 08.92.23.23.75/www.ryanair.com
United: 08.10.72.72.72/www.united.fr

Getting from the airports

Orly

Air France buses
08.92.35.08.20, www.cars-airfrance.com. Tickets €10 single, €16 return, €5 under-11s, free under-2s).
Leave both terminals every 30mins, 6.15am-11.15pm daily, and stop at Invalides and Montparnasse (30-45mins).

Orlyval
www.orlyval.fr.
A high-speed shuttle train that runs every 4-7mins (6am-11pm daily) to RER B station Antony (€13.50 to Châtelet-les-Halles) getting to central Paris takes about 35mins.

Paris Airports Service
01.55.98.10.80, www.parisairportservice.com.
These are is a door-to-door minibus service between airports and hotels, 24/7. The more passengers on board, the less each one pays. Prices are €25 for one person and €5-€12 each for extra passengers depending on numbers. Airport Connection (01.43.65.55.55, www.airport-connection.com; booking 7am-11pm) runs a similar service, 4am-midnight.

Paris par le train bus
(€6.10) to Pont de Rungis, where you can take the RER C into central Paris. Buses run every 20mins, 5am-11.30pm daily; 35min trip.

RATP Orlybus
08.92.69.32.46, www.ratp.fr. Tickets €6.30.
Runs between the airport and Denfert-Rochereau every 15mins, 5.35am-11.05pm Mon-Fri, 5.35am-12.05am Sat-Sun (30min trip); buy tickets on the bus.

Taxis

A taxi into town takes 20-40mins and costs €16-€26, plus €1 per piece of luggage.

Paris Beauvais

Buses (information on 08.92.68.20.64). Tickets €13.
Buses eave for Porte Maillot 15-30mins after each arrival; buses the other way leave 3hrs 15mins before each departure. Get tickets from arrival lounge or buy tickets on the bus.

Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle

RER B
RATP helpline, 08.92.69.32.46, www.transilien.com.
This is the quickest way to central Paris (about 40mins to Gare du Nord; 45mins to RER Châtelet-Les Halles; €8.40 single). A new station gives direct access from Terminal 2.
From Terminal 1 you take the free shuttle bus. RER trains run every 10-15mins, 4.56am-11.56pm daily from the airport to Paris.

Air France buses
08.92.35.08.20, www.cars-airfrance.com.
Buses leave every 15mins, 5.45am-11pm daily, from both terminals, and stop at porte Maillot and place Charles-de-Gaulle (35-50min trip). Tickets €14 single, €22 return, €7 under-11s, free under-2s).

Buses also run to Gare Montparnasse and Gare de Lyon. Tickets €15 single, €24 return, €7.50 under-11s, free under-2s every 30mins (45-60min trip), 7am-9pm daily.

There’s a shuttle bus between Roissy and Orly. Tickets €18 (no return), €9 under-11s, free under-2s) every 30mins, 5.55am-10.25pm daily from Roissy; 6.30am-10.20pm Mon-Fri, 7am-10.30pm Sat, Sun from Orly.

Paris Airports Service
01.55.98.10.80, www.parisairportservice.com.
This is a door-to-door minibus service between airports and hotels, 24/7. The more passengers on board, the less each one pays. Roissy prices go from €26 for one person to €12.40 each for eight people, 6am-8pm (minimum €41, 4-6am, 8-10pm). Airport Connection (01.43.65.55.55, www.airport-connection.com; booking 7am-11pm) runs a similar service, 4am-midnight. Prices for Roissy are €28 per person, €47 for two, then €13 per extra person.

RATP Roissybus
08.92.69.32.46, www.ratp.fr. Tickets €8.90.
This runs every 15-20mins, 5.45am-11pm daily, between the airport and the corner of rue Scribe/rue Auber (at least 45mins); buy tickets on the bus.

Taxis

A taxi to central Paris can take 30-60mins depending on traffic. Expect to pay €30-€50, plus €1 per item of luggage.

Getting to Paris by car

Brittany Ferries: 08.25.82. 88.28/www.brittanyferries.com
Eurotunnel: 08.10.63.03.04/www.eurotunnel.com
P&O Ferries: 08.25.12.01.56/www.poferries.com
SeaFrance: 0044.8705.711.711/www.seafrance.com

Shared journeys

Allô-Stop
30 rue Pierre Sémard, 9th (01.53.20.42.42/www.allostop.net. Mº Poissonnière. Open 10am-1pm, 2-6pm Mon-Fri; 10am-1pm, 2-4pm Sat. Credit MC, V.
Call several days ahead to be put in touch with drivers. There’s a fee (€5 under 250km, 155 miles; €8 over 250km), plus a contribution towards the gas expenses, paid to the driver (from €5 under 100km, 62 miles, up to €105 for over 2,000km, 1243 miles).

Getting to Paris by coach

Eurolines
Gare Routière Internationale Paris-Gallieni at Porte de Bagnolet, 20th. Reservations (in English) 08.92.89.90.91 (€0.34/min) or 01.44.63.00.66 (UK 01582 404 511/www.eurolines.fr).
International coach services arrive at the Fares start from €11 for a single journey to Paris.

Getting to Paris by rail

Eurostar
01233 617 575, www.eurostar.com.
Services to Paris depart from the dedicated terminal at St Pancras International. Thanks to the high speed track, the journey from London to Paris takes 2hrs 15mins direct, slightly longer for trains stopping at Ashford and Lille. Eurostar services from the new terminal at Ebbsfleet International, near junction 2 of the M25, take 2hrs 5mins direct. Fares start at £55/€77 for a London-Paris return ticket. Check in at least 30mins before departure time. Eurostar trains from London St Pancras arrive at Gare du Nord (08.92.35.35.39/www.sncf.fr), with easy access to public transport and taxi ranks.

Bicycles

Cycles can be taken as hand luggage if they are dismantled and carried in a bike bag. You can also check them in at the Eurodispatch depot at St Pancras (Esprit Parcel Service, 08705 850 850) or Sernam depot at Gare du Nord (01.55.31.58.40). Check-in must be done 24hrs ahead; a Eurostar ticket must be shown. The service costs £20/€25.

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While every effort and care has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this guide, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors it may contain. Before you go out of your way, we strongly advise you to phone ahead and check the particulars.