There are two main airports serving the French capital. Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), also known as Roissy owing to its location in that suburb, is the city’s main international airport, situated about 26km north east of the centre.
The smaller Paris Orly (ORY), located only 15km south of the city, is the primary domestic facility but some international airlines also fly here.
Here’s an overview of the various options from both airports to the city centre, and how to travel between the two airports.
CDG to city centre
Rail
RER B
This is the fastest option, with a direct train reaching Gare du Nord station in 25 minutes. Trains run every 10-20 minutes from 0456 until 2226, departing from Station Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1 for Terminals 1 and 3; the station is less than 500 metres from T3 while the free CDGVAL shuttle runs from T1.
The RER B also departs from Station Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV from 0453 to 2226, catering for Terminals 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F and 2G. The free N1 shuttle bus runs from level 5 of the RER station to 2A, while the N2 shuttle operates between T2F exit 2.10 and 2G. A one-way ticket costs €11.45.
Aside from Gare du Nord, the RER B also stops at a number of stations in Paris, including Châtelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel-Nôtre-Dame, Luxembourg, Palais-Royal, Denfert Rochereau and Cité Universitaire.
Buses
RoissyBus
The quickest option takes about 1 hour to reach Opéra (11 Rue du Scribe), operating every 15-20 minutes from 0600 until 0030. RoissyBus picks up from Terminal 1, Terminal 3, T2AC, Terminal 2D, and Terminal 2EF. Terminal 2G is linked to 2F by the free N2 shuttle. A one-way ticket costs €16.20.
You can also now buy tickets with a contactless card on board the RoissyBus. Accepted cards include CB, Visa and Mastercard, plus virtual cards on smartphones.
Noctilien Night Bus
The N140 and N142 run from the airport to Gare de l’Est in the city centre, catering to late-night or early-morning flights.
The buses depart from Terminal 1 at exit 8, Terminal 2 at the TGV station, and Terminal 3 at the Roissypôle station. The N140 runs every hour, and the N143 every half an hour from around 0100 and takes about 60 minutes. A one-way ticket costs €4.20 on board.
Taxis
There’s a flat rate of €62 for drop-off on the Left Bank and €55 for the Right Bank. Taxis can be found at the official ranks outside the terminals.
Orly to city centre
Rail
RER B and OrlyVal
Travellers can access the city centre via the OrlyVal shuttle train and RER B service. Orlyval picks up from Orly 1-2-3 and Orly 4 between 0600 and 2335, taking approximately eight minutes to arrive at the RER B Antony station. Trains from here to the city centre operate every ten minutes from 0547 to 2243, and take 25-30 minutes. A one-way ticket costs €15.40, inclusive of the shuttle price.
Buses
OrlyBus
This airport shuttle bus delivers travellers to Denfert-Rochereau in the 14th arrondissement within 30 minutes, depending on traffic. It operates every 15-20 minutes, from 0600 to 0030. You can board at Orly 1, 2 et 3 or bus station Orly 4. A one-way ticket is €11.20.
You can also now buy tickets with a contactless card on board. Accepted cards include CB, Visa and Mastercard, plus virtual cards on smartphones.
Noctilien Night Bus N31
There are four Noctilien night bus lines that serve Orly airport.
The N31 and N131 deliver passengers to Gare de Lyon, the N22 to Chatelet and the N144 to Gare de L’Est. The buses depart from the South Terminal every hour on weekdays, and every 30 minutes on weekends, from about 1am or 2am. Tickets are sold on board and cost €2.50.
You can travel on these using a t+ ticket, Navigo monthly, weekly or annual travel pass, as well as a Paris Visite travel pass, or you can purchase the tickets onboard.
Taxis
There’s a flat rate of €35 for drop-off on the Left Bank and €41 for the Right Bank. As with CDG, taxis can be found at the official ranks outside the terminals.
CDG to Orly
To transfer between the two airports, you can get the RER B and Orlyval, as mentioned in the previous sections. There’s a special fare, which costs €24.50 from Orly to CDG.
