Charles de Gaulle Airport: Paris Transfers Guide

If you’ve ever stepped off a long-haul flight into Charles de Gaulle and wondered whether the journey into Paris was going to cost more than the flight itself, you’re not alone. CDG sits roughly 23 km northeast of the city centre — a distance that translates to serious transfer bills if you don’t plan ahead. What many travellers don’t realise is that Paris has a second major airport, Orly, that’s less than half that distance away and significantly cheaper to reach. Knowing which airport you’re landing at, and what your options are, can save you both time and a fair chunk of change.

Distance from Paris centre: 23 km (14 mi) northeast ·
Location: Roissy-en-France ·
Opened: 1974 ·
Operator: Paris Aéroport ·
Terminals: 1, 2, 3

How far is De Gaulle from Paris?

The most common reason travellers end up stressed about CDG transfers is geography. Charles de Gaulle Airport sits roughly 23 km from Paris city centre by road — not far in absolute terms, but enough to mean 50–65 minutes in traffic depending on the time of day, according to The Points Guy. In straight-line distance, Wikipedia places it 23 km northeast of Paris in the commune of Roissy-en-France. That gap shapes everything that follows: the further the airport, the higher the taxi meter runs.

Distance to city centre

When sources list CDG at 23 km northeast or 14 road miles, they’re measuring to roughly the Notre-Dame island in central Paris. By contrast, Orly Airport lies just 11 miles from the same reference point — less than half the distance, according to The Points Guy. For travellers who have a choice of arrival airport, this single metric is worth weighing heavily.

Travel time estimates

Road travel time from CDG fluctuates significantly. Off-peak, a taxi clears the journey in around 50 minutes. Rush hour can push that past 65 minutes, which directly inflates the fare. Public transit is more predictable: the RER B train takes roughly 1 hour from CDG Terminal 2 to central Paris stations including Châtelet-Les Halles and Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame, as noted by The Points Guy.

The implication: if you’re landing at CDG and heading downtown, budgeting 60–90 minutes for the journey — regardless of transport mode — keeps expectations realistic.

How do you get from Charles de Gaulle to Paris Centre?

The good news is that CDG is exceptionally well-connected to central Paris by rail. The bad news is that the options aren’t equally convenient for every traveller, and mixing them up can mean a detour through the wrong terminal or an unplanned transfer in the wrong direction.

Train options to CDG T2

The RER B is the workhorse line. It departs from Terminal 2 (where most international flights land) and runs directly to central Paris, stopping at major interchanges without requiring a change. Paris Aéroport Official sets the airport-to-city RER ticket at €13 as of 2026, with Navigo passes accepted on that fare. Journey time is approximately 1 hour. You can check schedules and pre-book through The Trainline.

The single-use Paris Metro-Train-RER ticket for inner-city legs costs €2.55 in 2026, per European Traveler. If you’re continuing past the city centre on the RER or Metro, that ticket covers the final leg separately.

Other transfer methods

The Roissybus runs from CDG to the Opéra area in around 50 minutes at a fare of €8.00, according to Paris Net. That’s slower than the RER but deposits you closer to several major hotel districts.

How much is a taxi from Charles de Gaulle to Paris city Centre?

Taxis are the most expensive CDG-to-city option, but they’re also the most door-to-door. The range is real: depending on traffic, your meter will land somewhere between €56 and €65, according to Rydeu and The Points Guy. That’s roughly double what you’d pay for the equivalent trip from Orly.

Fixed fare details

Unlike Orly, which has published fixed taxi fares differentiating between Paris banks — €37 to the Right Bank, €32 to the Left Bank, per Rick Steves Community Forum — CDG does not currently publish equivalent fixed tariffs for city-centre drops. The practical result is metre variability. Mid-range private transfers run €50–80 according to Rydeu, offering a slightly more predictable middle ground.

Alternatives to taxi

If you want a car without the metre variability, pre-booked private transfers quoted at €50–80 exist but require advance booking. For airport-to-airport connections, Flixbus runs CDG–Orly routes starting at approximately €12 with an average journey of 1 hour 37 minutes, per Flixbus.

What this means: for a solo traveller, the RER at €13 will almost always outperform a taxi on value. For a group of three or four splitting a €60 fare, the math flips.

Which airport in Paris is closest to the centre?

Orly isn’t just closer — it’s dramatically closer. At 11 road miles versus CDG’s 14, Orly sits on the southern edge of the Paris metropolitan area, making it the objectively nearer option for anyone heading into the city proper, according to The Points Guy.

CDG vs Orly distances

• CDG: 14 road miles, 23 km straight-line, 50–65 min by road to city centre
• Orly: 11 road miles, ~18 km straight-line, 30–45 min by road to city centre

Travel times

By road, the Orly advantage translates to roughly 20–30 minutes less driving time in both directions. By public transit, Orly requires a transfer — the OrlyVal shuttle to the RER B at Antony takes about 40 minutes total, according to The Points Guy. CDG’s RER B is direct. So the transit picture is closer than the raw distance suggests, though Orly’s Metro Line 14 option (newer, automated, step-free) partially offsets that, per European Traveler.

Which airport in Paris is better?

The honest answer depends entirely on what “better” means for your trip. CDG handles more passengers — it’s among Europe’s busiest hubs — and therefore offers more international connections. Orly is more manageable in size, closer to the city, and consistently cheaper to transfer from, per Rick Steves Community Forum.

Traffic and passenger volume

CDG’s passenger throughput ranks it among the top airports in Europe. That volume means longer queues at security, busier terminal transfer shuttles, and more congestion on the road approaches. Wikipedia’s list of busiest airports by passenger traffic places CDG consistently in the top tier. Orly handles a fraction of that volume, which translates to shorter queues but also fewer flight options.

Pros and cons

The trade-off: CDG is the default for long-haul and European connections; Orly is the smarter choice when both are available and cost or convenience is a priority.

Paris Airport Transfers: CDG vs Orly Compared

Four transport options, two airports, and a city centre destination — here’s how the numbers stack up for 2026.

The pattern is consistent: for door-to-door speed, taxis win at Orly by a wide margin. For cost-efficiency, the RER B from CDG and the combined OrlyVal–RER from Orly both land at €13, though the Orly route involves a transfer.

Getting from CDG to City Centre: Step by Step

Follow these steps whether you’re landing in Terminal 1, 2, or 3 at Charles de Gaulle.

1. Locate the RER station. Terminal 2 has its own dedicated RER station adjacent to the terminal. Terminal 1 and 3 passengers take the free shuttle CDGVAL to Terminal 2 Rail station first.
2. Buy your ticket. Airport-to-city RER tickets cost €13 at the station (Navigo accepted). Pre-purchase via The Trainline is optional but can reduce queuing.
3. Board the RER B. Trains run frequently. Journey time to central Paris — Châtelet-Les Halles or Saint-Michel — is approximately 1 hour.
4. Transfer if needed. From central RER stations, connect to any Metro line for your final destination. The inner-city Metro-Train-RER ticket costs €2.55 as of 2026.

“Orly is not as congested, and it is much closer to Paris, making it generally easier, faster, and cheaper to reach.”

— Rick Steves Community Forum

“Metro Line 14 is newer, fully automated, step-free, and often easier to manage with luggage.”

— European Traveler (travel guide)

Related reading: Train to Paris from London

Travelers landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport will find a detailed transfers overview covering RER trains, taxis, and buses alongside terminal navigation and FAQs.

Frequently asked questions

For visitors landing at Charles de Gaulle, the distance to Paris centre is a fixed fact — but the cost of reaching it doesn’t have to be a surprise. Whether you ride the direct RER B or weigh a taxi against Orly’s proximity advantage, the numbers are now in front of you. Travellers who plan their transport before landing save both time and money compared to those who queue at the taxi rank without knowing the alternatives.