CDG airport to Paris city centre: RER B or taxi

Getting from Paris Charles de Gaulle to the city centre

Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) sits roughly 25 km north-east of central Paris, which puts every arriving traveller in front of the same decision within minutes of clearing customs: train or taxi. This page covers only that journey, from CDG into the city itself. Getting from Paris-Orly (ORY) or Paris-Beauvais (BVA) works differently and is covered separately - see Orly airport to Paris city centre and Beauvais airport to Paris if you are flying into either of those instead.

There is no single “right” answer between the RER B and a taxi. The right choice depends on how much luggage you are carrying, what time your flight lands, how close your hotel is to a RER B stop, and how much you value predictability over door-to-door convenience. What follows is the honest version of that trade-off, without invented prices or timings.

The RER B: the direct rail link into Paris

The RER B is part of the wider RER and trains network run by Île-de-France Mobilités, and it is the only rail line that runs straight from CDG into central Paris without a transfer. Trains call at Gare du Nord, one of the city’s main train stations, and continue to Chatelet - Les Halles, both firmly on the Rive Droite and Rive Gauche side of the metro map respectively.

The appeal of the RER B is that it runs on dedicated tracks, so it is not stuck behind the same traffic that can slow a car into the city at busy times. That does not make it flawless: like any urban rail line, it has occasional delays, crowding at peak hours, and periodic engineering works, so it is honest to call it predictable rather than guaranteed fast. If your flight lands during a normal daytime window and you are travelling reasonably light, the RER B is usually the simplest option.

Tickets for the RER B journey from CDG fall under the Île-de-France Mobilités system reformed in January 2025, which introduced a Metro-Train-RER ticket covering this kind of trip, alongside a separate Bus-Tram ticket for buses and trams. Paper single tickets are being phased out in favour of a Navigo Easy card or a compatible phone. See the Paris metro tickets and Navigo guide for how these tickets and passes work; we deliberately do not quote a price here since fares change and a wrong number printed on a guide is worse than no number at all.

Once you reach Gare du Nord or Chatelet, you are not yet at your hotel. Both stations connect into the wider metro, so budget a further leg by metro, on foot, or by a short taxi depending on where you are staying - see where to stay in Paris for how the main neighbourhoods relate to these two stations.

Taxis from the official rank: the reliable alternative

Official Paris taxis wait at a marked taxi rank outside each CDG terminal’s arrivals area. This is the only queue worth using. A taxi from the official rank is the more comfortable option when you are carrying more luggage than you can easily manage on stairs and platforms, when your flight lands late at night, or when your hotel is not an easy walk or short metro ride from Gare du Nord or Chatelet.

We are not printing a flat-rate fare here because posted amounts change and a guide with the wrong figure is actively misleading. What matters more than the number is where you get in the car: only at the official rank, with an official Paris taxi. For a broader look at taxis and ride-hailing across the city once you have arrived, see taxis and ride-hailing in Paris.

The one warning that matters most

Do not follow anyone who approaches you inside the CDG arrivals hall, at baggage claim, or just past customs offering a taxi, a “fixed price to the city”, or a private transfer. This is not how the official taxi service works, and it is one of the most common ways arriving travellers get overcharged or worse. Walk past any unsolicited offer, ignore anyone holding a sign or repeating “taxi, taxi” inside the terminal, and go directly to the marked taxi rank outside. The same caution applies to unmarked cars idling near the terminal exits claiming to be taxis.

If a private transfer is what you actually want - a pre-booked car with a named driver waiting for you - book it in advance through a legitimate operator before you fly, rather than accepting an offer made to you inside the terminal.

Choosing between the RER B and a taxi

There is no formula that fits every traveller, but a few honest factors tend to decide it:

Situation	Better option
Light luggage, hotel near Gare du Nord, Chatelet, or another RER B / metro stop	RER B
Two or more large suitcases per person, or mobility difficulty with stairs	Official taxi
Late-night or very early arrival	Official taxi
Travelling with young children and a lot of gear	Official taxi
Tight budget, flexible on time	RER B
Hotel far from any RER B stop, in a quiet residential street	Official taxi
First time in Paris, want the simplest single-leg journey	Either, but a taxi removes the need to navigate a station transfer

Neither option is objectively “the” answer. A solo traveller with a backpack arriving mid-afternoon is usually better off on the RER B into Gare du Nord. A family of four arriving at midnight with a stroller and four suitcases is usually better off in a taxi from the official rank, even if it costs more, simply because the journey has fewer moving parts.

What this journey is not

This guide covers CDG specifically, and the two other Paris airports work on a genuinely different basis, not a variant of the same instructions. Orly, roughly 13-14 km south of the city, has been connected by metro line 14 since June 2024 and also has the Orlyval shuttle to the RER B at Antony - a different route entirely, covered in Orly airport to Paris city centre. Beauvais, around 85 km north of Paris and used mainly by low-cost carriers, has no direct rail link at all; travellers rely on a coach to Porte Maillot that takes well over an hour - see Beauvais airport to Paris if that is your arrival airport instead. Do not assume the RER B or the taxi-rank advice here applies at either of the other two; each airport has its own distance, its own transport options, and its own timing.

After you arrive: settling in before you explore

Once you are in central Paris, whether via Gare du Nord, Chatelet, or dropped directly at your hotel by taxi, most travellers want a slower first afternoon rather than diving straight into a packed itinerary - see the Paris layover guide if you have a short connection rather than a full stay, or Paris for first-time visitors for a broader orientation to the city once you have dropped your bags.

a private transfer booked in advance from Charles de Gaulle straight to your accommodation is worth considering if you would rather skip both the RER B transfer and the arrivals-hall taxi queue altogether, particularly for a late landing or a group with heavy luggage. For arrivals specifically into the airport itself, including flights that connect through CDG, a pre-arranged Charles de Gaulle airport transfer works the same way in reverse for the return trip to the airport.

Once you have dropped your bags, a gentle first outing helps with the jet lag more than sitting in a hotel room does. a guided walk through the historic centre of Paris is a low-effort way to get orientated on foot without planning a route yourself, and for a shorter window before a second flight or an early dinner, a two-hour highlights tour of the city centre covers the essentials without demanding a full day.

Safety and awareness once you’re in the city

Paris is a safe city for visitors, but pickpockets are active in crowded spots, including on the RER B itself between the airport and the centre, and at busy metro interchanges like Gare du Nord. Keep bags closed and in view, especially on the train from CDG when you may be tired and distracted by luggage. See is Paris safe at night and Paris scams and pickpockets for a fuller picture - the same caution about unofficial taxi touts at CDG extends to a handful of other well-known scams around the city’s main sights.

CDG to Paris, in short

The RER B is the direct, predictable rail option into Gare du Nord and Chatelet. An official taxi from the marked rank outside the terminal is the more comfortable option with heavy luggage, a late arrival, or a hotel far from a station. What should never happen, regardless of which option you choose, is following someone who approaches you inside the arrivals hall offering a ride - that is not how the official taxi service works, at CDG or anywhere else in Paris.

Frequently asked questions about getting from CDG to Paris

Is the RER B the fastest way from CDG to Paris?

It is usually the most predictable option because it runs on its own tracks and is not affected by road traffic, though delays and engineering works happen like on any urban rail line. A taxi can feel faster in light traffic and slower in heavy traffic, so predictability is the RER B’s real advantage, not a guaranteed shorter trip.

Should I take a taxi or the RER B from CDG with luggage?

With more than one large suitcase per person, a late-night arrival, or a hotel that is not close to a RER B or metro stop, an official taxi from the marked rank is usually the more comfortable choice. Light luggage and a hotel near Gare du Nord, Chatelet, or another RER B stop favour the train.

How do I find the official taxi rank at CDG?

Official Paris taxis wait at marked taxi stands outside each terminal’s arrivals area, staffed and signed as the taxi queue. Anyone who approaches you inside the arrivals hall offering a ride is not part of this official line, even if they claim otherwise.

Should I follow a driver who approaches me in the CDG arrivals hall?

No. Never follow a driver who approaches you inside the terminal, in baggage claim, or just past customs offering a taxi or private transfer. Official taxis do not solicit passengers this way; walk to the marked taxi rank outside instead.

Does the RER B go directly to central Paris hotels?

The RER B stops at Gare du Nord and Chatelet - Les Halles, both central and well connected to the metro, but it will not drop you at your hotel door. From either stop you typically continue by metro, on foot, or by a short taxi ride depending on where you are staying.

Can I buy a CDG to Paris ticket on my phone?

Île-de-France Mobilités tickets, including the Metro-Train-RER ticket used for the RER B journey from CDG, can be loaded onto a Navigo Easy card or a compatible phone, alongside paper alternatives at the station. Check current options at the CDG RER B station before travelling, since ticketing has changed in recent years.

Is a private transfer worth booking instead of the RER B or a taxi?

A pre-booked private transfer removes the guesswork of the arrivals hall and can be useful for families, late flights, or travellers who prefer a fixed pickup, but it does not change the underlying trade-off between rail predictability and door-to-door comfort.